A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Veni, veni, we enjoyed!
Review by Ed Phillips and Laurel Murphy
A Funny Thing is a musical comedy/farce of the first
order with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book
by Larry Gelbart (of MASH fame) and Burt Shovelnose.
The play is very loosely based on the works of a Roman
playwright, Titus Maccius Plautus (254 B.C.-184 B.C.) who wrote comedies
that featured puns and slapstick gags. Shakespeare’s comedies are
strongly influenced by him, as are modern slap stickers such as the Keystone
Cops, Charlie Chaplin,Buster Keaton,and Monte Python. So, that’s
enough coffee table information. What about the play and its local performance?
The plot line is very simple. One doesn’t want
complications or character development to get in the way of a good joke
or sight gag. |
IF YOU GO: A Funny Thing Happened
on the Way to the Forum, by Mainstage Theatre. Nov 10, 11, 17, 18 at
7:30 pm; Nov 19 at 2 pm. R.A. Long High School Auditorium, Longivew.
Adults $10, Seniors/Students $5, Family Discount available. For more
info, call 360-575-7133.
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The play is set in the Rome
of 200 B.C. and involves the machinations of a slave, Pseudolus, to win
his freedom by arranging for his master, Hero, to win the hand of a “courtesan” (a
term not often used in modern vernacular; think Japanese Geisha). Philia
is a vacuous virgin but highly prized for her beauty and skills. She
has been sold to a warrior of fearful demeanor, Miles Gloriosus. Obviously,
Miles must be foiled if Pseudolus is to be freed. Everything else in
the play is secondary and serves as setups for song, wordplay, and high
energy farce. And the energy is very high.
Musical comedy/farce requires, nay, demands strong voices, comic timing,
and physical dexterity. The large cast (22 members) is more than up to
the task. It is clear that the local area has a surfeit of musical and
dramatic talent fully capable of works of this magnitude.
There are 16 Sondheimite songs, including "Finale–Comedy Tonight", "Lovely", "Everybody
Ought to Have a Maid" and "Bring Me My Bride," which stand
out and are well performed by the cast. Only one minor quibble: The initial
rendition of "Comedy Tonight” by Wayne Nichols (Pseudolus) was
difficult to hear because of inadequate microphone placement and over orchestration.
This was not a problem with the other musical numbers and the ensemble
numbers were excellent.
As stated previously, the overall performance of A Funny Thing was very
good. All of the major leads can sing, but some performances stand out.
Rick Little as Miles Gloriosus is larger than life; in fact, much larger
and a perfect foil. Katie Jansen as Philia, the vacuous virgin, has the
right purity and tone to her excellent voice. Michael McElliott (Senex,
a lascivious geezer) does a wonderful rendition of “Everybody Ought
to Have a Maid.” We should add, of course, provided she has her green
card. Nick Long as Hysterium (a slave to Hero’s parents) does a nice
turn singing “I’m Calm.” Wayne Nichols’ comic timing
reminded us of Zero. Hey, they were all good. For special recognition,
we note Angela Wade’s dance as a courtesan. She performed some contortions
that would have put 99 percent of the audience in traction.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, staring Zero Mostel, opened
on Broadway in 1962 and won an award for best musical. Revivals in 1972
and 1996 starred Phil Silvers and Nathan Lane. The play has legs and the
legs are strong at Mainstage Theater. Two thumbs and a big toe up. |
 Ed
Phillips is a retired teacher, economic consultant and public employee.
He taught economics at the University of Colorado, and was an adjunct
professor at Linfield College and Clark College. He lives with his wife,
Laurel Murphy, in Kalama. During their years in Alaska, the adventurous
couple became avid subscribers to the Alaska Repertory Theatre. Ed describes
himself as a musical theatre aficionado.
Laurel Murphy has served since 1999 on the Longview
Stageworks Board of Directors. She graduated from the University of
Washington before obtaining a law degree from Golden Gate University
and also earned a teaching degree from Tulane University.
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If You Go:
Strangers on Earth presented by LCC Center
Stage
Nov 8-11,16-18, 24-25, 7:30 pm.
Pepper Studio Theatre, 1235 Vandercook Way, Longview
Tickets $9.50 Adults, $8.50 Seniors/Students
360-575-8499 or 888-575-8499.
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Strangers
on Earth • Nov 8, 2006 (Opening Night)
Review By Sara Brown / Rating: Excellent
Strangers on Earth, produced by LCC’s Center
Stage, directed by Don Correll, is a high quality production all around,
with a strong ensemble cast, funny lines, some belly laughs and some
poignant moments.
The play weaves together the lives of five young adults
living in New York. And what disparate characters they are: a gay Mormon
man who aspires to be an actor; a rich socialite Radcliff graduate who
seems afraid of everything, especially of success; the poor college roommate
from Radcliff whose job is training a chimpanzee to live in an urban
setting; a “blue collar” handyman who shows his love with
cutting insults; and a slick PR man who at times is the most sincere
of them all.
