Impressive INTO THE WOODS—GLT and Sondheim take on Grimm’s fairy tales!

INTO THE WOODS, yet another of Stephen Sondheim’s wonderous musicals, is now on stage at the Great Lakes Theater’s Hanna Theatre.
 
Sondheim, who is credited with reinventing the American musical with shows that tackle unexpected themes, with music and lyrics of such complexity and sophistication that they challenge performers and musicians who take Sondheim off the page and into the world of production.  
 
Sondheim, often ignored the genre’s traditional subjects, such as the complications of love and teen-angst, wrote instead of attempted killers (ASSASSINS), unmarried men (COMPANY), has-been performers (FOLLIES), revenge (SWEENEY TODD), artists (SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE), national isolationism (PACIFIC OVERTURES) and the foibles of fables (INTO THE WOODS).
 
With a book by James Lapine, INTO THE WOODS intertwines the plots of several Grimm fairy tales by exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and desires. The main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and “Cinderella,” with guest performances by Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.  

The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to have a child, which is actually the original beginning of “Rapunzel,” their confronting the witch who placed a curse on them, and their interaction with storybook characters during their journey searching for things a witch requires to withdraw a curse.

The joyous first act ends with the traditional “happily ever after” conclusion, while the dramatic second act illustrates that real life is not a fairy tale, but that there is a price to be paid for having wishes granted. 

The show’s themes include the angst of growing up, the relationship between parents and children, the difficulties of accepting responsibility, morality and, most importantly, wish fulfillment and its consequences.  
 
Some theatre experts have opined that, since the show was conceived in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS crisis, the show is a parable about the disease.  They perceive that “the Giant's Wife serves as a metaphor for HIV/AIDS, killing good and bad characters indiscriminately and forcing the survivors to band together to stop the threat and move on from the devastation.”   The modern-day parallel is the implications of the COVID crisis.

“Sondheim drew on parts of his troubled childhood when writing the show. In 1987, he told Time Magazine that the ‘father uncomfortable with babies [was] his father, and [the] mother who regrets having had children [was] his mother.”

INTO THE WOODS had a 1987-89 Broadway run of 765 performances and was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning three.

The Great Lakes production is under the creative direction of Victoria Bussert, who will soon be joining the Oberlin College faculty as the director of its new musical theatre program.  She presented an all-student production at her present college home, Baldwin Wallace University, several years ago.  I wrote that that production was, “sprightly, fresh, well done, and a must see!”  The same, and a lot more, can be said of the Great Lakes Theater production.
 
Joe Wegner gives a unique slant to role of the Baker.  He creates a frustrated man, whose relationship with his father was stressing (much like Sondheim), but through a series of incidents realizes his role as husband and father.  “It Takes Two,” his duet with his wife, the perfectly cast, Jodi Dominick, is delightful.  Her “Moments in the Woods,” is a show highlight.

Lovely and talented RhonniRose Mantilla (Cinderella), one of the many Baldwin Wallace musical theatre grads, displays a wonderful comic-timing sense, especially in doing prat-falls.  Her “On the Steps of the Palace,” illustrates not only her strong singing voice but her music story-telling abilities.  She shines, as does Jodi Dominick, in “A Very Nice Prince.”

A vision of big-eyed wonder, Nic Scott Hermick (Jack) displays a keen child-sensitive quality and nativity, which is well-expressed in the plaintive “Giants in the Sky.”

“Agony” is a crowd-pleaser nicely sung by Cinderella’s studly overly-dramatic Prince (Dan Hoy) and Rapunzel’s dedicated Prince (Benjamin Michael Hall).

Jillian Kates, the witch, made “Children Will Listen” one of the greatest songs in the Broadway musical lexicon, a meaningful show closer.   

The rest of the leading players and chorus were excellent. 

Courtney O’Neill’s set design, cleverly created with multi-colored Lincoln Log-like poles, makes for a flexible playground for Bussert’s creative stage movements and Jaclyn Miller’s well-conceived choreography.  Tesia Dugan Benson’s costumes, David Gotwald’s sound design, and Trad A Burns lighting, all added to wonders of the production.

Capsule Judgment:  INTO THE WOOD is a well-conceived script, which gets a fine GLT production!  There has been, and will be many presentations of this musical, but few will match this one!  Go…enjoy musical theatre at its finest!

For tickets to INTO THE WOODS, which runs through November 10, 2024, go to www.greatlakestheater.orgor call 216-241-6000.
 
NEXT UP AT GLT:  A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Shakespeare’s magical comic masterpiece from October 4-27.

LES MIZ! back again at the Palace Theatre is as good as ever!

 

LES MISÉRABLES, along with such block busters as PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, EVITA, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, and CATS are part of the movement in musical theatre known as The British Invasion.
 
