Greg & Suzanne Angeo

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle), and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Photos courtesy of Meadow Brook Theatre

The Extraordinary Dreams of Ordinary People

You may just see yourself, or recognize someone you know, working onstage at Meadow Brook Theatre.

“Working” is an enduringly likeable musical based on Studs Terkel’s 1974 book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do.  A celebrated radio personality from the 1950s through the 1990s, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and oral historian, Terkel interviewed dozens of ordinary people all over the country from all walks of life for his book, which offers insight into the often-overlooked “everyday American”.

A few years later, in 1977, Working was adapted for the musical stage, with the book by noted American composer Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell”, “Pippin”, “Wicked”) and writer/director Nina Faso (“Rocky Horror Show”, “Godspell”). Based on the stories of real people and their jobs, it moves through a series of 14 short vignettes revealing the deeply personal feelings people have about their means of livelihood. It also celebrates the joy of meaningful work, although that joy is dished out in small portions.

It premiered in Chicago in December 1977, then on to Broadway in May 1978 where it garnered several Tony nominations and two Drama Desk awards. It had multiple revisions over the years, gaining contributions by many popular songwriters like James Taylor and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The version presented at Meadow Brook is the 2012 revision which has six main performers – three women (Emily Hadick, Yemie Sonuga, Kim Rachelle Harris) and three men (Cory Cunningham, Gregory Rodriguez, Ron Williams). Their characters have no names other than number designations (Woman 1, Man 3, etc). Rounding out the cast are Katie Akers and Tyler Bolda, identified simply as Ensemble.

“Working” is a nice tribute to the working class – the “salt of the earth”. They share their views on the meaning of life and work, from the mundane to the profound. “Brother Trucker” by James Taylor is a folksy, funky number, performed by Cory Cunningham, that stays in your head long after the show is over. “Delivery” by Lin-Manuel Miranda has a lively, Latin-pop beat. Fine vocals by Gregory Rodriguez and company make this one of the best songs in the show.

Craig Carnelia’s “Just a Housewife”, is a stark reminder that after all these years, being a stay-at-home mom is still a thankless job. It’s performed with great feeling by the amazing Yemie Sonuga and the three other ladies in the cast. Yet another highlight is “It’s an Art”, where a waitress (played with sassy sparkle by Kim Rachelle Harris) shares her trade secrets for providing top-notch service. Another notable story-song by James Taylor is “Millwork”, featuring Emily Hadick and the other ladies.

“Joe” is arguably the most touching number by Carnelia. In a powerfully poignant turn by Ron Williams, a retired elderly gentleman finds himself trying to fill his too-long days, struggling to stay relevant to his shrinking world, and ultimately failing.

Even though the musical numbers and individual stories have no real connection to each other, director Travis Walter manages to find a common thread through the incandescent energy of the multi-talented ensemble cast. Starting off as a single unit, they break off into their individual characters, then merge once again to sing the anthems of the American worker with one voice.

This musical was created over 40 years ago, before the internet, computers and social media transformed the workplace. But despite some dated material, the central message of “Working” is timeless and underscores the sometime uncomfortable truth: Work can define who you are and your place in society, for good or bad, and the lack of it can make you feel isolated, useless and irrelevant. But work can also inspire you to dream of a better life.

When: Now through March 8, 2020

Tickets $36 to $46

Where: Meadow Brook Theatre at Wilson Hall

Oakland University

378 Meadow Brook Rd

Rochester Hills, MI 48309

(248) 377-3300

 www.mbtheatre.com

Meadow Brook Theatre is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kresge Foundation, the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, the Shubert Foundation and the Meadow Brook Theatre Guild.

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle), and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Photos courtesy of Meadow Brook Theatre

High-Spirited High Jinks

Laughter is the best medicine, and for good reason. It helps us mere mortals cope with the unpleasant and scary things in life. Scariest of them all is the “undiscovered country” that Hamlet talks about in his famous soliloquy, the place from which no one ever returns. Or do they? From Abbott and Costello to Ghostbusters and countless others, the comedy doctors have been busy making death funny.

During especially scary times, in the summer of 1941, Sir Noel Coward’s ghostly comedy “Blithe Spirit” premiered in Manchester and London, to wild acclaim and smashing box office success. Coward served as both playwright and director. It went on to a successful run on Broadway later in 1941, just before the U.S. entered the war. Coward was, and is, one of the most influential and prolific of British talents. Playwright, author, actor, songwriter and performer, he achieved success in nearly every endeavor. “Blithe Spirit” continues to be one of the most enduring and popular plays in his repertoire.

Coward said he purposely crafted the characters in “Blithe Spirit” as unrelatable and cartoonish, all the easier for his grief-stricken and fearful wartime audiences to laugh at them and their predicaments. But there’s substance amid the ectoplasm: Disguised as light comedy, this is really a dark farce, challenging our notions about love, trust and eternity.

