Saturday, March 9, 2024

ASF" Blues in the Night"

It's all about the music on the closing weekend of Sheldon Epps's 1980 musical revue Blues in the Night in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's intimate Octagon Theatre. -- Directed by Ron OJ Parson, audiences are taken back to a run-down Chicago hotel c.1938, where three nameless women stay in their individual shabby rooms [scene design by Shaun Motley; costume design by Celeste Jennings] and share their experiences with the Blues through song.

There is no linear story, very little dialogue, and only a smattering of interaction among them, but lots of contact with the audience. -- And that's about it. So just sit back and enjoy the vocal dexterity of Cynthia F. Carter, Devereaux, Clare Kennedy and the "Man in the Saloon" [Percy V. Nesbary III] who provides the chauvinistic male commentary on the women's Blues, and also solos on guitar. -- There's also a dancer [Donovan McFadden] who unexplainably disappears for most of Act II.

Music Director Joel Jones and his on-stage quartet give expert attention to the nuances of some 25 memorable songs from the Blues and Jazz catalogue [Bessie Smith, Billy Strayhorn, Benny Goodman, Alberta Hunter, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, and others]; from the upbeat "Stomping' at the Savoy", to the heartbreaking "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", to the raunchy grit of "Rough and Ready Man" and "Take Me for a Buggy Ride", to the sad weariness of "Lush Life"; and the Band is featured by itself in what's credited as a Jam Session version of "Wild Women Don't Have the Blues" --Wow!

They accompany, support, and drive the songs forward, and all of the three women have numerous opportunities to showcase their talents. It's all an accomplished undertaking, and individual audience members will have their favorites. -- But it is Ms. Carter's charismatic characterization that is the emotional and visceral center of the show; she commands attention throughout with her powerful voice, confident character personality, and witty engagement with the audience.

Blues in the Night provides a good evening out in Montgomery; and if you weren't a fan of the Blues or Jazz beforehand, you probably will become one after this production.


Friday, March 8, 2024

Wetumpka Depot: "Monty Python's Spamalot"

For those lucky enough to have tickets for the final weekend of Monty Python's Spamalot [2004] at the Wetumpka Depot, you're in for a treat as director Kristy Meanor's energetic ensemble acting company and collaborative design and creative team continue their raucously irreverent musical journey following the excellent double-act of King Arthur [Scott Page] and his loyal horse Patsy [David Rowland] in their quest for the Holy Grail.

"Lovingly ripped off from the motion picture 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'" [1975], fans of the film gleefully anticipate the rogues-gallery of Pythonesque characters and situations that have entertained for decades, starting from 1969-1974 with "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on BBC-TV. -- The uninitiated will have to keep up as best they can and enjoy the ride.

Here you will find the rag-tag squabbling Knights of the Round Table [Tim Griggs, Gage Leifried, Seth Maggard, Jay Russell], The Lady of the Lake [Adrian Bush in various guises], ferocious rabbits, taunting French soldiers, the Knights that say "Ni", Not Dead Yet Fred, the Black Knight who gets dismembered before our eyes, and [of course] God. -- It's quite a workout for the supporting ensemble who play multiple characters and accomplish countless quick costume changes, sing and dance in production numbers, and carry forward the ever-changing plot.

Ms. Meanor is ably abetted particularly through disciplined musical direction by Randy Foster, clever choreography by Daniel Grant Harms, and brilliantly conceived costumes by Suzanne Booth in telling a satirical story that has something in it to offend just about everyone [sexual innuendo, scatological language, cross-dressing, and all manner of things]; but it is all done with such good-natured self-mocking foolery by the cast, that all can be forgiven quickly.

There are also a number of theatrical "in-jokes" with such songs as "The Song That Goes Like This", "You Won't Succeed on Broadway", and "The Diva's Lament"; but perhaps the signature song that encapsulates the entirety of Monty Python's Spamalot is the ever-optimistic "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" in fueling everyone's search to find their own Grail.


Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Pike Road: "Irving Berlin's White Christmas: the Musical"

Yet again, the Pike Road Theatre Company, under James Keith Posey's astute direction, has delivered a dazzling production that entertains and inspires: Irving Berlin's White Christmas: the Musical

In its two-year history, the PRTC's five show main season, as well as many successful ventures into Theatre for Youth, the largely sold-out runs have involved and entertained countless Pike Road residents and citizens from across the River Region. What an accomplishment! -- But this could be the last production at the Pike Road Intermediate School. Check the PRTC website for updates.

This time, the Christmas Spirit thoroughly engages audiences who leave the theatre with smiles on their faces, and ready to spread the joy that Mr. Posey's talented company brought them from the stage.

Based on the film of the same name, and showcasing many of Irving Berlin's most popular songs ["The Best Things Happen When You're Dancing", "Count Your Blessings", "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", and "White Christmas" among them], the story is a familiar one in which two couples are thrown together, make mistakes, fall in and out of love, and come to the aid of a retired Army General with a company of show business folks, and all in the idyllic setting of a snowless Vermont country inn.

