Chorus Line (Carousel Dinner Theatre)

Carousel's 'CHORUS LINE' grabs the gold ring!

So there is no question about the basis of this review: I am ‘A CHORUS LINE’ fanatic. I love the show! This affection carries with it a problem...I go into productions of the show, which I’ve seen probably 15 times, with the fear that the director/choreographer/actors are going to give me visual and emotional mind-burn. Fear not in going to the production of the show at Carousel Dinner Theatre. It is one of the best I’ve seen, including the three times I experienced it on Broadway.

‘A CHORUS LINE’ was originally conceived, directed, and choreographed by Michael Bennett, the recognized genius of theatre choreographers. It has music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The book was assembled by James Kirkwood (an Elyria native) and Nicholas Dante. After a successful Off-Broadway run, the show opened at the Shubert Theatre in 1975 and closed in 1990 after 6,137 performances, making it one of the Great White Way’s longest running shows.

‘A CHORUS LINE’ dominated the 1975 Tony Awards. It also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, one of the few musicals ever to receive that honor.

The setting is a Broadway theater. Young hopefuls are auditioning for a job in the chorus line of a musical. As each speaks, sings and dances we learn about their hopes, insecurities and dreams.

The script was not written by the traditional means of a writer scribbing a plot. ‘A CHORUS LINE’ began as a workshop "share" session. A group of dancers met after rehearsals for other shows to talk about their personal and professional lives. The sessions were tape recorded, written down, and a libretto was pieced together. Their combined work, guided closely by Bennett, resulted in a staging scheme that filled the songs and book with overlapping layers. A little known fact is that comedy writer Neil Simon was called in to do some uncredited book doctoring, adding some of the great one-liners.

When it opened in New York, ‘A CHORUS LINE’ was hailed as: “The best blending of all the elements of musical theatre yet achieved by a theatre artist.”

What helps make the show unique, besides the manner in which it was written, is Bennett’s choreography. Throughout his career he used a unique style of dance for each show. For ‘A CHORUS LINE,’ he incorporated what he called "cinematic staging." There is a constant "jump-cutting" as the audience's attention is shifted from one figure to another. This draws focus to the character by placing the visual spotlight on that person. Bennett also used a series of mirrors to spotlight performers and make them stand out bigger than life in the eyes of the audience.

Instead of a standard plot, the show has what might be called a "staging scheme." This allows for each character to tell us his or her story in verbal or musical form. For example, "I Can Do That" has Mike recalling his first experience with dance, watching his sister's dance class when he was a pre-schooler. "At The Ballet" is a poignant tribute to Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie who found escape in the beauty of ballet. "Sing" comically makes it cringe-ably clear that Kristine is tone deaf. In "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love" all of the dancers share memories of their traumatic early teens. In “Nothing” Puerto Rican, Diana, recollects the affect on her resulting from a horrible high school acting class, and in "Dance Ten, Looks Three," Val explains that talent doesn't count for everything with casting directors.

The Carousel production, under the direction and choreography of Donna Drake, who was in the original Broadway show, is almost perfectly conceived. She wisely reproduces the original choreography of Michael Bennett and Bob Avian. She is aided by the fact that all but two of the actors have previously appeared in professional productions of the show. This meant that the four to six-day usual prep time given to Carousel directors were spent polishing, rather than creatiing. Most professional, and even amateur productions, rehearse four to six weeks before they open but due to financial constraints Carousel has a short rehearsal time and uses the first week of the run to polish the show which sometimes leaves the early performances a little ragged. Not so with this show.

The cast is generally excellent. Highlight performances were given by Kathryn Mowat Murphy whose Cassie was the best I’ve seen. That is saying a lot as I saw Donna McKechnie do the show several times. Murphy adds a special dimension to what many consider to be the overly long dance segment ”The Music and the Mirror.” Her fine acting, as well as her dancing abilities, help flesh out the pivotal character.

Scottie Gage, as Paul, stands on a dark stage in a solo spotlight and exposes his painful past in a heart rending monologue. It is one of the most challenging moments the musical theater offers an actor. Gage captivates the audience with a performance that is mesmerizing.

Elena Gutierrez has a wonderful singing voice and nails the role of the hispanic Diana. Jessica Goldyn’s “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three” was a show stopper. (Little known local fact--Elyria’s Crissy Wilczak was in the original production of the show and often performed “Dance: Ten”.) Kristopher Thompson-Bolden lights up the stage as Ritchie.

The only flaw in the production was the staging of the speech preceding “What I Did for Love” in which the characters reveal why they are willing to put up with the stress and humiliation which is part of being a Broadway chorus member. The scene, which is supposed to be an interaction between the characters was, for some inexplicable reason, relayed directly to the audience. This forced characters to come forward, speak, and then backpedal into their original positions. Having the actors“talking to each other” would have been much more effective and believable.

More than a quarter century after its premiere, ‘A CHORUS LINE’ remains one of the ultimate expressions of what the musical theater can be, should be. This belief is affirmed by the fact that the show will soon be revived on Broadway. Members of the Carousel cast have been invited to try out for that production.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Carousel's 'A CHORUS LINE' is a top level proffessional production of a great musical! See it!

Ohio Ballet - Playhouse Square

Ohio Ballet presents overly-long generally pleasing program

Ohio Ballet’s Artistic Director Jeffrey Graham Hughes obviously has never heard the old adage, “The mind can absorb what the seat can endure.” If so, he would have realized that his recently conceived ‘SPRINGFEST PROGRAM,’ which was staged both in Akron and Cleveland, was much too long.

The program was so lengthy, that following the second intermission, there was a mass exit of the already sparse audience. It was a shame that many left as Hughes’ nicely conceived “Upon Rays of Light” wrapped up the program.

The evening started with Victoria Morgan’s staging of ‘PETER AND THE WOLF’ danced to the recorded music of Sergei Prokofiev. The piece is intended to teach children about the sounds of the various musical instruments. Morgan transformed the setting onto a school’s playground and included a basketball hero, a swim team captain and the school principal. Though the idea was clever, the effect was problematic. The scenery, mainly consisting of a jungle gym and blow-up swimming pool, restricted the dancing. In addition, the decision to read the narration and then dance it caused a doubling in length of the piece and made the dancing redundant. In addition, the choreography was not coherent. The interpretation lacked needed playfulness.

Sam Watson’s ‘HI JINKS,’ which was inspired by the TV variety and comedy shows of the 1950’s and 60’s, was delightful. Well paced and often danced with abandon, the dancers nicely exaggerated the moves and were aided by bizarre costumes and wigs. The highlight segment was “Fooling Around” as performed by Larissa Freud, Katie Keith, Eric Carvill and Seth Parker.

The ‘GRAND PAS CLASSIQUE’ was a presentation of classic ballet. Daniel Francois Aubert’s music was adeptly played by pianist David Fisher, though the solo piano’s sound failed to fill the auditorium. The tall and attractive duet of Eva Trapp and Toby George were quite adequate, though not of world class quality. Trapp’s toe work and circle turns were done with nice control. Though he had some trouble with some of his leaps and landings, George did a fine job of partnering. Cynthia Gregory’s elegant costumes created the proper visual illusion.

The 12 part uninspiring ‘MAZURKAS’ was too much of the same thing. Choreographed by Jose Limon the piece needed cutting. Highlights included a wonderful duet by Kristin Knapp and Brian Murphy. Alicia Pitts’ solo (Opus 30, no. 2 in B minor) was compelling. She displayed excellent body control, ease of movement, and appropriate facial expression. Brian Murphy, the company’s most talented male dancer, presented Opus 59, no 2 in A-flat, which was danced with the right dramatic tone and sure moves. Chopin’s music was well played by pianist David Fisher.

The evening eventually ended with the beautifully costumed and well-conceived ‘UPON RAYS OF LIGHT.’ Danced to recorded music of Ravi Shankar, the company was at its best in this piece. Kristin Knapp’s opening solo was beautifully interpreted. The second segment, danced by the entire company, showed disciplined body control, fine partnering and a nice parallel between the often exotic sounds of the music and movements of the bodies.

Talley's Folly (Ensemble Theatre)

‘TALLEY’S FOLLY’ gets good performance at Ensemble

The lights in the theatre are at full level. A male wanders onto the stage, looks around at what appears to be a fragmented old boat house, turns to the audience and tells us that the play we are about to see runs for ninety-seven minutes with no intermission. He relates that the story will unfold as a waltz, a valentine. “If all goes well,” he says, “the play will end with a romance.”

Thus, the tone is set for Ensemble Theatre’s production of ‘TALLEY’S FOLLY,’ Lanford Wilson’s two-person character study of one evening in the courtship of two unlikely lovers, Sally Talley and Matt Friedman.

First produced in 1979, the Broadway production, which starred Judd Hersch, won the Pulitzer Prize, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, and the Brandeis University Creative Arts Award. It was well received by critics and audiences and is considered one of Wilson’s most hopeful and affirming plays.

Wilson is noted for his Talley Family series. The first play, FIFTH OF JULY,’ takes place in 1977 and examines the changing mood of the country regarding war and capitalism. The second script, ‘TALLEY’S FOLLY’ was written by Wilson as an afterthought. The story goes that when the actress playing Sally in the original production of ‘FIFTH OF JULY’ asked Wilson for help in understanding her character. He wrote ‘TALLEY’S FOLLY’ to show how Sally and her husband Matt became a couple in 1944. Two years later Wilson added a third episode to the story, ‘TALLEY & SON.’