Like a radio set on “scan,” the play pauses
briefly at interesting moments in the characters’ lives. The play
begins by spotlighting each character and “listening in” on
a moment in his or her life. The music chosen for these monologues is
particularly effective at setting the mood for each scene. As long as
we are mentioning the music, praise must be given for the music choices
in the show.
The pre-show music is very appropriately “New
York, New York” and is exquisitely timed to come to an end just
exactly at the moment the show begins. Anyone who has attended any performance
with my husband, Dana Brown, knows well his compulsion about how all
shows should start on time. Twenty-one years of listening to him (or
trying to avoid listening to him) rant on this topic must have rubbed
off on me, because I noticed the punctuality of the show.
Attention must be paid to the set design, as well. Each
performance space presents its challenges, and the Pepper Studio Theatre
is notorious for its lack of room for elaborate sets. Some productions
choose to be very minimal, while others try to pack as much onto the
tiny stage as possible. Neither of those options works as well as the
balance struck in the set design for this production.
Metal bars are bolted together in a woven pattern on
the back wall, with the same visual theme painted on the floor. As the
play progresses, you may find yourself searching for possible symbolic
meaning in this design. The play is certainly about connections and intersecting
lives. The set also mirrors the incompleteness of some of those relationships
and the dead ends that never are pursued as choices are made and new
directions are taken. Naturally, there are references to religion in
the show, so the symbol of the cross could also be one interpretation.
I have long admired the balance and detail of Don’s sets. At previous
LCC shows, I always looked to see how the set details flowed out into
the audience area, and in this production, I liked how the materials
were also used on the edges of the seating platforms and the poles.
But what about the play itself? I must admit I wasn’t
sure what to
expect. A show that includes a gay Mormon as one of the main characters
seemed like it might be a challenge to relate to. Let me set your minds
at ease on that score. This is not a gay-bashing show, nor is it a gay-promotion
show. It is a show about relationships, and mostly about friendships.
The script is so well-written, and the subjects so deftly handled, that
you will find yourself much more interested in the interactions between
the characters than in the hot-button issues of sexuality and religion.
This isn’t to say that absolutely no one could
be offended! By all means, if you turn red at the idea of a gay Morman
man getting drunk and using drugs, avoid going. You would be missing
the point, though, not to mention a very high quality production. (The
show is also rated “R” or at least “PG 13” for
the use of a few swear words and some scanty lingerie—but if you
are reading this review it is likely that you know that live theatre
is meant to challenge our expectations, so you probably will not be shocked.)
In a show like this, with only five characters, all
five must be strong, and they are. If you like strong ensemble acting,
you will like this show. The two leading women, Leslie Wheeler, who plays
Priscilla, and Sara Petersen, who plays Margaret, seem to have a deep
and connected -- if somewhat grating --friendship. Leslie is especially
regal in her role as the rich, uptight socialite. She is graceful and
precise, and her nuances as she fights depression and anxiety are nicely
subtle.
Sara’s character is more melancholy and biting, and Sara has some
nice timing for her witty put-downs. For example, when “Mutt” explains
that he is working up a nice bowel movement after a good meal, Margaret
pauses, and then laconically drawls that he “must be a busy man.”
“Mutt” or Matt is played by Eric Wainwright.
He certainly is a joy to watch as he milks the role of a “lower
class” handyman. Underneath, we can see his intelligence, though,
and it is both frustrating and rewarding to watch his relationship develop
with Margaret. Hank, the PR man played by Scott Lawrence, is handsome
and suave. He gets some funny moments out of his interactions with “Pony,” the
gay Mormon actor from Utah played by Dustin Stout. Scott uses his expressive
eyes to his advantage. Dustin, as Pony, just keeps getting better and
better throughout the show. I am not sure if this was intentional, but
the singing at the start is so, well, awful, that the audience cringes
at the thought of this guy making a living at it. Then, as we become
aware of his homosexuality, we brace ourselves for a collision between
Pony
and the rest of his friends. And his final costume is worth the whole
show!
Kudos go to Mary Rayon for the costuming. In all the
multiple (and
quick!) costume changes, there wasn’t one sour note. I especially
appreciated the elegance of the costuming for Priscilla.
If I had one suggestion, it would be for the actors
to be louder. In the interests of full disclosure, I must admit that
I do have a hearing loss; however, in the Pepper, I shouldn’t have
to strain so hard to hear some of the dialogue. Sometimes when the characters
were face to face, the volume dropped down so low I found myself cupping
my ears to catch what they were saying. That said, I still recommend
that you go see this excellent show!
 Longview
resident Sara Brown, 47, lives "with" the theatre, so to
speak. She is married to Dana Brown, director of Mainstage Theatre
and drama instructor at R. A. Long High School. Sara Brown's interest
in drama dates back to her days as a student at Mark Morris HighSchool,
when she directed one play and acted in several others. After earning
a BA degree at Pacific Lutheran University and a Master's at Portland
State University, she taught a theatre class at R.A. Long. Currently,
she teaches English as a Second Language there
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IF YOU
GO...
“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” by Cascade Players.
Book, Music and Lyrics by Clark Gesner.
