Superb cast salvages “The Producers” at Croswell Opera House

First — there are huge fans of Mel Brooks’ musical THE PRODUCERS, and there are those who are not (me) 12 Tonys notwithstanding (I voted for “The Full Monty”). It’s an actor’s dream to perform these roles — its another task entirely to sit for three hours in an audience being inundated with mean-spiritedness.

The Producers is an example of a show that worked so well on Broadway with its primarily NYC-based audiences; and a show that faltered in its national tour, and eventually closed when NYC audiences dissipated and it needed to rely on tourists, who didn’t find it as funny nor as entertaining as the apparently more-informed NYC audiences did. It also relied on the star power of Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick — two performances permanently burned into the retinas of audience goers for these roles.

That being said — the cast at Croswell Opera House is as superb as you can expect in an amateur production of the show. Steve Antalek is a fine Max Bialystock, and Patrick Toth a fine Leo Bloom (even if he is 15 years too young for the role). Lucy Hagedorn shines as Ulla, and Jim Craig is a funny Roger DeBris. Special kudos to Jesse Montie who has a pitch-perfect interpretation of Carmen Ghia, and Stephen Smith’s athletic Franz (another actor who is at least 20 years too young for the part).

There is also more good: the orchestra sounds wonderful under the direction of Jonathan Sills, and the costumes by Susan Eversden are literally stunning.

But then there is the bad: the sound is spotty with several mic problems during the course of the performance – but more importantly, some totally missing mic-work — solo lines are inaudible in the house; important lines in songs disappear; and when the ensemble sings one primarily hears only the leads who are on body mics. The opening number is a cacophony of mumbo-jumbo that even those of us who know every word of this show had a hard time making out. “We wanted to stand up and hiss….we’ve seen shit, but never like this” was completely unintelligible, and it’s one of the funniest lines in the show.

The choreography is lacking. “I want to be a producer” is sloppy and poorly choreographed. The taps can not be heard through most of the number, and this is the one place in the show where clean, efficient tapping is required. It’s not the girls fault — they do what they can with a mess of tap steps that do nothing to emphasize the rhythm of the song nor to build to any type of climax. Time steps and shuffles alone do not make for a Broadway tap number. “Springtime for Hitler” is inherently funny — the choreography in this production does nothing to build the number to what it could be; and at times seems to work against it by forcing motions into space that doesn’t fit. The swastika-dance looks great on a big stage when a mirror can be flown in to show the “Busby Berkley” effect of the swastika rotating on stage…here, it just looks like messy marching.

Then there is the ugly: the set design. This is just plain old gawd-awful. It ranges from serviceable (Roger’s apartment) to Junior-High quality (the scenes outside the theatre; and the “Springtime for Hitler” sign that flies in at the end of Act I — which is so awful that Junior High quality might be giving it too much credit.) The paint is not thick enough on the canvas drops, and light shines through from behind (a problem that plagued last year’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Croswell also). The lettering throughout is sloppy and unprofessional. The lettering for the Whitehall and Marks backdrop looks like a high school cheerleading sign hanging in a hallway. The set design is cringe-inducing in it’s awfulness. Even the better pieces have problems — Roger’s apartment doesn’t fit together well on stage (or they missed their marks during the Sunday afternoon performance that I saw) and the lovely Little Old Ladyland heart is fronted by a poorly painted sloppy looking bench.

Therein lies the crux of the matter — The Producers, despite spoofing the “worst show ever” can’t LOOK like the worst show ever. It’s a budget-squashing show that is far more expensive than it looks in the finished product, and it is exactly because of that budget that the show works in professional venues.

What Croswell has is a fine ensemble cast that is stunningly costumed standing in a shell of a set — and it doesn’t work that way. Sloppy graphics and lettering, poorly painted drops, and slow-moving scene changes undo the effort that the cast has put into this show.

I laughed. I know the show inside and out. Everything that worked in this show worked because of the fine and funny script, the great singing voices, and the fine direction of Mark DePietro whose sense of timing, comedy, and efficient stage-work is clearly seen throughout the show. I wish I could say more positive things about the show, but I can’t.  Perhaps my expectations of the Croswell have become too high over the years — but they SHOULD be that high — this is the best Summer Stock in the region.