‘TALLEY’S FOLLY’ is a character, rather than a plot-driven play. It is a conversation, not an action saga.

Matt is a Jewish accountant. He is an immigrant whose early life consisted of changing countries, losing family members, and horrific emotional episodes from which he needs to protect himself. The experiences are so painful that when he does reveal them it is in allusions rather than directly relating the truth.

Sally is white, Methodist, wealthy, and reasonably attractive, but does not fit in with her family or community because she does not embrace the capitalism that has secured her family’s fortune. She has been fired as a Sunday school teacher for encouraging her students to think positively about labor unions. Perhaps most scandalous to her family, Sally is still unmarried at thirty-one.

As the play unfolds the duo reveal the painful secrets of their lives. Matt’s alienation and Sally’s desire to retain family ties are logically tied to Wilson himself. Born in Lebanon, Missouri, the town in which he set the Tally series, Wilson’s had few real roots. His parents divorced when he was five years old, and although he has described his youth as a happy time, he never had what he created for the Talley family: a permanent home with a stable extended family. Wilson is noted as never having really “fit in.”

The Ensemble production, under the direction of Lucia Colombi, is nicely paced. Thought talky, it maintains attention. Elizabeth Ann Townsend is excellent as Sally. She clearly creates a character caught with a secret she is compelled to hide. The character’s standoffishness, yet vulnerability are clearly developed.

Miller has more difficulty with his role. Forced to use an accent which comes and goes, he often gives the impression of still getting used to the lines and the characterization. His over-articulation and surface level awkwardness make the character unreal and wooden at times. If he drops the forced “sound” the character should grow as he becomes more comfortable with the lines.

A question arises for both the director and Miller. Was Miller’s wearing a wedding band an oversight? As the play developed the question arouse as to whether his “secret” was that he was really married or had a wife who died. Since it was neither, the ring was a major distraction. While on the subject of distractions, why were fake cigarettes used? If the actors were uncomfortable smoking, then drop the charade. There was no dramatic reason for the smoking and it added a dimension of unreality to a real situation.

Ron Newell’s shabby boat house set was excellent. On the other hand the lighting was distracting. The stage was much too dark. And the inconsistent band sound from across the lake often created confusion.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘TALLEY’S FOLLY’ is an interesting play which gets a nice production at Ensemble, greatly due to Elizabeth Ann Townsend’s fine performance. It is a production worth seeing.

The Secretaries (Cleveland Public Theatre)

‘THE SECRETARIES’--good production, qualities, bad play at CPT

Every once in a while I see a theatrical production that evokes many questions. The Five Lesbian Brothers’ play ‘THE SECRETARIES,’ now on stage at Cleveland Public Theatre is such an offering. As I watched the play, and on the way home, I was filled with inquiries. My mind probed to find answers to “Why did CPT pick such a script?” “What inspired the authors to write such a piece?” “Why would a talented cast and an equally talented director want to spend their time presenting that material to an audience?”

As you can tell, I am not a big fan of the play. In fact, I come close to agreeing with a fellow playgoer who stated on the way out, “That was the worst play I’ve ever seen.” Well, not quite the worst play, because the production was actually quite good, but it did come close to being one of the worst scripts. I’m not alone in that opinion. A New York review stated that the play grossed out the audience within the first five minutes of the show.

Who are the Five Lesbian Brothers? They are Maureen Angelos, Babs Davy, Dominique Dibbell, Peg Healey, and Lisa Kron, a group of actresses and playwrights . Their stated purpose in writing and performing is to promote affirmation of lesbianism through hilarious plays.

Before I go any further....the play did win the Obie Award in 1995. I’m not sure what the criteria or the competition was, but there must have been something that brought about that recognition. So, I turned to an expert on the subject. A Cornell University Professor who used the play as part of her dissertation on the radical lesbian movement may have some clues. She indicates that “by focusing on violent acts perpetrated by women, rather than violent acts suffered by or inflicted upon women, this work examines the ways in which bodily injury serves as both an indicator of and a response to political and institutionalized oppression.”

She comments that “The Five Lesbian Brothers’ ‘SECRETARIES’ underscores the fact that terrorism is primarily an aesthetic phenomenon, a political performance, and that the most powerful weapon is “camp.” From their sexy publicity posters, such as the bikini-clad, gun toting, afro-sporting “We Recruit” revolutionary, to their mass public kiss-ins, the Lesbian Avengers understand the erotics of resistance.”

Randy Rollison and his cast all do their best with what they’ve got. Rollison paces the production well, has his characters go over the top in order to wring all the intended comedy and pathos from the script.

Ali Hernan makes for one wicked tyrant, complete with costumes right out of the Victoria Secrets meets porno leather shop. Liz Conway transforms from sweet innocent to blood thirsty monster with a vengeance. Meg Chamberlain’s portrayal of a lesbian and a lumberjack were convincing. Sheffia Randall plots and schemes with purpose. Denise Astorino chows down like food is going out of fashion.

Trad Burns scenic and light designs are excellent, Esther Montgomery’s costumes help create the proper images.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: My hang-up with the play is not the lesbian activity, the simulated sex or subject matter. The bottom line is I found the script neither funny nor edifying. The tepid applause at the conclusion of the production seemed to indicate the audience was watching with the same eyes as I was, but maybe you might not.

To Know Him (Jewish Community Center)

‘TO KNOW HIM’--a fitting production for the closing of the Halle Theatre

The drama program at the Jewish Community Center has a unique mission. It was founded to showcase dramatic, musical and comedy scripts that either have a Jewish theme or were written by Jewish playwrights. It has accomplished this mission well for many years. First in whatever venue they could find, then in a store front on Lee Road and then at the “new” theatre in the Mayfield JCC, which was called the Halle Theatre in honor of the donors who gave the money to build the performing arts space. The decision has been made to sell the facility and it will soon become rubble as it is replaced by condominiums. This leaves the JCC with no performing arts center. (If you know of a donor who would like to have his or her name inscribed on an arts facility, I’m sure that the board of the JCC would listen with an open ear.)

The theatre produced Yiddish and American plays until Yiddish became a language understood by fewer and fewer members of its audience. For the last number of years the offerings have been those written in English.

It is only fitting that ‘TO KNOW HIM,’ the final production at Halle, is being directed by Dorothy Silver, stars Brian Zoldessy and Reuben Silver and is produced by Fred Sternfeld. For many years Dorothy was the artistic director of the J’s drama program. The JCC’s playwriting competition is dedicated to her in honor of her many years of service. Her husband, Reuben, has appeared in and directed many of the “J’s” plays. By the way...the duo was recently inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in a State House ceremony in Columbus.

Zoldessy, who is Director of Theatre Arts at Cuyahoga Community College, Eastern Campus, was instrumental in allowing the JCC drama program’s rebirth, after a year of hiatus, to perform its outstanding production of ‘RAGTIME, THE MUSICAL’ last year. Sternfeld not only directed ‘RAGTIME’ but was also the guiding hand behind ‘MAN OF LAMANCHA’ and other J productions and will be directing their fall production of ‘SOUTH PACIFIC.’ Zhe serves as the organization’s Theatre Consultant.

‘TO KNOW HIM,’ written by Albi Gorn, was the 2002 winner of the Dorothy Silver Playwriting Contest. It is the story of Rick, a gay man dying of AIDS, who receives an obligatory visit from Penny, a student in her last stages of preparation for the rabbinate. Her final assignment is to do visitations to hospital patients. Her enthusiasm and zealousness butt up against the Jewish, but agnostic Rick, a college professor of film, who wants none of her ministering. To add to the mix is Rick’s father, a traditional man who said “kaddish,” the prayer for the dead when he found out his son was homosexual. The two have been alienated for many years. Penny encourages prayer and reconciliation. Rick responds, “When you have heard kaddish said for you, what else is there to pray for?”

The plot of ‘TO KNOW HIM’ is obvious, but it matters little. The overall effect is quite palatable. It makes its statement about prayer, forgiveness, the Jewish philosophy “Tikun Olam” (repairing the world), and how life can be meaningful if there is someone in it to share both your joys and sorrows.

Director Silver has paced the show well and has honed a nice cohesiveness in the cast. Brian Zoldessy’s Rick not only looks the part of a sick man but conveys the difficulty leading to death well, including a phlegm-sounding rasp. Zoldessy needs not go too far to get the motivation for the role. He, himself, has been in precarious health for a period of time, so much of his psychological memory is immediate. His is an excellent performance.

Alicia Kahn as Penny has some strong moments. During her opening scene she shows proper angst, but overdoes it to the point that she is almost unbelievable as a real person and especially one who has come this far in her rabbinical training. As the play develops she becomes more real and grows as the character grows.

Reuben Silver doesn’t make his entrance until the second act. Not only was he met with applause, but an elderly man sitting behind me loudly pronounced, “Finally, there he is already.” Silver knows how to milk each line for meaning. He suffers verbally and physically, he mumphers to perfection. He makes the father, Harry, completely believable. Reuben Silver is Reuben Silver...what greater tribute can be given an actor?

