DOGFIGHT fails to live up to Beck-Baldwin Wallace past productions

Beck Center for the Arts and Baldwin Wallace’s Musical Theatre Program have, for the past four years, collaborated to produce some outstanding productions.  CARRIE, SPRING AWAKENING and NEXT TO NORMAL all received Cleveland Critic Circle and Times Tribute recognitions. 

Unfortunately, this year’s offering, DOGFIGHT, probably won’t get such attention.  It’s not that the production is bad, but it is cursed with a weak script, with lines that seem forced and unnatural, and an inconsistent, often repetitive musical score which includes five reprises.

DOGFIGHT, the musical, is based on the 1991 Warner Brothers film of the same name.  It concerns a group of young marines who are in San Francisco on the eve of their deployment to Vietnam.  Their goal is having fun, partying, and getting sex. 

The highlight of their exit into war is to be a dog fight, a contest where each of the marines brings a “dog,” an ugly girl, to a bar for a contest to judge who is the ugliest. The guy who brings the “winner” gets a cash prize.

In his search, Eddie Birdlace comes upon Rose, a nerdy, plain-Jane, sweet young lady working at a diner.  He asks her on a “date” without revealing that she is going to be his candidate in the “dog fight.” 

The tale becomes complex when the contest takes place. Rose realizes that rather than being on a date, she is a victim of a hoax.  Eddie recognizes his cruelty and tries to make it up to Rose by taking her on a real date, which ends with the duo going to bed together.  In the morning, as he leaves for duty, he promises to write Rose, but fails to do so, because his buddies taunt him.

The story is revealed in a flash-back/flash-forward format, in which the broken and disillusioned Eddie returns 4 years later, searches for Rose, reveals his feelings for her, and relates that his buddies were killed in battle.

The soap-opera like book was written by Peter Duchan.  The major flaw is the lack of natural speech he affords the cast to speak.  The script tends to be composed of forced and trite language, rather than a natural flowing vocabulary. 

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have written some nice songs, but they are sometimes shoe-horned into the script, often without purpose.  Highlight songs are “Nothing Short of Wonderful,” “Pretty Funny,” “Before It’s Over,” and “Come Back.”

The Beck/BW production, under the direction of Victoria Bussert, flows well and has some nice moments. 

Besides the problematic script, the young students simply don’t seem to be real, to be natural in characterization development.  They generally act the roles, rather than creating real characters.  They aren’t bad, just not up to the usual BW Musical Theatre standards.

Colton Ryan has a nice boyish look and sings well as Eddie Birdlace.  Unfortunately, he seems to stay on the surface, feigning, rather than being absorbed in creating the needed conflicts between machismo, sensitivity, and remorse.  Eddie seems to be more Colton, than Eddie.

Keri René Fuller has a fine singing voice, and develops a most consistent and real person as Rose.  She appears to be the most advanced person in the cast in the race to Broadway.  (Over a dozen BW grads appeared on the Great White Way this past season.)

Zack Adkins is consistent in development of the smarmy Boland, but his overacting becomes taxing after a while.  There is little texturing, just a lot of snarling and yelling.

Micky Ryan stays on the surface as Bernstein.  Gabriel Brown has a chance to show off his gym-sculpted body and fine dance moves as Stevens .  Jamie Koeth sings well as the Lounge Singer.

The choreography is mainly stomping and marching, done with various degrees of quality.  The singing is generally good, but some of the cast sing words, rather than meanings.  Musical Director Dave Pepin keeps the orchestra under control so that they nicely underscore rather than drown out the singers.  

Scenic Designer Laura Carlson Tarantowski had the difficult task of creating a set that constantly was switching locales.  She did a masterful job in cramming all those settings into the postage sized space of Beck’s arena theatre.

On the night I saw the show there were numerous squeals and popping sounds in the sound system.  One might question why, in such a small space, there was even a need for microphones, and why, after two weeks of performances there were still sound issues.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: The production agreement between Beck Center and the Baldwin Wallace Musical Theatre program has produced some outstanding productions.  Though it is not bad, DOGFIGHT is not of the quality of the duo’s previous stagings.

DOGFIGHT is scheduled to run through March 15, 2015  at Beck Center for the Arts.  For tickets and information call 216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org  

"Murder Ballad" continues high quality collaboratin between BW & PhSquare

PlayhouseSquare and Baldwin Wallace’s renowned music theatre program and the school’s arts management program, have come together for seven consecutive years to present an opportunity for the students to interact with professional theatrical figures in a real world unique way.

The theatre students get an opportunity to work in the second largest arts complex in the country.  The arts management students get to collaborate with the PhSq professional market wizards.   What better educational experience could a student ask for?

This year the theatrical production moved from the cramped space, formerly known as the 14th Street Theatre, to the Allen complex’s Helen Stage.  The Helen is a black box facility which allows for as many configurations as the mind can conceive.  For MURDER BALLAD, the audience was partially seated three-quarters of the way around a rectangular performance area.  The remaining patrons were seated at tables.  Against one walls the band was placed.  A pool table and a long bar were intermingled among the tables.  The design of the theatre space made the performance appropriately up-tight and personal.

MURDER BALLAD is a “sexy and dangerous” rock musical which played a five-week limited engagement in 2012 off-Broadway.  Reviewers called it, “hot and sweaty,” “energetic and intriguing,” “rough and ragged,“ “sexy and explosive,” and “sultry.”  In spite of generally positive reviews, the preview run ended earlier than scheduled. 

The story centers on a love triangle gone wrong.  Sara, an Upper West Sider seems to have it all...handsome and devoted husband, a healthy child, and a life of luxury.  Unfortunately, she can’t rid herself of her desire for bad-boy bartender, Tom. 

We luxuriate in a strong musical score, listening to such melodies as “Troubled Minds,” “Turning into Beautiful,” “Mouth Tattoo,” “My Name,” “Built for Longing,” and “You Belong to Me,” as the plot leads us through the complications of love, the compromises that people make in the name of amour, and the betrayals that love can generate in people, while undoing them.

“Murder Ballad,” is the type of script that Victoria Bussert directs so well.  It requires creative staging, a fine sense of story development, and a talented cast.  Bussert is more than capable of the former duo, and has a treasure trove of “Vickie’s Kids”—the musical theatre students at Baldwin Wallace University.  As a survey of Broadway casts over the recent years proves, she picks,  trains and sends out the cream of the crop.

The four performance run of “Murder Ballad” showcased two different casts.  I only saw the “Spades” cast, so my comments will be narrowed to their performances.  What wonderful performances they were!  I can say, however, that I have it from a “knowledgeable source,” who was seated next to me at Moko Café between the two Saturday shows, that the “Clubs” cast was, ”also good.”

The role of Michael, Sara’s husband, was portrayed by tall and matinee idol handsome Anthony Sagaria.  He’s much in the mold of Strongsville High and BW grad, Corey Mach, who recently was in town playing the lead role in “Flashdance.”  He has a strong singing voice, excellent stage presence and good acting chops.  His duet, “I’ll Be There,” with Narrator Nyla Watson, was one of the show’s highlights.

Watson, of powerful voice and imposing presence, controls the stage when she is belting!  She had some wonderful comic asides that added needed light moments to the heavy theme.