For the record, Croswell is the only non-professional theatre where I would personally audition for a show. My heart is in directing and choreography, not in performance. But I respect certain directors and some specific shows. I was in last year’s Croswell production of Titanic, the Musical, because it is one of my favorite shows. I was indeed cast in this production of The Producers, but chose not to participate for personal reasons. I look forward to auditioning at Croswell again if the right combination of show and director comes along down the road and my schedule permits. I am also a supporting member of the Croswell Opera House.

There are a slew of other productions of THE PRODUCERS slated for local venues, including one in Ann Arbor this fall. Word of warning to all of them — this is going to be the most expensive musical you have ever produced, and if you don’t have the money to spend, tread carefully.

A Place Called Home…(Dog Version)…

Madison came home this week from the Humane Society of Huron Valley. She’s a Black Lab puppy that was surrendered by a family that could not take care of her when an elderly Alzheimers parent came to live with them.

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I went to take a peak at who was there, and this little Black Lab head popped out of her kennel and that is as far as I got. My last Black lab (Gabe’s) final months are well documented in this blog…

But now – a new pup at home! There’s noise in the house again, and it’s all good — she’s housebroken, behaves well in the house, and sleeps through the night. I’ve been able to leave her alone in the house for up to 4 hours with no problems. Yeah!  Good girl!

She does come with the requisite 6-month old pup qualities — lots of energy, banging into walls, jumping, flying through the air, and running around the backyard like she was a banshee…

But it certainly makes you wonder about the decisions people make about pets. If you are going to get a pup, then that pup is not disposable when someone new enters your life (or on this case old). There is absolutely nothing about this beautiful pup that would have prevented peaceful coexistance. She was obviously loved – she is well groomed, and she looks like she had a bath and nails clipped before the family brought her to the Humane Society…so it makes one even sadder at the decision that this family had to make to surrender her.

Anyway — enough diatribes — their loss is my gain. And in the four days shes been with me so far, I have come to learn that she loves chasing after birds, doesn’t walk well on a leash yet, and is not as good a poser for photos as my previous lab…

Luckily, I am on vacation for the next few weeks, so there will be lots of good bonding time, even if this vacation has instantly become a stay-cation. Well worth it for the new pup that’s running the house. And how great is it to have noise in the house and someone to greet me when I walk in the door! Somewhere Gabe is smiling, and thinking I’m a fool for adopting another Black Lab, and happy she is safe and sound and out of the shelter.

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“Billy Elliot” has Big Night at the 2009 Tonys

As predicted in this blog a month ago (and most blogs about Broadway, lets be fair) Billy Elliot had a big night at the Tony awards last night, winning 10 awards, including Best Musical. The voters took pity on Next to Normal by awarding it Best Score, one of only two major awards that Billy was nominated for that it did not win (costumes was the other – going to the well-deserved Shrek).

08tony.billy.4802David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish won the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical. Photo NYT, 2009

The boys had a hard time articulating their thank you’s…what would you do if you were 14 in front of that size audience?…and rumor has it all of them will be gone from the show by the end of the year (little boys grow up and their voices change — two new Billies are already in rotation as of this past week in NYC).

Elton John, on the other hand, made a beautifully articulated thank you upon winning Best Musical and acknowledged the artistic team of Next to Normal (a not-so-veiled concession speech for best score).

I’ve blogged before about this brilliant show, so I won’t do so here again — just look down a few posts and you’ll find my thoughts on the show. But I did want to mention that while American audiences and critics were a bit more mixed on the show, the British media and audiences (the origin of this musical is on the West End, not Broadway) have readily appointed Billy Elliot as the finest musical ever written. I can’t really argue with them. I love musicals of all types, but there is something about Billy Elliot that speaks to every single child (and adult) who ever had a parent that told them “No” when they wanted to sing, or dance, or paint, or play an instrument. Told through dance, the story resonates with every single performer who has taken a step on a stage. The Tony Awards well-chosen “Angry Dance” last night was a good sample of emotion expressed through movement in the end of Act I curtain number.