Tony Kovacic’s set is excellent. The hospital room’s back wall is a scrim which allows us to see a backdrop composed of large movie posters from many of the films discussed in the bantering between movie buff Penny and film expert Rick.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘TO KNOW HIM’ is an appropriate tribute to the history of JCC. It is a play worth seeing and this is your last chance to feel the warmth of the venue and emotionally touch and feel the history that has taken place there. Personally, having done much of my early theatrical performing in that facility, I dread seeing the wrecking ball destroy one of my “theatrical homes.”

Oklahoma (Playhouse Square Center)

Joyous ‘OKLAHOMA!’ sweeps into Palace Theatre

The historical role of the musical ‘OKLAHOMA! is well-known. When it opened on March 31, 1943 it became the first book musical play. It not only had a meaningful story line that swept throughout the entire play, but the lyrics and the dancing all integrated into the story. Before then, with the exception of SHOW BOAT, which was really an operetta, no musical show had really used this technique.

Besides the integration,, ‘OKLAHOMA!’ laid the structural foundation for musical plays that would follow it. There was a major love story (in ‘OKLAHOMA!’ Curly and Laurey, in ‘CAROUSEL,’ Billy and Julie, in ‘ANNIE GET YOUR GUN,’ Frank and Annie) supported by a couple who served as the comic relief (in ‘OKLAHOMA!’ Will and Ado Annie, in ‘CAROUSEL,’ Mr. Snow and Carrie, in ‘ANNIE GET YOUR GUN,’ Tommy and Winnie).

It also set the format for the first act to end with a conflict that the audience wouldn’t find out the results of unless the audience came back for the second act. For example, in ‘OKLAHOMA!’ the dream ballet, the question is: Would Laurie’s fantasy that her two suitors would have a conflict with one of them killed come true? In “MY FAIR LADY,’ would Eliza be found out to be a fake when she made her societal debut?

Another Rogers and Hammerstein contribution as developed in ‘OKLAHOMA!’ was the major theme of the musical being highlighted by a key song. In ‘OKLAHOMA!’ it’s “The Farmer and the Cowman” which outlines the formation of the future of the territory becoming a state and the need for universal understanding. In ‘SOUTH PACIFIC’ it’s “You Have to Be Carefully Taught,” the song that explains the basis for prejudice. In ‘THE KING AND I,’ “It’s a Puzzlement” is an inquiry into the differences between cultures.

Other interesting facts surround this culture changing musical. Its original backers saw a 2500% return on their investment. It received not only a Pulitzer Prize, but two Academy Awards, induction into the Grammy Awards Hall of Fame and a special Tony Award. It’s original touring production lasted ten-and-a-half years and encompassed every State in the Union while being seen by over 10 million people. It was the first Broadway musical to be commemorated in a U.S. postage stamp and is the only Broadway show with a tune that became a state song.

A little know fact is that the show’s original title was ‘AWAY WE GO!’. The name ‘OKLAHOMA!’ was substituted a week before the show opened when the song “Boys and Girls Like You and Me,” which was intended to be a duet between Curly and Laurey, was dropped from the second act, and a choral number was added. The name of the choral number? Yes, “Oklahoma.”

The production which is now appearing at the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square is a non-union staging. This traditionally has meant bad news for local attenders of the Broadway series. Fortunately, this cast makes up for its lack of experience with enthusiasm, good voices, focused acting and some wonderful dancing.

Show highlights include a raucous staging of “Kansas City,” a fine version of “Many A New Day,” a playful “The Farmer and the Cowman” and a brilliantly conceived “Out of My Dreams.” The latter is the plot advancing ballet in which Ginger Thatcher has recreated choreographer Susan Stroman’s dance moves to include the lead actor and actress performing the dream sequence. (In Agnes DeMille’s 1943 choreography a pair of dancers stepped in to represent Laurey and Frank). This new interpretation makes the dance much stronger as we actually experiencing the foreshadowing of what is to come in the climactic conflict scene near the end of the play.

Julie Burdick makes a spunky and charming Laurey. She has a beautiful voice and dances well. Jeremiah James’s version of Curly is a little to down-home twangy and automatic, but he has a big voice. J. Michael Zygo is a dancing and gymnastic machine who makes Will Parker a delight. Carrie Love tries hard as Ado Annie, but she is just too much style and little true substance. She falls far short of the interpretation of the role by local dancer/actress Mary Ann Black in a Porthouse production of the show a couple of seasons ago.

Ready for a trivia question? Who played Ali Hakim in the original production of ‘OKLAHOMA!’ and what was his Cleveland connection? The answer.......Joseph Buloff. Buloff was a well known Yiddish theatre actor who went on to star in ‘THE UNTOUCHABLES’ television show. He often made appearances in productions at the Jewish Community Center of Cleveland. He directed their productions of ‘FIFTH SEASON’ and ‘THE WALL.’

Sorah Wadia, who plays Ali in this production is a total delight. Pat Sibley, who is a little young to be portraying Laurey’s Aunt Eller, generally does a nice vocal and acting job. Andre Loban is properly understated as the menacing Jud Fry. The dancing and singing choruses are excellent.

The small orchestra, which is supplemented by electronic support, lacks the full orchestra richness that the Rogers and Hammerstein music demands, but it is adequate.

The sets, costumes and lighting all work well.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Every once in a while a theatre-goer needs a shot of Rodgers and Hammerstein to make the world seem like a better place or allow newbies to gain an appreciation of what true musical theatre is all about. The production now on stage at the Palace is a fine way to relive good past experiences or lose your R and H virginity

Marty Simonsen reviews the reviewer

It was so refreshing to read such an insightful and educational theatre review. I especially enjoyed the historical perspective. Keep up the good work!

Marty Simonsen

Battery (convergence-continuum)

Convergence-continuum attempts to electrify audience

A student in a playwriting class that I taught turned in a script that consisted of line after line of idioms referring to the game of baseball. This was the 1970s, the era of “hip” theatre, happenings, in your face language and messages, going against the grain, letting the audience figure it out for themselves. After the class had digested and commented on the manuscript, I asked the student, “Are you more interested in playing word games then in getting a message across?” He sat for a few moments, a sly grin stole across his face and he said, “I really love baseball!”

Daniel Therriault, the author of ‘BATTERY’ presently on stage at convergence continuum, Cleveland’s avant garde theatrical space, must really love electricity. As with my student, I found Therriault’s script to be mostly affect with an emphasis on language rather than story effect.

‘BATTERY’ has been described as “...a psychological tour of tortured souls.” It has also been called as “as much a multidimensional rap symphony as it is a play.” Further comments include, “Overly long and at times maddeningly redundant." Commentary also referred to “the playwright's excesses and twisting thought line.” One production was described as "Incredibly funny and totally disgusting.”

The play’s overriding metaphor is "A battery is two or more cells placed in a common container; one dominant." Set in Rip's Electric, a home appliance repair shop in Chicago, the play juxtaposes Rip (Brin Metzendorf) and Stan (Tim Coles). Rip is not only the dominant cell in his relationship with Stan, he also dominates Brandy (Meg Cavanaugh), who functions as little more than a sex toy to him to “set his electricity flowing.” Rip gives homemade shock treatments to his manic-depressive assistant, but when the treatment takes effect, the assistant yearns for his own independence and encourages the master’s battered girlfriend to do the same. In the end, Rip is left alone surrounded by his electrical repair equipment and worn out appliances, his opposing source of electricity gone.

As always, Clyde Simon’s direction is on course. There is no major problem with the production. His actors each develop a consistent characterization. The play is properly paced.

Jim Smith’s set design works well. No credit is given in the program for who collected the overwhelming number of electrical appliances and gadgets. The masses of Apple IIE computers, burned out toasters and out-dated vacuum cleaners would make a junk collector drool.

Those of you who are regular readers of my reviews know that I often find myself in an intellectual battle with convergence-continuum’s Artistic Director Clyde Simon over his play selections. He often picks scripts that I find obtuse, more flash than substance, more affect than effect, such offerings as Mac Wellman’s ‘7 BL*WJ*BS’ and “SINCERELY YOURS.’ On the other hand, he also picks what I would consider wonders like “HOT N THROBBING” and “QUILLS.” Okay, he wants to choose scripts that others in the area are afraid to select because of box office appeal and that’s good. But to pick abstraction for the sake of abstraction baffles me; but, it’s his theatre and his financial investment so he can do what he wants. I just hope that the niche audience he is aiming at continues to buy tickets as it would be a shame for the area not to have a “different” type of theatre.

Capsule Judgment: Daniel Therriault’s ‘BATTERY’ doesn’t say much to me. I was neither entertained nor repulsed, neither elated nor bored, neither electrified nor short circuited. Whether you will like the play depend on your tolerance for the over extended metaphor and the Twilight Zone-like subject matter.

Bad Dates (Cleveland Play House)

Where did they get all those shoes for CPH's BAD DATES?

‘BAD DATES,’ now on stage at the Cleveland Play House, isn’t so much a bad date as it is an unmemorable one. On the way home from the theatre I could remember laughing at the goings-on of the main character who is a restaurant manager, shoe connoisseur, mother and frustrated divorced woman named Haley Walker. What I laughed at, or why I was neither bored nor entranced, weren’t part of my active memory bank. What is there is the image of all the shoes in Haley’s apartment, and all the footwear piled in the closets of the other apartments pictured and wondering, “Where did they get all those shoes?”