I would not like to meet Zachary Adkins, Tom, the bartender, in an alley.  At least not the Adkins who made Tom and his menacing baseball bat into a potential weapon of mass destruction.  He displayed a nice singing voice and developed a clear character.

Keri René Fuller, a red haired vixen, populated the role of Sara.  Sensual, sexy and seductive, she had both characters, Tom and Michael, wrapped around her little finger.

Musical Director and BW student Andrew Leslie Cooper, and his band nicely walked the musical line between the needed rock intensity and underscoring the singers.  Special kudos to Jesse Stephen Penfound, the percussionist, for realizing that this wasn’t a rock concert and a very heavy foot and pounding hands weren’t necessary to get the needed effect.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT”  It’s no wonder that Bussert commented in the program that “she loves her job!”  Being able to unearth the right script, to  put her unique touch on a production, and having a dream team of talented students to work with, would make anyone happy to go to work.  Standing “O” to all connected with ‘Murder Ballad.”  My only regret was that the show only ran four performances.  It could have developed a cult following and run for a long time!  Oh well, there’s the PhSq/BW production to look forward to next year!

“MURDER BALLAD” ran April 25th through the 27th, 2014.

CARRIE: THE MUSICAL captivates and compels attention at Beck

From the heavy beating musical sound at the start, through the exciting powerful opening dance, to the exposition presented in the song, “In,” through the  compelling story filled with well designed twists and turns, to the startling conclusion, “CARRIE:  THE MUSICAL,” now on stage at Beck Center, captivates the imagination and compels attention.

The musical is based on Steven King’s novel, “CARRIE.”  It centers on Carrie White, a shy, misfit teenager who attends Chamberlain High School in a small town in Western Maine.  Her mother, a religious fanatic, dominates her life with Bible rules and fear tactics, setting the girl up to be a social misfit.  

Bullied and teased by the “in” crowd for her traditional clothing and hairstyle, her lack of knowledge of the ways of sex, and her inability to break through her awkwardness, makes life hell for Carrie.  When she discovers she has telekinetic powers, things change. 

These powers result in her taking revenge when she is asked to the prom by Tommy Ross, the school’s most popular boy, as a result of a plan concocted by his girl friend Sue, to help Carrie to emerge from her shell.  What appears to be a great idea turns bad when Carrie is humiliated at the high school dance and wreaks havoc on everyone.  The conclusion is a stunner, which leaves the audience limp.

CARRIE:  THE MUSICAL has had a blundering path to the stage.  The show opened on Broadway on May 12, 1988 to a mix of cheers and boos during the opening night curtain call, scathing reviews, and, in spite of sold out houses, the investors pulling their money from the show.  It closed after only 5 performances, making it one of the most expensive disasters in American theatre history.  It earned the “honor” of inspiring the title of Ken Mandelbaum’s book, “NOT SINCE CARRIE:  FORTY YEARS OF BROADWAY FLOPS.”

So, why the production at Beck?  In 2012 a limited run revival was mounted in the Big Apple.  The script and score had been reworked and re-imagined.  The purpose was to “rescue CARRIE from oblivion and to give her new life.”  As evidence by the Beck production, the rewriting worked.

“CARRIE:  THE MUSICAL,” is the type of show that Vickie Bussert, resident director for Great Lakes Theatre and Director of Music Theatre at Baldwin Wallace, does best.  It is a script that is edgy, avails itself to her using her very talented and well trained students, and demands creative and inventive staging.  It’s the likes of “SPRING AWAKENING,’ for which Bussert won the Cleveland Critics Circles’ Best Director of a Musical in 2012, and such other non-traditional shows as “LIZZY BORDEN:  THE ROCK MUSICAL,” “BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL,” “GREY GARDENS,” “THE BREAK UP NOTEBOOK:  THE LESBIAN MUSICAL and ‘BROOKLYN, THE MUSICAL,” which are on her vast resume.

The BW alumni and student cast is outstanding.  Petite Caitlin Houlahan is so convincing as the conflicted Carrie, that knowing of the character’s powers, I’d hate to cross her.  Houlahan doesn’t portray Carrie, she is Carrie!  This is a standing “o” performance.

Sara Masterson is totally convincing as Sue Snell, the haunted witness and tour guide of the story.  As she struggles to recount the incidents leading up to the tragic prom night, the audience is compelled to listen attentively to her tale.

Colton Ryan has both the looks and “aw shucks” good boy personality that makes Tommy Ross, Sue’s boyfriend and Carrie’s prom date, believable.  He has a nice singing voice.  Masterson and Ryan have a real connection which makes their “a couple” performance so acceptable.

Genna-Paige Kanago doesn’t portray nasty girl Chris, she embodies the snarky character.  Sam Wolf flexes his muscles, smiles his sly smile and is properly obnoxious as the teenage-male with hopping hormones and no conscience. 


Katherine DeBoer is truly scary as Carrie’s religiously obsessed, psychologically scared mother.  She makes Bible pounding and fanaticism into an art form. 

Musical director Nancy Maier does a great job of having her orchestra support rather than drown out the performers.  The ensemble got their own, well-deserved curtain call for their fine in-tune performance.

The dancing was outstanding.  Gregory Daniels used gymnastic, modern and contemporary movements to create a whirling dervish of compelling sights.

Russ Borski’s lighting, especially during Carrie’s telekinetic channeling, created the perfect moods.  Jordan Janota’s set design used Beck’s limited stage and off-stage space to provide clear locations.  The only things missing were the much discussed prom decorations.

Aimee Kluiber’s costume designs were era and attitude correct except for the prom scene.  After all the build up about prom dresses and tuxedos, the dance clothing was both disappointing and a disconnect.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: “CARRIE:  THE MUSICAL” sizzles with fine performances, great dancing, well tuned singing, compelling illusions, and an emotionally encompassing attitude which is so relevant in this era of school bullying.  This must-see production deserves to result in sold-out houses.

CARRIE:  THE MUSICAL is scheduled to run through March 9, 2014 at Beck Center for the Arts.  For tickets and information call 216-521-2540 or go online to http://www.beckcenter.org  

LOVE STORY, THE MUSICAL showcases BW talent at the 14th Street Theatre

Fanatics of chick flicks virtually swoon when they hear the words, “Love means you never have to say you’re sorry,” or someone hums a bar or two of “Where Do I Begin?” Ah, yes, Andy Williams crooning the theme song from the 1970 film, LOVE STORY, which starred Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw and holds the #9 place on the American Film Institute’s list of “most romantic films of all time.”

An unusual story centers on the film and book.  Eric Segal wrote the screenplay.  In order to give sales a kick start, the movie company asked Segal to write a book version of the script, which would come out on Valentine’s Day.  To the surprise of many, not only did the book become a best seller, but the movie developed a fanatical cult following.
A musical version, LOVE STORY THE MUSICAL, was recently given its Midwest regional premiere by the students of Baldwin Wallace University, in coordination with PlayhouseSquare.
The musical, like the movie and play, centers on Oliver, a rich young WASP, and Jenny, a poor Italian Catholic girl.  Despite their many differences, they fall in love and marry against his father’s wishes.  Oliver is disinherited.  Jenny withdraws from a scholarship to go to Paris to further her budding piano career, in order to pay for Oliver’s law school education.  Unfortunately, while undergoing pregnancy fertility tests, Jenny is diagnosed with leukemia, and dies. 

