Annie

I've seen a couple of other stagings of Annie recently, and attending the second performance of the Roseville Theatre Arts Academy's production, I was wondering how it would compare. Sitting at a table in the lobby waiting for the house to open, I chanced to meet the star's 6th grade teacher. "So, is Baysia McCollam, spunky enough for this role?" I asked. "She certainly is. I can vouch for that," she answered. And indeed Baysia was, with a strong voice that fit the part beautifully and filled the house, especially on her high notes. But throughout the evening, I witnessed many inspired performers. Some were young children, easily the majority of the cast of 47, and it was fun to see them really get into character and pull off the numerous cute staging touches which, along with the dialog, yielded a show that was full of laughs.

But this was a mixed cast, with many older teen cast members who delivered excellent strong singing as individuals and who strengthened the many production numbers that filled the stage. Besides that, the exaggerated characterizations in so many of the older roles were played beautifully. But I have to single out Tristan Harness as Miss Hannigan -- deliciously evil, practically possessed, and over-the-top funny.

Not every community theater production can muster a live, 6-member orchestra, and their playing made the most of the show's strong musical score. Another impressive feature of the production was the frequent set changes, an ambitious touch that demonstrated director Colon Archey's commitment to make this a quality experience for the audience. And I think all of us present that night would agree that he succeeded.

Placer County Youth Orchestra - "Carnival of the Animals"

Placer County Youth Orchestra presented an outstanding program March 16, 2014, at the Valley Springs Presbyterian Church in Roseville, CA. Margie Hartung, Artistic Director, with input from Wayland Whitney and Benjamin Hartung, Assistant Directors, selected a lively, exciting program which entertained the many youngsters in the full audience and thrilled the amazed and proud adults. Performers in the Jazz Band, the Intermediate Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra delivered performances of tight timing and smooth blending.

Every piece--from Baby Elephant Walk, Flop Eared Mule, The Waltzing Cat, to Peter and the Wolf –all were played expertly in a bouncy and colorful manner so that the music escorted each listener through a landscape of birds and critters.

The Suite from Swan Lake, by P.I. Tchaikovsky, was breathtaking. The Symphony Orchestra played with such sensitivity and passion, particularly in "Scene and Dance of the Swans." One just swam in the beauty and depth of this music, wanting it not to end. When one thought the music couldn’t get any better, the audience was treated to "Carnival of the Animals" by C. Saint-Saëns. Each of the fourteen segments was performed superbly under the exquisite direction of Wayland Whitney’s baton. Special mention is demanded for Benjamin Hartung; his cello sang and whispered its beauty in "The Swan" with maturity and understanding and deep feeling. So moving and exquisite! Such precision. Wayland Whitney then brought forth from the well-rehearsed Symphony Orchestra in "The Finale," a big, exhilarating finish. The audience loved it, slapping their hands together and rising in appreciation of the excellent and all-too-short hour of great music by three groups of Placer County young musicians. A great big “Thank You,” Marjorie Hartung, Artistic Director, for this gift of music.

-Letha Dawson

The Miracle Worker

Helen Keller was an important, inspirational figure in American history.  And the story of how Anne Sullivan brought her out of the isolation of deafness and blindness is powerfully depicted in The Miracle Worker.  The play itself is well written, engaging an audience, not only with the drama of the early interaction of teacher and pupil, but with thought-provoking insights.  The small, intimate space of Sutter Street Theatre (with a well thought out and surprisingly elaborate set) creates an effective setting for this story.  For me, it was drama that, after a fairly slow start, drew me in, grabbed me by my emotional handle, and held me there until the end.

Among the cast of 13, there were some truly fine actors, but the success of a production like this rises and falls on the quality of the two main characters – and they were superb.  Camy Rae Wilson was totally believable as Helen.  Without the help of any dialog (obviously, because young Helen was mute), she crafted her character with consistency and intensity from the moment she appeared on stage.   And Heather Warren did beautifully in portraying the internal conflicts and personal strengths of Anne Sullivan, especially her assertiveness and determination.  But it was the interaction of the two principals that was so forcefully and effectively done – full of physical action that seemed perfectly choreographed.

I expected a good story when I went to see the show, but there was much more to it than that.  It was an evening of intensive, fulfilling entertainment.  And if you miss it, especially the extraordinary interaction between Helen and Anne, you will have missed something truly special.