Additional dialogue by Michael Mayer.
Additional Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Directed by Bethany Pithan.
Weekends through Oct 29, Fri and Sat 7:30 pm. Sundays, 2 pm Oct 15, 22,
29.
Tickets: $10 eves, $7 Matinees.
McClelland Arts Center, 951 Delaware St., Longview, WA.
Edward Phillips, a retired teacher, economic consultant
and public employee, is a musical theatre aficionado. |
A
View from the Peanut(s) Gallery
by Ed Phillips
Cascade Players opened "You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown" on
Friday, October 13 at the McClelland Arts Center in Longview. The show,
a musical comedy, is based upon the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schultz,
one of the most popular comic strips of all time and the recipient of much
critical acclaim. Certainly most of us that have had at least brief periods
of consciousness over the last 50 years have enjoyed Peanuts. Hence, the
show has an immense reservoir of goodwill from the audience from the start.
One comes prepared to chuckle, laugh and maybe even guffaw.
So, what should the theatre goers expect when viewing a production based
on a four-panel comic strip populated by six prepubescent, precocious children
and a dog? Remember, the production is a transliteration of a very popular
comic strip, and average theater goers will have a mental picture of the
strip when they plop down in their seats and the curtain rises.
What you see are real people playing the roles. The success of the play
is dependent up the ability of players to capture the essence of the comic
book characters, staging that reinforces the imagery of the comic strip,
and music and voices that add to the willing suspension of disbelief on
the part of the audience.
The dialogues and the songs are in simple comic book
style and are effective in creating a comic strip ambiance; only the
morning coffee is lacking. All thoughts by the entire cast are verbalized.
Hence we get to suffer Charlie Brown’s insecurities (bordering
on bathos) with him and Snoopy’s fantasies are revealed.
The Cascade Players perform their iconic roles without
a touch of misplaced irony or parody. It is the comic strip on stage.
The set up is straight forward. It is an average day in the life of Charlie
Brown and includes all of the iconic setups of the famed strip: the kite
flying attempts, the baseball game, psychiatric advice from Lucy, Schroeder
fending off Lucy’s advances while venerating Beethoven, Sally’s
private world and Snoopy’s perspectives. The little red-haired
girl plays her part, too, silently.
Of course, a play is not only a performance, but is
performed by performers. On this night the cast was up to the task of
translating the comic irony of Peanuts to the stage with wit, song and
dance. The ensemble numbers were especially well performed. The performance
of “The Book Report” at the end of act 1 was a gem and all
too ironically true, as attested to by the enthusiastic response of the
audience. The deconstruction of Peter Rabbit was complete. A similar
deconstruction was performed by Sally earlier in a piece entitled “Coathanger.” Irony
can be delicious, and Charles Schultz can be taken seriously. Let’s
face it; I enjoyed the play and the performances.
The cast is strong, but Tony Shawly as Schroeder, Kelly
Hanson as Sally Brown, and Adam Pithan as Charlie Brown show exceptional
musical talent. Shawly, in particular, has talents uniquely fitted to
musical comedy. He does need to slow down when introducing his big number, “Beethoven’s
Day.” He was a bit rushed and the first few lines were lost on
the audience.
Cascade Players have done an admirable job of staging
and performing "You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown." I
only wish more had been there to see it on opening night. The audience
was thin, but enthusiastic. They were clearly enjoying themselves.
The McClellan Arts Center is less than ideal as a venue
for theatre; it’s a bit too gym-like and cool. Even so, a couple
of hours viewing "You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown" is
a couple of hours well spent. Live theater is live and connects the viewer
to the performers in a way,that movies and TV cannot.
Go ahead, try some irony, it’s delicious
and non-fattening.
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 Susan
(Branscom) Taylor is a former violinist with the Seattle Symphony.
She grew up in Longview and recently moved back to the area with
her family.
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Southwest
Washington Symphony Fall Pops Concert Oct 8, 2006
Review by Susan Taylor
The Southwest Washington Symphony opened its 40th season with a Fall Pops
Concert featuring the one-of-a-kind world renowned soprano soloist Charlotte
Pistor. A short pre-concert lecture was given by the ever-charming, articulate
and witty symphony conductor Ryan Heller.
The first piece, Overture to Johann Strauss’ opera, “Die Fledermaus,” was
definitely the most difficult orchestral work of the concert. The
polished and professional rendering of this piece demonstrates the
high level of competency of this symphony orchestra.
The second piece was Aaron Copland’s ”Fanfare for the Common
Man.” It was written during the Second World War and was originally
framed to honor all American service men, but became a tribute as well
to the common working Americans who support them. This piece, which is
so appropriate to our time, is performed by brass and percussion instruments.
With the opening trumpet call, our hearts swell with national pride; that
same feeling of pride we all remember as we sang together our national
anthem in the wake of Sept. 11. Bravo to trumpeters Brian Smith,
Byron Hanson and Brian Huffman and other brass players.
Then, onto the stage flits soprano Charlotte Pistor like a rare and beautiful
butterfly upon a green meadow with a voice from heaven that could warm
the sun itself.
