The Wiz

If you think that The Wiz needs an all-black cast to be really entertaining, think again. Jennifer Bortz of Stand Out Talent has once again worked her magic with a cast ranging from very young children to adults (including at least one entire family) to put on a high-energy show that should please everyone. And that “everyone” includes children. The night I saw the show, I’d say that one-third of the audience were under 18, with lots of very small children. I couldn’t help thinking, “These kids are going to grow up loving live theater.” Giving that gift to the children in the cast and in the audience is one of the reasons why Stand Out Talent is a community treasure.

The children in the audience might not have gotten the clever dialog and contemporary humor in this retelling of The Wizard of Oz, but they had to have been dazzled by the over-the-top costumes and make-up, especially those of the witches and Dorothy’s three “friends.” Speaking of Dorothy, it's her character that is critical to making this show work, and Madyson Mazzola delivered, with consistently good acting and the biggest singing voice you ever heard from a 13-year-old. And how about those "friends"?  The characterizations of the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion – played by Ryan Knox, Craig Perra and Eddie Nason – were a delight. And I was amazed to learn that it was the first time for each of them to play a leading role. Nason, in particular, made me laugh to the point of tears.  There was humor, too, in the disembodied voice of The Wiz, performed by Jason Bortz.  It showed that you don't have to have someone to look at to experience great acting.

The ensemble numbers were a high point of this show, with its large cast. I’m not sure who was the very young man who led the singing in “Ease on Down the Road,” but his voice and charged-up personality really put that song over. Another show-stopper for me was “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News,” in which Sidney Raey was a wonderfully evil (and talented) Wicked Witch of the West.

The ensemble numbers, of course, highlighted the outstanding choreography (and some excellent individual dancing) of this show. Throughout the evening, I saw so many evidences of Jennifer Bortz’ creativity, but the innovative choreographic ideas were among the most interesting. (Wait till you see how the tornado was choreographed!) It’s because of all those creative touches that I’m confident in saying that you could never see The Wiz produced like this again. Check it out before this short run closes. And bring the kids: you’ll all have fun.

Harold and Maude

Harold and Maude is currently playing at the Sutter Street Theatre, and everything about this show is quirky – delightfully so. It’s the story of a young, directionless, 19-year-old man, whose half-hearted attempts at suicide are a product of his fascination with death and his desire to provoke a reaction from his wealthy, single-parent mother. The fascination with death takes him to funerals of people he doesn’t know, and that’s where he meets 80-year-old Maude. She also treats funerals as entertainment, but not from a morbid sense. Rather, she sees them as a celebration of the “circle of life.” From this encounter grows a friendship that blossoms into love.

It’s the general quality of the acting in this show that makes all this plausible. Hazel Johnson, an octogenarian who defies the implications of that title, plays her wonderfully eccentric, Pollyanna-ish character to perfection. And along the way she plays the ukulele, sings beautifully, throws in some hula moves, dances, and draws gasps from the audience when she demonstrates her flexibility by bending at the waist and touching the floor with the palms of her hands.

Chris Celestin initially plays a sardonic character, and a lot of the comedy in the show comes from his comic instincts and subtle gestures. But over the course of the play, this versatile young actor demonstrates a lot of emotional range. And complementing the work of Johnson and Celestin, I saw especially good acting from several of the other players.

There are many comic moments in this production, and one could see them exploited by the attention to detail of director, Warren Harrison. In fact, there was at least one situation I recall that evoked explosions of laughter from the small, Sunday-afternoon audience I was part of. But there is much more to this play than comedy. It’s well-written, and within all the clever writing is food for thought on a range of subjects. Ultimately, it’s the humanity of the play that draws you in and makes you care about what is going on up there on the stage. And the chemistry between Johnson and Celestin makes it believable. It’s an unusual theatrical experience that is playing only through August 18. My advice? Don’t miss it.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is the musical comedy story of the ambitious young J. Pierrepont Finch, who rises to the top of World Wide Wickets through scheming and with the advice of a book with the same title as the show. I saw the Park Avenue Cast (all high school and college-age) in Rocklin Community Theatre’s production at Finn Hall in Rocklin in the middle of the show’s run.