Congratulations to everyone nominated for this year’s Tony’s and all those who weren’t. But my heart goes out to Billy…

For the Record: 2009 Tony Awards for Billy Elliot: Best Musical, Best Actor (David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish), Best Director, Best Featured Actor (Michigan’s Gregory Jbara), Best Set Design, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting Design, Best Sound Design, Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography.

Encore’s “Little Shop of Horrors” is a Tasty Early Summer Treat

Getting better and better with every show, Encore Musical Theatre Company in Dexter, MI opened a terrific production of Little Shop of Horrors tonight. Funny, well directed, well performed, and well designed, Little Shop is an early summer treat.

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Steve DeBruyne plays Seymour to nerdish perfection, and I can’t say enough good things about Sarah Litzsinger’s Audrey, who touches all the right notes in a fine performance. A running gag of her facial expressions bring some of the biggest laughs of the night, and her “Somewhere That’s Green” is a study in reserved character craftsmanship. Brava. The entire cast is consistently good, with Paul Hopper (Mushnik) and Jedd Nickerson (Orin) also turning in strong performances.  This is a great ensemble cast.

Special kudos to Michael Lanning, who voices Audrey II with menace, humor, and just the right touch of potty mouth. The coordination of the puppets with his voice is well done. The plant itself, by the way, is terrific. This is the Broadway plant, not designed locally, but imported from New York. It’s a bit cramped in the Encore Space, but it’s a beautiful thing to see it take on a life of it’s own as it grows ever larger (and funnier).

Leo Babcock has designed a terrific set for the show. It works well throughout the production, and looks just right in the small Encore space. Leo has done some beautiful black box theatre work over the years, and his talent and experience shows in this tight and just-right set design.

This is the first show at Encore that has a band that plays in tune, and the blend between them and the cast is just right. Barbara Cullen’s direction and choreography are again good, and she well understands that this work is best directed underplayed to allow the jokes and characters to drive the story without needless overacting. She gets fine performances out of her actors, and the stage pictures look terrific throughout the show.

There were a couple glitches on opening night, nothing that seriously distracted from the overall experience, and which will be ironed out as the show finds its pace and timing. Most notably, there were several missed lighting cues, and some strange spotlight work. And the theatre is still in need of a donation of a tv monitor system so that the actors can see the conductor who is backstage. By the way, Encore — PAINT that air conditioning ductwork black!

This is a high-energy night of theatre, and it’s highly recommended.

Congrats, Encore!

Cedar Point’s “Starlight Experience”; a weekend at the park

I have a season pass for Cedar Point — I decided to spend the weekend there Memorial Day weekend, and had a marvelous time staying at the Lighthouse Point cabin right on property. It’s a great little cabin with AC and 2 t.v.’s !! It has a small exterior porch, and a terrific lake view. It’s also a 2-minute walk from the Magnum park entrance. Highly recommended (they are appropriate for up to 6 — though 6 is pushing comfort level)

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I’ll get to the overall ride review in a bit — but since I’m a director and designer at heart, let’s take a look at the shows and other stuff first. First off, two of the major live shows are not yet up and running — neither Signed, Sealed Delivered (the Broadway-style review) is running yet, nor is the ice skating show, Snoopy’s Big Bow Wow. Those arrive in June and I’ll update this when those are up and running.

UPDATE 8/8/09:  Signed, Sealed, Delivered is now up and running. The show is fast, loud, and at times unintelligible. But the performers are good, and the show is the closest thing the park has to a “broadway review” type production. There is too much Four Seasons and not enough Vandellas, but it’s still fun and well performed. The kids tend to mug and play to their friends in the audience (at least at the performance that I saw) but there is enough talent to spare.  Snoopy’s Big Bow Wow is looking a bit tired — but maybe that’s cause it was the last performance of the day. The technical work and lighting here are marvelous — the best in the park — but the skaters look a little time-worn, and the lead male ice-dancer has a beer belly. Still, it’s a fun event, equally impressive to the adults and fun for the kids. Certainly take some time out to see this well-done ice review. Its unique, and its well done.