Lend Me a Tenor

Placer Community Theater’s Lend Me a Tenor is a fun show, and for me, it was full of laughs from beginning to end.  The script for this farce has a lot of built-in humor, but what makes it work is some excellent comic acting.  Much of that comes from PCT regulars, but there is also some new talent in this production – new to PCT, but players with significant experience elsewhere.  Topping that list would be director Chris Harada, who really made a mark in his debut with this company.

The show pulls all the comic levers:  mistaken identity, double-entendre, physical comedy – and strong portrayal of some of the main characters.  Also impressive about this show is the set, which seemed more elaborate than those of past PCT productions and that seemed to fit the action perfectly.  This show has “good time” written all over it.  Lose your worries, get some laughs, and take it in before it closes.

Thoroughly Modern Millie

I saw the opening night performance of El Dorado Musical Theatre’s Thoroughly Modern Millie, and as is every show from EDMT, it was thoroughly entertaining.   Everything about this show evoked the 1920s.  The dialog is dictated by the script, of course.  But everything else seemed consistent with that era:   the costumes, the scenery – even the dance moves.  And what dancing it was!  There were many tap numbers, each full of creativity, impressive synchrony, and invigorating energy.  But there were many more dance routines – some just as background for action taking place downstage – and the complexity of these routines, each dramatically different, was mind-boggling to me.

Now about the costumes.  I’ve seen costumer Christine Martorana’s work before and been impressed by it, but the wardrobe part of this show was over the top.  It felt like each actor must have had 8 or 10 costume changes (the young women, at least), and everything seemed an accurate representation of the period.  The impression these outfits created on stage was just dazzling.

Julia Adams had the title role, and for me, she was the perfect Millie Dillmount:  spunky and with a pleasing Broadway voice.  And as I watched her, it seemed that there was almost a magnetic attractiveness to her acting.  As perfect as Julia seemed for her part, Zach Collins (Jimmy Smith) seemed the ideal leading man:  good looks, excellent voice, and a fine actor.  Moreover, he has excellent comic instincts, and there were several times he made me laugh out loud.  Maybe the biggest surprise of the program was Anjie Rose Wilson.  I’ve seen her perform in these productions and those of the High Voltage troupe, and I’ve recognized her as a brilliant dancer – often a real show-stopper.  But in the role of the pseudo-Chinese boarding house keeper, Mrs. Meers, she had practically no dancing at all.  It was all acting, and her portrayal of that comic part was just stunning:  no holds barred, pushing the limits, and spotlight-seizing.  And she slid into and out of a Chinese accent with ease.  To me, it was a break-out role for her.

Early in the show, I found myself asking, “Is this over-acting?”  Then it struck me that Thoroughly Modern Millie is designed as broad comedy bordering on farce.  With that thought, I relaxed and enjoyed watching these young people push their characters to the limits of believability.  Later in the show, I found myself appreciating how thoughtfully each character was crafted by the actor.  But of course, director Debbie Wilson deserves a lot of that credit.  She has compiled such an amazing body of work over the years with EDMT.  There should be a lifetime Tony award for working with young dancers and actors, and she should get it.  No, it should be named after her.

One challenge in mounting this show is having two characters, Mrs. Meers’ henchmen, speak only in Chinese.  Zach Wilson and Dylan Gray brought this off beautifully (with the help of translations projected above the stage).  And when they sang Al Jolson’s “Mammy” (“Muguin” in the program), it practically brought the house down.

Come to think of it, it seemed like each of the major characters had a big number that wowed the audience.  But none was bigger that Olivia Kaufman’s “Only in New York” in the role of Muzzy Van Hossmere.  I was impressed with the quality and strength of Olivia’s voice and with her ability to put across a song when I first heard her as a 15-year-old three years ago.  Now with more experience, confidence and maturity, she is just sensational.  No question:  this was a “big time” performance for her.  In Olivia’s development as a performer, and in so much of outstanding singing in these EDMT shows, one can see the hand of vocal director, Jennifer Wittmayer.  Jennifer’s skill in developing natural talent and coaching these young people toward professional standards is a major element of EDMT’s success.

There were so many outstanding performers in this show.  Andrew Wilson (as Trevor Graydon) and Kelly Maur (as Miss Dorothy Brown) were two more members of this company that were a delight to watch – and hear.  Andrew, especially, provided some inspired comic acting, and Kelly was the perfect foil to Millie.  Their comic dance number, “I’m Falling in Love with Someone” was one of the many highlights of the show.  Indeed, this show was full of highlights, one after another.  Throughout the evening there was great comedy and romance, and the personality and energy of the performers spilled over the stage into the audience.  And when the bows began, who could keep to their seat?