Oh, What a voice! When have our hearts soared so high? Ms.
Pistor catches every ear and eye with delightful musical vignettes by Puccini,
Strauss, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Leonard Bernstein. She is a true
musical enchantress who can draw us into the depths of every possible human
emotion from giddy, (“Adele’s Laughing Song”) flirtatious
(“I Feel Pretty”) melancholy (“Autumn Leaves”)
and buoys us up with courage and hope in the special encore piece, “You’ll
Never Walk Alone.”
Charlotte Pistor, principal soloist at the Salzburg Cathedral, has toured
as soloist throughout Europe, including concerts in Vienna and Rome, as
well as Hungary, Germany, the U.S.A. and Japan. She has performed
on many ceremonial occasions attended by ministers, presidents, rulers
and other dignitaries, including Pope John Paul II during his visit to
Salzburg in 1998. The only thing more exciting than reading her bio is
hearing her sing in person! Could it be that her secret to capturing every
listener’s heart goes beyond her rare talent; that she sings not
to promote herself, but to bring joy to us and to the One who gave her
that talent?
The final piece,”Finlandia,” composed in 1899 by Jean
Sibilius, was originally titled “Finland Awakes.” It became
a symbol of Finnish nationalism at a time of intense resistance to Russian
aggression. Its familiar hymn-like section was later arranged for choir
and became known as “Finlandia Hymn” or “Be Still, My
Soul.” Hats off to Dennis Hale for his great tuba solo playing.
This phenomenal concert was played before a packed house and was devoid
of the usual blips, blurbs and unfortunate mistakes one usually expects
to hear from an amateur orchestra. It is truly amazing that a town the
size of Longview can continually sustain a whole complement of strings,
winds, brass and percussion -- a tribute to decades of fine and dedicated
music educators in our area. Special credit must be given to concertmaster
Donald Kirkpatrick for his stellar effort and success in developing the
violin sections over the past year. And finally, our heartfelt thanks
goes to our dedicated conductor Ryan Heller who has brought the symphony
as a whole to this level and who continually displays confidence and skill
far beyond his years. See you all at the January 30 concert!
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As You Like It - William Shakespeare
Directed by Susan Donahue
Pepper Studio Theatre, 1235 Vandercook Way, Longview, WA
Friday, Saturday - 7:30 p.m., Sunday - 2:00 p.m. until October 21, 2006
Tickets: $16 adults, $11 seniors, $11 matinees
Review by Horace Digby |
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You'll laugh, you'll cry . . . well, maybe you won't
cry, it's a comedy
after all. But you will enjoy every minute of William Shakespeare's As
You Like It, directed by Susan Donahue, produced by Longview
Stageworks, and energetically performed by twelve thespians filling
more than 30 roles. "All the world is a stage . . ." At least,
Pepper Theater is for this lively presentation of As You Like It.
Julisa Smith rocks as Rosalind, the daughter of deposed
Duke Senior
(Michael McElliott), who has been exiled to the forest by his usurping
younger brother, Duke Frederick, played by Craig Hoehne. She has stayed
behind, a guest in her uncle's court, as a companion for her cousin
Celia (Caitlin Nolan). Over the years the playful and thoroughly
charming Rosalind has become closer than a sister to her more bookish
and practical cousin, confidant and best friend, Celia, who is the
daughter of her deposing uncle. |
When Duke Frederick
suddenly banishes Rosalind from court, the
tenderness with which Nolan and Smith comfort each other shows a real depth
of talent. Rosalind has gone from disbelief to pleading with her uncle,
to the realization that she must leave behind all that has been her life.
Her weeping is quite believable, but when Nolan comforts here, they hug,
and there are, yes I saw them, real tears in Nolan's eyes. Then, as rapidly
as this tragic moment came upon them, Smith, using her thumb to wipe a
remaining tear from Nolan's cheek, gives an impish grin and in a flash
the two are laughing and contriving to travel into the forest dressed as
low-born peasants, Rosalind as the
young man Ganymede, and Nolan as Ganymede's sister, Aliena.
Smith, both as Rosalind and Ganymede, repeatedly shows
a great range, as when she, as Ganymede, bids adieu to Orlando, just
one of the guys, then tragically watches as her beloved heads off through
the woods, a breathless sigh giving away the depth of her feelings, then,
with an abrupt spin, she sits and her perfectly genuine girlish laugh
and smile signal more mischief and loving torment and adventure for her
and her gal pal.
Still with me? Well hang on, here's where it gets complex.
When
Rosalind meets Orlando (Nathan Drake) the youngest son of long dead Sir
Rowland, it is a case of boy meets girl, but when they meet again
Rosalind is pretending to be Ganymede. Her playful nature has turned
their relationship into a case of girl-pretending-to-be-boy-meets-boy-and-pretends-to-be-boy-pretending-to-
be-girl-pretending-to-woo-boy . . . In Shakespeare's day, female parts
were played by boys. That's right. In the original cast Rosalind was
a boy, playing a girl, pretending to be a boy, pretending to be the girl,
pretending to woo Orlando.