GOT COUNTRY, at the Red Garter Saloon is a loud, upbeat pop country show with three guys and three girls. The lead male (Billy) in particular is quite impressive in his vocals, the remainder of the cast good. This show is LOUD — needlessly so. They singers had a hard time outshouting the canned music that is cranked to levels that are too loud for this intimate venue. Arrive at least 1/2 hour before the performance or you will have noplace to sit. You can stand at the bar for the 25 minute show, but then you’re hardly going to get the chance to take the load off for an hour and relax. By the way, the Red Garter serves adult drinks and beer in addition to food. Standard themepark fare – but not bad to combine lunch with the show. Service is SLOW.

On the Wicked Twister Midway – The All-Wheels Extreme show opened this weekend. It’s fun, rowdy, and the extreme bike riders, roller skaters, and performers are all energetic and fun. The tricks and stunts are standard theme park level, some of it very well choreographed. The dancers are enthusiastic. The two male gymnasts are fantastic, although a bit one trick after their first sequence. This is a great 25-minute show. It too requires you arrive early. You can do some people watching of people on the beach while you are waiting. You’ll enjoy it, just don’t think too much cause the “storyline” is non-existent. Enjoy the music and the stunts, you can’t go wrong.

Over on the Frontier Trail, the majority of it transforms at night into the new “Starlight Experience”. They advertise “a million LED lights at a cost of approximately a million dollars.” There are nowhere near a million lights, but it’s bright and colorful, and it really IS an addition to that part of the park. You won’t linger long while walking through the display, but it’s a pretty and colorful way to end the day. It looks like this:

CP-TE1 There are also some big blow-up snoopy characters themed to the colors of the display which loosely follow colors appropriate to the “seasons” — blue and white for Winter; Green for Summer, etc. They are the same things you see people put in their front yards at Christmas Time. Snoop, Lucy, Charlie Brown, etc.

In order to set up, it takes them about a half hour, and they close down the frontier trail during that time. I heard a lot of grumbling from the teens who are used to running through the trail to get from Millenium Force to Maverick for their last rides of the evening. Now, they have to go around on the Gemini Midway, or take the train. It also started a good hour too late — 9:15. Eventually, they’ll get that setup down to a bit less time, and they really do need to start it earlier in the evening if they still want to retain that family audience this is clearly aimed at.

It’s pretty, and it’s worth a wander through. It wasn’t worth a million dollars which would better have been served fixing the bathrooms, or hiring a few more kids to clean the bathrooms all summer — still the most disgusting bathrooms I’ve seen at any theme park anywhere.

As to the rest of the park: it’s exactly the same as last year (Oh, there are some new directional video monitors and a new fountain, but that’s basically like saying the cake has sprinkles on it versus it does not — no big whoop.) Magnum XL is celebrating 20 years (Can you believe it?). It is as sparsely ridden as in past years, and in two very busy Memorial Weekend days, it never had more than a half hour wait.

Top Thrill Dragster was up and down all weekend — but seemed to be running most of the time. When it runs, the line is about 1 1/2 hour all day — when it begins to break down, that wait can go up to 3 hours.

Millenium Force was whipping riders through the turnstiles as fast as they could. The ride is still marred by horrible restraint systems that don’t permit many riders to ride (those too tall or those too wide, or those with normal American shaped bodies that can’t fit inside the ridiculous seatbelt system). Make sure you try the sample chair at the entrance if you have any doubt. By the way, that new restraint system is here to stay. It was installed in 2004 after a death on a similar gigacoaster elsewhere, and in over-reaction Cedar Fair changed the restraints at all their parks and they have stayed that way. The Ride Ops on Millenium Force are the rudest and roughest at any of the rides at Cedar Point. Sure, they are in charge of possibly the best coaster on the planet – but the attitude here is basically “Get on, shut up, hold on, ride, get off, buh-bye”

Everything else was generally up and running except for the Pirate Boat swing — not sure if it had a mechanical problem or just plain old not enough ride ops. Their full compliment of employees won’t be on board until the high schools and colleges in the area all get out in early June.