At her funeral, Oliver states the second most quoted lines from the movie, “What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach? The Beatles? And me?”

The musical opened in London in December 2010 to moderate reviews and ran ten weeks.  Its US debut was in Philadelphia in 2012.

The book by Stephen Clark is composed of a series of scenes.  There is a lack of smoothness in the development, causing the emotional impact of the movie’s soppy story to be fragmented, thus not allowing for emotions to build.  Howard Goodall’s music is beautiful.  That’s both a strength and the score’s weakness.  It all sounds pretty much the same.  Like the script, there is little emotional texturing. 

A careful observation of the audience the night I saw the play didn’t reveal a single Kleenex to the eye, or gasps of heartfelt emotion from the audience.  That’s a big negative for a story developed with a clear objective of invoking a blathering of tears.

Scott Plate, the director, and his cast cannot be blamed for the lack of emotional reaction.  They did all they could to overcome what they were given.  The voices were all good, the staging effective, the show well paced, the acting effective.

Lucy Anders, who played Jenny the night I saw the show (she alternated with Sara Masterson) was lovely as the high spirited, honest young woman who put love before her career.  (This was 1971, before the age of women’s liberation, so her June Cleaver/Carol Brady actions can be excused or, at least accepted.)  Anders has a lovely singing voice and displayed just the right amount of spunk to be realistic.

Though he lacked the physical appearance of macho-hockey jock Oliver, Zachary Adkins had the right preppy attitude and displayed a nice singing voice.  His strongest scenes were those when he conflicted with Alex Syiek, portraying Oliver’s father.

Syiek and James Penca, as Jenny’s father, were both effective in developing roles well beyond their chronological ages. 

Musical director Andrew Leslie Cooper and his band did a nice job of supporting rather than drowning out the singers.  It’s a difficult task in the miniscule 14th Street theatre with its low ceiling and hard walls.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: LOVE STORY was yet another of those special productions resulting from the collaboration of PlayhouseSquare and BW.  Bravos to Scott Plate and his BW students for a well- performed performance of a flawed script and music track.

LOVE STORY THE MUSICAL ran May 3 through May 5, 2013.

Well done NEXT TO NORMAL at Beck

There is a recent trend for Cleveland area professional theatres to couple with local university drama programs.  Cleveland Play House has married itself to both Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve’s MFA programs.  Cleveland Public Theatre and Oberlin College have such an agreement.  The connection between Beck Center and Baldwin Wallace’s nationally ranked musical theatre program, has resulted in not only allowing BW students to appear on a professional stage, and the expansion of the acting pool for Beck, but the production several top notch shows.

Last year Beck-BW parlayed to produce the mesmerizing SPRING AWAKENING, which received The Cleveland Critics Circle—2012 best musical production award, and garnered Victoria Bussert recognition as the best director of a musical.  This year, Bussert, again is staging a winner with NEXT TO NORMAL, which stars former and present BW students and a university faculty member. 

NEXT TO NORMAL, with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt, is a unique musical which addresses loss, death, suicide, drug usage, and the ethics of modern psychiatry. 

It won three 2009 Tony Awards and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

The Pulitzer Board credited the show with “expanding the scope of subject matter for musicals.”

The story concerns Diana Goodman, a suburban American housewife, who has been diagnosed as having a form of bipolar disorder coupled with what might be schizophrenia.  The question comes as to whether the condition is hereditary or was induced by a trauma early in her marriage.  Together with her husband, Dan, she fights to keep her mind and their family on some sort of “normal” path.  Maybe not normal, but “next to normal.”  After extensive therapy Diana decides to stop taking the pills, cuts off all mental health help, including the electroconvulsive therapy that caused her short-term amnesia.  This decision leads to an unsettling conclusion.

The play brings up many questions, questions usually presented in a dramatic, rather than musical form.  Yorkey’s book is so well developed that the singing enhances the actions, rather than being an interlude from the development of the dramatic tension.  Questions include:  Is being happy the same as happiness?  Is there a way to treat mental illnesses?  Is losing one’s memory good or bad?  Can someone put mind over matter and succeed in controlling psychotic instances?  Is mental illness in the brain or in the soul?

NEXT TO NORMAL is the type of show that Bussert does best…quirky, compelling, requiring creativity and strong talent.  The script and her cast are up for the requirements.  The singing voices are marvelous, the acting is generally of high quality, the pacing is excellent, the show’s meaning shines clearly.

Highlight numbers include “He’s Not Here,” “I Am the One,” “How Could I Ever Forget,” “It’s Gonna Be Good,” and “I’m Alive.”

Chris McCarrell, a BW senior, displays a strong singing voice and totally inhabits the role of Gabe, the son.  With his boyish good looks and performance abilities he is Broadway ready!  He is a physical and talent flashback to Rex Nockingust, a BW grad who went to NY and took over the lead in THE FANTASTICS.  (Too bad the role of PIPPIN in the Broadway revival is already cast.)

Katherine DeBoer generally has a nice grasp on the role of the mentally ill Diana, making her a real person with overwhelming psychological issues.  Her singing voice is strong, her lyric interpretations excellent. 

Suspending Diana from the set during the Electro Convulsive Therapy scene, rather than placing her on an operating room table, created an interesting conundrum.  Was she supposed to be a symbol of psychiatric crucifixion, a victim of mental health S&M, or was this a necessity caused by the set design?

Scott Plate is impressive as the emotionally stifled, yet well meaning Dan, Diana’s husband.  He has a fine voice and sings meanings not just words, thus creating dialogue out of lyrics.

Caroline Murrah creates in daughter Natalie a confused, obsessive teenager, desperate for love and acceptance.  Though her voice is strident at times, her overall song interpretation is good.

Phil Carroll is spot on as both Dr. Madden, Diane’s rock star psychiatrist and Dr. Fine, a traditional mental health professional.  As with the others in the cast, his singing voice is excellent.

Ellis Dawson, who sings well, stays on the surface as Henry, Natalie’s boyfriend.  It’s hard to accept him as a real person.

Jeff Herrman has created a stage design of wooden scaffolding which, while attractive and properly symbolic (hundreds of prescription bottles decorate the set), makes for some awkward staging.  The actors are constantly ducking under the second level, which distracts from the action. 

Nancy Maier’s band is excellent, backing up rather than drowning out the very important lyrics.

David Zody’s choreography generally worked, but was overly obvious and repetitive in the convulsive therapy segment.

Though the sound system worked well, one must question why in this very small theatre, where no patron is more than five rows away from the stage, and the cast having trained voices, microphones were needed.  The electronic sound distracted from the reality of the production.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: NEXT TO NORMAL, a combined Beck Center and Baldwin Wallace University production, is well done.  This is the type of show that should result in sold out houses.

NEXT TO NORMAL is scheduled to run through April 21 at Beck Center for the Arts.  For tickets and information call 216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org  

Lizzie Borden

LIZZIE BORDEN an intense evening of theatre at the 14th Street Theatre

“Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, gave her father forty-one.” That line from a caustic poem not only attempted to describe the 1892 murder of Borden’s parents, but became a limerick used gleefully by girls for jumping rope.