Former Army buddies and show-biz hooffers Bob Wallace [Jason Isbell] and Phil Davis [Jonathan Wilson] meet and fall in love with the Haynes Sisters, Betty [Stephanie Coppock] and Judy [Micki Head], a struggling singing duo; a few scheduling errors get them to an Inn run by retired General Henry Waverly [Eric Arvidson], whose business venture is falling apart, but kept alive by the hotel's feisty concierge, Martha Watson [Jan Roeton] and the innocent support of the General's granddaughter Susan [Kate Bradley].

With a large supporting cast in the Ensemble, minimal but effective set pieces, colorful costumes, production numbers' impressively managed choreography by Kim Isbell, and uniformly excellent singing in both the principal roles and the entire troupe, Mr. Posey sets a lively pace that never falters in the play's two-and-a-half-hours.

High quality acting accompanies the musical accomplishments, so we care about the individuals, their confusions, their connections with one another, and the final outcome.

It might be getting cold outside, but a trip to Pike Road to see this version of White Christmas will leave you feeling the warmth of the Season.


Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Wetumpka Depot: "Once Upon a Christmas"

The Wetumpka Depot is currently showcasing a new play for children by Jean Webb, inspired by the Kenneth Grahame novel The Wind in the Willows

Ms. Webb's Once Upon a Christmas has all the familiar characters -- Rat, Badger, Mole, Toad, Otters, Weasels -- who join forces at Christmas to help some of them in distress. It seems that Mrs. Otter is missing, Mr. Otter is injured, the three Little Otters are thrust upon four bachelors to help them through the holidays, and the suspicious Weasels are on the loose.

Director Kristy Meanor has two separate casts of actors at her disposal [I saw Cast A] in an ensemble hour-long production with plenty off music and delightful costumes and sets. -- Plus, the script contains several lessons for children and adults alike, both at the holidays or any time of the year.

Individual and ensemble acting is spot on, and presented at a level to engage the youngsters with brightly exaggerated movement and heightened vocal dexterity.

Numerous new and traditional songs [some with new lyrics] advance the plot and encourage us to sing along at times.

The lessons mentioned above are introduced gently, reminding us not to judge a book by its cover [the Weasels are the unexpected heroes of the story], that discipline for children can be done effectively by accentuating the positive, that everyone can afford to be generous to friends and strangers who need our help, that collaborating by utilizing the strengths of each individual gets results, and that Christmas is about more than just the presents.

Ms. Webb's script is well-focused, tells a clear story, and could benefit from a few minor edits [the scene in which the Little Otters play pranks goes on a bit too long]. 

All in all, Once Upon a Christmas adds another welcome dimension to River Region Holiday fare.


Friday, December 1, 2023

Millbrook: "A Good Old-Fashioned Big Family Christmas"

Michael Snead's directing debut of Pat Cook's A Good Old-Fashioned Big Family Christmas got off to a good start at the Millbrook Community Theatre on Thursday night, entertaining its audience with a good-hearted, family-friendly Holiday-themed comedy.

Played on a charming "living room" set enhanced by a new L.E.D. lighting system, the 1-hour and 40-minutes production is told in a series of short scenes that could flow better with fewer blackouts and the addition of music between them; and, as Mr. Snead develops his directing skills, he'll get a stronger sense of pace and staging dynamics.

A 14-member ensemble of veteran and neophyte actors show us a multi-generational family [three sisters, their spouses and children, both sets of grandparents/inlaws, and a well-intentioned neighbor] -- all good people at heart, but with assorted quirks that get on each others' nerves -- as they gather for Christmas and try with varying degrees of success to be on their good behavior: familiar territory, and ample room for comic possibilities. -- And, they deliver.

It's silly and predictable, full of character types and stereotypical takes on gender roles, and with sufficient plot twists and surprises that sustain audience interest and engagement -- we recognize ourselves in the characters on-stage who show concern for one another, who bicker and cajole and blame and forgive, and ultimately demonstrate the love and understanding that keep a family together at Christmas, or at any time of the year.

Monday, November 20, 2023

ASF: "A Christmas Carol"

In Charles Dickens's classic A Christmas Carol at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, director Rick Dildine delivers his intentionally family-friendly, humorous, music-filled, ensemble production to inaugurate the Holiday Season in the River Region.

It is a delight to the eyes and ears of audiences through evocative sets and masterful projections by Edward T. Morris, enhanced by Jeff Behm's sophisticated lighting, and Kathleen Geldard's lovely period costumes. -- An on-stage instrumental quintet invites audience participation as they play and sing numerous countryfied holiday tunes as arranged by Michael Costagliola, who also provides a powerful sound design that punctuates the action.

With countless versions and adaptations created for stage, film, and television, A Christmas Carol has long been a staple for audiences around the world, so there are bound to be expectations and comparisons from audiences each time a new one appears.