If the major thing I can remember is the shoes, then something had to be off-kilter. It’s not usually the purpose of a play to leave a single visual. That is, unless it’s a play about Imelda Marcos and we learned that the footwear were signs of her extravagance while the peasants didn’t have enough food. Or, trying to get us to accept that ‘SEX AND THE CITY’ is now in reruns and we’ll never hear Kerry Bradshaw moaning afresh about paying $400 for Manolo Blahnik’s latest footwear designs.

Okay, Roy think hard...what did you learn as Haley related a series of tales from her past as she tried on shoes, changed clothes, and had one-sided conversations with her daughter? Let’s see, I learned that there is a bizarre social ritual between men and women that is the basis for the continuation of the human species. I learned that hearing about some else’s bad dates is better than having to experience them myself. I learned that Haley’s path toward finding Mr. Right was littered with encounters with colorful suitors such as Cholesterol Man and Bug Guy. I gained insight into how women fret about the “perfect outfit” and despair over a poorly-fitting pair of Chanel pumps. I gained a new insight into Joan Crawford and her famous “do me” pumps. And, I was exposed to the concept that “Maybe men and women were not put on this earth to torture each other. Maybe they were put on earth because they need each other.” Hey, maybe there was a message, but what was it?

Hawking, the solo performer, established a rapport with the audience by addressing us with a welcoming smile and attitude. Though adept at delivering the author’s dryly witty observations about human interaction, she is also capable of holding attention in the most serious moments. In spite of this, at times she seems a little more actress than person, especially when she isolates syllables in words and over-articulates words and phrases.

Narelle Sissons has provided an attractive New York apartment, while Miranda Hoffman's wide array of costumes clearly represents Haley at each point in the play's roller coaster of events.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: There is nothing really great or terrible about CPH’S ‘BAD DATE.’ That’s both the good news and the bad news. Well, for me there is some bad news…I’m still wondering why nowhere in the program are thanks offered to the source of all that footwear. Well, I guess I did get fixated. Too bad it wasn’t whatever message there was in the play.

FOOTnote (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun): And so the curtain drops on the Peter Hackett era at CPH. ‘BAD DATES’ is the last of the plays selected by the departed CPH Artistic Director. As had been the case in recent past seasons, this year’s script choices were problematic. It is now time to forget the past and move forward. Next season’s offerings are the brain-child of Michael Bloom, the new Artistic Director. I look forward to next season with renewed hope for The Cleveland Play House.

Anyone Can Whistle (Willoughby Fine Arts)

‘ANYONE CAN WHISTLE’ gets vaiant try at Willoughby Fine Arts

When the Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Lareunts musical ‘ANYONE CAN WHISTLE,’ which is now on stage at Willoughby Fine Arts Association, opened on Broadway in 1964 it was an instant flop. It was met with devastating reviews. The New York Times said, "There is no law against saying something in a musical, but it's unconstitutional to omit imagination and wit.” The show ran only 9 performances.

The musical was Sondheim's second solo effort. After being so successful with ‘A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM,’ and having been hailed as Broadway’s new “wunderkindt” for his work on ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ and “GYPSY,’ the negative reactions to ‘ANYONE CAN WHISTLE’ were extremely surprising.

Sondheim's score is a quirky blend of dissonant music which is hard to perform and sing and often hard for the audience to listen to. His musical choice was probably to parallel the discordant thoughts and idea of the characters. Unfortunately, since the plot doesn’t work well, neither does the music.

Sondheim is noted for having one marvelous song in each of his shows. Think “Send in the Clowns” from ‘A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC’ or “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from ‘GYPSY.’ There is no such song in ‘WHISTLE.’ The score contains such unremembered tunes as "Me and My Town", "Everybody Says Don't", and "With So Little to Be Sure Of." Interestingly, “There Won’t Be Trumpets’ which became a big cabaret favorite, was part of the original score, but was cut before the show opened. (The WFAA production has reinserted the song.)

Despite the flop status, there is a cast album of the show. Goddard Lieberson, who had optioned the rights to the cast album, felt that it was an important work and decided to proceed with the recording. Over the years, its popularity has continued to endure thanks to the talents of the original cast which starred Angela Lansbury, Harry Guardino and Lee Remick.

Even Sondheim admitted the show has serious flaws, despite what he considers “its considerable charm and humor.” The plot which basically asks the question of who the loonies really are, those in the asylum or those outside, much in the vein of ‘THE CURIOUS SAVAGE ,’ has an unconventional and often satirical, cartoonish and overly obvious plot. It tells the story of a town that's gone bankrupt because its only industry is manufacturing something that never wears out. In order to revive the economy Mayoress Cora Hoover Hooper and her town council fake a miracle -- water flowing from a rock -- to attract tourists. When patients at the local mental hospital, the Cookie Jar, escape and mix with the townspeople and tourists, chaos ensues. Of course there is a love story which develops between J. Bowden Hapgood, a psychiatrist who isn't really a psychiatrist, and Fay Apple, a nurse at the Cookie Jar who disguises herself as a miracle verifier sent from Lourdes.

This brings us to the Willoughby Fine Arts Association production. WFAA is a community theatre housed in a wonderful facility. As with many community theatres it has a limited pasture of talent from which to cast shows. Many of those who try out are of school age with a mixture of well-meaning adults. It would be difficult for professionals to pull off a palatable production of ‘ANYONE CAN WHISTLE,’ let alone a group of children, teens and a couple of equity actors. One must ask why Artistic Director Fabio Polanco thought he could save what the likes of Broadway director Arthur Laurents and actress Angela Lansbury couldn’t.

Palanco pulled out all the shticks and gimmicks he could. In order to make the proceedings absurd he has a preteen play a psychiatrist, a teen play the city’s comptroller, and even adds a reversal of the Hollywood 1930s dance number showcasing Shirley Temple/Bill Robinson (African American child and White man). The effort is valiant. The cast tries hard but just can’t overcome the vehicle.

The casting of professionals Larry Nehring (J. Bowden Hapgood) and Gina Shmukler (Fay) may have seemed like a good idea, but, in the end, all it did was show the lack of stage maturity of the rest of the cast. Both Nehring and Shmukler are excellent, though Nehring, with his Danny Kaye looks and flair for exaggerated comedy, might have been better cast as the Comptroller.

Paul Gatzke’s set is wonderful and Kristen Buchs lighting works well. Though Sondheim’s music is hard to play, Matthew Webb’s small orchestra basically accomplishes the task and in contrast to many local theatre pit orchestras wisely does not drown out the singers.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: The opening lines of the show’s theme song state, “Anyone can whistle, that's what they say, easy. Anyone can whistle, any old day, easy. It's all so simple: Relax, let go, let fly! So someone tell me, why can't I?” The answer to anyone planning on staging ‘ANYONE CAN WHISTLE,’ and probably the advice that WFAA should have followed is, “It’s not easy when you have a bad vehicle and a limited talent source.”

Ten Minutes to Cleveland (Dobama Theatre)

Cleveland's will delight in 'TEN MINUTES TO CLEVELAND’

It was with both delight and sorrow that I recently watched ‘TEN MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND’ at Dobama Theatre.

The delight was in being part of the world premiere of Eric Coble’s generally well crafted play about what it is like living on the North Coast, the Mistake By the Lake, the city whose river caught fire, the one city that has two different personalities, and the town where if you don’t like the weather you can wait five minutes and it will change. Ah, yes, Coble knows Cleveland well. It’s even more amazing that this young playwright who has pegged this city right on, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and was brought up on the Navajo and Ute reservations in New Mexico and Colorado.

The sorrow is that this is the last major production to be staged in Dobama’s ex-bowling alley home in the basement on Coventry. Having been part of the company since its start as an actor and public relations director; having helped pull out the bowling lanes; having mourned the deaths of both Donald and Marilyn Bianchi, the hearts of Dobama; watching the production was painful. Yes, Dobama will live on, but with an entirely new aura.

Do you have to be from Cleveland to appreciate ‘TEN MINUTES TO CLEVELAND?” Well, let’s put it this way. If you don’t know about the failing conditions of the Detroit/Superior Bridge, who operates the stalls in the West Side Market, the foibles of RTA, the village within the village at Legacy Village, the size of the Cleveland Clinic, the attempts to gentrify Tremont, the frustration of being a Cleveland Indians’ fan, the folly known as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the goings on in the Flats...well, then you won’t get most of Coble’s in-jokes.

Each member of the cast, under the adept directing of Eric Schmiedl, plays multiple roles. They generally change characters, accents, attitudes, and costumes with ease. Nick Koesters, who goes ballistic when his West Side Market vendor parents decide to sell Lo-Carb pierogies, turns in a highlight performance. He is also wonderful as the drunken Indians fan, a resident of Legacy Village, and the Lakeview Cemetery spray paint artist. His attempts at dancing as he changes set pieces is worth the price of admission.