The grizzly murder, which, much like the modern day O.J. Simpson case, was sensationalized. And, like Simpson, Lizzie, with a clever defense, was acquitted.

The trial revealed the tale of a girl who might have been molested by her supposed miserly father, emotionally put upon by her step-mother, and might have been involved in an ongoing affair with her female next door neighbor. Even today, curiosity over the case has amateur sleuths searching for the truth.

Doesn’t sound like the basis for a musical, does it? Well, in the hands of music and book conceivers Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Tim Maner and Alan Stevens Hewitt, it turns out to be a fascinating topic. Add to that the dynamic talent of Baldwin Wallace College’s musical theatre students, and the creative and focused direction of Victoria Bussert, place the whole thing in the intimate 14th Street Theatre, and you have one hell of an exciting evening of theatre.

The score, composed of traditional and modern rock, as well as several ballads, carries the burden of the script. Few lines are spoken. The pounding music highlights the moods of the characters as well as beating the audience into psychological submission. The viewer is carried away emotionally with the unending intensity.

This is the kind of script that Bussert does so well. It’s quirky, allows for creativity in staging and character interpretation, and is well written.

The four-woman cast has been well-honed by Bussert. They are emotionally present at all times, never wavering from their excitement of telling the tale. The story is often visually gruesome, yet, there is comic relief. Lizzie, for example, pulverizes her father and step-mother’s skulls by her whacking away at pictures of the duo attached to watermelons. Audience members in the first few rows are given plastic ponchos in order to avoid the flying melon inners. Some appropriately overdone scenes add sadistic mirth.

In order to give students the needed live theatre experience, there are two casts. I saw the “Axe” group, so my comments can only describe that cast.

Shannon O’Boyle is pretty, innocent looking, and a perfect Lizzie. She doesn’t appear to be capable of such a heinous deed, but when she lets loose vocally and emotionally, you can believe that she whacked away. Her Maybe Someday/Gotta Get Out of Here was well-sung, foreshadowing what was to come.

Sophie Brown, as Bridget Sullivan, the family’s maid, played the role to the hilt. Her overdone butch demeanor helped create comic relief. Her The Fall Of The House of Borden was excellent.

Beautiful Ciara Renée, with her flashing eyes, menacing voice and severe body movements, gave a clear indication of the inner negative thoughts of Emma, Lizzie’s older sister. Sweet Little Sister, which was sung with O’Boyle, was beautifully interpreted.

Pretty Rachel Michelle Jones, as the Borden’s next door neighbor, and possibly Lizzie’s love interest, was convincing as Alice Russell. Will You Stay, sung with O’Boyle, was a beautifully interpreted love song.

The voices were universally wonderful. These young ladies are Broadway ready!

If there was one flaw in the production, it was the musical direction of Matthew Webb. Though the band was excellent, Webb failed to keep the musicians in check. Often the heavy sound of the music drowned out the performers. This is not a rock concert. We need to hear the words of the singers in order to grasp the meaning. In addition, he often upstaged the performers with his dancing while directing.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: LIZZIE BORDEN was yet another of those special productions resulting from the collaboration of PlayhouseSquare and BW. It’s too bad that the show was only presented for 4 performances, because this is the type of production that would have built a cult following. Bravos for Vickie Bussert and her BW students for a rocking evening of fine entertainment.

Spring Awakening

Mesmerizing SPRING AWAKENING at Beck

On the way out of SPRING AWAKENING at Beck Center, my 16-year old grandson, known as the kid reviewer, said, “That was awesome. The singing, the acting, the music, the choreography, the staging, were all great!” Yes, Alex, you just experienced one of the finest theatrical works you may ever see.

SPRING AWAKENING, the Steven Sater (book and lyrics)-Duncan Sheik (music), folk-infused rock music drama, is based on a 1892 play by Frank Wedekind of Germany. The subject matter, which centers on teenagers on the road to self-discovery, portrays abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. It was so controversial that its original source was banned for public view for over one hundred years.

The play is a powerful indictment against late 19th century Germany, where strict rules regarding right and wrong, and wide-spread hypocrisy were rampant. Sex wasn’t discussed, the reasons for actions weren’t revealed, and adults held strict control. It is relevant to modern day American where the religious right sometimes parallels the machinations of the adults in Wedekind’s script.

The play consists mainly of spoken and sung dialogues among the children, with an interspersing of voices of the adults. Wedekind has given the voices the ability to open our eyes, in gripping ways, to the joys and sorrows, hopes and despair, and struggles and the resulting tragedies. Tragedies in which the most promising children are sacrificed due a lack of appreciation and understanding from their teachers and parents.

We meet Melchior, intelligent, handsome and charismatic, who sees the corruption around him, but is powerless to change the events. There is Moritz, physically stronger but psychologically frail. He’s the product of a harsh father, and is pushed to near insanity when he fails an exam and eventually is led to suicide. Wendla is in love with Melchior, and naively becomes pregnant by him. Her fall from grace is based on her lack of knowledge about human sexuality, and still believing that “children are brought by storks.” She, too, becomes a tragic product of her culture’s rules. We also view Ilse, who runs away from a sexually abusive home, another product of the rules of the game of life.

We are left at the end of the epic with Melchior, his friends all destroyed, needing to find a reason to go on with his life.

This is a relevant play that has already, and should open additional eyes of the hypocritically blind to the need for sex education, understanding of the teenage mind and the hypocrisy of developing illogical and unbending rules for the sake of tradition.

The Broadway production won eight Tony Awards in 2007. The Baldwin Wallace-Beck Center collaboration, under the keen eye of Victoria Bussert, is as good as the professional shows I saw on Broadway and on-tour. This is Bussert at her best!

The staging is creative, encompassing, focused. The pacing is fine…slow when necessary, fast when appropriate. Ryan Fielding Garrett’s band, which is on stage during the entire production, expertly backs up, rather than drowning out the singers, the vocal blends are excellent, and even though several of the cast don’t have superb singing voices…they so well interpret the words of the songs, that it matters naught.

Zach Adkins, a young Brad Pitt look-alike, is compelling as Melchior. He displays a complete understanding of the mental and emotional workings of the role. As we see him standing alone at the end of the play we can only feel strong emotional bonding with the real person Adkins has created. His song All That’s Known is appealing, while Left Behind is emotionally revealing.

James Penca is spot-on as the conflicted Moritz. He develops a young man unable to fight off the power of his father and members of the school staff, who demand what Moritz is unable to give. His The Bitch of Living is a show highlight, as is Don’t Do Sadness.

Pretty Kyra Kennedy makes for a perfect Wendla. She creates a complete character who displays appropriate naivety and passion. Her Mama Who Bore Me was a strong curtain raiser and Those You’ve Known, a trio with Adkins and Penca, was tear-inducing.

The chorus was excellent, weaving in an out of the scenes with clarity and concentration.

Gregory Daniel’s choreography, Jeff Herrmann’s set and light designs, Richard Ingraham’s sound design, and Alison Garrigan’s costumes all make SPRING AWAKENING a special evening of theatre.