But the essentials may not be tampered with. -- It's a cold Christmas Eve, seven years to the day of the death of Ebenezer Scrooge's [Paul Slade Smith] business partner Jacob Marley; Scrooge's underpaid clerk Bob Cratchit [Benjamin Bonenfant] suffers the ire of his employer; his nephew Fred [Alex Ross] won't be deterred from his happy seasonal demeanor regardless of Scrooge's "Bah, humbug!" dismissal of anything that even hints at being pleasant; Scrooge's refusal to contribute to a fund for the poor depicts his miserly disposition. -- And Scrooge changes overnight from a "squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner" to a benevolent man who "keeps Christmas in his heart throughout the year" through the intercession of the ghost of Jacob Marley [Garfield Hammonds] and visitations of the Spirits of Christmas Past [Adrian Denise Kiser], Present [Chauncy Thomas], and Yet-to-Come [uncredited], who take Scrooge on a journey that exposes him to an assortment of encounters from his past-present-and-future that cause him to re-evaluate his life choices and become a better man. 

Mr. Dildine's adaptation runs a little more than 90-[hurried]-minutes, including intermission, and while it retains the essential moments, some of the scenes are mere snippets that could benefit from allowing them more time to develop both major and minor characters and their impact on Scrooge's character change...and for audiences to engage more fully and invest in Scrooge's "reclamation".

The above notwithstanding, the production emphasizes the story's positive messages, infuses music frequently, stresses the ensemble nature of the acting company, and regularly finds humor to contrast serious themes.

There are two "Young Company" casts comprised of local young people, so whichever performance you attend, you'll see a different group playing the Cratchit family, various urchins, and, of course the crippled Tiny Tim Cratchit [an endearing Carson Campbell on opening night], whose "God bless us, everyone!" sends us off in the best of spirits for the holidays.


Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Pike Road: "Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical"

Impressive singing highlights the Pike Road Theatre Company's production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical. As directed by James Keith Posey, the 1990 Frank Wildhorn-Leslie Bricusse musical demands stamina from its acting company during the two-and-a-half-hour playing time, and has the audience cheering throughout.

Part One: The Source and Legacy -- Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a Gothic "penny dreadful" novella titled Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886, in which an intelligent and well-liked Dr. Jekyll, curious about the duality of human nature, combined with his desire to destroy his untapped darker side, unleashes an evil alter-ego named Mr. Hyde by taking experimental drugs, the gruesome consequences of which are narrated by his trusted friend John Utterson. With many iterations of the tale over the years, it became the source of the "Jekyll/Hyde syndrome" describing several types of split-personality schizophrenia.

Part Two: The Musical -- Loosely based on Stevenson's source, it retains the essence of the duality of the character(s) Jekyll and Hyde, and the chief narration by Utterson.  But Jekyll starts his inquiry here as a reaction to his father's comatose condition that he believes is caused by the evil trapped within him, and will go to any extreme to find a remedy. The musical also adds many new characters for Hyde to take revenge on: a hospital's Board of Directors who refuse to give financial support to Jekyll's experiments on human subjects. Additionally, there are two romances, one for Jekyll and one for Hyde. -- As many contemporary musicals have an almost operatic framework, there is little dialogue, relying instead on lyrics and musical motifs, solos/arias, duets, trios, quartets, and chorus numbers to tell the story and sustain audience interest.

Part Three: The Production -- Mr. Posey's direction sustains the intensity of the action of an unlikely subject for a musical. There are a lot of good qualities in the production, yet it would be a top notch experience if audiences could see and hear better. [Though challenged by inadequate lighting, sound, and scenic capabilities -- please, Pike Road "powers-that-be", find the financial resources to enhance the theatrical experience for both actors and audience for this most deserving Company who will soon be in its third Season of otherwise high quality productions.] -- Utterson [Sam Wallace] shares the narration with Sir Danvers Carew [Jack Horner], whose daughter Emma [Rachel Pickering Seeley] is engaged to Dr. Jekyll; and when Jekyll transforms to Mr. Hyde, another love interest emerges in Lucy Harris [Mara Woodall], an "entertainer" at the seedy "Red Rat Club". They are accompanied by a range of supporting characters and a Chorus headed by Mike [David Rowland]. 

Once you know the premise and watch the consequences of the  frequent changes from Jekyll to Hyde, our attention is centered on the music. -- The gift of strong voices in these principal roles carries the plot and subplots: powerful baritones [Mr. Wallace and Mr. Horner] exquisite sopranos [Ms. Seeley and Ms. Woodall are at their best in their Act II duet], and Mr. Rowland's effervescent chorus leader showcase the musical strengths in the show.

The title role(s) are played by Brandtley McDonald. Without a doubt, Mr. McDonald is the star of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical. His impressive vocal range and clear delivery, his solid acting chops and generosity to the actors who share the stage, keeps the audience attention where it belongs. With limited time off-stage, it takes a lot of stamina to take command and keep it for two challenging acts. Bravo!

Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical is yet another triumph for PRTC, and with Mr. Posey at the helm, the next season promises more of the same.