“Noises Off” – University of Michigan Theatre – is hilarious fun (review) February 19, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Theatre.Tags: hilarious play, John Neville-Andrews, Noises Off, UM Noises Off, University of Michigan Theatre and Drama
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Okay, so its not the first time you have probably seen Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off” in Ann Arbor (it makes regular appearances on our various stages)– but its by far the best production you’ll see, thanks to John Neville-Andrews hilarious staging currently on-stage at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, presented by the University of Michigan, Department of Theatre and Drama.
Comprised of student performers, and guest performer Equity actress Naz Edwards, the farce flies by in what seems much shorter time than it’s 2 hour 40 minute running time might otherwise suggest. In three acts, the first sets the stage at the final rehearsal of a British farce “Nothing On” pre-tour (in the best insider joke in the show, the actors don’t know if it’s a dress rehearsal or a tech rehearsal); the second Act takes place during a performance a week into the run from the vantage point of backstage as personal relationships begin to unravel and the sight gags start to fly fast and furious; and Act Three seven weeks into the tour, from the audience vantage point, as the show has started to unravel. It’s tremendous fun and this is a five-star production.
Naz Edwards turns in a pitch perfect Dotty Otley, preparing plates of sardines and forgetting blocking for important props (like the phone). Reed Campbell plays overwrought director Lloyd Dallas, and his meltdowns are a joy to behold. Philip Maxwell and Sophie Hindley play Garry and Brooke, the couple around which the pending sex-farce revolves. Maxwell’s physical comedy is grand, and exchange student Hindley is simply marvelous in (and out) of clothing, She is the funniest Brooke I have ever seen play the part, and every single blocking motion is wrong. What makes it even funnier, is that when things are falling apart 7 weeks into the tour, her blocking remains identical to that at final dress. Shannon Eagen plays peppy “Poppy” with a sense of self-knowingness; and Casey Hanley brings a warmth and hilarity to trouser-dropping Frederick. A pants-dropped hop up the long staircase earns well-deserved applause. The same voyage down those same steps later by Maxwell tripping over a misplaced box earns him the “Dick Van Dyke” physical comedy award for this production. Stage manager and Assistant stage manager are played well by Zoe Kanters and Eric Krawczyk, and old-man Selsdon is well-acted by Avery DiUbaldo (never an easy feat for a young student to play an aging character on stage — carried off here with great skill.)
John Neville-Andrews keeps the action moving swiftly. This is a very difficult show to direct and this production is a Neville-Andrews masterwork of slamming doors, perfectly timed sight-gags, and some brilliant personal touches. He does a particularly good job with the women in this production, never allowing them to disappear into the background which can happen with this show. Those who have never seen the show before (hard to imagine in Ann Arbor, but obviously the case from some of the blank reactions of the senior older folks sitting around me) might need a second viewing to take it all in. Gary Decker’s set is terrific (and the backstage view marvelous). Katelyn Rouse’s costumes look great, and Andrew Lott’s lighting design looks clean and crisp both onstage, backstage, and offstage – in particular when the set revolves and the occasional glimpses of the show “onstage” shine through the central window from “backstage” without ever losing focus on the action backstage.
Finally — do not bypass the program insert — a hilarious spoof of the program for “Nothing On”. There, you will learn that “Cinemagoers saw Brooke in The Girl in Room 14, where she played the Girl in Room 312″, and that Selsdon had “several good supporting roles in Hollywood, including stand-in to Robert Newton”. Hilarious stuff that — and the funniest evening I have had at any theater in years.
Slick “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”, Encore Musical Theatre Company (review) February 5, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Detroit, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Encore Musical Theatre Company, Lieber and Stoller, Smokey Joe's Cafe
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This is a good news-bad news review. Before I go further, let me just say that the very talented cast in Encore’s SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE sings well, dances well, and has stage presence to spare. The set looks great. The lighting right on target. The band sounds great. So what goes wrong?
Well…nothing that Encore could do about it, besides maybe pick a better show. I’m not a fan of revues, and that is what Smokey Joe is…two hours of Lieber and Stoller songs in a hodgepodge revue that has no storyline and which resorts to lights-down-lights-up scene changes for transitions. And not all of those songs are good. In fact, many of them are not.
It’s all sort of like watching a cruise ship show — no, it’s exactly like watching a cruise ship show — slick; well done; but ultimately unsatisfying as you head out of the theater and back to the ship’s casino.