The show is advertised as 17 and older. When I asked Alex if he was uncomfortable, especially in the presence of his grandparents, he gave a, “no way” response. You have to know your teen, but the lessons to be learned from this script are great. In fact, if the characters in this play had known what they could have learned from being exposed to this material, there would have been no need for Wedekind to write the play.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: SPRING AWAKENING is an emotionally stirring, relevant, and well staged production. This is not a should see, it’s a must see presentation. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

Baldwin Wallace College/A source for Broadway Talent

Cleveland’s Baldwin Wallace Musical College a source for Broadway Talent

There are many music theatre programs in the country. One of the repudiated “top five” is tucked away in tiny Berea, Ohio, a southwest suburb of Cleveland.

Yes, Baldwin Wallace College is exploding with talent that it unleashes upon the professional theatre world. There are a double digit of BW grads performing in, or getting ready to open in Broadway shows. Numerous others are running theatre companies, appearing in various professional theatre productions around the country, appearing on London's West End, and are trodding the boards on cruise ships and theme parks.

It’s the goal of the BW Music Theatre program to prepare students to compete successfully, and to sustain careers, as performers on national and international stages. The program offers an Intensive Conservatory-style training in Music (theory, solo & ensemble voice, and instrumental performance), In addition, Acting (for the stage and on-camera), and Dance (ballet, jazz and tap) help comprise the core performance instruction. The program has a very competitive entrance procedure, a limited enrollment, and strong academic rigor. Besides the Music Theatre major there are dance and Arts Management tracks.

The BW program has partnered with Cleveland’s PlayhouseSquare in both performance and arts management, as well as with the Beck Center for the Arts in suburban Lakewood.

The 2011-12 theatre season has seen or will see these BW grads on stage: Steel Burkhardt - HAIR (starred last summer on Broadway and is currently the lead in the National Tour); Kyle Post – SPIDERMAN; Hillary Elk – MEMPHIS; Cassie Okenka -- BONNIE AND CLYDE; Corey Mach – GODSPELL; Libby Servais - WICKED and LYSISTRATA JONES; Kevin David Thomas --REBECCA (opening in February); David Cameron Anderson – REBECCA; Trista Moldovan - PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (took over as the primary Christine on Broadway, December 9, 2011); Jen Noble -- GHOST, JR Bruno--national tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON; and Jill Paice--DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY.

Victoria Bussert serves as the Director of the Music Theatre program. She is also a Resident Director at Great Lakes Theatre, while Scott Plate is the Department Chair.

Passing Strange

PASSING STRANGE showcases BW students at their best!

Baldwin Wallace College is noted for having one of the country’s premiere musical theatre programs. No more proof is needed than seeing PASSING STRANGE, now on stage for a short run in the 14th Street Theatre. This is a perfect choice to showcase these talented stars in the making. The characters are their age, the parts require unabashed showmanship, and the music is of their era.

Cudos to Victoria Bussert, the inspiration behind the college’s program and Gina Vernaci, the dynamo Playhouse Square’s Vice President for Theatricals, for conceiving the collaboration between the two institutions, which is now in its fourth year. Past shows have included BROOKLYN THE MUSICAL, [TITLE OF SHOW], and CHESS: THE LONDON VERSION. All were quirky scripts that gave the students a chance to spread their wings and perform in a professional venue. They are also the type of shows that Bussert does best…small creative wonders.

PASSING STRANGE is a musical with lyrics and book by Stew and music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald. It examines part of the life of a black musician (the Youth), who finds himself, in the late 1970s, as a teenager, rebelling against his middle class upbringing, including rejection of the church, his mother’s teachings, and trying to pass as something he is not, as he traverses through Amsterdam and Berlin. These experiences open him to drugs, sex and rock and roll, while forcing him into introspection.

The title of the play not only highlights Youth’s passing from teenager into early manhood, but harkens to the term “passing” as used in Black English to indicate “passing as white, being someone you are not, as well as the passage of time.”

The play’s history is quite different than the usual path that shows take. Stew, a popular New York club performer, was commissioned by The Public Theatre of New York to develop a story of a young bohemian who charts a course for his life. After tryouts in California and Off-Broadway, the show opened on Broadway in 2008, ran 165 performances and was made into a film directed by Spike Lee. The original production starred Stew, himself, as the narrator, who weaves the tale together.

Ironically, as the show was in local rehearsal, Stew (Mark Stewart) and his band, The Negro Problem, were performing at the Cleveland Play House’s Fusion Festival. Stew and the band hung out with the BW cast and sat in on rehearsals. The experience, as explained by the students in the opening night after show talkback, was “mind opening.” They not only gained an understanding of the story, which is a biodrama based on Stew’s life, but found the where-with-all to transform the message not into a black experience, but into a universal one.

This opportunity to come in contact with professionals is just another aspect of what makes the BW-PHSquare collaboration so valuable.

The production is double cast. I saw the “Stew Cast” which featured Rod Lawrence as the Youth and Alex Syiek portraying three roles.

Lawrence is an exceptional talent. He has a fine voice, moves with ease and has a stage presence which is often hypnotic. His face shows great introspection, he feels and taps into the emotions of the character he portrays. Tears rolled down his face during a striking eulogy near the play’s ending.

Syiek transfers nicely into his various roles…playing swishy, macho and straight with conviction. Adrianna Cleveland (Mother) has a strong singing voice and a nice stage presence. Ciara Renée compels when she is on stage. She sings well, is beautiful, and develops clear characterizations. Jessica Dyer, and Jude McCormick also are excellent in various roles. Sara Budnik, as the band’s vocalist, displays a nice singing voice. Jay Ellis (Narrator) has a strong singing voice and interprets lines well. Unfortunately, he sometimes shouts rather than developing power with nuance.

Ryan Fielding Garret, the show’s musical director, and his band (Kevin Johnson, Rob Chase and Dylan Hayden), are excellent. They fade under spoken lines and allow the singers’ words to be heard, while developing the rock, spiritual and blues score.

Not only do the BW students get a chance to have a professional experience, but the Arts Management’s majors get to work with the Playhouse Square staff in marketing, education and operations. This is another advantage of the collaboration.

Capsule judgement: Unfortunately, the wonderful PASSING STRANGE is only onstage through May 1. It’s a shame. This could have been a long running show that would have built a cult audience. Bravo to the outstanding cast and let’s hope that the BW-PHSq collaboration continues!

Rent

RENT compels at Baldwin Wallace

Baldwin Wallace College is doing an American first. For the very first time in history, RENT and LA BOHEME are being performed in repertory.

RENT is Jonathan Larson's rock musical which is broadly based on Puccini's LA BOHÈME, but, is not a translation of that epic opera. It is a reimagining, a view of Larson's 1996 today. It puts the spotlight on the physical and psychological temperature of New York at that time.

The title was chosen because Larson was looking at how, from his viewpoint, traditional society was thwarting the hopes and dreams of the MTV generation. He chose the term rent, because it means tearing apart.

RENT takes place in New York's Lower East Side, before gentrification, when the old buildings and warehouses were home to the bohemian and drug worlds.

The story covers about a year in the life of roommates Mark and Roger, who live in a condemned building, and their friends. Roger, is HIV positive and is numb to life, trying to write a song which has only one musical line that he keeps repeating over and over on his electric guitar. Mark is trying to capture life on film, but may, in fact be using his camera as a tool to steal himself away from life itself. They are intertwined with an exotic dancer/drug addict, a cross dresser, an hiv+ philosophy professor, an ex-friend who has married for money, and Mark's ex-girlfriend and her lover. Together the group deals with love, loss, AIDS, and everyday existence.