At Meadow Brook Theatre, under director Travis Walter’s skilled guidance, the 1940s-era characters are vividly rendered by the actors, with a warm affection and earnestness that makes this such an enjoyable comedy. Fueled by Coward’s sparkling dialogue and crisp action, the time flies.

Timothy Goodwin stars as popular writer Charles Condomine, who‘s looking for inspiration for his next book. He invites a local medium to conduct a séance in his home and ends up with more material than he ever could have imagined. Goodwin’s considerable gifts for witty dialogue and physical comedy are on display, as his glib and nonchalant character gradually descends into frenzy, then acceptance. The medium, Madame Arcati, is played by Lynnae Lehfeldt with a grim eccentricity that builds in volume over the play’s three acts.

Spoiler alert: Charles’ two wives, Ruth (Dani Cochrane) and Elvira (Leslie Ann Handelman), make excellent sparring partners, both in this world and the next. Charles’ first wife, the moody and flamboyant Elvira, has been dead for seven years. Courtesy of Madame Arcati, she appears among the living once again, but is seen and heard only by Charles. None too pleased that Charles has married again, she does her best to sabotage his happiness with Ruth.  Some of the funniest moments onstage are watching Charles trying to talk with the invisible Elvira and Ruth thinking her poor husband has gone bonkers. Cochrane has arguably the more difficult role as Ruth, deftly transitioning from loving wife to skeptic to firm believer with great panache. The showstopper, however, has to be Handelman as Elvira. In her gray makeup and filmy gray gown, she swoops across the stage, terrorizing and teasing one and all. Her performance is a little more one-dimensional (pun intended), but she’s great fun to watch.

Rounding out the excellent cast is Katie Akers as the Condomine’s goofy housekeeper Edith, and Phil Powers and Stephanie Nichols as their friends the Bradmans. Almost like another character, the sweet old Irving Berlin ballad “Always” drifts in and out of the story as a reminder of what was, and what may be.

Lighting by Phillip Hall and costumes by Corey Collins help create a semi-supernatural mood. The simple but lovely set by Kristen Gribbin represents the kind of house you’d feel at home in, even if you’re a ghost. The little blast of music and dancing at the end makes a fun and surprising finish for this very entertaining show.

When: Now through February 2, 2020

Tickets $36 to $46

Where: Meadow Brook Theatre at Wilson Hall

Oakland University

378 Meadow Brook Rd

Rochester Hills, MI 48309

(248) 377-3300

 www.mbtheatre.com

 

Meadow Brook Theatre is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kresge Foundation, the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, the Shubert Foundation and the Meadow Brook Theatre Guild.

 

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle) and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Photos Courtesy of Avon Players

 

 

Comfort Food for the Soul

 

Just like getting together with old friends and family at this time of year, “Forever Christmas” is joyfully familiar and comes with surprises. This sweet and gentle musical revue – an Avon Players original – offers songs, comedy sketches and inspired storytelling that is not unlike a holiday party with some very talented guests.

Recorded music, along with dreamy video projections of snow falling and outdoor Christmas scenes, provides the cast of five singers and four actors a cheerful backdrop. A special appearance by legendary broadcast personality Chuck Daugherty lends a magical touch with his spellbinding narratives of the history of the Christmas tree and the origin of “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. His melodious speaking voice, honed through his many decades on the radio, makes you clearly see the people and places he talks about, and yearn for more.

Five outstanding singers (Sherri Angelotti, Matt Cason, Clayton Hargrave, Kirsten Renas and Lori Smith), each of whom could have their own career in cabaret, blend their voices in beautiful harmonies and vibrant solos. Most of the singers were featured in last season’s spectacular “Hunchback of Notre Dame”. This show is a nostalgia trip for sure: A couple of numbers by the three lady singers recall the Lennon Sisters of the long-ago Lawrence Welk days, and some songs could have been sung by Bing Crosby or Perry Como. Granted, there are some modern twists to old standards, but by and large, this show takes you back to mellower times. Standout numbers include the sparkling “Jing A Ling” and lovely “Breath of Life”, arguably the best in the show.

Bodi Johnson, Katie Jostock, Anthony Sherman and Johannah Steinbrecher-Booker, the four actors doing comedy sketches sprinkled between musical numbers, give their all to the zany mix. There’s funny bits about co-worker crazies, a frenzied visit with Santa, a crabby TV hostess and a brutally frank dysfunctional family.

One critique would be the blocking – the singers have a chorus-line look at times, with minimal choreography. Breaking them up into small groups more often would give the musical numbers more depth and movement between sketches.

Projection design by Bryan Clifford gives just the right effect, as does lighting and set design by the show’s director, JD Deierlein. He’s also spot-on as the vocal director. Deierlein first conceived this show 27 years ago, over the years evolving the cast, music and stories so that now it’s a holiday tradition at Avon Players.