I had a great time, and Cedar Point is what it is — an amusement park with the best coasters in the world, fighting an identity complex as a Ride Warrior park versus a Family Destination park — it’s both, though the Coaster and Thrill Ride portion is definately winning the game. The paddlewheel Excursion is a mere shadow if itself. The trainride spends as much time weaving around the roller coasters as it does going through the remaining wooded area of the park. They are both afterthoughts at this point. I’ll leave you with a final photo that sort of says it all…as the Paddlewheel Excursion boat winds its way through the lagoon, in the shadow of Millenium Force, dwarfing the ride, and ruining any “frontier ambiance” that the ride once had. It’s a sign of what Cedar Point has become — America’s Roller Coast, with a few other leftovers from the 50’s and 60’s holding on for dear life as they get pushed aside in favor of something that is taller, faster, louder, and more thrilling.  More photos can be found at my smugmug photos here: https://ronannarbor.smugmug.com/gallery/8317795_cRqWb#544890321_gq756

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Shrek; 9 to 5; Billy Elliot — Broadway Musicals

While on a quick weekend trip to NYC this weekend, I had the opportunity to see three top notch musicals, all of them adaptations of movie screenplays…and surprise of surprises not one of them was a clunker — Like The Wedding Singer and Legally Blonde the past few seasons,  Shrek, 9 to 5, and Billy Elliot are all solid adaptations that deserve great audiences and long Broadway runs.

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Lets start with BILLY ELLIOT, THE MUSICAL…I first saw Billy Elliot in London a few seasons ago, a few days before official opening night. I knew that it was going to be an international hit that first viewing, but the Broadway production is even larger, and the cast tighter and more skillful. I had the fortune of seeing Kiril Kulish play Billy Elliot – and his dancing is not fully describable in words; it demands to be seen. Here he is “flying” with his grown up alter-ego (Stephen Hanna).

Billy Elliot Kiril Kulish Stephen HannaBar none, this is absolutely the finest musical currently playing in New York. The audience routinely leaps to its feet to applaud young Billy in the many many many dance numbers – from jazz to ballet to tap. And Kiril is up to all of them. Supported by a top-notch cast this production just soars. Run do not walk to get tickets. The tour isn’t going to look like this. It can’t. The showmanship on display in this huge theatre with it’s huge soaring proscenium arch high above the house can’t be replicated anywhere else. When Billy flies, he truly flies in this theatre — and it is worth every penny. This is one of those shows that is worth flying in to New York for, even if it is the only thing you do while you are there.

For families — absolutely do NOT bring your under 10’s to this show — it is laden with coarse language, adult themes, and region-specific dialogue. It is not at all geared toward children in the audience, and while those preteen and older will be enchanted, it is NOT, repeat NOT a family musical.

My money for the Tony for Best-Just-About-Everything-This-Year gets bet on Billy Elliot — it might even surpass The Producers (and should) for Tony gold.

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At the Broadway Theatre, you’ll find another musical that has settled in for the longrun. SHREK THE MUSICAL is fun, tuneful, colorful, hilarious, and a bit green. There is whiz-bang technical wizardry on stage here, as are some dandy performances (in particular Christopher Sieber and Brian D’Arcy James). I wasn’t sure about this one going in, although friends who had seen it had all mutually agreed that they loved it. Well guess what – it IS that good.

shrek-cp-w5982417shrek2The sets and costumes are colorful and terrifically realized. The lighting design pops. The makeup affects are outstanding. One word of warning, though; just like the original movies on which this musical is based, this is not a musical for Tiny Tots– parents should use discretion when deciding upon a family outing — if you’ve seen the movie and the kids are okay with it, ask yourself will they be okay with those same situations front and center, live and in person.

In a year the Billy Elliot is sure to dominate all of the Tony Awards, Shrek’s nomination for Best Musical is a fit accolade for this superior entertainment. Modern day Music Hall meets Slapstick Comedy and Brian D’Arcy James exquisite and emotional Shrek ties it all into one entertaining night out.

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Finally, I had zero expectations for 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL going into the Marquis Theatre. I was pleasantly surprised by the comic and tuneful performances, and the absolutely amazing set. Allison Janney and Mark Kudish both deserve their well-earned Tony Nominations (for Best Actress and Best Featured Actor), as does Dolly Parton’s songs and lyrics. Country pop lives on Broadway!