These shows, in contrast to most American musicals, have no spoken dialogue.  It is more operatic in format.  All singing, no speaking.
 
The musical version of Victor Hugo’s epic novel “Les Miserable” was first a recording, then a Parisian stage spectacle.  British producer Cameron Mackintosh, revamped the script and added spectacular sets, complete with double revolving stages.  The reviews in London were not great, but word of the strong plot and the staging, and the publicity poster’s visual of the downtrodden little Cosette, in front of the French tri-color flag, caught the public’s fancy.  And, as the trite saying goes, “The rest is history.” 
 
In 1987 the musical debuted on Broadway, following a successful London run.  After 6,680 performances spanning sixteen years, it closed in the Big White Way on May 18, 2003, making it one of the longest running Broadway shows.  Revivals, tours, and a movie followed.
 
For those who didn’t take French in school which often required translation of “The Bishop’s Candlesticks,” a simplified version of “LES MISÉRABLES,” an epic 1862 French tale by Victor Hugo, considered as one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century, may not be aware that the basic story line centers on a period in the early nineteenth century, which culminated in the unsuccessful June Rebellion.  This is not the larger French Revolution of 1788 that overthrew the absolute monarchy of the Bourbons and the system of aristocratic privileges, as many assume when the word “revolution” is used in a French story. 
 
The plot revolves around Jean Valjean, who was arrested and imprisoned when he stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving nephew.  It is fiction broadly entwined within factual and historical events.
 
This is not the usual musical theatre material.  It is about greed, child abuse, revolution and cruelty.  It has physical beatings and numerous onstage deaths.  It lacks the typical happy ending.   But, there is no reason that serious subjects cannot be treated in the musical form.  LES MIZ proves that contention, as does NEXT TO NORMAL, RENT and DEAR EVAN HANSON.
 
There is also no reason that strong emotions about death cannot be visualized as “empty chairs at empty tables,” or hope cannot be expressed as, “there is life about to start, when tomorrow comes,” or, that infatuation cannot be explained as “a heart full of love,” or the future can’t be prophesized as, “I dreamed that love would never die,” or a powerful story can’t be summarized with the musical’s closing
 lyric, “To love another person is to see the face of God.”  
 
Yes, these are all lyrics conceived by Herbert Kretzmer and set to the emotionally charged music of Claude-Michel Schönberg.  These are the thoughts of a great musical.
  
The show has toured through 440/216/330 several times.  When the reconfigured LES MISERABLE was in CLE several years ago as part of the Key Bank Series I wrote: “It is still captivating and is a major piece of the musical theater tapestry which gets an excellent staging at the start of its newest national tour.  If you haven’t seen it before or need a refresher, get to Playhouse before “One Day More,” and get “A Heart Full of Love.”
 
In that review, I also wrote, “From the very first time I saw LES MISÉRABLES, shortly after its opening in London, to the New York production, and through the various touring shows, I have been a fan of the show.  Not just a fan, a fanatic fan!” 
 
My strong positive thoughts generally hold true for the performance now on the Connor Palace stage as part of the Huntington Featured Performance Series.

The present 5-day stay mirrors the 2018 production, which eliminated the original production’s two turntables, reframed the music, reinterpreted some of the songs, added electronic visuals, such as our experiencing Jean Valjean crawling through the sewers as he saves Marius and then Javert falling off a bridge into the raging river below.  
 
There is less vividness than the original.  The battle scene, minus much of the extreme pile of household goods isn’t as dramatic, the marching to the barricades isn’t as exciting.  The lighting is darker, much like the paintings of the period which tended to be painted with less vivid oils.  This darkness shades the entire production.
 
Some things are the same.  I still find the reference to “this one’s a Jew and that one’s gay,” to be unnecessary and offensive.  I never have been a lover of “Master of the House” and “Beggars at Feast,” which I know fulfills the musical theater formula of being “noisy numbers,” inserted mid-first and second acts to excite the audience and keep their attention.  Some of the farce doesn’t seem to smoothly fit, but probably was added to relieve the intense strong oppression of the story.
 
The changes, in the scheme of things, don’t change the overall power and effect of the show.  No one is going to argue with the conceivers and stagers of a show which has been seen by over 70 million people. 
 
Both the solos and choral work is outstanding. Thankfully the cast interpreted the meaning of the lyrics rather than just singing words. This was obvious, for example, in “One Day More,” the sure-thing show stopper, which was mesmerizing.  

 
Nick Cartell, who played the role of Jean Valjean in the last tour, is back again.  He has done this featured role over 1,200 times.  He still portrays the role with a full musical powerful voice and emotional compassion.   His “Who Am I” and “Bring Him Home” were compelling.
 