One special feature of Rocklin Community Theatre programs is the presence of a live orchestra – in this case with 9 pieces – and their sound filled Finn Hall. In the overture, it seemed to me that there was a problem with intonation with at least one of the instruments, but after that, I never noticed a problem. And besides the good music that accompanied the show, it was handy to have the players ready to provide occasional comic sound effects.

One of my first impressions of the show itself was of the strong, mature voices of the singers, even those with relatively minor parts. No one seemed to be singing out of their range, and along with the good acting that accompanied each number, I felt I could relax and simply enjoy the music.

And good as the singing was, to me, the most salient feature of this show was the outstanding acting. I’m always reluctant to single out performers in a show that is double cast, but I can’t resist mentioning the excellent singing and acting of both leads: Warren Cain as Finch and Caroline Mixon as Rosemary Pilkington. Then there is Bud Frump, played by Jake Romero. This sniveling, mincing villain was portrayed to almost farcical lengths, and was simply hilarious. The young people in this show can’t appreciate the comparison, but Jake constantly reminded me of Paul Lynde. But the over-the-top comic acting didn’t stop with Bud Frump. I’ve seen Alex Crossland in many roles in recent years, but his inspired portrayal of the big boss, J.B. Biggley, will be my favorite memory of him as he leaves the local theater scene for college. Then there was Marlise Dizon, wonderfully ditzy as Hedy LaRue. And Casey Borghesi overflowed with personality as Smitty every time she was on stage. It’s hard to stop there because each of these young people in this cast of 25 or more lived their parts – and then some. I’ve seen a lot of Director Ryan Adame’s work, and his wonderful comic sense seemed transferred to these young actors – both in the broad comic acting and in the wonderfully funny subtle touches that had me laughing for most of two hours.

Another strong feature of this show was Christi Axelson’s choreography. Finn Hall has a very small stage compared to other local theaters, so a dance number with a substantial portion of the cast presents significant challenges. But that’s where creativity comes in, and creativity was apparent in the delightful “Coffee Break” number, with gyrations, jumping, and zombie-like jerking. In that and the other choreographed numbers, such as “A Secretary Is Not a Toy,” I saw comic dance moves that I just don’t think I’ve seen before. But it was the “Brotherhood of Man” number that was a show-stopper for me and the rest of the audience: 12 young men and one young woman in an elaborately choreographed routine. For a moment, I was reminded of the dancing hippos in Disney’s Fantasia.  But that impression was erased by the energetic dancing that nearly brought us to our feet by the end of the number.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying opened on Broadway in 1961, and it is a humorous reflection of the society of the 1950s. (And by the way, Denise McHugh’s costuming and wigs gave a faithful representation of that era.) As I watched this performance, it struck me that none of the good writing of this award-winning show was wasted. The quality of the performance that I saw rested on good casting and good directing.  But beyond that, I felt that these young people “got it” – they understood all the comic subtleties and played them to the hilt.  Bottom line?  This show was fun from beginning to end.

Bye Bye Birdie

Last night was opening night for El Dorado Musical Theatre’s latest show, Bye Bye Birdie. This is the musical inspired by Elvis Presley’s 1957 drafting into the Army, and his famous “last kiss” before going off to serve his country. EDMT bills this as a “Rising Stars” production because the performers are all ages 6-14 (and that’s only 14-year-olds who haven’t started high school yet). But don’t call this “children’s theatre.” And don’t think of this as “Bye Bye Birdie Jr.” This is a full production, professionally done in every way. And so many of those kids on stage really are “rising stars” – full of personality and talent, and a delight to watch.

