ASF: "Cabaret"

"Willkommen" -- There are only a few days left to answer the Emcee's call to "come to the Cabaret" at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, director Rick Dildine's vibrantly topical rendition of the Joe Masteroff [book], John Kander [music], and Fred Ebb [lyrics] 1996 musical set in the seedy Kit Kat Klub in pre-War Berlin, as Hitler's Nazi Party was coming into power.

Don't expect a replication of previous incarnations of the multi-award-winning show; Dildine's Emcee [Pierre Marais] narrates the story with a combination of glitz, glamor, and grit, his enigmatic persona, powerful singing, and energetic dancing bringing the character to energetic life, as he assures the audience that "everything is beautiful" within the confines of the Klub, conscripting us to leave the discomfort of the outside world behind. And we are beguiled to do so for the 2+ hours of the production, even with his frequent reminders that serious threats to our well-being await us when we leave.

The fact that ASF is in company with many theaters at home and abroad in mounting this musical demonstrates how resonant its social commentary and themes are for 2023 audiences. When we ignore dangerous threats to our well-being, or intentionally avoid them or pretend they don't exist, or fail to recognize the political turmoil surrounding us, and distract ourselves with temporary pleasure, a rude awakening is bound to follow.

An ambiguous romantic relationship develops between writer/teacher Cliff Bradshaw [Max Wolkowitz] and Klub chanteuse Sally Bowles [Crystal Kellogg], and gets complicated by Sally's friend Ernst Ludwig's [Andrew Foote] persuading Cliff to be a go-between in nefarious Nazi activities. 

Cliff's landlady Fraulein Schneider [Stacia Fernandez] is being wooed by Jewish fruit-vendor Herr Schultz [Donald Corren], while she tolerates another of her boarders, Fraulein Kost's [Carlyn Connolly], nightly assignations with assorted sailors. Both are put to the test as a matter of survival for Fraulein Schneider: she exchanges the moral high ground against Kost because she needs the rent money, and she sacrifices a dangerous marriage with a Jewish man in order to sustain a modicum of security in a dangerous world.

Played on Jeff Behm's evocative flexible set, enhanced by Alexa Behm's brilliant costume designs, and dynamic choreography by Christopher Windom, the impressive ensemble performers are guided by the Emcee through their interweaving plot-lines and numerous songs and dances, with music provided by Musical Director Joel Jones and a fine on-stage band.

Ms. Fernandez and Mr. Corren give sensitive attention to an older couple's ill-fated romance, as we track them in song from "So What" to "It Couldn't Please Me More" to "Married" [with a potent counterpoint provided by Ms. Connolly as the Chanteuse] to the inevitable "What Would You Do?" -- perhaps the most truthful performances in this production.

Sally's and Cliff's conflicted relationship is handled with conviction by Ms. Kellogg and Mr. Wolkowitz, and we watch them deteriorate from "Perfectly Marvelous" to "Maybe This Time" to Sally's devastating recognition of the impact of her actions in the title song, "Cabaret" -- a powerful choice.

There are so many lessons to be learned at the Cabaret, which could be seen as a kind of "Safe Place" for society's outsiders. -- Yet, it is Mr. Marais' Emcee, a chameleon who holds it all together, who gives permission for the players and the audience to indulge and forget, and provides the most sardonic commentary on life outside the numbing comfort of the Klub with "Two Ladies", "Money", "If You Could See Her", and most especially "Tomorrow Belongs to Me' and "I Don't Care Much". A masterful performance.

Come to the Cabaret -- you won't regret it.

Cloverdale Playhouse: "A Little Princess"

Frances Hodgson Burnett's output of stories that feature children as their central characters has kept her in the popular domain for over a hundred years after she penned them. Several film and stage versions of Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Secret Garden, and A Little Princess sustain her popularity, so it is no wonder that The Cloverdale Playhouse's production of A Little Princess that ended its sold-out run last weekend, added to her reliability to both entertain and instruct.

Replete with imaginative puppets and scenic design by J. Scott Grinstead, and a stellar ensemble of local youth and adult actors, director Sarah Kay keeps her focus on both the entertaining and instructive elements of John Vreeke's adaptation.

With its mix of humor and pathos, A Little Princess recounts the story of young Sara Crewe [Tempe Grinstead], who is sent from India to stern Miss Minchin's [Caroline Adams] "Select Seminary for Young Ladies" in London, where her family's wealth and her clothes and manners set her apart from the other girls and she is treated like a princess. But when the money stops, Miss Minchin relegates her to a dank garret room and makes her work for her keep.

Narrated by Ram Das [Niranjan Gowda] and the Nurse [Asha Knight] -- both excellent storytellers -- we meet Miss Minchin's more compassionate sister Amelia [Jan Roeton], an array of schoolgirls, bashful servant girl Becky [Sawyer Carroll] who Sarah befriends, and Mr. Carrisford [J. Scott Grinstead], an invalid and business partner of Sarah's father.