So sit back and relax. All you need to do is enjoy. But just one thing…

As of this writing, all but one of the remaining performances is sold out, but you can call or drop by the box office for cancellations. Or if you’re really lucky, they may decide to add some more shows. Then again, there’s always next year.

Now through December 14, 2019

Tickets $22

Avon Playhouse

1185 Washington Rd

Rochester, MI 48306

(248) 608-9077

 www.avonplayers.org

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle) and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Photos courtesy of Stagecrafters

Funny Business at the Baldwin

 

If your idea of a good time is watching gentlemen cavort onstage with their trousers around their ankles, ladies clad only in their (very pretty) underwear and seeing eight different doors slam at regular intervals, then “Noises Off” is for you.

You may have guessed that this show is intended to be a farce, but it is more than that. In its West End and Broadway beginnings in the early 1980s, it was a broadly-textured sophisticated comic spectacle that was acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. On the Baldwin main stage, it’s a pleasant-enough comedy that, as one audience member put it, “has its moments”.

“Noises Off”, by English playwright Michael Frayn, uses the popular play-within-a-play theme. It tells the story of a less-than-competent troupe of actors who are struggling through the final dress rehearsal of a British sex farce called “Nothing On”. Opening night descends upon them in less than 24 hours’ time and it’s not going well. Lines are dropped, errant plates of sardines (yes, sardines) go AWOL and tempers flare between director and cast. Secret romances and wardrobe malfunctions abound.

There is a cast of nine, with six playing the actors in “Nothing On”. The others play the director (Jason Dilly), stage manager (Casey Coulter), and assistant stage manager (Brooklyn Nicole). Stagecrafters veteran Dilly delivers an intense and memorable performance as the wise-cracking, world-weary director Lloyd Dallas, who, as it turns out, has quite the active love life. Making a show-stopping entrance is Jeff Weiner as the eccentric senior actor Selsdon Mowbray, who also happens to be playing the Burglar in “Nothing On”. The rest of the cast is enjoyable in their dual roles, including Julie Fuller, Scott Welborn, Tara Makar, Kenyada Davis and Erica Gunaca.

The flexible set by Obie Burch is a marvel of moving parts. With some simple stagecraft maneuvering, It transforms from the audience-facing set of “Nothing On” to the backstage view of the same set, so we can observe the shenanigans from behind the scenes.

A key source of laughs is, or should be, watching the “Nothing On” actors swing wildly back and forth between  exaggerated histrionics during their rehearsal of the farce, and a more typical comic style when they are dealing with “real life” as they move in and out of character. This much-needed contrast seems to be missing much of the time, although most of the cast has a good grasp of basic comedy and carries it off well.

Director Vince DeRita and his assistant Tony Battle have made this show a simple comedy of errors and nonsensical silly bits, which is a lot of fun as it is. But it could have been more.

 

Stagecrafters is proud to partner with Gilda’s Club of Metro Detroit for the production of Noises Off. Gilda’s Club provides an environment of free support for men, women, teens and children living with cancer as well as their families and friends. Stagecrafters is collecting donations for Gilda’s Club throughout the run of Noises Off.

 

When: Through November 24, 2019

Tickets $23-$27

Where: Baldwin Theatre, Main Stage

415 S. Lafayette

Royal Oak, MI 48067

(248) 541-6430

www.stagecrafters.org

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (Member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle) and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Illustration by Chet Johnson

Photo by Sean Carter

All Aboard for Chills and Thrills on “Orient Express”

Even if you’ve seen any or all of the various incarnations of this story on film and TV, “Murder on the Orient Express”, Meadow Brook’s 54^th season opener, feels fresh and full of surprises, beginning with the frightening first scene. Acclaimed playwright Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me a Tenor”) was commissioned by the Agatha Christie estate to write the very first stage adaptation of her iconic mystery novel especially for the McCarter Theater Center in Princeton NJ. It was presented in March 2017. As of October 2019, it currently has dozens of productions being presented in cities all over the U.S.

Meadow Brook’s production features breathless suspense and action onstage so engrossing that the intermission seems to arrive much too soon, and you can’t wait for the second act to begin. Ludwig’s compact script includes a cast whittled down to just 12 characters. Running at a brisk 2 hours, it chugs along at a breakneck pace, liberally infused with humor and silly bits. The pre-recorded score features the spellbinding “Dance of the Knights” from the opera “Romeo and Juliet” by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev.

It’s winter 1934, in Istanbul, and renowned detective Hercule Poirot is on vacation. He receives an urgent message to return to London immediately on the Orient-Express. Soon enough, a snowdrift is blocking the tracks, there’s a murder to solve, and every single passenger onboard could be the killer.