The very talented ensemble cast sing, dance, and work very hard to please. It’s hard to single out any exceptions, so let me just say that the (entirely non-equity) cast is composed of Brian E. Buckner, Steve DeBruyne, Sebastian Gerstner, Cara Manor, Terrence D. Owens, Jr., Fatima Poggi, Thalia Shramm, and Amy Smidebush. Mysteriously missing is the 9th cast member the show is written for.
Most of the show glides along just great, with solos, combos and group numbers that feature each cast member individually, as well as in boy and girl groups. Missing is any sense of who these people are, except for very broad strokes that don’t hold as the show progresses. Might as well be variety show numbers following one after the other. I had that same sense after seeing the Broadway production (which inexplicably ran almost 5 years in the 90′s), so it’s not the fault of the hard-working folks at Encore. Some numbers work better than others: “Jailhouse Rock” and “Stand By Me” smolder….while “On Broadway” falls flat, not only because of the over-involved choreography, but also because the vocal mix just doesn’t work (it didn’t work on Broadway either, where it looked like the guys were going to swallow their body mics).
But that’s another thing — if ever a show calls out for body mics, it’s Smokey Joe. Soloists here are sometimes overwhelmed by the (offstage) band, and at other times by their own cast mates. They all sound great, and the blend is very good — but you lose the soloists entirely in places.
Leo Babcock has designed a dandy set with two sweeping curved staircases. Sharon Larkey Urick’s costumes are serviceable without ever really evoking the 50′s or early 60′s. Matthew Tomich’s lighting design is generally spot on (except in one instance where beautifully spot-lit Steve and Thalia are suddenly aglow in full stage brightness that made my pupils spin).
All in all, I would always prefer a book musical (although Encore’s upcoming season of community theater type fare doesn’t make me want to run and buy tickets to any of them), but Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a well-done, well-produced musical revue. In her program note, Barbara F. Cullen states that the show is “so much more than a musical revue”. I beg to differ, and would actually say its the worst kind of musical revue – the type that has nothing but musical numbers and very little heart. That is not to slight this production which is top notch, but exactly what you would expect of a production of this show.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe continues at the Encore Musical Theatre Company through February 26th, 3126 Broad Street, Dexter, MI 734-268-6200 or www.theencoretheatre.org
Broadway Reviews – Bonnie & Clyde; On a Clear Day; Follies; Lysistrata Jones; War Horse December 19, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Bernadette Peters, Bonnie & Clyde musical, Follies, Harry Connick Jr., Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Lysistrata Jones, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, War Horse Broadway, WIldhorn
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Nothing like some Broadway for the holidays!…from the ridiculous to the superb….
Lets go from the worst to the best from this holiday visit:
On a Clear Day You can See Forever, the book-plagued but melody-lush Lerner and Lane musical, stars Harry Connick Jr so it is selling tickets well, despite dismal reviews after opening last week. And those dismal reviews are well-earned.
Director Michael Mayer decided the already terrible book wasn’t good enough, so he had Peter Parnell write an even worse one. In this version, Daisy is replaced by David, an ineffectual gay man who is the reincarnation of 40′s singer bombshell Melinda with whom Psychiatrist Connick Jr falls in love. David (a good David Turner) has a decent boyfriend (Drew Gehling, very good) to whom he has trouble committing, now that he is falling in love with straight Psychiatrist Connick Jr. The more Psychiatrist Connick Jr. hypnotizes David to get at Melinda (a sublime Jessie Mueller), the more convoluted, unbelievable, and disinteresting it all gets. There are some mind-bogglingly awful costumes provided by Catherine Zuber and some even worse sets designed by Christine Jones — all over-lit by Kevin Adams.
The music is lush and sounds great. In particular Jessie Mueller’s big band numbers bring some life to the proceedings (most of her songs are imported from Lerner and Lane’s movie Royal Wedding) with additional songs imported from the movie version, as if the musical isn’t already too long.
Harry Connick Jr, the clear star around whom this production is built, sings well, moves stiffly, and looks like he would rather be anywhere else but on stage at the St. James Theater. Most likely across the street reprising his own Broadway concert from last season, alas, delegated to Hugh Jackman this winter. Don’t expect this one to be around past January — so see it now if you must. 2 stars (of 4), and 1 star if it were not for the good leading cast.
By the way — post-show, W 44th Street becomes one of the biggest crowd control problems I have seen in New York in years. Since both shows end at the same time, and huge crowds grow in front of the stagedoors of both Hugh Jackman’s concert across the street, and those awaiting Psychiatrist Connick Jr. The street is blocked off to all traffic, and it’s general chaos. Plan your escape route in advance.