Nan Wray is alternately hysterically funny as a Legacy Village shopper who decides to live there permanently and a the wife of a Janis Joplin groupie who wants to have sex in the backseat of Joplin’s car which is now housed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She is touching as the daughter whose mission is to put flowers on her mother’s grave while saving the city from graffiti.

Mark Moritz hits a high note as the ex-Case physics professor who predicts that if one more bolt falls out of the Detroit/Superior Bridge, the structure will fall, and as the developer of the low-carb pierogi and the Joplin groupie. Unfortunately, he was much too literate as the Tremont owner of a garbage strewn backyard complete with a car up on cinder blocks.

Jimmy Woody hit emotional chords as the African American father holding two menial jobs which he gets to by riding the RTA. His scene with Sadie Grossman was the play’s dramatic highlight. He was less successful as a Clinic patient.

Kimberly Brown plays the perfect foil as the jogger who Moritz convinces that if she runs across the bridge it could fall down, is properly indignant as a Tremont urban pioneer and is perfectly harried as a Cleveland Clinic doctor with a quota to treat.

Sadie Grossman’s dull look as a drunken flat’s party-goer was the height of visual comedy.

Set Designer Todd Krispinsky’s inspiration was the well crafted painting “Cleveland in Motion for the Millennium” by local artist Hector Vega. It is a perfect choice. Each of the scenes is depicted in the painting, which is inscribed on the floor and walls.

Coble’s play is uneven. Parts were hysterically funny, others emotionally satisfying. However, several scenes such as the Cleveland Clinic and Rock Hall segments begged to be funny and the Flats segment tried but failed to develop a message. The play’s ending, with the snow falling and bolt cascading onto the stage, was priceless.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Every Clevelander, east or west sider, should see ‘TEN MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND.’ It is a trip through the city that even Lolly the Trolley won’t reveal. And you should attend to say goodbye to Dobama in the converted bowling alley that has been its home since 1964!

Contemporary Artists Collection (Verb Ballets)

Verb Ballets again proves its worth

During an intermission interview at Verb Ballets recent ‘CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS COLLECTION,’ which was presented as part of Cleveland Public Theatre’s Dance Works 05 program, Artistic Director Hernando Cortez shared that the company is going to hire his dancers to 30-week contracts. This is an exciting announcement. In these days of arts organizations cutting back on expenses, for a local company to give full-time employment to a corps of dancers is exceptional. It is a tribute to the wonderful job that Cortez and Executive Director Dr. Margaret Carlson have done in bringing this wonderful company to rapid prominence.

The opening piece, “MOZART PIANO TRIO IN C MAJOR,” was originally choreographed by Sean Curren in 2004. Dancing to the beautiful classical music the company interpreted well the feel of the music with flowing leaps, smooth gestures, extended arms, skipping, twirls, jigs, and gender neutral lifts and carries. Trad Burns’ lighting and Janet Bolick’s costumes added to the visually lovely presentation. Kallie Marie Bokal and Tracy Vogt were especially wonderful in their dancing.

Dancer-turned-choreographer Mark Tomasic’s ‘THE MEMORY ROOM,’ was first presented in 2004. Danced to the strong beat of music by Steve Reich and Moby, dancers Marcela Alvarez, Kallie Marie Bokal, Erin Conway, Elizabeth Flyyn and Anna Roberts were polished and poised. Trad Burns’ lighting created wonderful shadows which seemed to increase the 5 dancers into many more. Tomsic’s choreography fit the music.

Choreographer David Parsons’ SLEEP STUDY’ found the dancers costumed in pajamas, sleeping on the floor. As they tossed and turned in their sleep, they rolled on top of, over and spooned with each other. The delightful piece was summarized by one audience member as “the most adorable dance I’ve ever seen.” Right she was! ‘SLEEP STUDY’ is a sure audience pleaser.

Robert Wesner is not only a dancer with Verbs Ballet, but is a choreographer and performer for his own company, Neos Dance Theatre. His world premiere piece, ‘THE CHILD EPHEMERAL’ was performed to the lullabies of Armenian composer Masmik Harutyunyan as played by The Shoghaken Ensemble. The slow methodical choreography showed off the talents of the harlem clothed corps of dancers. The piece, with its sensual overtones, was beautifully danced, but was overly long.

Francis Poulenc’s piano music was the inspiration for ‘UNQUIET MINDS,’ a new piece choreographed by Hernando Cortez. Originally conceived for the American Ballet Theatre, Cortez did not finish the dance and it was never performed for the public. The present staging is a reinterpretation of the original choreography. The dance was placed in an imaginary space outlined by white tape on the floor which served as a box where a Grand puppeteer controls the thoughts and movements of the Commedia del Arte characters. The piece represents a yearning to be free of the commands of others and to be in control of one’s self. Trad Burns’ shadow-inducing lighting aided in mood development. The piece was well danced, but unfortunately the selection did not have the power or audience appeal to be a closing number.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Verb Ballets ‘CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS COLLECTION’ consisted of five well-conceived pieces. Each segment was uniquely different which added interest, but the length of the program far exceeded the attention span of the audience. This is not the first time the company’s programs have exceed a reasonable time limit. In the future, Cortez would be wise to take this into consideration.

Season of Imagination-Ohio Dance Theatre (Ohio Dance Theatre)

Appreciative audience greets Ohio Dance Theatre

According to founder and Artistic Director, Denise Gula, “Ohio Dance Theatre is a professional ballet-based contemporary dance company that presents works with a strong theatrical element. The company’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in Northern Ohio by presenting quality arts productions of richness and variety, excellence and motivation.”

Based in Lorain County, the company reaches out of the area to spread its version of dance into not only Cuyahoga County, but nationally. One of its outreaches was its recent performance in the Playhouse Square’s Ohio Theatre.

An audience of approximately 500 responded very positively to the four pieces presented as the company’s ‘SEASON OF IMAGINATION.’

The opening number was Gula’s version of ‘FIREBIRD,’ with recorded music by Igor Stravinsky. The vague start failed to set a clear exposition of the dance’s central theme of the conflict between good and evil. These became clearer however as the piece progressed through Paula Drakes’s black and white costuming and the music. The separation might further have been accented if the dancers had more clearly physically and facially expressed their opposing roles. For example, the bad Minions, were not aggressive enough, their hand movements and facial expressions did not well develop their menace.

Ericka Shannon as Tsarevna was elegant. She is a talented dancer whose point work and physical control are excellent. She was nicely partnered by Damien Highfield as Ivan. Tito Reyes, who looks more like a football linesman than a dancer, was surprisingly light-footed as Kastchei, the Dark One, though he, too, needed more facial menace. His dance to death was well executed as were the fight scenes between him and Highfield.

Rejane Duarto as the Firebird was striking with her tall legs and erect posture. Again, as with some of the other dancers, she failed to portray the facial attitude needed to carry the part’s meaning.

A more dyanamic version of music should have been selected. The music’s power and tone did not fill the large theatre, causing for a lack of emotional involvement on the part of the audience.

The second selection, ‘LA PETITE MORTE,’ with intense and beautiful music by Bela Bartok, took the audience visually into high grasses to observe the life and mating of the preying mantis. Costumed in bug green, the dancers executed well Gula’s choreography which was nicely accented by Diana Nelson’s lighting. As with the opening selection, more varied facial expression would have aided in idea development. A combination of unusual lifts and body intertwinings were the highlights of the piece. The final destruction of the males by the dominant females could have been highlighted by a more aggressive conclusion.

The highlight of the evening was ‘LE CORSAIRE,’ danced to music by Stravinsky. Choreographed by Gula, the short piece was beautifully performed by Orlando Ballet’s Chiaki Yasukawa and Eddy Tovar. The petite couple glowed. Their partnering and solos were excellent. Yasukawa’s point work and turns were elegant, Tovar’s circle jumps and powerful leaps brought strong positive reactions from the audience. It’s too bad this piece was so short, as the audience was cheering for more.

‘WHO CARES,’ with choreography by George Balanchine and music by George Gershwin ,was a wonderful ending segment to the program. Dancing to the cosmopolitan sounds of such musical compositions as “Fascinating Rhythm” and “I Got Rhythm,” the company and audience alike enjoyed themselves immensely. Especially outstanding were Ericka Shannon and Fidel Garcia. Garcia displays a nice sense of contemporary moves along with balletic competence. His cocky attitude fit perfectly the pieces he danced.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Ohio Dance Theatre is attempting to reach out beyond its Lorain County home and be a more regional company. Without a permanent company it is often hard to develop a clear identity, but they are succeeding on many levels. Gula’s reputation and ability to attract guest dancers helps broaden the base of the company.

Restoring the Sun (Cleveland Play House)

‘RESTORING THE SUN’ in world premiere at CPH

On March 23, 1989, Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann announced their discovery of "cold fusion." It was the most heavily hyped science story of the decade, but the awed excitement quickly evaporated amid accusations of fraud and lack of a provable scientific process. When it was over, Pons and Fleischmann were humiliated, their reputations ruined, and they dropped out of sight. "Cold fusion" and "hoax" became synonymous.

Despite the scandal, laboratories in at least eight countries are still spending millions on cold fusion research. This work has yielded a huge body of evidence, which has remained virtually unknown because most academic journals adamantly refuse to publish papers on the subject. According to many scientists, cold fusion, the process that would eliminate the world’s dependence on oil and other fossil fuels for energy, remains a colossal conspiracy of denial.