You may have seen Bye Bye Birdie before, but you’ve never seen it like this. When it debuted on Broadway in 1960, a 35-year-old Dick Van Dyke starred as Albert and a 27-year-old Chita Rivera was Rosie. And I’m sure the show, which is fundamentally about teenagers, has been staged realistically in hundreds or thousands of high schools over the years. But you’ve never seen it with the whole cast under high-school age. Frankly, I didn’t see how it could work, but I should have learned by now never to underestimate what kids can do under the tutelage of the pros at EDMT.

There are two casts for shows like this, and I saw the New York Cast. However, some roles are played by the same person in both casts. That is true of Zach Wilson, who will play Albert Peterson for every show. Zach is a complete performer, a veteran of 31 EDMT shows at the tender age of 13. He sings, dances and acts with a relaxed confidence that reflects all that experience. And as if that weren’t enough, this young man, who professes an interest in theoretical physics (?!), has been producing increasingly impressive scene-setting graphics (lately with animation) for the big screen at the back of the stage.

Another young performer who will play Mr. MacAfee for each show is Asten Fallavollita. His comic sense and timing had me laughing almost every time he was on stage. And as for the roles that are double-cast, I hesitate to single out individuals whose role will be played by someone different in the other cast, because I’m sure that other person must be just as outstanding a performer. But I can’t help giving a couple more names.

I’ve heard it said that a woman’s singing voice isn’t completely mature until she’s about 35. By that criterion, Kelly Maur, who plays Rose Alvarez, would be in her early 30s, instead of 14 as it says in the program. Her acting was equally mature, natural and yet inspired, right down to the grace with which she moved around the stage. Another standout in this show, and only in the New York Cast, was Emily Ziegler as Mae Peterson. This role is the archetypical Jewish mother, and Emily played it perfectly, with a flawless Long Island accent and a costume (fur coat, wig, hat, etc.) to match. There were so many other roles where a young performer had an opportunity (sometimes very brief) to really shine. They left me amazed – and wanting more – but these are “rising stars,” and I have every expectation of seeing them again. And I’m sure I’d be equally charmed by their counterparts in the Sweet Apple Cast.

One characteristic of these “Rising Stars” shows is that they try to give as many of the youngest ones as possible the opportunity to experience performing. And so, there are several numbers where the stage seems packed with the whole cast of nearly 80. And these scenes are pretty impressive: partly because all these kids are singing and moving together, and partly because some of them are so darned cute. And it’s hard to imagine that the intensity often generated by these enthusiastic kids could have been matched by the older casts that have performed this show in the past.

Considering the ages of the performers, you don’t get the quality of singing that is standard for other EDMT shows, but there are so many other features of this production that are outstanding – right down to the set pieces and costumes. (Where did they get all those saddle shoes? Surely, they haven’t been made since the 60s!)

The man sitting next to me had never seen an EDMT show before, let alone one of these “Rising Stars” productions. He couldn’t believe some of the kids were that young: they must have brought in professionals for the key roles, he thought. For all I know, he and his wife may have thought they were coming to see a show with adult actors. But they weren’t the least bit disappointed. They had a great time, as did I. And as I thought about the show on my drive home, there was a smile on my face the whole way.

Unbeatable

(Stand Out Talent - June 14-30, 2013)

What happens when talented people put their heart and soul into a production they profoundly believe in? Magic is what happens. And I witnessed this magic at the opening night of Stand Out Talent’s West Coast premiere of Unbeatable at the Tower Theatre in Roseville last night. It’s the story of Tracy Boyd, a hard-charging, Type A executive whose life is turned upside-down by breast cancer. But on a fundamental level, the show is not so much about disease – its treatment and consequences – as it is about “the human spirit,” as its promotion proclaims.

This fast-paced production sparkles with excellent acting from a cast headed by Jennifer and Jason Bortz as protagonist Tracy Boyd and her husband, Brad. So much of Unbeatable is about relationships, and it is in the drawing of relationships, especially those between husband and wife, that one can see the authenticity of this show. The interaction between Tracy and Brad has all the ups and downs of a real marital relationship subject to a great stress – all expertly nuanced. In the intimate setting of the small Tower Theatre, with the audience on three sides, you’re close enough to see facial expressions that would be lost in a big theater. You’re right there, and the realism of what you’re seeing in the faces of the actors can be very engaging, even arresting. The genuineness of the feelings represented is simply overwhelming at times. Certainly it was for me, and I dare say it was for the rest of the audience, as well.