At the end of the block, there is a crowd-control problem of it’s own in Follies at the Marquis Theater.
The ugly poster design for the show should be enough to warn you of what is to come: a sumptiously costumed, overly star-laden adaptation of Sondheim’s Follies. Imported from the Kennedy Center, the show stars bland Ron Raines as Ben (sorry Ron, I know you were my next door neighbor in NYC for years, but its true); the too-old Bernadette Peters as Sally (she gets unintentional laughs when she says “what am I going to do with the rest of my life at the age of 49″); the too-young Danny Burstein as Buddy; and the excellent Jan Maxwell as Phyllis.
Also crammed in are Elaine Paige, not given enough to do; Don Correia (a virtual afterthought); Terri White (in the sole standout number in the show, Whose that Woman); and a handful of other Broadway work horses.
Granted, I have never liked Follies as a show — it’s plotless meanderings are driven by the emotional content of two relationships falling apart. The symbology of “ghosts” floating throughout the dilapidating theater overkill. The parallels to “young” Sally, Ben, Buddy, and Phyllis hitting you over the head throughout. Here, the ghosts are dressed in some of the most glamorous costumes to grace the Broadway stage in many years (Gregg Barnes) — it’s a shame you can’t see them in Natasha Katz’s woefully under-lit design.
It’s all very pretty, and well staged by Eric Schaeffer, but its tired, and ultimately uninvolving. If the cast hasn’t gripped you and caused you to feel something for them, by the time you get to Loveland, the whole thing is just an exercise in stage design. And that’s what you have here. Colorful and bland. 3 out of 4 stars. Worth seeing, if you have the time. It closes at the end of January, so you have another month.
It’s a good season for musicals on both 44th and 45th streets. Down the road, the new Bonnie & Clyde is quickly driving into oblivion (it closes on December 30th).
Now, let me preface this with the statement that I really really liked Bonnie & Clyde, and I am saddened that the producers chose to close it (most likely due to the horrible reviews from the NYTimes and from the WSJ). The audience all seemed to enjoy it too — and the single comment I heard the most at intermission was shock that the show had posted a closing notice.
This is Wildhorn’s strongest score to date; and it has a quartet of very appealing leads in Jeremy Jordan (Clyde); Laura Osnes (Bonnie); Claybourne Elder (Buck) and Melissa Van Der Schyff (Blanche). Jeremy and Laura, in particular, are sexy together, and they bring a level of interest to two characters who could otherwise be seen as quite unsympathetic. You already know how it ends (in fact, it’s made clear in the first measures of the show exactly how it will end), but it’s well written and it reaches its conclusion logically and not without feeling.
Tobin Osts set and costumes are spot-on, and there is generous use of projections by Aaron Rhyne (also well done). Local Encore Artistic Director Dan Cooney is in the Ensemble and is fun in many of the small roles that he plays. In fact, this entire ensemble is terrific.
Closing the show will, however, allow Jeremy Jordan to return to Newsies (opening in March), and look for him to become a major breakout star once his movie Joyful Noise arrives in movie theaters.
There’s an air of “dead-show-walking” when you see a musical knowing it has already posted a notice. But it gives one a good glimpse into how New York critics are currently out of touch with popular theater and audience likes/dislikes. This is a show that in seasons past might have run for months and months. Now, in our economic climate, producers are unwilling to take any risk in the show, and are closing it on December 30th to allow them to take their tax write-offs this spring rather than next. It’s all sad. 3 stars out of 4.
But wait — there’s a surprise in store a few blocks north!
Chalk up another hit for Douglas Carter Beane, who has created the funniest, craziest, and warmest script of the season in adapting Aristophanes Lysistrata to modern-day college basketball players and cheerleaders.
The show has an off-Broadway feel (not surprising, given it’s off-Broadway roots) which is fresh on Broadway. Stylistically, the musical is very similar to Xanadu from a few seasons back. There are a few dirty jokes and some lame “drawings” in which the cheerleaders demonstrate what will be withheld from the men on the basketball team if they don’t win a game (the school has not won a game in 33 years).
The ensemble cast is wonderful top to bottom, and they are clearly having fun. Director/Choreograper Dan Knechtges keeps it all moving at a swift, entertaining pace, and Lewis Flinn has written some genuine tuners. Yep, a musical with a great script, great cast, great music. And despite rave reviews, virtually no audience. I saw it papered by friends. Half the house seemed to be papered. If this one doesn’t pick up some legit paying audience, it’s not going to be around for long. See it now, it’s well worth it. 3 1/2 stars out of 4.
