People love this show. Why? First, Mel Brooks’ 1974 movie of the same name has become a cult classic, the kind of movie you want to own and watch again every few years. And this musical version captures so much of what its fans like about the movie. Then it turns the best comic moments of the film into wonderful, witty songs, and brings those movie memories to life in front of you on the stage.
Predictably, there was so much to like about Stand Out Talent’s send-up of “Young Frankenstein” at last night's opening. Steve Campbell was solid in the role of Frederick Frankenstein, with believable acting, a good comic sense, and quality singing that came through even when his body mic failed for much of the second half of the show. And Jennifer Bortz played to the hilt the role of his self-absorbed fiancée, Elizabeth Benning – with her typical strong singing. Then there was Mary Young as Frau Blucher who put enormous energy into her big number, “He Vas My Boyfriend.”
Indeed, there was strong characterization in many of the parts, but Spencer Peterson’s Igor was truly inspired. To me, he rivaled Marty Feldman’s portrayal of Igor in the movie. Apart from solid acting and singing, the way he moved was brilliant. His antics delighted the audience whenever he was the focus of attention.
This show was all about brains, and no doubt it was the fertile brain of director, Jason Bortz, that helped the actors make the most of the comic potential of the script, adding creative touches that could not have been in the original stage directions. (I’m thinking of the interminable door-locking sounds when Frederick is locked in with the Monster.) There were more wonderful staging ideas that I don’t want to disclose because they will shock you (in a good way) when you see the show. Suffice it to say that one involved brains (again!). Another had to do with what the Monster was capable of. (It was amazing!)
Speaking of the Monster, Joe Calavita – at 6 feet, 10 inches tall – was just about perfectly cast in the part, and he obviously had a lot of fun with it. Furthermore, his costume and make-up were so impressive that, after the show, people were clamoring to have their picture taken with him.
The music was prerecorded, and as she usually does, Jennifer Bortz came through with some exhilarating and creative choreography for numbers like “Transylvania Mania” and “Please Don’t Touch Me” and “Puttin’ On the Ritz.” Predictably, there were some opening night glitches: a scene had to be restarted, and there were often times when the volume of the sound track was such that one couldn’t make out the words being sung. Actually, I was kind of glad of that because it seemed that the lyrics were sometimes too bawdy for the few children in the audience. (Think twice before bringing small children or maybe even early teenagers to the show.)
But none of that takes away from the fun to be had with “Young Frankenstein.” This is now the third time I’ve seen this show in just the past six months, and I’d go again. Each production I’ve seen had something special and unique about it. This one certainly did, and the audience must have agreed, as evidenced by their quick standing ovation when the final bows began.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Fiddler on the Roof
Having been very impressed with last year’s production of “Into the Woods” by the Roseville Theatre Arts Academy, I was expecting a good show when I attended opening night of “Fiddler on the Roof.” I was prepared for another good show, not a great show – but that’s what I got. It was an eyeful and an earful. The large cast, of all ages, often spilled over the stage, and the 6-piece pit orchestra sounded like a much larger group, and completely professional. Even the set and props – and especially the costumes – were so well done that it was easy to believe I was peeking in on the real town of Anatevka. And starting the show with a real fiddler on a real roof underlined the attention to detail that characterized this production.
The acting was excellent throughout. There were some excellent characterizations – the pushy, talkative Yente the Matchmaker was one of my many favorites. The dialog of this show, especially, is so clever, and these actors really made it work to great comic effect. But the key to any production of “Fiddler” is the character of Tevye, and Mike Mechanick played it to perfection. He had a bit of an accent and a speaking and singing voice that had great range. He even had dance moves that delighted the audience. But his performance was more than the sum of these elements. He just lived the part. And though I’ve seen Zero Mostel and Topol in this role, from now on when I think of the real Tevye, in my mind I’ll be seeing Mike Mechanick.
I have to mention the sisters (Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava), too. They were simply dazzling in their singing, dancing and acting; just a delight to watch every time they were the focus of the action. And speaking of dancing, the choreography of this show was of prize-worthy calibre. “Fiddler” is full of dancing, but what I saw in scene after scene was movement that was fresh, engaging – and highly entertaining. I had not seen Gino Platina’s work before, but from now on I will certainly be alert to any production he has a hand in.