While we might find humor in the petty jealousies and snobbish differences of opinion on many social matters, and bewail the maltreatment of society's lower classes, Sarah's ability to remain optimistic, despite her change of fortune, to keep egalitarian attitudes toward people of all classes and conditions, to forgive her detractors, and somehow earn the audience's respect through her example. Well done: Tempe Grinstead.

In today's "cancel culture", the singular lesson of A Little Princess is to treat one another with respect and understanding, something that could go a long way in easing the tensions all around us.

ASF: "Clyde's"

Loud cheers erupted on opening night in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Octagon Theatre at the conclusion of Lynn Nottage's Clyde's, this country's most performed play of 2022. The two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright is well-known for staging stories of some of America's forgotten people [people of color; working class], instilling her characters with qualities the rest of society takes for granted.

Five ensemble actors directed by Josiah Davis portray formerly incarcerated short order cooks in the kitchen of a truck stop diner, overseen by the devilishly foul-mouthed owner, Clyde [Phyllis Yvonne Stickney is mesmerizing] who often reminds them in no uncertain terms that they had better toe the line and that they work for her only because no-one else would take them. They have no other options.

Fiery Letitia [Alinca Hamilton], lovesick Rafael [Alfredo Antillon], and struggling Jason [Brendan D. Hickey] admire the sagacious zen-like Montrellous [Michael A. Shepperd], all the while being aware of Clyde's presence and power over them.

And they reluctantly make the ordinary sandwiches on Clyde's menu while following Montrellous's example of inventing new and more elaborate creations in the quest of making the perfect sandwich, keeping their recipes secret from Clyde's ever-watchful eyes. For them, it's a matter of survival; even though Clyde squelches their every attempt at independence or creativity, they persist.

Each one's backstory is revealed during the raunchy fast-paced intermssionless hour-and-forty minute running time. Everyone hurts, and each one's previous choices and actions that got them into trouble are revealed: some readily, and some requiring more prodding, with jokes galore that garner well-earned laughs to balance the seriousness of their conditions.

But in the kitchen and through the actors' remarkably credible performances, relationships among them develop, dreams are openly expressed, grief and repentance are poignantly displayed, mistrust segues into friendly bantering, and the ultimate recognition that they shouldn't be defined by their mistakes affords them some dignity that society [and Clyde] have refused them.  

Is there such a thing as a perfect sandwich? -- Montrellous claims that a sandwich is the most democratic of all meals; and the others realize that collaboration and respect for each one's individuality might create a perfect one.

And because they experience a kind of redemption, we sympathize, we see them differently, we understand their predicaments, and we invest in their lives, in short, we're on their side.

Pike Road: "The Wizard of Oz"

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow", "Follow the Yellow Brick Road", "We're Off to See the Wizard", "If I Only Had a Brain", "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead" --- every one of these songs, and others, immediately conjure up the revered 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz.

The stage musical version of it is currently on the boards at the Pike Road Theatre Company, under the able direction and choreography of James Keith Posey. -- Filled with many replications from the film [costumes, sets, characterizations, et al.], the two acts satisfy all the nostalgic notes for those who have grown up watching the movie.

When Dorothy Gale [Margaret Lind] runs away from her Kansas home to escape the threats of Miss Gulch [Stepanie Higley] against her dog Toto [Carly], and feels ignored by Auntie Em [Kaylee Baker] and Uncle Henry [Chris Bowden], she meets kindly Professor Marvel [Jack Horner] who encourages her to  head home as a tornado threatens; and when the storm arrives, she is magically transported to the Land of Oz. 

Oz is a magical place peopled with Witches good and bad, a Scarecrow [Travis Clark], a Tin Man [Kevin Mohajerin], and a Lion [Jason Morgan], Munchkins, Winkies, Flying Monkeys, where characters from Dorothy's real life take on corresponding ones in the imaginary world. -- And Dorothy's goal is to return home as soon as possible.

Having inadvertently killed the Wicked Witch of the East when her house landed on her, Dorothy becomes a local hero, and the vengeful Wicked Witch of the West [a terrific Stephanie Higley] wants the magical powers of her sister's ruby slippers, and will go to extremes to get them back; Glinda the Good Witch of the North [Ms. Higley again] gives the slippers to Dorothy and warns her to never take them off. 

So her journey begins, guided by the Glinda's advice to "follow the yellow brick road" to get help from the Wizard of Oz at his home in the Emerald City. On the way, she meets Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, and together they travel to Oz with specific requests they hope the Wizard will grant.

Lots of obstacles along the way propel Dorothy and her cohort to confront the Wizard and have him grant their wishes.