The cast in this classic whodunit performs well as an ensemble. Each one has their illuminating moment, all coming together at the end as the mystery is revealed. As Poirot, Ron Williams has an air of harmless eccentricity, walking with mincing, almost painful steps. He carries the role with restrained authority, although he underplays the part, lacking a certain inner fire. The character Poirot has always seemed to possess a burning intellect and curiosity barely contained by his obsessive need for control.

Stephen Blackwell delivers fine performances in dual roles as the sinister Samuel Ratchett and the passionate Scotsman, Colonel Arbuthnot. Ruth Crawford offers a commanding presence as the exiled Princess Dragomiroff, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Downton Abbey’s Lady Violet, but with a Russian accent. The irascible Princess trades snipes with brassy American broad Helen Hubbard, played with scene-stealing charm by Lynnae Lehfeldt. Craig Bentley is authentic and a steadying influence as Poirot’s longtime friend and railroad executive Monsieur Bouc. Also noteworthy is Cheryl Turski’s compelling performance as Countess Andrenyi. Rounding out the talented cast is Chip Duford, Hannah Niece, Sara Catheryn Wolf and Peter C Prouty.

Scenic Designer Brian Kessler’s set (except for the opening scene) consists entirely of two railroad cars: a sleeper car and a dining car, plus a caboose. The cars, with actors inside, rumble back and forth across the stage in a very realistic fashion.  While the slightly drab set fails to project the opulence and beauty of the real Orient-Express, it is nonetheless a compelling bit of stagecraft in motion. Costumes by Corey Collins effectively evoke the period, with a few really lovely dresses worn by upper-class ladies. Reid Johnson’s lighting, and especially Mike Duncan’s sound, are excellent complements to the proceedings. Falling snow is a nice touch – wonder who had to shovel it after the show?

Strong directing by Travis Walter is a testament to his skill, with taut pacing and creative tension in each scene. This is an especially challenging show to stage, because we must see inside the railroad cars, so walls have to be minimized or removed, calling on the audience’s suspension of disbelief even more than most productions.

 

 

When: Now through October 27, 2019

8:00 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays; Saturdays Oct 12 & 26

6:30 p.m. Sundays

6:00 p.m. Saturday, October 19

2:00 p.m. Wednesdays & Sundays; Saturdays October 12 & 26

Tickets $36 to $46

Where: Meadow Brook Theatre at Wilson Hall

Oakland University

378 Meadow Brook Rd

Rochester Hills, MI 48309

(248) 377-3300

 www.mbtheatre.com

 

Meadow Brook Theatre is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kresge Foundation, the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, the Shubert Foundation and the Meadow Brook Theatre Guild.

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association)

and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Photos courtesy of Stagecrafters

 

 

Dazzling, Daring “Ragtime” Arrives at the Baldwin’s Main Stage

 

The turn of the last century was the gateway to America’s modern era. Revolutions in communication, transportation, society and culture were happening almost daily. The musical “Ragtime”, one of the most important and ambitious shows Stagecrafters has ever presented, offers a unique perspective on our nation’s evolving struggles with income and social injustice during those turbulent times.

Gracing this spectacular show are rousing anthems, moving ballads, period jazz and that ever-popular ragtime, which was born in the 1890s in black music halls. The emergence of ragtime, a uniquely American musical form, at the dawn of the Twentieth Century represents the first time African-American music had such an impact on popular culture as a whole.

Based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 historical novel, “Ragtime” was adapted for the stage by Terence McNally and set to music by Stephen Flaherty, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. It premiered on Broadway in 1998 and received 13 Tony nominations, winning four awards, including Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. With its extravagant production budget, it was a popular success, but not a financial one, and received mixed reviews.

Doctorow spins an epic tale, spanning the years from 1906 through 1914, which takes place in New Rochelle, NY, Harlem and Atlantic City. The show’s first number sets the stage, putting you squarely in the context of the period. We are introduced to the celebrity sensations of the day, like magician Harry Houdini, artist’s model and showgirl Evelyn Nesbit, automotive magnate Henry Ford and leader Booker T. Washington. Note that McNally’s book takes creative license with some of the real-life characters to make them more entertaining for the stage.

An epic tale needs an equally epic cast. A total of nearly 60 performers take the stage, including the ensemble casts which represent three diverse social and economic classes: the New Rochelle Ensemble (privileged white upper class); the Harlem Ensemble (oppressed blacks); and the Immigrant Ensemble (struggling newcomers).

In one opening sequence, the different ensemble casts rotate around each other onstage, warily eyeing each other, to the lively syncopated rhythm of that newest music, ragtime.  The main storylines focus on individuals representing each group: for New Rochelle’s wealthy white enclave is a family known only as Mother, Father, Little Boy, Grandfather and Younger Brother; Harlem’s story is told through the eyes of ragtime musician Coalhouse Walker and his beloved, Sarah; the Immigrants are seen through the experiences of a widowed Jewish-Latvian artist named Tateh, and his young daughter, known only as Little Girl.