The musical is somewhat autobiographical. Larson, who lived in the Big Apple for many years as a starving artist, sacrificed a life of stability for his art, and shared many of the same living conditions, hopes and fears as his characters.

The dynamic score includes the illuminating Light My Candle, the plaintive I Should Tell You and the stirring Seasons of Love.

Much like the storyline, the musical's very existence was met with problems. On January 25, 1996, the morning after the show's final dress rehearsal, coincidentally 100 years to the day of the debut of Puccini's opera, Larson died from an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm. The first preview was canceled and instead, friends and family gathered at the theater where the actors performed a sing-through in Larson's memory. He never knew that the show would be a smash hit and go on to win a Pulitzer Prize.

The BW production, with a few minor issues, is outstanding. I've seen the show on and off Broadway, and in several other venues and this version holds up well against the others. The staging by Victoria Bussert and choreography by Gregory Daniel are exciting and exacting.

The show is being done with two casts. I saw the “Mark” cast, so all my comments will center on those actors. Seeing the “Roger” cast might garner a different viewpoint.

Jon White is outstanding as Roger. He has an excellent voice, moves well, and developed a real and textured characterization. Chris McCarrell is spot on as Mark. He has just the right balance between geek and heartfelt persona. Kyra Kennedy as Joanne, the girlfriend of Mark's ex, has an excellent voice and develops a nice lesbo vibe. Andrea Leach is a total hoot as Maureen. Her performance piece, Over the Moon, was a show-stopper. Jason Samuel, as professor Tom Collins, left no eye unfilled with tears with his segment of the eulogy, Goodbye Love.

On the other hand, Jillian Kates Bumpas did not ignite the role of Mimi. She had upper range singing issues and failed to develop the sensuality of the role. Fortunately, her duet, Without You, sung with Jon White, left a positive impression. Antwaun Holley seemed uncomfortable playing the cross-dressing Angel. Since so much of the second act centers on the character, Holley's lack of dynamic warmth somewhat chilled the effect of his death on the story development. But, as someone near me said, “S/he sure does look good!”

The chorus was outstanding. Not only did they sing well, but they were in character throughout and created meaningful stage pictures. Highlight supporting vocals were performed by Jessica Waddle and Adrianna Cleveland in Seasons of Love.

Jeff Herrmann's scenic and light designs, Charlotte Yetman's costumes and DJ Jankura's sound designs all added to the production.

My grandson, Alex Berko, a gifted musician, who I often bring along to give a teenagers' view of a show and comment on the melodic aspects, was ecstatic, giving the show a near perfect score. He thought the leads' voices, with one exception, were excellent. He liked the staging, thought the choral work was outstanding, though he noted that there were a few instances when the band was out of sync with the singers, especially in Seasons of Love. He commented, and grandpa agreed, that the music, under the direction of Ryan Fielding Garrett, was well played, but, at times drowned out the words to songs making it difficult to understand the words.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: BW's RENT is a production well-worth seeing. It will probably be more appreciated by young adult audiences rather than the senior set, but everyone should be impressed by the talent of the students and the quality of the staging.

CHESS

Game of ‘CHESS’ played out by BW students at 14th Street Theatre

For the last several years Baldwin Wallace College and Playhouse Square have combined to give us such shows as ‘BROOKLYN THE MUSICAL’ and ‘title of show.’ This year they showcased ‘CHESS, the London Stage Version.’ The staging, which ran just three productions in the 14th Street Theatre was, in the tradition of this series, excellent. It’s a shame that it wasn’t scheduled for a longer run, as it would have provided a chance for more people to see the show.

The BW/PHSquare collaboration gives the music theatre students an opportunity to showcase their talents in a professional theatre, and the arts management majors an opportunity to hone their skills while working with the PHSquare staff. It also provides audiences with a chance to gain an appreciation of the performance skills of a group from one of the most respected musical theatre programs in the country.

‘CHESS,’ with lyrics by Tim Rice, and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of ABBA, concerns a series of matches between American and Russian chess champions. The matches mirror the Reagan-era Cold War struggle between the US and the Soviet Union, the major military powers of the time. Although the protagonists in the story were not supposedly representing any specific individuals, the character of the American seems loosely based on chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer, while elements of the story may have been inspired by the chess careers of several Russian grandmasters.
The first theatrical production of ‘CHESS’ opened in London's West End in 1986 and played for three years. A much-altered US version premièred on Broadway in 1988, but survived only two months. Recently, a concert form was staged in London, which is the basis for the recent local production.

This is not a musical in the format of ‘MY FAIR LADY’ or ‘WEST SIDE STORY.’ There are no show stoppers and the visual elements are restricted. As reviews from the show’s short lived Broadway production stated, “It is far too long" and "it is a shallow, improbable story masquerading as a serious musical."

In spite of those observations, ‘CHESS,’ at least in the BW production, was well worth the sit time.

In watching this, and previous BW 14th Street productions, one always has to be amazed at the talent and presence of these barely twenty year olds. They are amateurs who, in many cases, perform as professionals.

The staging by director Victoria Bussert is functional. It is the dance and movement, as conceived by Anna Maria D’Antonio and Martin Céspedes ,that provides visual impact. Working on a postage-sized stage, with a fairly large cast, the duo has developed chess moves into dance steps that help make this more than a staged concert.

The show was dual-cast. I saw the “American” cast, so my comments will be limited to those performers.

Hilare C. Smith gave a strong Russian presence to her well sung and acted performance of Svetlana, the wife of Anatoly, the Russian champion. Theresa Kloos displayed excellent vocal prowess as Florence, who was romantically connected to both players. Some of her character development needed honing. Corey Mach’s Anatoly was sincere and sensitive. Mach has a fine singing voice and good stage presence. Danny Henning, he of impish face, dynamic personality and nice singing voice, may have been a little too playful as Freddie. There was more Pippin here than American grandmaster.

Arthur Wise was strong as Molokov, the prototype Russian wheeler-dealer, but why was he the only one with an accent?

Maggie Roach, as the American Chess Queen and Natalia Lepore Hagan, as the Russian Queen, both displayed some nice dance techniques.

The musicians played their instruments well. However, why, oh why, can’t musicians realize that when they play as support, note the word support for a musical, they are not the center of attention. This is not a rock concert. If, as happened in ‘CHESS,’ the musical director, in this case Ryan Garrett, doesn’t reign in the drums and guitars, the audience can’t hear the singers. Small space, hard surfaces, singers needing to be heard! “Cool it!”

Capsule judgement: ‘CHESS The London Stage Version’ was an excellent experience, both for the audience and the performers. Maybe the next time around BW and PHSq will extend the run of the show so that more people can get an opportunity to experience the talents of these students!

The Wild Party

‘WILD PARTY,’ a challenge for BW’s Musical Theatre Students

In 2006, the now defunct Kalliope Theatre presented a production of
‘WILD PARTY,’ which is now being staged at Baldwin Wallace College. During that excellent production, about halfway through the second act, an elderly man got up from his seat and exited the theatre, mumbling, “I’ve had enough of this depravity.” The man’s pronouncement was probably music to the cast and director’s collective ears. Yes, he hit on one of the play’s central cores...the debasement of some relationships and the depravity of some parts of society.