Finally — a visit to New York’s War Horse, at Lincoln Center which I originally saw in London several years ago.
There isn’t much I can add to the many rave reviews that this production has received (including the Tony award for Best Play this spring). Combining some live-action, with amazing puppetry, and whizbang scenic design, the show is even larger in it’s Vivian Beaumont home. It’s hard to imagine this show touring — but there is one in the works for the coming season, so you will be able to see it for yourself soon if you can’t make it to New York.
I’m looking forward to the movie this Christmas (based on the book, not this theatrical version); but there is something about seeing the sheer theater magic take place before your eyes that make this a very special show indeed. Having seen it twice now, I can tell how the show manipulates the emotions (the tears come in the exact same places night after night); but its so well done that you go with it and you emerge in a somewhat transfixed state. War is hell. People know that. Seen through the eyes of the horses who don’t comprehend but do react to noise, pain, shock, and gunshots, it illuminates the horrors of war in a way that sometimes people alone can not. 4 stars out of 4.
Excellent “A Christmas Story, the musical” – tour (review) November 20, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, Broadway Tour, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: A Christmas Story the musical
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Thoroughly surprising, superbly entertaining, and exquisitely designed, A Christmas Story, the musical makes a two week stop at the Fisher Theater in Detroit. And the show is awesome fun. Don’t hesitate and get tickets now before they are gobbled up over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend…
Like the best adaptations, the musical doesn’t just mimic the movie (although the requisite lines and scenes are all there) but expands on it and adds its own layer of musical theater storytelling. With book by Joseph Robinette and Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, it moves swiftly along through its many (23) scenes, and its smoothly and creatively directed by John Rando and choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
Everything looks great on Walt Spangler’s set (halfway through the show, you’ll find yourself wondering where all that stuff fits backstage) and its dressed lovingly in Elizabeth Hope Clancy’s costumes. Set both in 1975 and 1940, the production flows effortlessly between the two eras. Gene Weygandt plays Jean Shepherd narrating a Christmas Eve radio show, with his sidekick foley artist (sound effects) Nick Gaswirth. But it doesn’t stay there — throughout the production Gene/Jean joins the action in the 40′s story that he is narrating, and its an effect that works well throughout the production.
The entire cast is strong (and how thrilling to see so many University of Michigan Musical Theater program alumni involved with this show –from music and lyrics to actors….unless I missed I few, I counted 8 of them)…and adults and kids fare equally well. At my performance, Carl Kimbrough performed Ralphie. I am going back later this week to see Clarke Hallum in the part (yes, I loved the show that much). Rachel Bay Jones creates an excellent mother in a role expanded from the movie, and John Bolton delivers a mesmerizing performance as the father — in a part in which he practically channels the spirit of Paul Lynde in a superb outing. The many kids in the show act, dance (and tap!) their way through many sequences and songs and don’t miss a beat keeping up with the adults in all the fun.
The sole misstep in the production comes at the end, when the clever, ironic, and nod-nod-wink-wink cleverness suddenly dissolves into a couple minutes of holiday-cheer and family-dreck. It’s not off-putting, but it puts a damper on what has come before. Thankfully, it’s followed by a clever and funny curtain call that sends you out of the theater humming. Yes, really. The show has a hummable infectious score that contains a few bonefide new showtune standards. If you want the music on CD, you have to purchase it in the theater lobby, it won’t be released publicly until the fall of 2012.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your tickets before they are gone, and the tour moves on. Hopefully it will be back again next season, because this is a Christmas story that you can see over and over again. Its the first show in years that has toured Detroit pre-Broadway that really deserves to be there next Christmas. See it here first.
Ain’t no doubtin’ you’ll have a good time at Performance Network this holiday season – Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Review) November 19, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Ain't Misbehavin' musical
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Performance Network has brought Ann Arbor an early Christmas present with their current production of Ain’t Misbehavin’, the Fats Waller musical show.
Winner of the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical, (it surprisingly beat out On the Twentieth Century, not surprisingly The Act, Dancin’ and Runaways), the show revived musical reviews, and while it has no direct storyline, it follows a group of singers/performers in an after hours club as they sing, complain, flirt, booze it up, and generally have a fun time. The idea is, the audience should have a fun time as well. And they do.