We all know how things resolve, so the delight in watching things transpire relies on the talents of the cast and production team to follow through. -- And they do: Ms. Lind is a pleasant Dorothy with a fine singing voice; Mr. Clark is a gangly awkward Scarecrow in need of a brain; Mr. Mohajerin's Tin Man is sympathetic in his quest for a heart; and Mr. Morgan entertains with aplomb as the cowardly Lion, threatening to steal the show with "If I Only Had The Nerve" and "King of the Forest".

Mr. Posey's ensemble of Munchkins, Ozians, et al. are testimony to his ability to connect with the local community for support and putting large numbers of talent on stage; and the energetic choreography and chorus singing achieve some rousing moments. -- Emily Blossom's exceptional costumes and Kaitlin Cooper's detailed make-up, along with Mr. Posey and Jordan Hollett's atmospheric sets complete the picture of both Kansas and Oz.

Unfortunately, the Pike Road Theatre Company still has limited lighting and sound equipment at their disposal, long into their second Season of otherwise stunning productions. When audiences must strain to see and hear the acting company, a lot gets lost and we are left to our own devices.

The Wizard of Oz seems to be another hit at Pike Road, with enthusiastic full-house audiences engaging and applauding all the way.

Wetumpka Depot: "Something Rotten"

Talk about a rollicking good time...director Kristy Meanor's goofy, irreverent, anachronistically hysterical production of the 2015 musical Something Rotten opened on Thursday, and had the audience in stitches throughout!

Two acts of mile-a-minute repartee with ribald double-entendre and countless references to English literature and history, and tongue-in-cheek nods to innumerable contemporary musicals, demands we pay strict attention for fear of missing out on the jokes.

A Minstrel [Taylor Finch] sets the time as 1595 in "Welcome to the Renaissance", and we're off with the Depot's 21-member ensemble actors on a madcap romp led by the Bottom Brothers -- impatient and competitive Nick [Jonathan Wilson] and even-tempered Nigel [Jay Russell] -- whose funding for their new play will be cut off by their patroness Lady Clapham [Jan Roeton] unless it's finished overnight. Stuck without any ideas, and jealous of their chief rival the narcissistic William Shakespeare [Jeff Langham in top form as "the Bard"], "God I Hate Shakespeare" sets up the battles yet to come.

Desperate for ideas and without ready cash, Nick rejects his wife Bea's [Sarah Kay] feminist suggestion that women are men's equals and that she could help by getting a job. -- Money-lender Shylock [Eric Arvidson at his best] is eager to help, but it's illegal to employ a Jew; so Nick settles on advice from soothsayer Nostradamus [Cushing Phillips], who predicts that the future of theatre will be in the form of plays where actors sing their lines and burst into song and dance for no apparent reason: "A Musical" is the highlight of Act I.

Nigel meanwhile falls in love with Portia [Rachel Pickering Seeley], the daughter of a Puritan Brother Jeremiah [Bradley Podliska], who does his best to thwart both his daughter's romance and the "immoral" theatre which, after all, features actors in drag, and contains subject matter that corrupts the local populace. -- Their romantic scenes are infused with a lot of tomfoolery: delightful.

And that's just the set-up in Something Rotten [book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell; music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick]. -- Complications build with each successive moment, disguises and cross-dressing manipulate the antic action, and Nostradamus's bewildering confusion turns the plot of Shakespare's most famous play into an "Omelette". Never mind: just go along for the ride with this talented crew, and Mr. Phillips's Nostradamus chews up the scenery with such relish that alone is worth the price of admission.

Daniel Harms creates dynamic, razzle-dazzle, and energetic choreography for the ensemble and for himself to support the story and characters.

The production is a visual delight, from the faux-Renaissance and brightly comical musical theatre Chorus costumes by Suzanne Booth, to clever scenery [Charles "Eddie" Moncrief III] and Thomas Rodman's robust lighting.

Music Director Dr. Damian Womack is assisted by Sound and Music Tech from Jerry Parker; together, they guide the company and feature some excellent voices [Ms. Seeley, Ms. Kay and Ms. Finch are standouts, with Mr. Wilson demonstrating a musical theatre triple threat actor/singer/dancer to center the conflict and its resolution. 

For a fresh take on musical theatre with a welcome dose of schmalz for good measure, Something Rotten hits all the marks for a fine evening out. 

Cloverdale Playhouse: "Next to Normal"

A stunning and powerful opening night performance of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Award winning musical Next to Normal received a well-earned spontaneous ovation from its full house audience at the Cloverdale Playhouse.

Meticulous direction by Randy Foster and Eleanor K. Davis guided an exceptional six-member ensemble through the rigors of a demanding vocal score [most of the 2+ hours playing time is sung, with little spoken dialogue] that tells the story of a suburban family grappling with the wife/mother's bipolar depression and the medical treatments she undergoes long after a traumatic event many years ago.