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The script is virtually intact from the 1979 movie, with the same jokes and the same punchlines — even the goofy “stealing the body in the hospital” sequence. But you expect no less.

What the real revelation here is the set, and I have to say as a Director and as a Set Designer, this technical team’s omission from the Tony Awards borders on criminal. Future generations will look back at this musical (and they WILL look back – as this is sure to be performed by every high school and community theatre from Peoria to Eureka in future years to come) as the groundbreaking set design that finally integrated both a standard fly system and video screen with the newest trend: popup scenery that rises from lifts in the stage — not just platforms, entire set pieces. It is so well done here that the motion never stops — the set and choreography so intricately integrated that you fear the performers will disappear into holes in the floor — yet there they are, fresh and perky throughout as massive pieces of wall, columns, and ceilings swing and move and rotate and assemble and reassemble and put you in an entirely new location within seconds. This set design is one of the most superior I have seen in a musical probably ever. TONY COMMITTEE TAKE NOTE: YOU HAVE MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE IN THIS OMISSION.

Oh, and Allison Janney is all that and a cup of milk. Not a singer, not a dancer, she sings and dances well and brings comic timing and stage presence to the Lily Tomlin role throughout the evening. Marc Kudish deserves his Tony nomination as well for his over-the-top performance, as well as his willingness to play foil to the three ladies of the office as he gets roped, tied, hung, flung, flown in, flown out, dressed to the nines, stripped to boxers, and still look like he is having the absolute time of his life.

All three of these shows will have long healthy runs on Broadway. None of them will look the same on tour  and are all worth seeing in New York. Billy Elliot is designed to tug at your heart and make you cry (and you will – over and over throughout the evening). Shrek unexpectedly brings a tear or two (Hey, Let Your Freak Flag Fly cast!!!) and 9 to 5 will wow you with sheer entertainment and technical wizardry beyond anything seen on the Broadway Stage to date.

A couple subtle notes: Encore Musical Theatre (Dexter) bigwig DAN COONEY plays Dick in 9 to 5. He’s fine in an important but small role. University of Michigan graduate Jeremy Davis gets to have fun in the show as well.

Support Broadway, our actors, directors, musicians and stage designers and technicians. GO SEE A LIVE SHOW.

“Bleeding Red”, Michael Brian Ogden’s immensely entertaining comedy at The Purple Rose Theatre

If you haven’t yet seen it, you have a few more weeks to see”Bleeding Red”, Michael Brian Ogden’s immensely entertaining comedy at The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, MI.

3180_1013314348236_1686368926_14552_1722547_n(photo copyright Purple Rose Theatre, 2009; Michael Brian Ogden, Matthew Gwynn, Matthew David in Bleeding Red)

Anyone who has spent any time at all overseas will know that soccer fans are far more devoted to their teams than any American equivalent. That devotion is displayed in a love of the beautiful game that goes beyond merely following your team and includes long established pre-game and gametime rituals and routines. You get a small sampling at UM Hockey games, but at a much lower intensity level. That devotion sets the scene for this hilarious production, and what happens when the recent breakup of one of a group of friends threatens to upset their rituals on the eve of the most important game Liverpool played in 2005. There’s a love story in there, and some commentary on family, rootedness, growing up,and the ever present English class system….but it’s essence is the friendship of three buddies and their devotion to the game.

The small 5-member ensemble cast is superb, and Michael Brian’s writing funny, insightful, and surprisingly good for a first work. Guy Sanville’s direction as usual shows terrific comic timing, and captures the nuances of friends who have become so comfortable with each other and their routines that they routinely pile-up on one another, and dance around emotion as if they have done so for years. Great work here.

Oh — by the way, Liverpool and Milan really did play that game in 2005 — and the team’s theme song really is “You’ll Never Walk Alone”…Rodgers and Hammerstein have been turning over in their graves for years…and the rituals and songs played out in the show really ARE that insane — from someone who suffered through a season of European soccer, imagine 40,000 fans doing these rituals in the stadium while another million idiots do so on the streets of London throughout the day of the game — and you have a little sense of what happens the world over on gameday, and why American sports will never come close to that intensity of fan devotion.