The entire cast is strong, yet there are standouts. Kaela Green as Sarah delivers gorgeous vocals, showcased in several numbers including “New Music”. She and Dez Walker, superb as Coalhouse, have hauntingly lovely duets in “The Wheels of a Dream” and “Sarah Brown Eyes”. Walker offers a compelling performance as the gifted, tragic, tenderhearted Coalhouse.

Sara Rydzewski offers a warm and compassionate performance as Mother, with a forceful, melodic voice. Hers is a pivotal role – a sort of loving bridge between the privileged whites and the blacks and immigrants who strive for justice. Her Younger Brother (Matthew Miga) shares her desire to offer a helping hand, as only those in power can. Her obstinate husband, played by Edmond Guay, eventually comes to see how harmful his attitudes are.

Newly-arrived immigrant Tateh, in a captivating performance by Patrick Lane, is a talented and creative man and father. Lane’s Tateh is upbeat, funny, caring and determined, the kind of guy America should want. But still he struggles, yet prevails in the end in one of the most endearing examples of fulfilling The American Dream.

Director Randall Wrisinger takes on this sweeping spectacle with sure-footed staging, no easy task with the largest cast ever to appear on the Baldwin stage. There are times when the energy seems to flag a little, but the overall effect is a triumph for the cast and crew.

Video projections onstage, skillfully guided by Michael Grice and Geoff Wrobel, and perfectly-timed sound effects by Bob Minchella are nice enhancements to the simple set by Tim Hughes. Good lighting effects by Matt Weber help lend texture and contrast to the ever-changing scenes. Valerie Mould’s choreography has some excellent moments, especially in numbers like “His Name Was Coalhouse Walker”.

There are over 50 songs, each with different performers. The 15-piece orchestra, conducted by Wrisinger and assistant conductor Jay Smith, handles the challenging score with assurance, with only a few pitchy spots that will hopefully be worked out.

The storytelling in McNally’s script itself is only partly successful. It can be cumbersome and hard to follow. But even though there’s a lot to take in and the message loses its focus at times, this powerful show remains relevant, engaging and appealing. A caveat: there are some truly dark moments onstage, and the wince-inducing racist language reflecting attitudes of those times can be hard to listen to.

Even though we’re looking back over 100 years ago, we know progress has been halting, and the lessons have not yet been completely learned. Every human being has value, and deserves equal respect and justice. We have come a long way as a nation, with a long way yet to go. “Ragtime” illuminates one stepping-stone on our ever-winding path.

Stagecrafters is proud to partner with Freedom House Detroit for the production of Ragtime. Freedom House is a temporary home for individuals and families fleeing persecution in other countries and seeking safety in the United States.  Freedom House offers housing and basic needs, onsite legal aid, and a full suite of social services to help their clients heal from trauma, prepare for life in the U.S., and win asylum.

 

When: Now through October 6, 2019

8:00 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays

2:00 p.m. Sundays

Tickets $23-$27; also discounts for Veterans and youth age 17 and under on Sundays and Thursdays

Where: Baldwin Theatre, Main Stage

415 S. Lafayette

Royal Oak, MI 48067

(248) 541-6430

www.stagecrafters.org

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association)

and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)

Photos by Bryan Clifford

 

Take a Chance on “Mamma Mia!” for Nonstop Fun

 

Sure, you’ve heard of “Mamma Mia!”, unless you’ve been living in a monastery in Nepal for the past 40 years. Since this crowd-pleasing juggernaut of a show opened in 1999 on London’s West End, it’s been seen by over 60 million people in 50 countries and grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. It’s also the longest-running jukebox musical in history.

How to explain its enduring appeal? The story is an irresistible mashup of soap-opera-meets-sitcom laced with hilarious high jinks, sweet romance and a few moments of serious reflection. The book is by British playwright Catherine Johnson, with music by ABBA songwriters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, who worked with the producers from the very beginning of the show. Many, if not most, of the superstar pop group’s biggest hits form the sparkly framework around which the gossamer-thin storyline is loosely draped. This show is a real love-fest and feel-good nostalgia trip for fans of pop music of the 70s and 80s.

You could say this is another version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, as told by single mom Donna, an independent-minded American who has lived for many years on a Greek island with her 20-year-old daughter Sophie. The two run a successful taverna that caters to tourists and scuba divers. Sophie’s wedding to the man of her dreams is coming up, but she has no dad to walk her down the aisle. After some snooping, she discovers three likely paternal candidates her mom had flings with – two Americans and a Brit – and invites all three to her wedding without telling mom. Big surprises, lots of drama and laughs ensue, all to the danceable beat of 25 ABBA tunes. It’s silly. It’s absurd. And it’s fun.