Playwright Joe Sutton seized upon the Pons/Fleischmann/Cold Fusion story and has developed it into a play which is receiving its world premiere at the Cleveland Play House. The script, which was featured in last season’s “Next Stage Festival of New Plays,” was originally commissioned and developed by The Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science and Technology Project.

The subject is fascinating, the play is not. That is not to say audiences will be bored. They won’t. The subject matter insures that the viewer is going to be interested. It is just that the script needs work, especially when comparing it to ‘COPENHAGEN,’ another story of scientists which is tightly written and lends itself to a strong performance, such as that at Actors’ Summit last season.

The play’s dialogue is often forced and unnatural. In some cases, language is manipulated rather than being natural. For example, characters explain what they have just experienced to other characters who have also had the same experience. Also, in most plays we quickly learn the necessary character names and information about the situation. Not in this script. The exposition wanders throughout the entire first act. In addition, some of the staging devices are forced. People step in and out of scenes with no motivation, appearing in doorways for no reason, inserting themselves into conversations with no incentive.

Director Connie Grappo doesn’t help matters by pacing the production slowly . She also seems to have failed to probe deeply into character motivations with her cast.

Joseph Adams, who plays Professor Stevens, lacks cunning. Here is an unknown academician who hooks his star to an old, but respected scientific researcher in order to gain notoriety, but seems relaxed and unscrupulous throughout. Daniel Cantor, who portrays a public relations opportunist, stays on the surface, not revealing his underlying motivations. Keira Naughton, who portrays a journalist who is suspicious of the process, underplays the role to the degree that one wonders about her incentive. Stephen Bradbury is unconvincing as the University President who encourages the work of the two scientists. Only Geddeth Smith, as the old scientist who wants so much to make real his “pet theory,” is totally believable.

This is not to say the performances are bad, they aren’t. They just lack texturing and the nuances necessary to portray real people with real agendas. Part of this is caused by the script, part of it is the directing.

Side note: As has happened with most of the productions in the poorly conceived Baxter Theatre, ‘RESTORING THE SUN’ isn’t aided by the configuration. It can only be hoped that new CPH Artistic Director Michael Bloom will recognize the folly of the space and not use it in the future.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: The Cleveland Play House should be applauded for producing a new play. It should also be applauded for presenting a vehicle which probes a fascinating topic. Unfortunately, neither the script nor the production live up to their potential.

On the Town (Beck Center)

‘ON THE TOWN’ gets lost at Beck

‘ON THE TOWN,’ the production now on stage at Beck Center, is a musical-comedy extension of ‘FANCY-FREE,’ a ballet with choreography by Jerome Robbins and music by Leonard Bernstein.

Like ‘FANCY FREE,’ ‘ON THE TOWN’ tells the story of three sailors during World War II and their amorous adventures on a 24-hour shore leave in the Big Apple (”New York, New York”), but expands the development of the characters and comic situations.

This show introduced to Broadway two creative geniuses who would make vast contributions to the American musical theatre. This was Leonard Bernstein's first musical theatre score and Jerome Robbins' first assignment as choreographer in musical comedy. It also opened the door for two other soon-to-be-Broadway heavyweights-- Betty Comden and Adolph Green. When it opened on Broadway in 1944 ‘ON THE TOWN’ was an instant hit and ran for 436 performances.

Interestingly, when MGM acquired the film rights Louis B. Mayer, the studio’s chief executive disliked Bernstein's score so much that he replaced almost all of it. If you see the movie and stage versions you will find two different scores. The movie, which went on to win an Academy Award, starred Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Jules Munshin,
Ann Miller and Judy Holliday.

The New York Times called the stage version, "One of the freshest musicals to come into town in a long time." The review went on to say that “Its breathless pace and feeling of excitement was maintained from opening curtain to the finale.”

Unfortunately, in the Beck version, the breathless pace, the feelings of excitement and the wackiness are generally missing. After staging super hits like RAGTIME and MAN OF LA MANCHA at JCC, Fred Sternfeld, one of the areas best musical theatre directors, seems to have lost his way in this show. He decided to use shticks and gimmicks to help develop the delight of the show instead of using the natural aspects of the show. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work.

Part of the problem isn’t Sternfeld’s. ‘ON THE TOWN’ is a dated show. To make the production work, it needs a cast who understands the movement, the speech and the dance styles of the1940s. Sternfeld’s assemblage, which consists mainly of teenagers, just can’t place themselves in that era.

In addition, this is a dance show. It requires that almost everyone in the cast be a superb dancer. Choreographer Martin Cespedes does his usual creative job of staging the movements. But, even the talented Cespedes can’t make dancers out of a cast, many of who whom aren’t dancers. Some of the numbers look rag-tag with the performers trying their best but not always succeeding.

To add to the difficulty is Bernstein’s music. The score is hard to play and harder to sing. The musicians, under the direction of Larry Goodpaster, needed to have a big band sound. They, as with the cast, try hard, but there is a “little” sound rather than the fullness of the music of the era. Vocally, the choral sounds, a key to success with Bernstein, were often missing appropriate blendings.

Colin Cook sparkles as Chip, the sailor who only wants to see the sights. The scene (“Come Up to My Place”) in which he is seduced by a female cab driver (Amiee Collier) was delightful. He sings well and has a clear concept of his role.

Sean Szaller is properly gawky as Gabey, complete with farm boy charm. Joseph Fronadel, as the hopping-hormoned Ozzie misses the mark on several levels. He lacks the acting polish and the vocal talents to pull off the role.

Katelyn Blockinger dances and sings well, but lacks the acting depth needed to pull off the role of Ivy, Gabey’s love interest. Maggie Stahl never develops a consistent characterization at Clair De Loone. There should be a Judy Holliday daffiness to the role. Paul Floriano, the production’s only Actors Equity performer, is fine, but seems wasted in a small role.

Abram Hegewald and Linda Mementowski are wonderful in a classical ballet segment which comes directly from ‘FANCY FREE.’ These are two talented kids!

All is not lost. The opening night audience was seemingly enthralled. The two high school kids sitting next to me applauded and laughed consistently and were amazed by “the awesome dancing” and the “unbelievable talent of my friends in the cast.”

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘ON THE TOWN’ is a dated and very difficult show to stage. In spite of a valiant effort, the Beck cast simply isn’t up to the task.

Beauty And The Beast - Carousel Dinner Theater

'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST' at CAROUSEL more beauty than beast, but...

'DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,' which is now on stage at Carousel Dinner Theatre, tells a "tale as old as time." It was originally conceived as a story in 1740. It was a tedious, dark and scary tale which in 1756 was later transformed into the popular version. In 1992 Disney released a version of the story which became the first animated feature to be nominated for the Academy Award's Best Picture. (It lost to 'THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.') In 1994 Disney transformed the script into an award winning Broadway musical which is now the sixth longest-running show in Broadway history. The show has been in presented in15 countries and in translated into 7 languages. It is estimated that over 24 million people have seen the live version of the show.

The story concerns a prince who, because he has no love in his heart, is transformed into a hideous beast by an enchantress. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn their love in return. If not, he will be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

Of course, as in all fairy tales there has to be a happy ending, so enter Belle, a beautiful young woman who lives with her eccentric father in a small town near the Beast's castle. Belle longs for a life of adventure like those that she reads of in her books. Her father gets lost in the woods and wanders into the Beast's castle, where he is imprisoned. Upon finding her father in the Beast's clutches, Belle offers herself to the Beast in return for the release of her father. And...well, you can guess the rest. Yes, the Beast learns kindness and love, it is reciprocated by Belle, and we all go out of the theatre singing the likes of "If I Can't Love Her," "A Change in Me," "Be Our Guest," and the title song, "Beauty and the Beast."

Carousel's production, under the direction of Marc Robin, has some shining moments, but fails to create the potential magic of the show. Part of the problem lies with Robin's direction. As in Carousel's 'CATS,' early in this season, he fails to imbue in some of his cast members the necessity to "be" the characters they portray instead of feigning the characterizations. He also paces the show in a meandering pattern. It lacks vitality. His choreography also fails to light up the stage.

The show lacks polish. This may be because, as one member of the cast indicated, "We only had five days of rehearsal before we opened." He said this in wonderment that the production was able to get staged in such a short period of time. I would hope as the production runs, it might meld better.

Another factor in the lack of sparkle is the restriction placed on Carousel by Disney and Music Theatre International, which own the rights to the show. The theatre is not permitted to copy the original Broadway or animated feature designs. Because of this the images which audience members are used to are missing. As good as Dale DiBernardo's costume designs are, there is a visual element missing. Robert Kovach's set designs don't help the matter. They tend to lack creativity and sometimes cause staging problems.

The performance qualities vary greatly. Julia Krohn is a charming Belle. Even though she was sick on reviewer night, her voice still was excellent. She light up the stage. Curt Dale Clark sings the role of the Beast well, though in the early scenes his Beast was not menacing enough.