Groundbreaking in its time for stretching the content of musical theatre to objectively and compassionately portray the causes and effects of depression on ordinary families through Tom Kitt's rock-influenced score and Brian Yorkey's insightful lyrics, the Cloverdale Playhouse production rivets audience attention and challenges us to invest our own experiences with what happens on stage.

Arguably one of the most provocative adult-themed of the River Region's productions in recent memory, Next to Normal's center is Diana [Sarah Housley] who attempts to identify the cause of her depression, the effects it has on her family, and the increasingly aggressive methods the medical experts use to alleviate her condition.

Ms. Housley's exceptional performance [she sings with power and clarity, and portrays Diana's mental confusion and changing family relationships with subtle nuances] compels audiences to weigh each ambivalent moment as she carries them on her disorientating journey of self-discovery.

As her always supportive husband Dan, Gage Leifried elicits the conflicting impulses of a strong duty-bound spouse and father who doubts his ability to keep it all together. -- Tenth-grader Bella Posey as their over-achieving teenaged daughter Natalie delivers a mature debut performance at the Playhouse that belies her years and promises a bright theatrical future. -- Natalie's boyfriend Henry is an ingratiating Graham Butler, who becomes a counterpoint to Dan through his persistence in helping Natalie through her own emotional rollercoaster. -- As their son Gabe, Reese Lemaster's enigmatic portrayal is by turns a measure of Diana's condition and its cause, a help and a hindrance to her depression. -- And John Selden's dual roles as Diana's doctors [a "rock-star" and a "psychopharmacologist"], add some levity to the proceedings while also highlighting the seriousness of the medical profession's achievements and limitations.

With some 39 songs listed in the program, what we can and cannot know about our own or others' conditions is investigated and strategically dramatized in "You Don't Know", "I Am the One", "Superboy and the Invisible Girl", "Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I'm Falling", "Song of Forgetting", among others. Individually and collectively, the ensemble actors interpret the informative lyrics with spot-on dramatic intention as well as with musical confidence.

The character driven costumes [Ms. Davis], evocative lighting [Chris Roquemore] and minimally appropriate props [J. Scott Grinstead/Sam Wootten] -- and the performances of the acting troupe -- are enhanced by another masterfully inventive set designed by J. Scott Grinstead: a multi-leveled exterior of a blue house architecturally defined by white trimming that has several cleverly disguised moving parts to define spaces and seamlessly segue from scene to scene.

Next to Normal stages a profound analysis of grief, depression, suicide. drugs, and medical ethics through an all-too-familiar scenario. The Cloverdale Playhouse's production targets our emotions and our appraisal of mental disease while leaving us with a suggestion that hard decisions determined by love can open the doors to a satisfactory resolution.

Way Off Broadway, Prattville: "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Jon Jory's version of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes masterpiece, The Hound of the Baskervilles, is currently playing to full houses at Prattville's Way Off Broadway Theatre.

True to Conan Doyle's short story's conventions -- mysterious deaths, an isolated manor house, strange characters, many red-herrings and misdirections -- Jory's adaptation sustains the tension through a series of short scenes that require audiences to follow all the details as they try to identify the culprits before master sleuth Holmes [Kevin Morton] and his assistant Dr. Watson [Savannah Brown] resolve everything to our satisfaction.

There's a centuries-long history of mysterious deaths related to a curse on the Baskerville family that are attributed to a fearful phantom hound, the most recent one at Baskerville Hall that urges Dr. Mortimer [Russ Tipton] to engage Holmes and Watson to figure it out and protect the new owner Sir Henry Baskerville [Nate Greenawalt] from a similar fate.

Whether any of the characters are reliable witnesses is hard to tell, as details conflict with reports from the butler Barrymore [John Hill] and his wife [Sandra Hill], and from neighbor Stapleton [Luke Fenn] and his sister Beryl [Haley Falcione] -- not all is what it seems, and is complicated by the introduction of the mysterious Mrs. Lyons [Meagan Tuck]. -- Doubling as a Cabman and as Mr. Frankland, Jon Darby adds some freshness and details to the goings-on, and does so with confident appeal.

Much of the enjoyment for audiences comes from trying to stay one step ahead of the plot and character development, so no spoilers here. -- Suffice it to say that director Tara Fenn's troupe keep us in suspense from start to finish, and allowing us to change our collective minds as new evidence is divulged.

It isn't a long play [though long blackouts during scene changes added several minutes to the playing time], and could have sustained the atmosphere and dramatic tension by performing it without an intermission. That notwithstanding, The Hound of the Baskervilles remains one of Conan Doyle's best, and appeals to audiences today as it did when first penned in 1901.