Great job, Purple Rose! Great job Michael Brian Ogden. Go see the show.

Why Elton John’s AIDA by YPT was so good…If I do say so myself

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Audiences saw one fine production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA presented by Young People’s Theatre at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre last weekend. In fact, it looked better than most community and high school productions in the region….but why?

First — talent — YPT is a pay-to-play young people’s organization that draws some of the best young talent in the tri-county area. Cast members came from Ann Arbor, Dexter, Chelsea, Tecumseh. Pinkney, Hamburg, Brighton, Canton, Plymouth, Northville….I might have missed a few. That allows the group to choose the best of the best. Sure, it was still a few guys short, but with 10 other musicals being present concurrently around the area, we were still lucky to get the great talent we got.

Second — money — the budgets for YPT’s musicals easily approach 20K per production — three times the budget of Ann Arbor Civic Theatre musicals, for instance. As a result, the shows look and sound spectacular:

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Third — top notch staffing — from Ron Baumanis directing, to Brian Buckner’s musical direction and Sadie Yarrington’s musical direction, everything about this staff is professional — including lighting designer David Pickel (who also serves as one of the Lydia Mendelssohn house managers) and stage manager Meredith Tierney. Ane Richter is the producer for the shows. This comes at a cost — the professional staff is all paid. But you get what you pay for. If you want a professional-sounding orchestra, you pay them. If you want professional artistic direction, you pay for it. (This is where my SSDC membership kicks in — the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers is my theatre union, and it assures you are getting the finest direction in the profession, and not just community-theatre level direction.)

Fourth — material. Young People’s Theatre is just that. It’s musical theatre for young people, it’s not “children’s theatre”. If I see one more production of Jack and the Beanstalk or The Emperors New Clothes presented by 14 year olds I will explode. High School and Middle School students are already looking for professional theatre development. Those who are interested in theatre as a profession deserve exposure to good adult works. In the past few years, YPT has presented Aida, Jekyll & Hyde, Grease, Joseph, Annie, Fame, One on This Island, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods and many others. If you get great material to work with, you normally get great talent auditioning. Couple that with a great production and artistic staff and you get youth theatre that isn’t children’s theatre.

Fifth — family. YPT was started by families more than 30 years ago. It continues to incorporate family members across the board, from building sets, costumes, and props, to working backstage and behind the scenes. Cast parties and events include families throughout, and one of the most frequent comments heard around YPT is “this was the first thing our family did together since our kids were in elementary school.” It’s a fun and supportive experience for everyone involved.

I’ll leave you with a few more photos from AIDA today…and happily gloat about another fine musical theatre production by YPT last weekend, one I’m very proud of having directed, and one for which I am thankful for all the talented kids, parents, and artistic professional staff.

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Stunning “42nd Street” by University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — there is absolutely nobody that presents more professional musical theatre regionally than the University of Michigan Musical Theatre program. Recently celebrating it’s 25th birthday, the program is going strong, with graduates consistently working on Broadway and nationwide.

Nowhere is this professionalism more evident than in Linda Goodrich’s production of the musical theatre chestnut 42nd Street running this weekend at the Power Center. This is the second time she has directed this musical for UM, the last time in 1995 and the first UM show I had the privilege of seeing myself. This current production is equally stunning.

Bryan Langlitz plays Billy Lawlor and Mary Michael Patterson plays Peggy Sawyer, both to perfection. The cast is uniformly strong, and the tap is just spectacular. I’d venture to say they actually look more in-sync than some Broadway Tour companies, partly due to the sheer amount of time dedicated to teaching and perfecting the many dance numbers in classes as well as rehearsal each day.

The following photos give you a sample of the production. I’d urge you to beg, borrow, or steal tickets to see it while you may — and in reality, that is the only way you can — every single performance is sold out in the 1400 seat theatre.

Bravo UMMT — and a great big Brava to Linda~~

0809-42nd0110809-42nd0910809-42nd2810809-42nd3410809-42nd441(note: All photos courtesy of UM Musical Theatre Program, copyright University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program, 2009)