Moral...if you are like the offended man, are easily put off by semi-nudity, simulated sex acts and raunchy words, you might want to avoid BW’s Allman Theatre during the show’s run. If, on the other hand, you are interested in seeing passions out of control and investigating moral decadence, ‘THE WILD PARTY’ may be your thing.

Andrew Lippa, who wrote the book, music and lyrics for ‘THE WILD PARTY,’ is one of the new breed of musical theatre creators. He’s in the mold of Jonathan Larson, the conceiver of ‘RENT,’ Jason Robert Brown who developed ‘SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD,’ and Laurence O'Keefe, the creator of ‘BAT BOY.’ They see life and place it on the stage with all its realties, flaws and warts.

‘THE WILD PARTY’ won the Outer Critics Circle Award for best Off-Broadway musical of 2000. It was nominated for 13 Drama Desk Awards including best new musical.

Adapted from a book-length poem by Joseph Moncure March, the story takes place in the Roaring Twenties. It mainly centers on one wild night in the Manhattan apartment shared by Queenie, a dancer, and Burrs, a vaudeville clown. In a relationship marked by abuse, which mirrors the prohibition and gangster-controlled era in which they live, the duo throws a party to “end all parties.”

The event is attended by uninhibited guests including Black, a handsome and smooth operator, and Kate, who has a “thing” for Burrs. Queenie and Burrs set out to make each other jealous. After a long night of no-holds-barred sparing and tantalizing, Burrs' temper erupts and he is killed by Black. Queenie steals out, leaving in her wake chaos and frustration.

The music is a combination of jazz-era sounds, coupled with contemporary tones. Though none of the songs will be remembered for long, the overall effect of the music is excellent.

For a production of this show to be successful, the cast must be sensual, seductive, and filled with sexual angst. The leads must be superb. Burrs has to show his maniacal personality with emotional swings from slapstick comedian (think Dick Vandyke), to sexually stimulating (think Hugh Jackman) and also be psychotically dangerous (think Mickey Rourke). That’s a hard job for any performer, let alone for a college student. Queenie has to be sensual, sexual and manipulating. (Fill in your own actresses here). Again, a nearly impossible task for any actress, let alone a young 20 something, no matter the excellent training received as part of BW’s Musical Theatre program.

The odds are against the BW kids. They try valiantly, but simply can’t overcome their youth and lack of worldly experiences. They feign sexy. They act, not live the experiences. But, that doesn’t mean that director Vickie Bussert should not have picked the show. A great part of a good training program is to try and stretch the students to give them experiences that they normally wouldn’t get. Yes, they would probably do a better job with ‘GREASE” or ‘BYE BYE BIRDIE,’ but that wouldn’t give them the challenge they need to prepare for their desired futures, performances on Broadway stages and other professional venues.

The show has some excellent highlights. In spite of having few real dancers in the cast (ah, for the old BW days of Sue Strewe and Janice Kiteley-Kelly), Martin Céspedes again performed his magic by creating dance numbers that paralleled not only the beat and sounds of the music, but stylized the moves and body angles to mimic the swing, jazz, 20s silhouettes. Show stoppers included: "Let Me Drown," "After Raise the Roof," "A Wild, Wild Party" and "The Juggernaut."

Congrats to Antwaun Holley, who lit up the stage with his hoofing. The band, under the adept conducting of Brian Taylor, was mood perfect. There was a great trumpet solo by Kevin Johnson. Ciara Harper, who grasped the role of Kate, and Jessica Dyer displayed solid vocal abilities.

The chorus does an outstanding job of being present and involved in every scene. They have been well coached by Bussert and Céspedes to not just be on stage, but to be emotionally drawn in and react accordingly.

Charlotte Yetman’s costumes and Jeff Herrmann’s sets are excellent. The show is done with the audience on both sides of a runway stage. This creates an intimate playing area.

The show has two casts. I saw the blonde assemblage. I can’t speak for the effectiveness of the Brunette Cast.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘THE WILD PARTY’ is definitely not for everyone. For those who are willing to be challenged and view the unscrubbed version of how some lead their lives, and want to see college students do a production which challenges their abilities and sensibilities, and often stumbles in the attempt to create an era and life beyond the student’s comprehension, a trip to Berea may be worth your time.

[title of show]

‘[title of show],’ another BW-Playhouse Square collaboration

Last year, Baldwin Wallace College and Playhouse Square combined to give us ‘BROOKLYN THE MUSICAL.’ The show, which ran just three productions in the 14th Street Theatre was spectacular. It’s a shame that it wasn’t scheduled for a longer run, as it would have turned out to be a show with a strong cult following resulting in a long run.

This year, Victoria Bussert (BW) and Gina Vernacci (PHSquare) again conceived of giving college students an opportunity to showcase their talents in a professional theatre. This type of production also provides audiences with a chance to gain an appreciation of the performance skills of a group from one of the most respected musical theatre programs in the country.

‘[title of show’],’ which received a Drama League nomination for its off-Broadway production, centers on two struggling guys writing a musical which they want to get to Broadway, which centers on two struggling guys writing a musical they want to get to Broadway. No, that’s not a typo, it’s really what it’s all about…you watch the show which they’ve written as it is being performed as they write it. It’s quite a clever idea.

The production, which will probably be appreciated most by those who participate in or who love musical theatre, is not a great script, but it is entertaining. Some of the in-jokes and name references to pop divas will go right over the heads of the less theatre-savvy members of the audience. And, potential audiences must be warned, as a sign on the entrance door indicates, “This production contains mature language and flash bulbs.” Yes, the “f-bombs” go off on a regular basis.

The inventive book was conceived by Hunter Bell and the lyrics, which are often extremely clever, were written by Jeff Bowen. Bell and Bowen starred in the original production, and that probably added to the easily interactive banter. Those who attempt to portray them have no such personal attachment, which somewhat takes away from the immediate presence style of the script.

I attended one of the pre-14th Street productions of a show which was performed in the Bill Allman Theatre on the BW campus. That showing, under the direction of Victoria Bussert, was quite entertaining. It is difficult to ascertain how a “real” audience will respond, as the BW assemblage was peppered with theatre students who reacted as much to the persona of their friends on stage as to the characters they were portraying.

As is, J. R. Bruno, who plays the ADD, geeky, Bucky Beaver-looking Hunter is both believable and delightful. His huge dark eyes flashing, hair flopping over his sweat streaked forehead, Bruno is manically boyish and hyper-adorable. His comedic abilities outstrip his singing talents, but, it’s his delightfulness that counts the most, and he succeeds in fulfilling that requirement. In discussing if someone he is interested in is gay or straight, he convulsed the audience with a perfect presentation of the line, “Spaghetti is straight until it gets hot and sweaty.”

Dustin Jesberger portrayed Jeff the night I saw the show. This character is the more serious of the duo. Though Jesberger is not as successful as Bruno in developing a full character, he delivers his lines, many of which are written for him to be the “straight” man in the comedy act, with assurance. He has a pleasant singing voice.

Maggie Roach has the correct attitude and mannerisms, but doesn’t have the vocal chops to sing the “big belter” role.