Dan Walker’s excellent set invokes a basement-level nightclub, with band center stage, and some audience seated at cabaret tables on the sides (Note: I would recommend you NOT select the side seats for this production – virtually all action takes place facing front and center).
Darrian Ford, Jennifer Cole, Kron Moore, james Bown, and K. Edmonds comprise the 5-member cast, while Ryan MacKenzie Lewis and his four-piece ensemble can arguably be considered the sixth member (Ryan – piano; Brad Faryniarz – saxaphones; Chris Morelli – bass; Billy Harrington – drums). The entire ensemble swings; there is more energy on stage here than might be needed to light the Christmas lights on Main Street for the holidays.
Yeah, okay, so I can note some minor quibbles about the slightly pitchy vocals on opening night (especially in Act One); but all was well by Act Two (which is better written to begin with). It doesn’t really matter in a show which is well sung, well directed (by Tim Edward Rhoze), and well-choreographed (Robin Wilson). The hand-built costumes by Suzanne Young are exquisite. Charles Sutherland’s properties help evoke the era; and Mary Cole lights it all prettily, with red, green, and blue gels coming to life in the bigger numbers.
Each of the performers has plenty of opportunity to shine in solos, duets, and ensemble numbers; but its Darrian Ford that explodes across the stage, in particular making “The Viper’s Drag” a standout, as well as his dancing throughout. To be honest, it’s hard to recreate roles so tied to the likes of the larger-than-life Ken Page, Nell Carter, and Andre DeShields…but this cast holds its own in what is ultimately a highly entertaining holiday treat. Fats Wallers music is tuneful, sharp-witted, and often funny.
To be sure, I would rather have seen a book musical in this holiday slot — but Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a sure-footed entertaining evening. It’s the perfect compliment to dinner and drinks before the show in downtown Ann Arbor, so you can make a night (or afternoon) of it. Ask about the Prix Fixe dinner option at The Raven’s Club when making your reservations. Ain’t no doubtin’ you will have a good time.
Obsession at Croswell Opera House a fascinating musical premier (Review, kind of) November 8, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Adrian, Betsy Lackey, Croswell Opera House, Frankenstein, MI, Michael Lackey, Obsession the musical
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First, let me say right off the bat, it’s hard to review a workshop of a new show, even if it is fully staged. Because that is exactly what the production of OBSESSION, the musical (loosely based on Frankenstein) was this past weekend at the Croswell Opera House.
Fully staged and realized, the production was a fascinating look at a new musical in progress — originally written as a symphony and presented in Adrian, and now adapted as a stage musical, Betsy and Michael Lackey’s lyrical and tuneful musical takes risks not often seen at the local level. And how fortunate that Croswell Opera House was willing to take that risk to help develop this show.
I am not going to comment too much on the production itself, because if I did, I would end up in a long diatribe about how poorly directed it was, but how lovely it all looked and sounded. Let future directors find the humor and nuance in the script and score, and better manage the stage action.
What I will comment on are the tremendous performances, and the very strong musical score. Top to bottom the cast was top-notch and demonstrated excellent vocal technique. Michael Lackey (Henry/Monster); Eric Parker (Victor); Katy Kujala (Elizabeth); and Mackenzie Dryer (Justine) sang strong, confident roles. Deeply rooted in opera, the score demands a tremendous amount from the cast, and this group of performers delivered.
The score is particularly tuneful and sometimes outright stunning: “What I’d Give” has a lyrical line that ranks with the best Broadway-type pop ballads, but the entire score is lovely to listen to. The lyrics are clever and have a subtle sense of humor (not captured well in this production). The Croswell sound system made it difficult to understand some of the lyrics, particularly in the choral numbers. The show leans more toward the style of “Jekyll and Hyde” than more serious poperettas.
Is the show ready for prime time? No. Is it well on its way, yes. I would love to see the show again, after some tweeks have been made. My own thoughts as to improvements:
- There is too much music; scene changes occur rapidly (seconds) but musical rifts run for minutes with no action on stage. Some of this could be covered with better direction, but there is still too much of it. Standardize scene change music so that it cuts off once the scene has been changed, not continue just for the sake of continuing.
-The Entr’Acte is too long. Pull the main theme, add a countermelody, and roar to a quick finish. Two mintues is great. 5 minutes is too long.
-Eliminate the narration by the lead (Victor). Either incorporate it into the choral numbers, or eliminate it completely. With the exception of one or two short moments where action can be identified otherwise, the narration is superfluous and repetitive.