Director JD Deierlein keeps the pace fast and furious, richly textured with elements of slapstick and farce. Maritoni Harte’s choreography consists mainly of simple disco-style dance moves, with the possible exception of the dancing Flipper Men (!) which has to be seen to be believed. Costumes by Anne Curtis and Michelle Kaiser range from sleekly colorful to downright gaudy. The eight-piece orchestra led by Matt Kush is more than up to the task. There are also some interesting off-stage chorus effects, directed by Deierlein, that nicely complement the performers onstage. The set by Brad Holoday is spartan and consists of two revolving pieces made to resemble small Mediterranean guest houses. It depends on effective lighting by the many-talented Deierlein to help change the scenes.

The success of this show rests squarely on the capable shoulders of the cast, who display talents of varying degrees, but the result is nothing short of delightful. The real standouts are Tracy Murray as Donna and Johannah Steinbrecher-Booker as her snarky gal-pal Tanya. Also highly watchable: Salvatore Sbrocca as Sophie’s beloved Sky, Mackenzie McIlroy as Sophie, and Bill Davenport as Bill Austin, one of the would-be dads. Some of the better numbers include: “Chiquitita” and “Dancing Queen” (both featuring Pamela Plewa, Murray and Steinbrecher-Booker); “Lay All Your Love on Me” (with the dancing Flipper Men!); “Voulez-Vous” (ensemble cast, with some great choreography); “Does Your Mother Know” (one of Steinbrecher-Booker’s best moments); and the flashy finale, which has everyone on their feet.

Will we ever know who Sophie’s father is? Who cares? They are all having so much fun up there, and are so enthusiastic, and there’s something about the music and the story that just reaches out to the audience and invites us to join in the singing and dancing. Heads-up: Non-ABBA fans may be overwhelmed by the disco-pop and dizzying cuteness.

But there must be a lot of ABBA fans in Oakland County. The entire run of this show, through September 21, is sold out. There may be a chance for tickets if there are cancellations, so it’s worth a call to the box office.

 

When: Now through September 21, 2019

8:00 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays

2:00 p.m. Sundays

Tickets $22 – SOLD OUT – CONTACT BOX OFFICE FOR POSSIBLE CANCELLATIONS

Where: Avon Playhouse

1185 Washington Rd

Rochester, MI 48306

(248) 608-9077

avonplayers@att.net

 www.avonplayers.org

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC)

Photos by Eric Chazankin

 

The past is never dead. It’s not even past.

— From “Requiem for a Nun”, Act I, Scene III, by William Faulkner

 

 

Local playwright/wunderkind Dezi Gallegos was certainly off to a good start in his career. He knew even before he could write that he wanted to tell stories. And by his early teens he had accomplished what many writers can only dream of: he co-wrote an award-winning play that was published and performed off-Broadway, “Prop 8 Love Stories”. He’s perhaps best known to Sonoma County theatregoers for yet another award-winning original work, “Hamlet’s Orphans”, which he wrote while still in high school. For this, he received the inaugural Annette Lust Award for Potential and Promise in Theatre at this year’s SFBATCC Awards Gala.

 

Now 19 and a student at the University of Southern California studying film and TV production, he’s back at it with his latest, “Yesterday Again”. It’s a haunting, bittersweet love story with a brilliantly unique concept. This new effort has a “mini-rolling” world premiere at 6^th Street Playhouse’s Studio Theater in Santa Rosa, rolling on to finish its run at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center in Napa.Director Sheri Lee Miller (with a commendable assist from Gallegos and stage manager/co-producer Natalie Herman) makes good use of the vignettes that are so integral to the story. It centers on Eric and Bella, close childhood friends who lose touch with each other as very young teens after things get too hot and heavy between them and their parents find out. Circumstances lead them down separate but strangely parallel paths. The set by Vincent Mothersbaugh is divided into four distinct time capsules, with different actors representing each character as their past, present and future selves. Some of these temporal zones have the actors performing simultaneously in all three of the characters’ life stages, an interesting effect. And there’s a phantom in their midst, but we don’t know it until the very end – a very tasty red herring.

Lucy London and Jack Wolff play the tween-aged Bella and Eric with great charm and poignancy. Their college-age selves are capably portrayed by Olivia Marie Rooney and Isaac Jay. As the mature Eric, 6^th Street’s Artistic Director Craig Miller offers a touching, earnest performance. He’s joined by Alyssa Jirrels, noteworthy as Jamie, a young student he’s tutoring. Sharia Pierce is superb, displaying the bitter disappointment of Bella’s later years. John Browning gives a strong performance as Bella’s slightly creepy husband Mark. Barry Martin, co-founder of Lucky Penny Productions, delivers a vivid, heartbreaking Rick, her ultra-conservative and overbearing father, in sharp contrast to her weak and timid mother Lisa, played by Pam Koppel.