Like Bruno, Emma Ruck, who portrays the ever wise-cracking Susan, has a natural talent for comedy. As with the rest of this cast, her vocal abilities seemed limited. This lack of vocal ability is surprising for Bussert’s students.

Ryan Garrett, who portrays Larry, the entire orchestra, thanks to his extraordinary talents as a keyboardist, plays well and renders his few lines with a fine shy flair.

Capsule judgement: ‘[cast of show]’ is a generally delightful production of a script that is adequately written and which has some good music. Don’t go expecting to be blown away like the audiences were with ‘BROOKLYN, THE MUSICAL,’ last year’s BW presentation at the 14th Street Theatre, but you will have a good time.

Brooklyn, The Musical

Audience pleasing BROOKLYN, THE MUSICAL

Combine a wonderful score, a terrific cast, creative staging, on-target musical direction and the result is the audience pleasing ‘BROOKLYN, THE MUSICAL,’ a production of the Playhouse Square in collaboration with the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music.

‘BROOKLYN, THE MUSCIAL,’ with its infectious pop and soul music, has the feel of a combination of ‘RENT,’ ‘HAIR,’ and ‘GODSPELL.’

The less than plausible story concerns a band of five ragtag soulful street-corner singers and storytellers, known as the City Weeds, who relate a sidewalk fairytale about a girl searching for the father she never knew. The quest goes on in spite of her having just one clue. She knows he lives in the city that bears her name, Brooklyn.

The play within the play, is about a Parisian singer who was orphaned when her depressed mother hangs herself over the despair of being abandoned by the man she loved. The girl is sent to a convent where she discovers her vocal talents, becomes a star, performs at Carnegie Hall, sets out in search of her father (who she discovers is a drug-addicted Vietnam War vet), and engages in a competition with a diva at Madison Square Garden. (I told you the story was improbable, but it’s a fairy tale, so we have to give it some latitude.)

With a book, lyrics, and music by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson, the show opened in October, 2004 in New York, where it ran for 284 performances. A 2006 national tour starred American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo and Melba Moore.

In a coup for Victoria Bussert, the nationally acclaimed leader of BW’s musical theatre program, the college was granted the rights to put on the show’s first regional production.

The local staging has an advantage over both the New York and touring shows. Playhouse Square’s 14th Street Theatre is an intimate venue. The closeness of the audience to performers allows for an electric current to leap from the stage to the viewers and ignite strong emotional responses.

The PHS/BW production is excellent. This is a perfect script for Bussert, who is a master at staging the quirky, small cast, emotional laden production. Think of her mountings of ‘BAT BOY,’ ‘SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD’ and ‘NINE’ at Cain Park. This is also an excellent script choice for students, especially the quality of students that are in BW’s musical theatre program. The show is populated by characters of the right demographics….young, dynamic and searching.

There were numerous vocal show stoppers. Especially strong were “Once Upon a Time,” “Superlover,” “Raven,” and Love Me Where I Live.”

Since the show is double cast, I can only comment on the student performers I saw. That cast was generally on target.

Stephen DiBlasi who plays the narrator (StreetSinger), captured the stage each time he sang. He also displayed an excellent sense of comic timing. Malika Petty, was perfectly cast as the sassy, up-from-the ghetto, on to stardom, Paradice. This young lady can wail and “cop-attitude” with the best of them.

Though her characterization wavered at times, Cassie Okenka, sang the role of Brooklyn well. Mike Russo, who has a nice singing voice, was quite acceptable as Taylor, the father Brooklyn never knew. Beautiful Cathy Prince displayed a nice singing range and gave fidelity to the role of Faith, Brooklyn’s mother. The pit singers, Jillian Bumpas, Paige Shlosky and Kyle Szen added a special dimension to the show with both their singing and active physical involvement, even when not vocalizing.

Nancy Maier and her band were excellent, from the pre-show jam session to generally underscoring rather than drowning out the singers. This is a difficult task when playing rock songs in such a small space.

Janiece Kelley-Kiteley’s choreography, Jeff Herrmann’s set design which found the entire theatre being painted serving as a palate for graffiti and Charlotte Yetman’s thrift story costumes all enhanced the performance.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: It’s too bad that there are only eight performances of ‘BROOKLYN, THE MUSICAL.’ It is the kind of script and production, that could be successful in an open-ended run at the 14th Street Theatre. It’s the stuff from which cult followings are made.

Phantom of the Opera (Baldwin Wallace College)

‘PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’ GETS FINE PRODUCTION AT BW

Baldwin Wallace’s Music Theatre Program is consistently recognized as one of the finest educational experiences for students interested in musical performing arts. Under the sage leadership of Victoria Bussert, graduates have gone on to successful careers in various phases of the theatre including starring on and off-Broadway.

It is no wonder, with the reputation of the program, when there was an investigation to designate several schools to do the first amateur productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA,’ that BW was chosen.

The show deservedly ran from November 6 to 18, to sold out houses. Performed by two different casts, this dual approach gave more students a chance to perform major roles. In addition, due to the vocal difficulty of the score, it allowed for conservation of the voices in training.

‘ THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’ is based on the novel by Gaston Leroux. The music was composed by Webber, with lyrics by Charles Hart and additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe.

The story focuses on Christine Daaé, a beautiful young performer who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius known as "The Phantom of the Opera," who terrorizes the Paris Opera. It was a smash hit in London and New York.

Normally, I do not review college performances, but since the BW production was a world amateur debut, I am breaking the pattern.

Phantom is a difficult show. It has a very complex score. It requires massive sets, numerous special effects, many period costumes and a large and very talented cast. It is a challenge for professionals, let alone the limits of a college budget and on and off stage talent.

Bussert wisely altered the script so that some of the special effects could be eliminated. The famous crashing to the stage floor of the chandelier was modified and the boat floating on water was eliminated. It mattered little. The overall effect was positive. This was a very, very good production.

Emily Leonard, who played Christine ,was enchanting. Pretty and petite, her voice was radiant. Her acting was believable, even when saying Webber’s over-stylized lines. This young lady is Broadway ready!

Handsome Paul Rawlings portrayed Raoul, Christine’s lover. He has a fine voice and a dashing air that fit the role well.

Erin Childs belted out the role of Carlotta, the opera diva who Christine has replaced. She properly overdid the role. Why Bussert had Childs and several other members of the cast present their lines to the audience, rather than directing them at the person to whom they were speaking, is a mystery. Kate Merrick was excellent as the ballet mistress who has a special relationship with the Phantom.

Unfortunately, Javar Parker, who played the role of the Phantom the night I saw the show, was not as strong as needed. He has a pleasant voice, but the role requires more vocal abilities than he displayed. His acting stayed on the surface and he was often difficult to hear, in spite of being miked.

The singing and dancing choruses were excellent. The choreography by Janiece Kelley-Kiteley and Associate Choreographer Martin Cespedes was excellent.

The orchestra, under the direction of Stuart Raleigh, was superb. There was a full sound, and the complicated musical arrangements were easily handled.

Jeff Herrmann’s scenic and lighting designs were outstanding. Charlotte Yetman’s costumes, which were era correct, were amazing in their detail.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: BW’s ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, though not of professional level, was much more than anyone would expect from a college production. Bravo!!!