Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill: Musical Revue. Music by Kurt Weill text by Gene Lerner. Directed by Ellen Brooks, Musical direction by Bruce Haines. Masquers Playhouse, is located off of Highway 580 (Richmond Parkway exit) at 105 Park Place, Point Richmond. (510) 232-4031 or www.masquers.org. August 22 – September 20, 2014
The Masquers’ BERLIN to BROADWAY with Kurt Weil ends on a “Happy Note” [rating:4] (4 of 5 Stars)
The mention of the name Kurt Weill automatically brings to mind three things. They are The Threepenny Opera, Lotte Lenya and the song “Mack the Knife.” You are in for a big pleasant surprise when you attend, and you should, the charming but uneven production of Berlin to Broadway (B to B) at the Masquers’ well-appointed 99 seat theatre in Port Richmond. In this their 59th year of producing plays they have accepted the challenge of mounting a musical revue that requires quality singers and actors.
They seem to have a plethora of actors/singers at their casting calls to make even the problematic shows work. B to B requires a tenor ((Nick Hengl), baritone/bass (J. Scott Stewart), soprano(s) (Tina Marzell & Gayelan Tietje-Ulrich) and a mezzo-soprano (Maria Mikheyenko). The role of the narrator is shared by the entire cast.
This musical revue using the biography and songs of the musical genius Kurt Weil first appeared in 1972 at the experimental Theatre de Lys Off-Broadway in New York City. It is a tribute to Weil’s work and chronologically unfolds beginning in 1928 Berlin where we are introduced to his longtime collaborator Bertholt Brecht and his sole-mate/wife Lotte Lenya and the rest of the cast. They are putting on their version of John Gaye’s Beggar’s Opera renamed The Three Penny Opera. The milieu of that era is reflected in song with “How to Survive” and an ensemble rendition of “Mack the Knife.”
With rise of Nazism and objection to the musicals Happy End and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, there is an exodus from Germany to Paris and London. Those two shows had social consciousness with antiwar sentiment that is apparent in all of his later work . From those shows, the writers extracted, amongst others, “March Ahead to the Fight, “Bilbao Song”, “Surabaya Johnny”, “Alabama Song”, “Pirate Jenny” with “Sailor’s Tango” ending the first act.
An often heard critical comment about plays: “There is a ‘problem’ with the second act. That was not so at opening night of the Masquers’ musical revue of Berlin to Broadway. The second act is a humdinger appropriately ending with “Happy Ending.”
When Weil moved to America in 1935 his diligent and superb musical compositions led to collaboration with such noted librettists as (alphabetically) Maxwell Anderson Marc, Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Jacques Deval, Michael Feingold, Ira Gershwin, Paul Green, Langston Hughes, Alan Jay Lerner, Ogden Nash, George Tabori and Arnold Weinstein.
From the many Broadway shows, the writers of B to B have selected some of the most notable songs and the women in the cast have show-stoppers. First up is Jenny Matteucci , in a gorgeous blue-sequined gown to nail “September Song” from Knickerbocker Holiday. Audience favorite diminutive Tina Marzell steals the limelight with “Saga of Jenny” followed by
Tina Marzell
Maria Mikheyenko’s trained contralto voice singing “My Ship” both from Lady in the Dark. Beautiful Gaylen Tietje-Ulrichbly is extremely competent in the most difficult role as Lotte Lenya. Nick Hengl and J. Scott Stewart earn accolades for their acting and song interpretations.
And then the cast has great support by the fine six piece on stage orchestra headed by musical director Bruce Haines on the piano. Running time a little over two hours with an intermission.
CAST: Nick Hengl, Tina Marzell, Jenny Matteucci, Maria Mikheyenko, J. Scott Stewart, Gayelan Tietje-Ulrich.
ARTISTIC STAFF: Directed by Ellen Brooks; Musical direction by Bruce Haines; Costumes design, Maria Graham; Lighting design, Ellen Brooks, Production manager, Arthur Atlas; Properties, Jean Rose, Set Design, Malcolm Rodgers; Sound Design, Billie Cox; Stage Manager, Betsy Bell Riger.
ORCHESTRA: Piano, Bruce Haines; Percussion, Barbara Kohler; Synthesizer, Dean Starnes; Flute, Crystal Diamond; Trumpet, Brett Kelin; Double Bass, Vincenzo Delarosa.
PRODUCTION TEAM: Costume Assistant, Daniel Yelen; Lighting & Sound Technician, Judy Zimola; Set Construction, Rob Bradshaw, Norman DeVeyra, John Hull, Heinz Lankford, Malcolm Rodgers, Bob Westman; Postcard/Poster, DC Scarpelli; Program Layout & Design, Linda Ellinwood; Lobby Manager, Anne Collins; Scenic Coordinator, Rob Bradshaw.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.
Photo by Budinger & Scarpelli