-Pay attention to the choral action: too many maids and butlers on stage just to sing choral backup is never a good idea. Put the chorus into the orchestra pit and let them sing backup. Find a better way to incorporate your ensemble onstage without just putting them on, and pulling them off. Its getting there –but its not there.
Overall, this was a fascinating and very well performed production that hopefully will lead to the necessary tweaks and future productions. I’d love to listen to this score over and over again, it’s sumptuous. But listening to versus seeing a show are two different things. It needs work, but it shows beyond tremendous potential — it deserves to be fixed and developed. Congrats to all involved — and keep working at this piece: there is really good here. It just needs some TLC.
Simply put, “The Light in the Piazza” at Encore is their best production to date (Review) September 8, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Broadway Musicals, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Adam Guettel, Encore Musical Theatre Company, The Light in the Piazza musical
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Take a superior score and script; add Encore’s strongest singing cast ever; stir in a new sound system and some terrific direction, and you have, quite simply, Encore Musical Theatre Company’s best production to date with “The Light in the Piazza”.
I have to disclose that I am partial to this show to begin with: many friends worked on the Broadway production both on the creative team and on stage. I saw it at the Vivian Beaumont a half a dozen times during it’s run. That being said, this cast is as strong as any I have seen in the show.
The production is Directed by Steve DeBruyne, Music Directed by Brian E. Buckner, Costumes are designed by Sharon Larkey Urick, Sets by Toni Auletti and Lighting by Matthew Tomich. I mention their names up front because it is their work that frames this sparkling production.
The action, played out on a sparse but lovely set, allows the actors to truly shine. And you have never heard a cast like this on the Encore stage. The very difficult score leans heavily toward legit voices (you know, opera voices for those of you not in the biz), and they sound fantastic on the new sound system that mixes the orchestra with the vocals.
I don’t want to give away too much of the storyline for those who don’t know. Suffice it to say it involves a mother (Barbara Scanlon) and her daughter (Stephanie Souza) who travel to Florence in 1953 and where the daughter finds love with a young Italian man (Brian L. Giebler). The will-they-or-wont-they romance plays out in a storyline that heaps levels of surprise and emotion in a deeply layered script that unfolds slowly over the course of the musical and leaves the audience as breathless as the cast by the end of the show.
Barbara Scanlon turns in a mesmerizing performance as Margaret Johnson, and Stephanie Souza plays her daughter Clara with aplomb. Brian Giebler as Fabrizio has a wonderful voice and stage presence to hold his own in a cast in which one cast member delightfully outshines the other throughout the evening. Scott Crownover plays a commanding Signor Naccarelli with Marlene Inman-Reilly turning on the vocal dazzlement as his wife. Sebastian Gerstner and Angela Kay Miller humorously play off of each other as the elder son and his wife. All smaller parts are played by an ensemble that includes Curt Waugh, Gil Bazil, Anne Bauman, Natalie Burdick, Lauren Conley, and Elliott Styles.
The vocal work here is dazzling — notes are hit and resound in the theater space which is superb for this type of show. The tone is exquisite — nothing is sharp, nothing is undertone…everything is right where it needs to be. The very difficult score includes large portions sung in Italian, often in counterpoint to English, and at times instantly alternating between the two. Adam Guettel’s lush score mixes contemporary romantic melodies with more adventuresome musical styles. This is a very difficult score and it is handled here expertly.
The requisite tears come — are they tears of sorrow? Or joy? Do you cry at a wedding? Or does something occur to throw it all out of balance. You’ll have to go see it for yourself, because it all plays out as well as any suspense story you’ve seen. From the romance of a hat blown through the air across a piazza, to the touching moments of a mother learning to come to terms with her own grief — it’s all there.
By all means see this. It is the best production Encore has done to date, and you will kick yourself if you don’t get a chance to experience it. Buy tickets for your parents. Send a pair to your grandparents. Take your husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/best friend. Go see it. I am personally getting tickets to see it again. I loved this production.
The Light in the Piazza continues through October 2nd. Tickets are available at the theater box office (3126 Broad Street, Dexter, MI) by calling (734) 268-6200, or online at www.theencoretheatre.org
The Book of Mormon…Catch Me If You Can…Sister Act…(Broadway, reviews) July 31, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Catch Me If You Can musical, Sister Act musical, The Book of Mormon musical
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I can’t remember a time I spent a few days in NYC seeing musicals that there wasn’t at least one so-so show in the bunch…instead, all three musicals I saw this past weekend on Broadway were all excellent in their own ways, with their own strengths.