But it wasn’t just the Jennifer and Jason Bortz who impressed me. It occurred to me more than once that it would be a short step for any of these performers to be in the “big time.” Maybe that’s not surprising because the director is Todd Schroeder, who has reached the “big time” as a composer and performer with a national reputation. In fact, he wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music for this show, and I believe I could see his inspired touch in many of the staging details that lift this production to the professional level.

Predictably, there was plenty of drama during the evening, but there was even more comedy. This is a musical, after all, and so, as you would expect, the serious moments alternate with comedy. Really, there are a lot of laughs in this show – enough for any comedy billed as such – and the humor is helped by the excellent comic timing of the players. But it is the witty writing that gives the players so much to work with. That is another advantage of the small theater: I felt that I didn’t miss a word of either dialog or lyric.

And speaking of lyrics, despite many beautifully played dramatic moments, the musical numbers were the highlight of this show for me. The lyrics are wonderfully clever and carry the action, rather than interrupting it. The songs themselves are accompanied by a three-piece combo, anchored by beautifully sensitive keyboard playing by Music Director Kay Hight. It seems that each number represents a different style of music, and it is all professionally presented. Interestingly, most of the actors have their own big solo number, and I (the life-long singer) was impressed with the quality of the singing. But what I heard was more than eminently listenable voices. These people are fundamentally actors who can sing, and it is their acting that delivers the real emotion behind a song.

Indeed, many of the songs are full of emotion, and “Hold on to Love” is just one of many high points. But I think there are more songs that are full of humor. I laughed through “Pricked, Poked and Prodded (that’s the lab rat’s reality),” “Super Shake” (in which Tracy and her best friend make a “healthy” shake on stage and try to drink it), and “The Pharmacy Song” in which Tracy’s doctor offers drugs, one after another, for her numerous complaints during treatment, only to add that the “possible” side-effects are the same as the original complaints. Overall, the music is good enough that I’d think about buying the sound track if it were available.

Last night was clearly a special occasion, and the opening-night crowd was full of breast cancer survivors and representatives of the charities that are benefitting from this production. So many of the audience members were intimately familiar with what was being portrayed – particularly the hassles of treatment – and they obviously loved the humorous handling of what are fundamentally serious issues. So it was no surprise that the standing ovation at the end of the performance was quick and prolonged. But I think that what the audience was responding to even more was the fundamental message of this show: value life and especially the family and friends that give it richness and meaning.

This was the first night of a three-week run, and I expect that tickets for the coming performances will be harder to get as word spreads. My suggestion? See it here, so that when it reaches Broadway in a year or two, you can brag that you saw it before it hit the “big time.”

The Commedia Princess and the Pea

I looked around the theater, and I was the only adult not accompanied by a child. I slumped down in my seat, and waited for the theater to darken. I was waiting for the start of The Commedia Princess and the Pea, an improvised update of the fairytale, roughly in the form of Commedia dell’Arte (broad, improvised humor with stock characters – in this case, minus the masks). The show was performed by The Treehouse Players, four adult actors who perform plays primarily intended for audiences of children.

The show started with the players, not yet in costume, storming out onto the stage like cheerleaders at a football game. They shouted and cavorted to get and hold the attention of the children, and it appeared that they succeeded. After a reminder of the theater’s prime directive, “You must have fun,” they proceeded through a succession of costume changes, arguments, dancing, singing, and humorous patter – all very loud and raucous. Although the show was improvised, there was a structure and sequence to it that included a large measure of audience interaction, which most of the children around me seemed to embrace with enthusiasm: answering questions posed from the stage, standing up and dancing in place with the performers, and even enjoying a misting by actors who ran up and down the aisles with water bottles.