James Patterson is delightful as Lumiere, the candlesticks. The fact that he has played the role on Broadway and in the touring company shows. John Reeger is wonderful as Cogsworth, the clock, as is Paula Scrofano as Mrs. Potts. Another performance highlight is that of Benjamin Brooks Cohen as the much maligned, punched and tossed LeFou though he often slips into a characture rather than being the character. By overdoing the slapstick he draws away from the delight and we laugh at him rather than with him. As the dresser, Arlene Robertson is delightful.

On the other hand, Matt Stokes feigns the role of Gaston, Belle's boorish muscle-bound suitor. He, of bad wig, is all shticks and gimmicks and no characterization. He dances poorly and his lines lack believability.

The dancing, with few exceptions, is weak. There were times when it actually looked like they were counting their steps. The male chorus lacked the necessary vocal dynamics.Capsule Judgment Carousel's 'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST' isn't a bad show, it just lacks polish, dynamism and the special quality that makes the movie and Broadway productions so wonderful.

Herbal Bed - Actors' Summit

Fine production of 'THE HERBAL BED' at Actors' Summit

Did you know that William Shakespeare had a daughter named Susanna who sued a man who had slandered her? Were you aware that Shakespeare's son-in-law, Dr. John Hall, was responsible for developing a proper treatment for scurvy? Well, these and many other revelations unravel in Peter Whelan's THE HERBAL BED, now on stage at Actors' Summit.

History recounts that in June of 1613 Shakespeare's elder daughter, Susanna, was publicly accused of having a sexual liaison with a married neighbor, Rafe Smith, as well as having a sexually transmitted disease. On July 15th she sued Jack Lane, the tale teller, for slander in the court of Worcester Cathedral. Lane, a well-born but dissipated young student of Dr. Hall's was upset because of his rejection by both the wife and the doctor and while drunk poured forth the gossip. Susanna's husband, desperate to clear her name and protect his practice, gives her his full support. Arching over all of this is the truth that the neighbor was seen secretly leaving their herbal garden one night when the doctor was on a call.

The title of the piece refers to the fact that John Hall, is a physician whose practice, according to the knowledge of the age, relied on herbal medicines grown in his home garden. The "bed," in 'THE HERBAL BED' therefore, has a double meaning - sexual and horticultural.

The script has been described as "a gripping play, written with a kind of fiery calm, ...a love story, a courtroom drama and a moral thriller, " "...a scrupulously crafted work, thoughtful, often funny, moving and always engrossing," and "A first rate drama with interesting moral issues of truth and expediency." On the other hand, it was also reviewed in more negative terms, "If the prospect of sitting through a play loaded with ...moral philosophy seems unbearably dull to you, you're probably a lot like most people."

The Actors' Summit production is excellent. Though much of the play is low-keyed, it is none-the-less compelling. The love scene between Sally Groth (Susanna) and Nick Koesters (Rafe) is finely tuned and emotionally compelling. Interestingly, in other productions, the scene contained nudity. In the AS production, though Koesters loses his shirt, Groth remains totally clothed. The implied interaction is as strong as if a costume malfunction had taken place and may be even stronger as the audience is unsure of what really did happen that fateful night. And, the final line of the play (which will not be revealed here for sake of ruining the ending of the production) was so cleverly written and so well-delivered by Jen Clifford, portraying a servant, that the audience chuckled all through the curtain call.

A. Neil Thackaberry's directing was on target. The slow pace, clearly developed emotional keying and avoiding forced English accents all worked well.

The cast is generally excellent. Alex Cikra was properly stiff, pious and priggish as Dr. Hall. Groth was exceptional as Susanna. She showed the character to be intelligent, forceful and sensual. Nick Keosters' Rafe was clearly emotionally tortured and love struck while being emotionally conflicted. Jen Clifford was delightful as the servant. William Frederick's portrayal of Bishop Parry was fine.

No one plays pompous better than Thackaberry, who not only directed but portrayed the holier-than-thou Vicar-General. Young Erica DeRoche made for a sweet Elizabeth, the Hall's young daughter.

Only Scott Shriner failed to live up to the rest of the cast. Jack Lane, the accused slanderer, must be coarse and amoral. He must be loathsomely melodramatic yet realistic villain. Unfortunately, Shriner lacked the depth of role development and played the character rather than being the person.

Side note: Often at the conclusion of historical films there are statements concerning what happened to the characters following the ending of the script. As I drove home I was wondering, What really happened between Susanna and Rafe? Was Jack Lane telling the truth or simply a resentful lie? What was the underlying nature of Susanna's relationship with her husband, and with Jack Lane himself? A quick on-line search didn't give me any answers! Oh well....

Capsule Judgment Interested in a history lesson? Want an evening of philosophical drama with low key intrigue? Want to see some fine performances? If so, see 'THE HERBAL GARDEN' at Actors' Summit

Araca Group (Feature Story)

Broadway's ARACA GROUP makes their homewtown proud

Twenty years ago years ago while was I directing ‘THE MUSIC MAN’ at Huntington Playhouse three young men, Matt Rego, Michael Rego and Hank Unger were involved in the production. Little did I realize that they would someday be the “wunderkinds” of Broadway producers.

Today, the three make up the Araca Group, an independent production company that has been responsible for on-Broadway productions of ‘WICKED,’ ‘URINETOWN THE MUSICAL,’ ‘’FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE,’ ‘MATCH,’ ‘NIGHT MOTHER,’ and ‘THE GOOD BODY.’ Their off-Broadway shows include ‘DEBBIE DOES DALLAS,’ ‘THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES,’ ‘THE LARAMIE PROJECT,’ and ‘SKYSCRAPER.’ That would be a career total for most producers, but Araca achieved this in 8 years. Not bad for three guys who range in age from 34 to 36.

Matt and Michael, who are from Rocky River, are members of the family who founded the Rego supermarket chain. Matt graduated from the Western Reserve Academy in 1988. Mike is an ‘86 St. Ignatius grad. Unger went through the Bay Village schools and graduated in 1986.

They all got their theatre shoes wet at the Beck Center’s Children’s School. They also appeared on stage at Lakewood Little Theatre, Berea Summer Theatre, Huntington Playhouse, and Bay, Magnificat and St. Ignatius High Schools.

The Araca Group’s name is not a series of secret letters. It was the surname of the Rego’ s grandfather, Charlie, a Sicilian immigrant. Like the trio he was a gambler who parlayed $300, which he won in a game of craps, into a supermarket chain. The young men are not only gamblers, but have lots of guts. With limited initial success for their theatrical ventures, they continue to plot and plan and have succeeded beyond normal expectations.

I recently did a telephone interview with Unger from his New York office. We covered the trios past hits, present activities and future aspirations.

‘WICKED,’ their most recent smash hit is still running on Broadway. It is the untold story of the witches of Oz, made famous in ‘THE WIZARD OF OZ.’ It features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (‘GODSPELL,’ ‘PIPPIN,’ Academy Award winner for ‘POCAHONTAS’ and ‘THE PRINCE OF EGYPT’) and book by Winnie Holzman (TV’s ‘MY SO CALLED LIFE,’ ‘ONCE AND AGAIN’ and ‘THIRTYSOMETHING’). ‘WICKED’ is directed by 2003 and 2004 Tony Award winner Joe Mantello.

According to Unger, ‘WICKED’ is “the first musical in many years that was born on Broadway.” He also indicated that, “The longer it runs the longer people want to see it.” It has a 30-million dollar advance sale so it appears that this is going to be a long running show in the Big Apple. The touring production is in a sold-out run in Toronto. It will then go to Chicago, where “tickets sales are also excellent,” and then to LA.

Is Cleveland on the ‘WICKED’ tour? Contracts haven’t been signed, but “hopefully it will appear on the North Coast sometime in 2006.”

Since ‘WICKED’ opened, ARACA has produced Eve Ensler’s ‘THE GOOD BODY,’ which had a short run. Ensler, who is the author of ‘VAGINA MONOLOGUES,’ is discussing a national tour. ‘NIGHT MOTHER,’ which starred Edie Falco, had a successful limited season run. Their show ‘MATCH’ ran last spring and “received good reviews.”

The ARACA team is working on a movie of ‘DEBBIE DOES DALLAS’ as well as a film version of ‘WICKED.’ They have several other projects under development.

As for their personal lives, Mike is getting married in the Fall, Matt is married, and Hank is “having a good time.” Most importantly, being well brought up midwestern guys, “We are trying to keep our lives in balance.”

Yes, in balance and yet streaking toward the head of the pack as successful Broadway producers, and making Clevelanders proud.

Peter Pan (Playhouse Square Center)

‘PETER PAN’ flies happily through the Palace Theatre

James Barrie’s Peter Pan character has had a long and prosperous life. He was the central character in a play which was published in 1904, adopted in 1912 into a book called “Peter and Wendy,” a musical in 1950, a Disney full-length animated film in 1953, a Sony feature film (entitled ‘HOOK’) in 1990, an A & E television production in 2000, a second Sony film in 2003 and ‘FINDING NEVERLAND,’ a 2004 film which starred Johnny Depp and was nominated for several Academy Awards. Peter was also the central character in a ballet, which received a fine local production by Ohio Ballet. He has even been the basis for The Peter Principal, a psychological theory regarding why certain men refuse to mature emotionally. That’s a long journey for a boy who refuses to grow up.