No doubt about it, Broadway’s hottest current ticket (and 9-time Tony winner) The Book of Mormon at the Eugene O’Neill theater is something else. It’s the strangest, dirtiest, and funniest musical I think you will ever see. And guess what — the tunes are hummable and pretty good!
The production is ensemble through and through, and while the leads are very strong, some of the ensemble members actually steal the show from time to time. And it’s meant to be that way. “Turn it Off”, a paean to repressed emotion, features the strongest song-and-dance sequence (although “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” comes pretty close too.) This is a show where the music and lyrics are so intricately integrated into the book, that the show virtually races from scene to scene and neither overpowers the other. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea; the show uses language that could make a sailor blush — but it’s all in good fun. Personally, it’s one of those shows where my parents would walk out minutes into the show — but it’s not designed for them, nor for the casual musical goer. Call this “South Park” for adults, humor run amuck. I loved every second of this deliriously funny musical. The merchandise stands do very swift business selling “Hasa Diga Eebowai” t-shirts. I suspect NYC schools will ban them this fall — the rest of the country needs to find out what that phrase means for themselves. You can get them online at bookofmormonbroadway.com/
A block north, Catch Me if you Can has taken up residence at the Neil Simon theater. This one is all about Norbert Leo Butz, who outperforms lead Aaron Tveit in every scene he is in. Not to say that Aaron isn’t very good — he certainly is (and he gets the requisite hoots and hollers when he takes his shirt off), but there is nothing in this show that can eclipse the Tony-winning performance by Norbert. If you saw his number on the Tony awards, you know he has energy to spare. But there is a lot of good going on this show, not the least of which are wonderful performances by Tom Wopat and Kerry Butler in supporting roles.
From music and lyrics to set design and costuming, this is a whiz-bang entertainment. The story works well in this musical setting, and it’s another great evening out for adults (I can’t imagine anyone under the age of 15 will be able to sit still for this one — it’s themes of self-creation, ego-disintegration, and self-centeredness require some maturity and life experience to fully appreciate.). The story unfolds slowly, in spectacular show-within-a-show fashion. You know how it ends. Getting there is what makes this so fun. And the direction (Jack O’Brien) and choreography (Jerry Mitchell) are about as fluid as you will find on Broadway right now. The production itself owes a lot to the revival of “Chicago” 14 years ago. The orchestra is on a tiered set onstage (a convention I don’t like in any production), and set pieces fly and pop-up through stage traps. Things run efficiently and very quickly to cover locals throughout the US and overseas. Had The Book of Mormon not raised it’s delerious head, this show would have won the Tony for Best Musical this year hands down.
And around the corner, Sister Act has what is sure to be a longterm home at the Broadway Theater. In a multi-million dollar production, the show is crowd-pleasing and family friendly (not something that can be said for most of the seasons other new shows).
The real find here is Patina Miller in the role created by Whoopi Goldberg. Her voice soars in the many gospel-cum-Broadway songs, and her stage presence in a force to be reckoned with….it’s the rare performer who can make someone like Victoria Clark (in a superb performance as the reverend mother) fight for her right to party. But she has had several years of experience stealing the spotlight: she also played the role on London’s West End where the show originated.
Granted, the storyline here is relatively thin — it’s up to the music and the very strong ensemble company to make this one shine. And shine it does. The crowd ate it up. You will too. Skeptics need not apply (see Book of Mormon instead).
Tickets for Catch Me If you Can and Sister Act are readily available online and at the box office. The Book of Mormon is another story altogether. I purchased my tickets while I was in NYC in December. The first good tickets I could find were this past weekend (in July). Tickets are on sale through 2012, and don’t expect to get any tickets for months – this is Broadway’s hottest ticket since The Producers, and because it isn’t reliant on specific “stars” it will continue to sell no matter whom is in the cast. By all means get tickets — just expect to wait.
Outstanding “The Last 5 Years” at Encore (Review) May 27, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Dexter, Encore Musical Theatre Company, Jason Robert Brown, MI, Steve DeBruyne, Thalia Schramm, The Last 5 Years
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Steve DeBruyne (Jamie) and Thalia Schramm (Cathy) turn in two excellent performances in Encore’s current offering, Jason Robert Brown’s “The Last 5 Years”. These two performers sing-through 75 minutes of intermission-less ballads, pop songs, and story songs to tell the tale of a 5-year relationship; her tale beginning at story’s end and working backwards, his starting at the beginning and working towards its end. They meet only once, at the middle of the story during their wedding.