Got it? Good. And all this as Caitlin Nolan as Celia
looks on turning
pages of her non-fiction books and with only a look here and there,
telling us reams about her friend's new folly, and suggesting perhaps
a hundred other times when Rosalind's adventuresome spirit has run amok.
Director Donahue, with the help of costumer Mary VanSickle,
has garbed her actors in authentic modern dress (which is much easier
to come by than authentic 16th century dress) but she chose modern attire,
not for reasons of availability or thriftiness, but because, "Modern
dress helps us in a modern age to understand the subtle differences in
class and station of the players," Donahue said. And she was right.
I could immediately tell Lords from laborers, but an unexpected benefit
was that the costumes seemed make the language more comfortable as well.
We have come to expect a little difficulty along with
our Shakespeare,
but familiar costumes combined with a well studied and natural delivery
of the Elizabethan lines, in particular by cast members Julisa Smith
as Rosalind (later masquerading as Ganymede); Obadiah Noakes as the original "motley
fool," Touchstone; and Megan Chappelle as the perfectly loveable
slut Audrey, who brings to the part a voice dripping with the same sensuality
Kathleen Turner brought to Jessica Rabbit. Others had their moment eloquence
too: like Mike Rader, whose vows of love as Silvius, for the unrequiting
Phoebe (Stephanie Lynne Steidley) were the stuff you wish your own wedding
vows had been made from, yet these are set by the author (who is a pretty
darn good writer, by the way), in a kind of comic cadre of echoed and
transferred sentiment, making them futile, poignant and at once funny.
Meanwhile, as Rosalind, now Ganymede, pretending to
be Rosalind,
taunts, teases and tutors Orlando in how to woo her . . . him . . . to
heck with it. Touchstone (whose bubbling wit and clever thought is for
once equally met) falls for, and valiantly attempts to maintain the
modesty of Audrey (the slut). The young shepherds Silvius (Mike Rader,
who also adroitly plays the old servant Adam and later a
rapper/page—"With a hey nonny nonny no."—Rap? That's
nothing. At the end of the first act we learned Shakespeare also invented
graffiti and an early version of the Burmashave signs ending in, "Rosalind.")
. . . Where was I? Oh yes. Silvius falls for the rude and abrasive Phoebe
(Stephanie Lynne Steidley) who in turn falls for the handsome young
Ganymede, who is, of course, Rosalind, although she manages to look
more like the young Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Romance spins on, out of control, with the foolish wit William, played
by Adam Pond, falling for Audrey, who is Touchstone's girl. Pond shows
great versatility also playing the oafish wrestler, Charles, a British
Lord, and Orlando's middle brother. Celia falls for Orlando's stern oldest
brother Oliver (Luke Chesnut) who has had a change of heart and falls
in turn for Celia, who is now pretending to be Aliena, the sister of
Rosalind who, of course, is still pretending to be the boy Ganymede.
In the end it seems as if everybody is falling in love with somebody,
but it all makes for a great deal of funny business and wit. And all
the while, the audience is not too secretly falling in love with Julisa
Smith as Rosalind (and Ganymede too I'll wager).
Obadiah Noakes, as Touchstone, waxes wonderfully witty,
flippant,
poetic, and forensic, smiling all the while with the immense confidence
of one who knows a special secret. And all this tomfoolery is
punctuated by light, sound, song and dance. When hunters come to the
forest in a dark sinister chorography, at once reminiscent of West Side
Story and Thriller (without the crotch grab), to stalk grazing deer,
Mark Bergeson's bold reaction has him standing in a single spotlight
then the house fades to black. These touches really make a difference,
usually weaving seamlessly, but from time to time allowing actors to
dissolve the fourth wall, as when Phoebe, thinking Rosalind pretending
to be Ganymede is a real boy, begins to fall for him. A romantic ditty
floats through the air, only to be cleverly silenced not once but thrice
by stern looks from Rosalind. And Stephanie Lynne Steidley as Amiens
twice displays her beautiful and powerful voice singing the bard's verse
set to music by John Henry.
Metamorphosis is the name of the game as Donahue's chameleon
cast
changes from character to character. Michael McElliott shifts from the
foppish, high pitched, low intellect town crier LeBeau, to the delicate
machismo of Duke Senior. Likewise, Craig Hoehne goes from a stern Duke
Frederick to a page/rap singer and a brown robed monk. Mark Bergeson
moves from the less serious Jacques, to the persona of an insightful
noble exiled to the forest. Luke Chesnut plays Orlando's murderous older
brother, then the wild eyed Sir Oliver Martext (a sort of 16th century
Marrying Sam) and finally to one of the Lords of the forest, and all
this with so much ease, I continually found myself checking the program
to make sure there were only twelve actors in the cast.
Only Nathan Drake, as the leading man Orlando, plays
just one part, but he does it wonderfully. Perhaps it is intentional
that he alone remains steadfast throughout. Against a background of barbs
and expressed doubts, even from Ganymede, who ironically suggests that
Orlando might be pretending to be someone he is not, Orlando remains
the unwavering person in this marvelous ensemble cast. Perhaps Shakespeare
was trying to tell us something about the constancy of a Young man's
love.