The show was full of subtle touches – gestures, sotto voce comments, facial expressions – most of them presumably director’s touches, and they made this an inspired production that really communicated. Director Michelle Raskey deserves enormous credit for so many creative staging ideas. In particular, the scene of Tevye’s dream was over-the-top brilliant, with wonderfully chaotic choreography and singing and playing from the orchestra. And what can I say about the appearance of Fruma-Sarah, Lazar Wolf’s deceased wife? It was shocking, stunning – I’m still amazed that they pulled it off so well.
OK, I’m sitting the audience, completely familiar with the show, following the action in the story, and I’m asking myself, What is it that is bringing me to tears? Somehow, I think it was the authenticity of this production of a show that I have loved for many decades. So many parts of it were so perfect – not an imitation, but an inspired, accurate reproduction of what was so great about earlier stagings of this masterpiece of musical theatre. But most of all it was full of heart. I felt that the players loved this show as much as I have and put their love into each aspect of the production. It was more than a night at the theater; it was an experience, and a very satisfying one.
The acting was excellent throughout. There were some excellent characterizations – the pushy, talkative Yente the Matchmaker was one of my many favorites. The dialog of this show, especially, is so clever, and these actors really made it work to great comic effect. But the key to any production of “Fiddler” is the character of Tevye, and Mike Mechanick played it to perfection. He had a bit of an accent and a speaking and singing voice that had great range. He even had dance moves that delighted the audience. But his performance was more than the sum of these elements. He just lived the part. And though I’ve seen Zero Mostel and Topol in this role, from now on when I think of the real Tevye, in my mind I’ll be seeing Mike Mechanick.
I have to mention the sisters (Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava), too. They were simply dazzling in their singing, dancing and acting; just a delight to watch every time they were the focus of the action. And speaking of dancing, the choreography of this show was of prize-worthy calibre. “Fiddler” is full of dancing, but what I saw in scene after scene was movement that was fresh, engaging – and highly entertaining. I had not seen Gino Platina’s work before, but from now on I will certainly be alert to any production he has a hand in.
The show was full of subtle touches – gestures, sotto voce comments, facial expressions – most of them presumably director’s touches, and they made this an inspired production that really communicated. Director Michelle Raskey deserves enormous credit for so many creative staging ideas. In particular, the scene of Tevye’s dream was over-the-top brilliant, with wonderfully chaotic choreography and singing and playing from the orchestra. And what can I say about the appearance of Fruma-Sarah, Lazar Wolf’s deceased wife? It was shocking, stunning – I’m still amazed that they pulled it off so well.
OK, I’m sitting the audience, completely familiar with the show, following the action in the story, and I’m asking myself, What is it that is bringing me to tears? Somehow, I think it was the authenticity of this production of a show that I have loved for many decades. So many parts of it were so perfect – not an imitation, but an inspired, accurate reproduction of what was so great about earlier stagings of this masterpiece of musical theatre. But most of all it was full of heart. I felt that the players loved this show as much as I have and put their love into each aspect of the production. It was more than a night at the theater; it was an experience, and a very satisfying one.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
13 the Musical
This was the sixth time I’ve seen a production of “13, the Musical” in recent years, and I have some great memories of past shows. But I was really looking forward to Rocklin Community Theatre’s version because it’s fundamentally a great show. I’ll confess, though, that I was a little nervous, sitting in the dark and waiting for it to begin. I was nervous because, to me, the show depends on the main character of 13-year-old Evan, and I’ve seen some Evans who weren’t quite credible in the role. But when the lights went up, this Evan (Brett Young) seized control of the stage and went into his first song with such confidence and style that my anxieties were put to rest.
Brett is really13 (and most of the kids in the cast could at least pass for 13), and from that first number, I was impressed with his strong voice. Actually, I have to add that I heard many remarkably good solo voices last night. I’ve seen productions that suffered from the vocal limitations of good young actor, but there was none of that here. Not all the singers were equally strong, but hey, they’re supposed to be 13 years old, so a slightly immature voice is realistic. That said, I heard half a dozen kids who had really outstanding voices. And when they put that song across in character, it was real musical theater.