My advice:  don't miss this show.  These young people are on the move, building careers as performers, and someday you'll pay a lot of money to see them perform.

Agnes of God

I fear that by the time you read this you will have missed an outstanding show. I saw Stand Out Talent's production of Agnes of God at the beginning of the last weekend of its run, and I only wish I had seen it opening night, so I could have spread the word of the quality of this production. That quality lies in the acting and direction because the set was spare, and there were no changes in costume, no special effects (well, almost none), minimal lighting effects – not much of what you might call stagecraft. But to my mind, that only enhanced the effectiveness of the drama that unfolded. It is the story – based on real events – of a young nun discovered with a dead newborn in her room, leading to questions of how she got pregnant, how the baby died, and who was at fault. There are only three characters in this play (unlike the movie of the same title): the young nun, the Mother Superior, and a psychiatrist trying to discover the facts of the case and evaluate the sanity of the nun.

The script itself is a work of art, uncovering bits of the mystery layer by layer, all the while adding more mystery in the nuances of the plot, as the playwright explores issues of religion, insanity, culpability, familial relations, and the nature of miracles. As I watched, it was increasingly clear why this play garnered various award nominations (and a Tony Award for one of the actors) when it was introduced in 1982.

But what really kept me engaged, even fascinated, for two hours was the quality of the acting. I had not seen these women before – Natasha Burr, Susan Andrews, and Jessica Neufeld – perhaps because this is apparently the first time they have performed locally. From their bios in the program, their very broad experience ranges from New York to Los Angeles, and many places in between. To my mind, they were perfectly cast for this show, and their performances were impeccable – with what felt like flawless timing, delicious intensity, and great emotional range. In other words, I quickly stopped seeing them as actors on a stage and instead saw people experiencing real emotions as a real story unfolded. And of course, much of the credit for what I saw and felt is attributable to the directing of Jason Bortz. I’ve seen many of the productions he has directed, and if you haven’t, you’re missing a rising talent in our area. All those involved have put together a production that truly does justice to this award-winning drama.

Music Man Soars at Rocklin Community Theatre

Better than the Macy’s parade, The Music Man at the Rocklin Community Theatre will have you rocking in your seat and raising your arm to lead the band. Composer, Meredith Willson’s score infects your bones and paints a smile on your face that lasts, thanks to the show’s live orchestra of ten musicians led by Peter Kagstrom. Theirs is a sound to keep you humming all the way home.  

The casting, costumes, and choreography – are perfect. Take your seat and be transported back to Iowa, 1912, to see the townsfolk transformed into River City’s Marching Band. Star of the show, the handsome Ryan Adame, con-man and traveling salesman, sings in a rich baritone, dances with importance and confidence as any con-man should, and falls in love with the irresistible Marion, the librarian, so sincerely, you never doubt a word he’s singing. Marian, Madam Librarian, played by Alyssa Ray, radiates beauty, intelligence, kindness and grace, as she beautifully lifts her voice in “Goodnight, My Someone,” and “Till There Was You.” Alyssa Ray floats on the high notes! You’ve got to hear her to feel the chills running up your arms as she sings.

Everyone in this cast is outstanding. Marian’s Irish mother, Lori Thomson, and Marian’s little brother who lisps, Evan Teigland (for this show), will steal your heart.  

Not only are the show’s stars, Ryan Adame and Alyssa Ray, terrific vocalists, but so are the men in the school board quartet, Georgio Selvaggio, Ken Duisenberg, Byron Roope, and Nick Lunetta. And the Pickalittle Ladies will delight and amuse.   

There are too many talented teens and adults to name each one, but every singer and dancer in this Rocklin Community Theatre production of The Music Man is outstanding.  

This show was brought to life by the very talented Gina Threshie, Costume Designer; Christian Savage, Sound & Lighting Designer; and Laura Gailey, Stage Manager. Other talent you don’t see on stage, but who make the whole production as thrilling as it is, who make this show grand, are—Choreographer, Cassie March; Musical Director, Peter Kagstrom, and Director, Jill Page. The Music Man’s merriment dazzles and captivates.

This independent review is by Letha Dawson, Roseville writer, playwright, and musician.