Well -- maybe not. It's a comedy, after all.
Horace J. Digby writes a regular
humor column for Columbia River Reader and won the Robert Benchley
Society Award for Humor in 2005. Digby earned a degree in communications
from the University of Washington and has acted in plays occasionally
since 1968. Following in the footsteps of Robert Benchley who, in addition
to a humorist, was a noted play reviewer, Digby now joins the rank
of CRR’s performing arts reviewers. He lives in Kelso.
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As
You Like It - William Shakespeare
Directed by Susan Donahue
Pepper Studio Theatre, 1235 Vandercook Way, Longview, WA
Friday, Saturday - 7:30 p.m., Sunday - 2:00 p.m. until October 21, 2006
Tickets: $16 adults, $11 seniors, $11 matinees
Review by Dana and Sara Brown |
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Longview Stageworks made a bold
decision to open its current season with a modern day version of "As
You Like It." Doing Shakespeare can be a tough sell in any town.
Tonight, a delightfully strong and vibrant show proved that when you
have the talent and ability of a strong cast and good direction you can
accomplish a lofty goal.
"As You Like It" is a comedy set mostly in the mythical forest
of Arden. This production has the cast of 12 playing 28 parts; however,
it is easy to distinguish when an actor has changed roles. Susan Donahue,
as director, has done a nice job of making each character distinctive
and easy to recognize.
The show is done in modern dress. Some audience members will never be
happy with anything less than "Shakespearean" costumes for
a Shakespeare play, but this show works very well with modern costumes.
As a plus, it saved the production company a great deal, and spending
money on costumes would not have been worth it. Besides, technically,
Shakespeare used clothing of his day when he did shows. If it was good
enough for Willy, it's good enough for us. Don't even think of not going
to see the play just because it has been "modernized." You
will miss a gem if you do.
The plot of the show begins with the local Duke (played by Craig Heohne),
who has banished his brother from the court. Soon, the Duke banishes
his niece Rosalind (played by Julisa Smith) and his own daughter Celia
(played by Caitlin Nolan) as well. The forest is soon even more crowded
when Orlando, a second son of a local nobleman, (played by Nathan Drake)
escapes to the forest to evade his older brother (played by Luke Chestnut).
Orlando has discovered his brother is plotting to kill him. Before he
learns that bit of news, Orlando has met and fallen in love with Rosalind.
However, Orlando has no choice but to take his broken heart off to the
woods.
Fortunately, Rosalind is also in love with Orlando, and is also currently
residing in the forest. Unfortunately, now that she is living in the
forest, Rosalind is pretending to be a boy named Ganymede. She and Celia
are posing as a brother and sister who own a farm. When Rosalind meets
Orlando, instead of revealing her true identity, she decides to test
Orlando's love by having Orlando pretend to woo "Ganymede" as
if "he" were Rosalind, which, of course, she
actually is.
Meanwhile, a local shepherd, Silvius, (played by Mike Rader) is trying
to win the hand of his love, the shepherdess Phoebe (played by Stephanie
Lynne Steidley). Silvius loves Phoebe, but Phoebe falls in love with
Ganymede.
In addition to these characters, Jacques (played by Mark Bergeson),
is a melancholy philosopher living in the forest with the banished Duke
Senior (played by Michael McElliott).
Touchstone (played by Obadiah Noakes) is the court fool, and has accompanied
Celia and Rosalind to the forest. While there, he makes witty comments
about the poor peasants and tries to wed a local shepherdess (played
by Megan Chappelle).
Adam Pond plays four characters, among them the wrestler Charles who
tries to kill Orlando. Pond also plays William, a goofy rustic fool who
is courting the same shepherdess that Touchtone wants to marry.
The characters spend their time in the forest, learning to find meaning
and love in their lives. Naturally, since this is a comedy, all the conflicts
are neatly resolved in the end. Brace yourself for four weddings, but
no funeral.
Julisa Smith, as Rosalind/ Ganymede, is wonderful and charming. Her
movements and actions suit both characters well. Her delightful smile
and laughter help the audience to follow the story and to fall in love
with her characters. In particular, she is extremely athletic and graceful
as she leaps around the stage in her role as Ganymede in the scene where
she demonstrates the various moods a woman can have. Each emotion is
separate and creatively done.
Nathan Drake as Orlando brings youth and a strong sense of character
and emotion to the role. His first encounter with Rosalind when he is
tongue-tied with love is a delight and a torture for the audience to
watch, especially since many of us have had the same experience. If this
play is to be successful, Rosalind and Orlando must have chemistry, even
when Rosalind is playing a boy, and they do.
Mike Rader, who plays Adam, Silvius and a page, has the extra challenge
of playing an old man and a young lover. The switch between these roles
is sometimes mere seconds. Rader accomplishes this task with a smooth
transition that is very believable. He is a very versatile actor. We
believe that, as Adam, he would die for his master, Orlando, and that,
as Silvius, he is totally in love with Phoebe.