As is so often the case with children’s productions carried out by adults, there was a lot of humor that went over the kids’ heads, and I found myself laughing throughout the show. For example, there was the best imitation of the Muppets’ Swedish Chef that I’ve heard in a long time – something which I don’t think the children could have appreciated. But I felt that all but the very youngest were very involved throughout, to the point that it seemed that a large proportion of the audience followed the actors out to get their autographs when it was all over. If you have children – preteen and younger I would say – take them to see the show: you’ll all have a good time.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

After almost four years of not missing a single production of the El Dorado Musical Theatre, I’ve gotten to where I feel like these shows are giving me Christmas four times a year – that's how much I look forward to them. I think I’ve found my happy place.

The current offering, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, is a wonderfully cute show. After all, it practically swept the 1962 Tony awards, and won a Pulitzer Prize that year. Feminists have to remember it’s supposed to take place in 1963, but apart from that, its appeal is timeless.

But this production builds on that timeless appeal to create a complete entertainment experience. It starts with the set, a high-ceilinged lobby of an office building, but with bright lights that are used for dramatic effect in a variety of ways. Also, there is a large screen in the back that isn’t obviously a screen, but that helps give the feeling of different rooms as the images on it are changed. I was also impressed by creative set pieces, like the elevator that is reversed on-stage to reveal what’s happening inside.

Then there’s the choreography. It feels like every dance number is different from anything else you’ve ever seen. And there are so many clever, creative choreographic and staging ideas. It seems like there is always something fresh on stage to engage your attention.

Of course, this is a musical, so how about the music? The music itself isn’t live, but the singers sure are, performing beautifully in the ensemble numbers. And I was impressed, as always, with the quality of the solo voices, especially from Julia Adams and Andrew Wilson in their lead roles. They were so poised, and each of their songs was more than a song – it was a complete performance.

That brings up the acting which, as usual, was top-notch. One might call this show a farce for all the exaggerated characters, and I thought these were handled beautifully, especially by Kaileen Teter as Hedy LaRue, Dylan Gray as Bud Frump, and Alex Levy as J.B. Biggley. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a cast of young people. Kaileen Teter is 21, but everyone else is younger than 20, with a lot of 10 and 11-year-olds. And I must admit that seeing little kids in 3-piece suits and adult wigs is just a little freaky. But then you realize that they have to be there: they’re in training to move into the lead roles in a few years. They need this on-stage experience – and everything that led up to it. And these young ones are used in creative ways that maximize their on-stage experience without detracting from the realism of the production.

I don’t have the space to comment on all the outstanding musical numbers, but one special highlight was the “Brotherhood of Man.” It was truly amazing to see 20 or so young men – many just boys, really – perform complicated (and masculine) choreography while singing their way through that number. The audience seemed to go crazy with spontaneous cheers during the performance. Sure, it was good, even great – but cheers during the number? Then I looked over across the audience and saw the dozens of young women and girls, who couldn’t restrain their enthusiasm. Driven by adolescent hormones or not, the effect of this number was electric for all of us.

I should mention here that, like all EDMT shows, this one has two casts that perform alternately. I saw the Wickets Cast, but I’m sure that the Ivy Cast is just as strong. I’m especially confident about that because I recognize members of the Ivy Cast as excellent performers from past shows.

I’ve seen community theater productions that have been total delights. I love community theater. But don’t call this community theater. If you think that you have to go to the Sacramento Community Center Theater or the Wells Fargo Pavilion for a professional theater experience, you’re sadly mistaken. Everything about EDMT productions is professional-quality. Sure they’re kids, but they’re extraordinarily talented kids who have been trained, coached and directed by professionals. And these professionals – directors, choreographers, voice coaches, costumers, etc. – together with scores of experienced volunteers helping with every aspect of stagecraft, produce a product that is immensely entertaining, time after time. EDMT shows are fun from beginning to end, and I can’t wait until the next one, which in my case will be Christmas in July.