With a simple, effective, and very clever set design (Steven V. Rice), the audience is seated on two sides of the black box theater space, and it works very well for this production. Steven must also be mentioned for his outstanding lighting design — possible the best I have seen in an Encore production.
The orchestra, under the nimble direction of Brian E. Buckner sounds terrific — Brian also plays keyboard, joined by Fran Wakefield on Violin, and Alex Massingill on bass. Director Daniel Cooney keeps the action flowing quickly from scene to scene (assisted by Carrie Jay Sayer, and co-directed by Steve DeBruyne). Thalia Schramm’s costume design is simple and efficient, and works just right for the many scenes and the passage of time.
I particularly enjoyed Steve’s story-song “The Schmuel Song” and Thalia’s “A Summer in Ohio” — which contains the funniest lyric in the show, about the “summer in Ohio with a gay midget named Karl playing Tevye and Porgy”. Those unfamiliar with Jason Robert Brown’s superb score will find that it is beautifully presented here, and it’s so good that you will want to see the show a second time to admire the expert musical craftsmanship at play in this work.
In short, I loved this production. I loved the performances. And I loved that Encore continues to provide some of the better current musical theater pieces available in the modern repertoire. More of this! Less of Annie!
Go see it. Highly recommended.
The Last 5 Years continues at The Encore Musical Theatre Company through June 5th — 3126 Broad Street, Dexter, MI — 734-268-6200 — www.theencoretheatre.org
AUDITIONS – “The Wedding Singer” April 24, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Ann Arbor auditions, Auditions, Dexter, MI, SE Michigan auditions, The Wedding SInger
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Yep, I’m directing another one….come one, come all (16 and older, that is, or at least look at least 16 on stage)…
Dexter Community Players will be presenting the outrageously funny 80’s musical comedy THE WEDDING SINGER on July 22-24, 2011 at the Dexter Center for the Performing Arts. The show will be directed and choreographed by myself. John Tartaglia is music directing. Debbie Mahoney is producing.
Auditions will be held Monday May 23rd and Tuesday May 24th from 7 to 9 pm, with callbacks on Wed the 25th at 7:00 as needed. Please arrive about 15 minutes early so that you can fill out the audition forms. We’ll post them here in advance so you can fill them out and bring them with you. You should only attend one day of auditions. Auditions will be held at Copeland Auditorium, 7714 Ann Arbor Street, Dexter, MI.
Prepare 16-32 bars of an upbeat song. The show is comprised of 80’s pop rock sounding songs, and is generally Broadway belt. You may sing a song from the show, or anything else upbeat. Please bring your sheet music. An accompanist will be provided (or you may bring your own, but no sing-along tapes please!).
Dress to move — there will be a short dance audition — While not all roles require dancing, they all require some degree of moving to the beat. There will also be cold readings from the script.
This is a large-cast show with plenty of parts and supporting roles and a large dancing/singing ensemble. Cast members should look 16 years old at a minimum on stage, although there is no specific age cut-off for auditions. Please note that while the show is appropriate for audiences of all ages, there are no children’s parts in this show.
The Original Broadway Cast Album is readily available where CD’s are sold, and at iTunes. There are plenty of show excerpts on YouTube. You might want to take a look at the Tony Award performance here, complete with funky asian subtitles!!:
Here’s a cast breakdown:
Robbie Hart (Rock Tenor, 20 – 35) a musician and lead singer for a trio that plays at weddings – very charismatic yet insecure with “puppy dog” appeal
Julia Sullivan (Soprano, 20 – 35) Robbie’s friend – a sweet and understanding yet naive waitress for a catering firm – comedic ingenue
Glen Guglia (Baritone, 25 – 45) a calculating, money-loving Wall Street type
Linda (Rock belt, 20 – 30) Robbie’s trashy, oversexed girlfriend – Pat Benetar type
Holly (Pop belt, 20 – 30) Julia’s bubbly, uninhibited, & loveable cousin
Sammy (20 – 35) Robbie’s friend and trio guitarist, not terribly bright but well meaning and supportive
George (strong falsetto, comic role 20 -35) Robbie’s flamboyantly gay, eccentric friend and fellow trio member, think Boy George in 1985
Rosie (Soprano, comic role, 50+) Robbie’s feisty grandmother
Impersonators:
Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Mr. T., Tina Turner, Imelda Marcos, Billy Idol and Cyndi Lauper
Many other small roles with lines as assigned from the ensemble.