Luke Chesnutt, who plays Oliver de Boys, is the villain of the piece.
His mannerisms and vocal quality are very believable when he is threatening
Orlando. He has command of the character and is able to make you believe
he would destroy Orlando.
Michael McElliott plays both LeBeau, a foppish lord of the court, and
Duke Senior. As LeBeau, McElliott prances and gestures in a comical style.
His hair is moussed in a punk style, and his costume is flamboyant. He
is completely believable as LeBeau, which makes his transition to the
serious, contemplative Duke Senior all the more remarkable. He is a well-trained
actor of great skill. He uses that skill to the utmost.
Obadiah Noakes brings a sense of wit and charm to the role of Touchstone.
His movements, tone of voice and mannerisms make you believe he inhabits
the role completely. It is fun to watch him use his gestures to convey
a wide variety of meanings. He is a very good ensemble player.
Stephanie Lynne Steidley -- what a voice. When she begins
to sing, time stops. Her voice is clear and haunting. Not only that,
in her role as Phoebe, she is able to convey her irritation at Silvius
and her infatuation with Ganymede. One of the more difficult transitions
in this play is when Phoebe is matched up with Silvius in the end. After
spending a whole play avoiding him, Phoebe must suddenly marry him.
Steidley makes this transition well. We believe that she will make a
go of it with him.
Caitlin Nolan as Celia is regal and an excellent foil for Rosalind.
She must be able to match Rosalind's wit and charm while maintaining
her own unique character. Caitlin accomplishes these tasks with professional
grace. For example, the touching scene between Rosalind and Celia at
the moment of Rosalind's banishment is made even more believable by Caitlin's
tears and ability to make the audience feel the anguish.
Mark Bergeson is a fabulous Jacques. He brings the melancholy nature
of the character to life. Mark has the ability to take this character
to a new place. In his famous speech, Jacques describes the seven stages
of man, from "mewling, puking" child, to dying man, "sans
eyes, sans ears, sans teeth, sans everything." Mark mixes humor
and honesty to artfully describe each stage. This is truly a high point
in the show.
Adam Pond plays four roles. As the tall, gangly wrestler Charles, his
costume is practically a character in itself. Adam inhabits each role
with a unique ability to make you believe he is truly that person. As
the rube, William, his comic timing is right on. He also is a wonderful
ensemble player. He is able to get laughs just by pausing and smiling.
Megan Chappelle brings life and lust to the role of the shepherdess
Audrey. She strings Touchstone and William along with her "come
hither" looks. With Touchstone, she matches his timing and character
work, making their scenes fun to watch.
Craig Hoehne delivers a strong performance as Duke Frederick, the other
bad guy in the show. He also plays a variety of roles and makes each
one consistently strong. His rap song with Mike Rader is another one
of the high points of the play.
Technically, the sound and the lighting were very helpful in moving
the play along. John Henry's music fits the mood and the time of the
play well. In some productions of “As You Like It,” the song
scenes bring the action to a halt. John Henry's music is seamlessly woven
into the play. The music, which was written especially for this production,
is wonderful.
One minor drawback at the opening night's show was the heat. The air
conditioner seemed to not be working, and the heat did distract from
the performance.
Susan Donahue and cast and crew have created a very well done production
of this play. Don't miss it.
Dana
Brown is the director of hundreds of dramatic productions, serving on
the faculty at R. A. Long High School for over 25 years as instructor
in drama and English.
Sara
Brown teaches ESL at R. A. Long High School. She has taken on many roles
on stage and off-stage in plays and musicals in this area. |
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My Fair Lady
Review by Ned Piper
It always amazes me how a relatively small community like St. Helens
has so much theatrical talent – acting, singing, dancing – to
draw from. Presented by the ShoeString Community Players, My
Fair Lady opened in St. Helens July 14 to an enthusiastic
audience. There are so many familiar songs in this show, I will be
humming On
the Street Where You Live for days.
The popular 1956 musical was adapted from playwright
George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, with lyrics
and
book by Alan Jay Lerner and set to music by Frederic |
Loewe. It’s
as well-liked today as it was when Rex Harrison first created the memorable
character of Professor Henry Higgins.
The story centers on a phonetics expert Henry Higgins,
(played by Winslow Thurston), who makes a bet with another linguist Colonel
Pickering, (played by Howard Knytych) that he can transform a poor street
girl Eliza Doolittle, (played by Alberta Hardy) into a sophisticated
lady who could pass for a duchess in high society  circles. Higgins believes
that he can perform this near miracle by erasing her crass Cockney accent
and replacing it with genteel speech. Pickering takes the bet.
In the course of events, we discover that Professor Higgins is a self-centered
chauvinist who has little regard for the Ms. Doolittle. He treats her
like a puppet. Alberta Hardy, in addition to having a wonderful singing
voice – perfect for this part – does a believable job of
evolving from a street urchin to a lady.
A “chill-in-the-spine” moment for me was
when Eliza began to make significant progress. This becomes evident during
the singing of The Rain in Spain, a lively number performed
by Higgins, Pickering and Eliza.