Haley Dortch (Fantine) grabs the emotions with the plaintive “I Dreamed a Dream.”  Mya Rena Hunter (Éponine) received an extended ovation for her well-nuanced “On My Own.” Jake David Smith gives an appealing earnest quality to Marius.  His “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was one of the show’s emotional highlights. 
 
Young Milo Maharika was captivating as the spunky Gavrache.  His middle finger salute to Javert after the over-zealous policeman is exposed as a traitor to the student rebels, brought cheers and laughter from the audience.
 
Preston Truman Boyd, who was here before in the role of Javert, has matured into the role.  He not only displays a strong singing voice, but clearly is obsessive in his maniacal search for Jean Valjean. 
 
We may be well into the historical place of color-blind casting, but having Little Cosette (Ava Buesing), a dark-haired Asian cutie, mature into a Caucasian blonde (Delaney Guyer), and blonde Azalea Wolfe (Young Éponine) become the dark-skinned Myra Rena Hunter (Éponine) was a little unrealistic and confusing.  
 
Matt Kinley’s set and image designs, which were inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, created captivating images.
 
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   LES MIZ!  It is still captivating and is a major piece of the musical theater tapestry which gets an excellent production.  If you haven’t seen it before or need a refresher, get to Playhouse Square and get “A Heart Full of Love.”
 
For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.  LES MIZ runs through October 22, 2024.

BECK stages Neil Simon’s comic THE SUNSHINE BOYS

 

Broadway Theatre, from the mid-1950s through almost the end of the 1960s, went through a period in which the values, morals and attitudes of the post-World War II population were examined.  
 
Dramas by such luminaries as Arthur Miller, who asked, What is the best way to live?” in his  DEATH OF A SALESMAN, THE CRUCIBLE and ALL MY SONS. Tennessee Williams probed, “What is it like to live in a society that doesn’t understand you and you don’t understand it? in STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and GLASS MENAGERIE.  While, William Inge whose solitary protagonists were encumbered with strained sexual relations asked, “What are our hidden secrets?” in DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, PICNIC and BUS STOP.
 
Neil Simon emerged as one of the most popular playwrights with his comedy scripts.
 
Simon was New York through-and-through.  He was born there (1927), lived his life and died (2018) in the area, and based most of his plays in Big Apple. 
 
His life was filled with conflict.  His parents fought a great deal and his own marriage was filled with angst.  In fact, he “blamed” his writing style on this.  He once said, “I think part of what made me a comedy writer is the blocking out of some of the really ugly, painful things in my childhood and covering it up with a humorous attitude ... do something to laugh at until I was able to forget why I was hurting.”
 
His productivity and success were unrivaled.  He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays.  He won a Pulitzer Prize, had 17 Tony nominations, four Tony Awards and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for four Academy Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards.   
 
In 1966, he had four successful productions running on Broadway at the same time and, in 1983, he became the only living playwright to have a New York theatre, the Neil Simon Theatre named in his honor. 
 
His play, The Sunshine Boys, now on stage at Beck Center, opened in 1972 and starred Jack Alberton and Sam Levine.  It was met with strong positive reviews.
 
The script’s protagonists, Al Lewis and Willie Clark (supposedly based on the real-life team of Gallagher and Shean), were once a major vaudeville comedy duo known as the Sunshine Boys. 
 
Their 43-year run was filled with conflict and when it ended, with Al retiring from show business, leaving Willie, bitter and frustrated.  The duo stopped speaking to each other.
 
It’s now eleven years later and we find Willie, struggling with memory loss living alone in the same apartment he had occupied most of his marriage-less life, being cared after by his nephew and “agent,” Ben.  
 
CBS wants the Lewis and Clark duo to recreate their famous “The Doctor Will See You” sketch as part of their history of comedy special.  This, of course, would require the cranky old men to speak to each other.  
 
When they reluctantly meet to rehearse, the reunion goes badly with the “boys” entering into heated arguments over the words they will use, the arrangement of the furniture, and the elimination of chest poking and spitted out words which started with a “t.”
 
The conflicts continue in the television studio.  
 
The ending--this is a comedy which requires that it have a happy ending--is endearing!
 
It is eye-opening that almost all of the famous comic vaudeville duos, such as Abbot and Costello, Gallagher and Sheen, Martin and Lewis, and Smith and Dale, all had tumultuous endings.

Beck’s production, under the direction of William Roudebush, works adequately well.  For this play to succeed requires that the audience warm up to the duo as, underneath their bluster, each is a teddy bear and that the comedy sketch be done with raucous abandonment, bridging on farce.

Doing Borscht Belt comedy is difficult, almost impossible for modern day actors.  It is not their fault.  It takes years to hone the skills of listening, reacting and recreating movements that bring the needed laughs.  That type of vaudeville is not something that someone who has not observed and practiced for years, can accomplish.