 

“Yesterday Again” is ambitious, with a complex story and characters dealing with very mature subject matter. It also has a lot to say. Like, the best of intentions can have bad consequences. Or, you don’t always know how important you are to someone until it’s too late. It also asks important questions: Are we predestined to keep making the same mistakes throughout our lives? Are we at the mercy of unconscious choices we make based on past experiences, or can we take control and change our direction?The show has good bones, with just a few ragged holes in the storytelling itself (unclear choices and motives, under-developed characters, uneven transitions). It occasionally wanders into soap opera territory but finds its way out again, sometimes with extraordinary results. It also was under-rehearsed in its opening weekend and remains a work in progress, but a little polish will make this diamond-in-the-rough a real gem.

When: Now through August 2 (6^th Street) & August 16 (Lucky Penny)

8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:00 p.m. Sundays

Tickets: $15 to $25

Locations: Studio Theater at 6^th Street Playhouse (through August 2)

52 West 6^th Street, Santa Rosa CA
Phone: 707-523-4185

Website: www.6thstreetplayhouse.com

 

Lucky Penny Community Arts Center (August 7 – 16)

1758 Industrial Way, Suites 204-209

Napa, CA

707-266-6305

www.luckypennynapa.com

 

 

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle

(Photos courtesy of SRT)

 

A Dazzling New Look at Moliere Classic

The Summer Repertory Theatre festival, now in its 44^th year at Santa Rosa Junior College, is a popular summer escape for local theatre lovers. The repertory company draws dozens of the most promising theatre students from all over the United States. SRT’s 2015 program includes five plays and musicals performed at two professional-quality theaters on the JC campus – the 600-seat Burbank Auditorium, and the 198-seat Newman Auditorium. It’s in the smaller Newman venue where perhaps one of the most entertaining and original incarnations of a centuries-old theatre classic, Moliere’s “Tartuffe”, is being presented.

Bringing the setting of an old standard into modern times is nothing new in theatre. Recent presentations by Cinnabar Theater include “Falstaff” set in the 1950s and “The Marriage of Figaro” in the Jazz Age (both shows previously had similar stagings in New York City). But earlier this year, a review for a production of “Tartuffe” at Berkeley Rep may have provided a spark of inspiration. The reviewer suggested that this 17^th-century potboiler could be a reality TV show today.

Someone was paying attention. Through director Anne McAlexander’s innovation and skilled eye for both comic and dramatic timing, we do indeed get to see what the characters in “Tartuffe” would look like as reality stars. From TV monitors mounted around the stage, characters deliver their deepest, darkest confessions when asides to the audience are called for. Camera crews are in hot pursuit as characters scamper away. They may be holding smartphones, but the actors speak lines that are faithful to Richard Wilbur’s translation into rhyming couplets, which is great fun to hear.

There are some outstanding performances: Nancy Ross is fabulous as the ditzy Mariane; Albert Rubio has some great moments as pious family man Orgon; Craig Braunerplays the title role with farcical wit. The smooth-talking swindler Tartuffe is armed only with phony religion, used as a front to get sex and riches. Ross is especially good, playing a sympathetic, comical sexpot worthy of Marilyn Monroe.

The cast as a whole is an excellent working ensemble. Notable are Devin White (Damis), Lauren Hart (Elmire) and Andrew Cohagen (Valere). What the show needs is a stronger Dorine, the wisecracking, ever-present housemaid. The role is pivotal – she’s the family negotiator, conscience, scold, confidante and watchdog. Danielle Cohn is pleasant enough, but plays it a little too awkward, too soft and restrained when sharpness and force are called for.

Crazy little bits of business that are obviously not in Moliere’s script give jolts of surprise, propelling the action from beginning to end. The focal point seems to be the household cocktail bar, strategically positioned downstage center, where nearly everyone in the show stops for refreshment (some more than others). McAlexander uses the whole stage with impeccable, choreographic blocking that really enhances the effect of a piece like this, where timing is everything. McAlexander, who also happens to be a talented choreographer, saves some of her best handiwork for last, with a Bollywood-style dance number at the end of the show that rocked the house on a recent evening.

The controversy and salaciousness embedded in “Tartuffe” travel very well between centuries and lose none of their titillating appeal. Self-righteousness, religious hypocrisy and the seven deadly sins are all right there, fully intact and ready to be enjoyed. The deeper message, according to McAlexander: “…certain reality TV franchises hold a mirror up to the viewers, forcing us to reflect on our own shortcomings and actions. Heightened lifestyles and extreme circumstances allow us to maintain a safe distance from which to both be entertained and judge.” But who can judge Tartuffe? He readily admits, “I’m no angel nor was meant to be.” Just like all of us.