Peter has been portrayed on stage by the likes of Maude Adams, Marilyn Miller, Eva La Gallienne, Jean Arthur, Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan and most recently by Cathy Rigby. Interestingly, the role of Peter has not been played in a major production by a male.

Rigby, the former Olympic gold-medal gymnast, first appeared in the role in the 1988 national tour of the musical. She received a Tony nomination in 1991 for the Broadway 35th anniversary production of ‘PETER PAN.’ Interestingly, most people think of Rigby solely as an athlete, not knowing that she appeared in professional productions ‘SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL,’ ‘ANNIE GET YOUR GUN,’ ‘MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS,’ ‘SOUTH PACIFIC, ‘PAINT YOUR WAGON,’ ‘THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG, and ‘THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN.’

A major question to ask is why Peter and his lost boys, his search for a mother, Tinker Bell, Nana the nursemaid dog, and Peter’s conflicts with Captain Hook has remained so continuously popular? Theories abound including that he speaks to each of us through spectacle and fantasy, especially the thrill of flying. He allows children and adults alike to live those fantasies about friendship, fighting the evil doers, and bonding to special people in our lives. It allows adults to rekindle the magic of when they were children and the roles they play in the lives of children. And, of course, in the musical versions we are there carried along by the wonderful songs and dancing.

Cathy Rigby and Peter Pan have almost become synonymous. In the minds of many, especially the younger generation, she is Peter Pan. Rigby has made the role into a family business. In the present touring production of the play, now on stage at the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square, not only Rigby, but her daughter, son, mother-in law, sister, brother, sister-in-law, nephew and husband are all part of the act.

It took nothing more than watching the children around me on opening night to experience anew the magic of the play. One little girl, all dressed up in her finest clothes, complete with black patent leather shoes and a frilly pink dress, sat on the edge of her seat through the whole production, smiling, jumping with glee, clapping loudly when Peter appealed to the “kids” in the audience “to believe” so that Tinker would be saved, booed loudly when Captain Hook appeared for the first time, and cheered when Captain Hook fell overboard. Two children sat perched on their father’s lap with their lobby-purchased telescopes securely attached to their eyes, watching each and every moment. No sleeping for these kids though it was close to 10 when we finally exited the theatre.

Rigby sings with gusto, the cast has a wonderful time singing and dancing to the fine music, the flying is still magical even though the wires are clearly seen. Rigby somersaults while suspended, swinging madly from side to side high above the heads of the audience. Howard McGillin is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful as Captain Hook, and Patrick Richwood is delightful as Mr. Smee, the bumbling pirate.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: The sets and costumes are getting a little frayed from the long road tour, the production is getting a little stale, but the overall effect is magical. This is Rigby’s last appearance in the role, so if you and your children are ever to see the legend in action, this is it. It’s worth a trek through the snow to be entranced once again by Peter Pan.

American Ballet Theatre's 'Swan Lake' (Playhouse Square Center)

Americam Ballet Theatre pereforms 'SWAN LAKE' at State Theatre

‘SWAN LAKE,’ now on stage at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre, is among the most revered of classical ballets. Interestingly, the score and balletic components did not appear in a blaze of glory. Early recorded critical comments called the choreography “weak in the extreme” and “is this not torture?” The music was credited with being ‘undanceable’.

Even the exact origins of the ballet are uncertain. What has been gleaned reveals that ‘SWAN LAKE’ was Tchaikovsky’s first attempt at a composition for the art form. He was commissioned by the Russian Imperial Theatre in Moscow to write the score in 1875 for the sum of 800 rubles.

It is also known that the ‘SWAN LAKE’ most balletophiles have seen is not that which was originally performed. For example, The Petipa/Ivanov version of the ballet, which is considered the "standard" for its staging, was not created until after Tchaikovsky’s death. And, even many traditional features of the choreography, such as the beautiful White Swan pas de deux, are revisions of the Petipa/Ivanov version.

The story itself is of a prince finding his true love in the forest, finding out that she is cursed to remain a swan until a virginal prince saves her, how seduction and fate makes it impossible for the prince to break the spell, which leads to the lovers self-imposed death.

The swan connection centers on many legends about women who are turned into birds. The graceful swan was particularly favored as it is considered womanhood at its purest.

Tchaikovsky was not alone in picking a legend as the basis for his creation. According to modern psychologists the popularity of “love gone astray” legends may be based on the concept that when we are not loved as we need to be loved, we often survive the deprivation through fantasy, our own making or perhaps a more universal fantasy we share with other persons searching for acceptance and love. Tchaikovsky's "SWAN LAKE" fits this theory through a story of love searched for, love unrequited, and love's redeeming power.

The version of ‘SWAN LAKE’ being performed by ABT is that of its Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie based on the work of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. McKenzie’s conception incorporates much walking, posing and posturing encased in grandeur. It does not have the creativity or psychological impact of Matthew Bourne’s recent Broadway production, but it does satisfy those interested in seeing a “close to the original” version.

This is a stunning production. The costumes, the sets and the special effects are grandiose, all the way from the Monet-like lake scene on the front curtain, to the sun rising at the end of the production.

The first and second acts dragged. Though proficiently performed, the initial segments lacked passion and spark. But the orchestra and the company seemed to adopt to the stage and the third and fourth acts were excellent.

Julie Kent as Odette-Odile, the swan, after a less than inspired start, blossomed. She has wonderful body control, her point is strong, her fluttering swan-like moves accented her long, thin body. The only missing factor was facial expression to help us feel her angst, and the final frustration that led to her leap to death.

Jose Manuel Carreno failed to convey any true feelings as Prince Siegried. He spends too much time posing and posturing and feigning emotion. There were no signs of emotional connection between the Prince and Odette. He is handsome and a proficient dancer, but lacks the extra quality to make him a great dancer. In fact, he was outshone by Herman Cornejo portraying Benno, the prince’s friend. Cornejo’s leaps, which carried him well above the stage floor and his rapid flying leaps, were much superior to Carreno’s. Cornejo showed emotional involvement and joy in his dancing, traits missing from Carreno.

The Pas de Trois danced by Erica Cornejo, Xiomara Reyes and Herman Cornejo was charming. The Act III dances of nations was a show highlight. Especially strong were the Czardas and the duet of Carlos Lopez and Craig Salstein.

Jesus Pastor was properly sensual and evil as von Rothbart, the evil sorcerer.

Note: The lead dancers in the various productions will change, so Kent and Carreno may not be the principles seen at other stagings.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: After a slow start on opening night the ABT staging of ‘SWAN LAKE’ proved why the company has its strong reputation. For those who are uninitiated in the ballet this is a good production to cut your eye teeth on. For the seasoned ballet attender it gives the opportunity to see a modification of the Petipa/Ivanov choreography.

Tom & Susana Evert (Museum of Contemporary Art)

Tom & Susana Evert

Since 1986, when Tom and Susana Evert founded their dance company, they have been enveloping their audiences with dance that fits their mission of "enlightening and energizing the human spirit through the creation and performance of original dance/theatre works." What the Everts do is not done by others. Theirs is a personal approach to movement based on their own backgrounds and physiques.

In their recent performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, they held the audience's attention with six varied pieces.

"Bliss/The Conversation," saw the beautiful Susana, dressed in a filmy, flowing gown, sprightfully move to pleasant music in a state of bliss. Then Tom entered in a monk like robe and the dynamics changed. They interacted without touching, then touched, parted, conflicted and combined as one. The segment was both athletic and powerful, if not sometimes overly dramatic.

"Ego Act" was a solo piece in its Cleveland premiere. It was both choreographed and danced by Tom. In the center of the stage, holding two huge rubber band-like pieces of material connected to the top and bottom of the walls on both sides of the stage, he was the fulcrum of two huge triangles. Moving creatively against the strength of the bands he contorted his body while stretching the material. He interwove his body while standing on, being surrounded by, and finally being encompassed by the fabric. The entire exhausting exercise was done to shrill fingernails-on-the-blackboard music which increased the tension of the experience.

'Once More...Not" found Susana on the floor clothed in combat boots, a flack helmet and fatigue pants. After several rounds of firing an imaginary rifle, to the sounds of music by The Mars Volta and Squarepusher, she took us through the throughs of death, the stripping off of her clothing of war, and dancing in an out of body experience with a strand of prayer beads.

"True Water" is a sensual composition in which Susana writhes nearly naked on a mat in the center of the dance space. She does not rise during the entire piece, using her torso, not her legs as her dance medium. Her beautiful body moved in time to the music creating a sexual energy that, as the program indicated, "is a discipline that should be mastered by means of a fully responsible solitary exercise, without the physical, emotional, mental and physical factors that are introduced by entering into sexual activity with another."

"Olivido" (Oblivion) was a short duet creation which conveyed an interaction between two ordinary hispanic people. It was the slightest of the offerings.

The evening ended with "Satsange" a dance set to the music of Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar. It was a segment filled with harmony and joyfulness. It creatively developed the meaning of "satsang," Sanskrit for, "true or right relationship" and brought a very interesting evening of dance to a purposeful close.

The evening may have been somewhat flawed by people sitting in the rear of the performance space as neither the seating nor the floor was raked, so those seated beyond the second row had difficulty seeing the on-the-floor actions. In the future, MOCA might consider using a portable raised platform similar to the one used by Danceworks in their performances.