Rohn Thomas succeeds in making Al Lewis loveable, but Alan Safier’s Willie is sometimes so over-done that he becomes irritating and we lose our “love” for him.  

They try hard in the “The Doctor is In,” skit, but just don’t produce the perfection of farce comedy needed.  Not bad, (drum roll) but just not quite good enough.

Carolyn Demanelis is physically right for the role of the zaftig Vaudeville Nurse and Joyce Bell Linzy adds delight as the sarcastic Registered Nurse.

Capsule judgment:  It is enjoyable when a theatre reprises a Neal Simon comedy.  THE SUNSHINE BOYS, because of the requirement of enacting the classic comic routine is probably the most difficult Simon play to stage well.  The cast and crew give full effort, but don’t completely hit the bullseye!

THE SUNSHINE BOYS runs through October 6, 2024 at the Senney Theatre in the Beck Center of the Arts Complex.  For tickets call 216-521-2540 or go to beckcenter.org
 

Beautifully crafted script and production makes A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE a must see!

 

The post-World War II-era centered on the changes of, among other factors, the application of psychological principles to examine the happenings of the day.   Arthur Miller, William Inge and Tennessee Williams are considered to be the leading playwrights of that, the modern American era of theater.     Miller, who is the author of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, which is now in production at Cain Park’s Alma Theatre, is noted for asking, in his scripts, “Is this the best way to live?”   In the case of VIEW, Miller’s dramatic tale examines such matters as difficult relationships, family honor, fear of loss, personal pride, forbidden love, assimilation and how justice and law often collide.  In the end, Miller seems to conclude that Eddie, the story’s protagonist, meets his end, being killed by his own knife, as a metaphor for his self-inflicted personal moral and ethical fall.   In examining the play, the writer’s own life may be the real topic.  “Miller was called to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee to name names of communist sympathizers in 1956, the height of the McCarthy Era. Miller refused to do so and was heralded by the arts community for his strength of conviction and loyalty.”   Miller, like Eddie Carbone, was faced with the problem of choosing how to live his life and affirm or reject his value system.   “Unlike Eddie Carbone, Miller chose to be loyal to his fellow artists, but like Carbone, Miller went against the cultural consensus at the time. Miller, in the play, chose to script a community that accepted and protected unlawful people. The consequences and eventual repercussions of naming names, for Eddie Carbone, are drastic.”    Miller used this play to strongly condemn the McCarthy trials and those who named the names of fellow artists.   This is not the only play in which Miller takes on the ethics of McCarthy and his committee.  In THE CRUCIBLE, which is being staged at Blank Canvas Theater, on Cleveland’s near west side, the topic of witch-hunting takes center stage, and much like A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, Miller points the accusing finger at the perpetuator of “evil” and comes to the conclusion that the action of the witch hunters and McCarthy, was and is not the best way to live. The story in A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE is narrated by Alfieri, who was raised in Italy, but is now working as an American lawyer.  Acting as our guide and commentator, much like a Greek chorus, he represents the “bridge” between the Italian and cultures of that era. The plot centers around the Carbone family – Eddie, his wife Beatrice and their niece Catherine. The family is awaiting the arrival from Sicily of Beatrice’s cousins Marco and Rodolpho, who have entered the country illegally.    The cousins arrive. Catherine and Rodolpho are attracted to each other, which annoys Eddi, who has feelings for Catherine.   Jealous Eddie finds more and more things to dislike about Rodolpho as the young couple grow closer.  When the duo decides to get married, Eddie reports the cousins as illegal immigrants. This makes his family and all the neighbors hate Eddie.  Marco and Eddie fight. Marco uses Eddie’s knife to stab him. Eddie dies.   The Cain Park production, under the wise guidance of director Celeste Cosentino, is compelling.  It is well-staged, the concepts clear, and the acting generally top-notch.     Dan Zalevsky gives full life to the role of Eddie.  Eddie lives through Zalevsky’s clear character development and concentration on being, not acting.   Ursula Cataan creates a Beatrice who is both sensitive and aware of her limitations and her role as “wife” to Eddie.   Arianna Starkman matures as a character as Catherine faces the reality of becoming a woman, rather than a girl.   Abraham McNeil Adams well-portrays Alfieri, our guide and commentator.   Santino Montanez sizzles in the final scenes, as his role as family member and provider is spotlighted.   Be aware that the tented Alma theatre has no hard walls. The ambient sounds of street noise, wailing ambulances and revved-up motorcycles, the size of the stage which hinders actor projection to all parts of the small auditorium, plus the necessary Italian accents, all blend to wipe out some speeches.    Capsule judgment:  A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE is a powerful and meaningful play that gets a fine production.  This is an absolutely must-see for any serious theater-aficionado.   A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE runs through September 15th.  For tickets call 216-371-3000 or go online towww.cainpark.com