When: Now through August 2, 2015

Performances: Weekdays (except Mondays) and weekends

2:00 p.m. matinees, 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. evenings

(See www.SummerRep.com for details)

Tickets: $15 to $25

Where: Newman Auditorium at SRJC 1501 Mendocino Avenue (off Elliott Avenue in Emeritus Hall)

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

(707) 527-4307

 

Other shows being presented by SRT Festival at SRJC:

“Emma” by Jane Austen (Newman Auditorium)

“Peter and the Starcatcher” (Burbank Auditorium)

“South Pacific” (Burbank Auditorium)

“Little Shop of Horrors” (Burbank Auditorium)

 

Festival runs through August 8, 2015 www.SummerRep.com

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle

Fresh and Lively “South Pacific” a Highly Watchable Kickoff to SRT’s 44th

The Summer Repertory Theatre Festival has been celebrated at Santa Rosa JC for 44 years now. For the uninitiated, the SRT festival features scores of theatre students, including locals and those from various universities and colleges across the country. It’s remarkable, but this is one of the few remaining repertory theatre companies in the United States. The company consists of stock actors, each having a role in multiple shows. This way, they are exposed to playing vastly different characters in different plays over the course of a season, a real learning experience and trial by fire for many. One of the most beloved musicals by Rogers and Hammerstein, “South Pacific”, is one of three festival shows being presented in the 75year-old 400-seat Burbank Auditorium on the JC campus.

First presented on Broadway in 1949, “South Pacific” was a smash hit, loosely based upon an anthology of short stories called “Tales of the South Pacific”, about island life during World War II, written by noted author James Michener. The story, released as a classic musical film in 1958, has become a long-time favorite that transcends the decades. Its sweet, gentle humor and social consciousness (unusual for the day) seems more timely than ever. And then there’s that music…gorgeous and highly singable, the kind of stuff you just can’t get out of your head, or your heart.

The production team under director James Newman really does justice to this wonderful piece. There are the usual suspects in local theatre – during the overture, the trumpets were a bit off-key – but overall, this is a remarkable achievement by triple-threat performers who hopefully will stay in the game and go on to even bigger successes.

The true standout and incandescent star of the show is Emily Kristen Morris as Ensign Nellie Forbush, the happy-go-lucky “Cockeyed Optimist” who finds herself in a risky romance. Morris is in fine voice, and has the acting and dancing chops to match. Nellie’s unfortunate love interest is Emile, a French expatriate who appears to be hiding something. Noah Weisbart’s portrayal often comes off a bit stiff, and while he possesses a quality baritone he may be singing below his range at times. Some awkward staging also obscures the chemistry between Emile and Nellie in their first scenes together, but they recover.

Noteworthy performances include a winsome Michaela Jose as Bloody Mary, who delivers a fresh, sincere interpretation of the role with songs like “Bali Hai” and “Happy Talk”; Riley McFarland plays Lieutenant Joseph Cable, whose romance with an island native girl Liat (played by talented dance captain AnnEliza Canning Skinner) underscores the racial tensions at the heart of the story. McFarland gets off to a slow start but grows into his role.

Snappy choreography by Anne McAlexander combines with orchestration by music director Nancy Hayashibara and ensemble vocals by the cast on some really memorable numbers: “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame”, the rousing, enthusiastic tribute to the female sex, is performed with great harmony by those Navy boys; “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out’a My Hair” is simply adorable, performed with klutzy, clownish delight by Morris and ladies of the chorus, joined by some of the guys for a laugh. But the high point of the show comes with the opening of Act II. It’s then that we are able to witness a true rarity on local stages – a tap dance number, done really, really well. Its high-energy stomping percussion is exciting to see and over much too quickly. More, please!

Of course, it’s always nice to watch attractive young people romping about onstage. But when their boundless energy and budding talent is this laser-focused on their performances, it becomes a joyful experience. Their lively spirit carries the show, rolling right over any opening-night jitters or stumbles of inexperience.

If you’ve only seen the film, you are in for a surprise, because there are striking differences from the stage production in the way the story unfolds. But with lots of great music performed by this kind of talent, there’s no way you can go wrong. SRT’s production of “South Pacific” is the perfect summer confection, presented with heart and soul.

When: Now through August 8, 2015

Performances: Weekdays (except Mondays) and weekends

2:00 p.m. matinees, 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. evenings

(See www.SummerRep.com for details)

 

Tickets: $18 to $25

Where: Burbank Auditorium at SRJC

1501 Mendocino Avenue

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

(707) 527-4307

 

Other shows being presented by SRT Festival at SRJC:

“Emma” by Jane Austen (Newman Auditorium)

“Peter and the Starcatcher” (Burbank Auditorium)

“Tartuffe” (Newman Auditorium)

“Little Shop of Horrors” (Burbank Auditorium)

 

Festival runs through August 8, 2015

 

www.SummerRep.com