The musical score of this show is one of its great strengths. It’s mostly rock music, and, to me, it was toe-tapping fun from beginning to end. And the 6-piece band really rocked. But so did the kids. There was a lot of cute choreography, and the kids really got into it. The dance moves weren’t always in perfect synchronization, but it seemed to me that each young performer was inspired – sometimes even possessed.
Speaking of choreography, it’s obvious that every director has many opportunities for putting their own creative stamp on a production – sometimes a brilliant one. For example, I’ll never forget the dancing rabbis in Placer High School’s production of “13” a few years ago. In this show, a similar highlight was “Being a Geek.” Actually, this number wasn’t even included in some of the recent productions of “13” that I’ve seen. But last night, I was artfully staged and screamingly funny. Years from now, I’ll remember this number. If they had it on YouTube, I’d watch it again and again.
Last night I was aware that there was hardly any set or set pieces, and the scene was mostly created by a projected image on a screen to the right of the main stage. But in the final analysis, it didn’t matter. The main thing, apart from the music, was the wonderful comedy, and it seemed to me that these young actors (guided by their directors, of course) capitalized on the potential of each comic opportunity. It may have been the sixth time I’d seen the show, but I laughed all the way through.
To me, the casting was very nearly perfect. I was about to mention the kids individually, but I stopped when I recalled that this show is mostly double-cast. I saw the New York Cast, but I bet the Indiana Cast is as fun to watch as the players I saw last night. Not only was the acting strong, but there were various points in the show where an ensemble member or minor character had the opportunity to dance or sing out front, and I could see that the talent in this production ran deep.
Eventually the action drew to a close, and all the players took their bows. Those of us in the audience applauded enthusiastically, thinking it was all over. But they gave us one more big encore so full of energy and joy that we were all on our feet before it was completely over. This last number – like the whole show – was dazzling. And of the six productions I’ve seen, I think it will rank as my favorite.
Brett is really13 (and most of the kids in the cast could at least pass for 13), and from that first number, I was impressed with his strong voice. Actually, I have to add that I heard many remarkably good solo voices last night. I’ve seen productions that suffered from the vocal limitations of good young actor, but there was none of that here. Not all the singers were equally strong, but hey, they’re supposed to be 13 years old, so a slightly immature voice is realistic. That said, I heard half a dozen kids who had really outstanding voices. And when they put that song across in character, it was real musical theater.
The musical score of this show is one of its great strengths. It’s mostly rock music, and, to me, it was toe-tapping fun from beginning to end. And the 6-piece band really rocked. But so did the kids. There was a lot of cute choreography, and the kids really got into it. The dance moves weren’t always in perfect synchronization, but it seemed to me that each young performer was inspired – sometimes even possessed.
Speaking of choreography, it’s obvious that every director has many opportunities for putting their own creative stamp on a production – sometimes a brilliant one. For example, I’ll never forget the dancing rabbis in Placer High School’s production of “13” a few years ago. In this show, a similar highlight was “Being a Geek.” Actually, this number wasn’t even included in some of the recent productions of “13” that I’ve seen. But last night, I was artfully staged and screamingly funny. Years from now, I’ll remember this number. If they had it on YouTube, I’d watch it again and again.
Last night I was aware that there was hardly any set or set pieces, and the scene was mostly created by a projected image on a screen to the right of the main stage. But in the final analysis, it didn’t matter. The main thing, apart from the music, was the wonderful comedy, and it seemed to me that these young actors (guided by their directors, of course) capitalized on the potential of each comic opportunity. It may have been the sixth time I’d seen the show, but I laughed all the way through.
To me, the casting was very nearly perfect. I was about to mention the kids individually, but I stopped when I recalled that this show is mostly double-cast. I saw the New York Cast, but I bet the Indiana Cast is as fun to watch as the players I saw last night. Not only was the acting strong, but there were various points in the show where an ensemble member or minor character had the opportunity to dance or sing out front, and I could see that the talent in this production ran deep.
Eventually the action drew to a close, and all the players took their bows. Those of us in the audience applauded enthusiastically, thinking it was all over. But they gave us one more big encore so full of energy and joy that we were all on our feet before it was completely over. This last number – like the whole show – was dazzling. And of the six productions I’ve seen, I think it will rank as my favorite.
Monday, August 26, 2013
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
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.
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.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
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.
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.
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