Tom Hardy, as Eliza’s drunkard father, in a hilarious
scene, talks the professor into paying him five pounds for his daughter.
His life is altered by the money and leads to the raucous Get Me
to the Church
number. The dancing accompanying this song is very intricate
and is carried off perfectly with the entire cast on stage. They must
have worked on the number for a long time to master it. The three drunkards
add a lot to the scene with their loosey-goosey dance steps.
If it wasn’t for the Hardy family, this production might not have
made it to the boards. In all, I counted eight Hardys in the cast. Mr.
Tom Hardy, the real-life father of Alberta Hardy, directed the play and
portrayed Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza’s father.
The part of Freddy Eynsford-Hill, the lad who falls head over heels
for Eliza, is played by young Caleb Hardy. He has a charming stage presence,
a strong voice and could well be headed for Hollywood with his boyish
good looks.
The scene stealer in the family is four-year-old Benedicta Hardy. This
tiny actress appeared in nearly all the crowd scenes. She knew all the
words to all the songs. And she’s cute as a bug, to boot.
I noticed a few opening night jitters with muffed lines, but the actors
recovered nicely. The chorus numbers were strong. During the intermission,
I was surprised to note that the orchestra in the pit was comprised of
only eight players, a combination of high school students and adults.
Given the intricate score, with numerous key changes throughout, the
orchestra, directed by Chris Fotinakis, sounded great and added a lot
to the show. The set changes were nicely covered by the music from the
pit.
The frequently-changing sets were well thought out. A few of the simpler
ones were absolutely beautiful. The costumes fit the period. I was pleased
that the costumer and director decided to follow tradition and clothe
the high society attendees at the Ascot races in black and white. In
my research, I discovered that the reason for this tradition is that
the play takes place in 1910 , when King Edward VII had just passed away
and the people were in mourning.
This play is suitable and fun for the entire family. This production,
by the way, celebrates the 50th Anniversary of this enduring musical.
It continues at the Olmscheidt Auditorium (St. Helens High School, 2375
Gable Road) on July 15, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 at 7:00 p.m., with matinee
performances at 2:00 p.m. on July 16 and 23. Tickets are $12 adults;
$10 students and seniors, $5 children 12 and under. For information or
group rates, call 503-366-4406.
Ned Piper earned a B.A. degree in drama at the University
of Washington and is a life insurance agent in Longview. He also serves
as a Commissioner for Cowlitz County Public Utility District.
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Anything Goes
Review by Laurel Murphy and
Edward Phillips
Good authors who once knew better words,
Now only use four-letter words,
Writing prose,
Anything goes…”
Anything Goes
Cole Porter 1934
Last night, a touch of 1930s Broadway came to Longview
and a very nice touch it was. Since its 1934 opening, Anything
Goes has undergone two revisions, in 1962 and 1987. |
The 1962 Off-Broadway
revival by Bolton, Wodehouse, Lindsay & Crouse, with a beefed up role for Bonnie,
Moonface Martin’s sidekick, is the rendition on stage at Longview’s
Columbia Theater, 1322 Vandercook Way.
High praise goes to director Rom Daum and Choreographer Marsha Haas
who, in only three weeks, pulled together this production at Columbia
Theatre’s Summer Theatre Camp. Don’t miss this opportunity
to see some first class entertainment. The show will be performed on
July 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Anything Goes is a quintessential Cole Porter
musical comedy of the 1930s. The viewer is exposed to highly literate
lyrics, marvelous music, and a racy subtext. The plot is a platform for
the music and with Porter the music is of the highest order. If you want
plot, go to a Wagnerian opera.
We love Cole Porter’s clever lyrics. We were afraid we wouldn’t
be able to hear the words, either because the voices were weak or the
orchestra was too loud. But we were able to heard EVERY WORD of the songs
in this excellent production.
For what it is worth, here is a one-minute plot synopsis: A ship is
sailing from New York to England with a pixilated group of passengers;
two gangsters (Moonface Martin and Bonnie LeTour), a wealthy debutante
(Hope Harcourt), her society conscious mother (Mrs. Harcourt), a night
club singer (Reno Sweeny), a New York businessman (Elijia J. Whitney)
and his stowaway assistant (Billy Crocker). Hope is Billy’s long-lost
love but she is engaged to a wealthy Brit (Sir Evelyn Oakleigh). Through
a series of comedic episodes and the aid of a couple of Chinese peasants,
Billy wins back Hope, Reno seduces Sir Evelyn, Moonface and Bonnie avoid
the law, and Mrs. Harcourt maintains her social status. Hey, it’s
a musical comedy.
The young performers displayed exceptional musical talent.
The big production numbers (Bon Voyage, It’s Delovely, Heaven
Hop, Let’s
Step Out, Anything Goes, and Take Me Back
to Manhattan)
were very well choreographed and performed -- no mean feat with more
than 25 performers on a set that included stairs and railings. All too
often, big numbers look like an exercise in crowd control. (The nautical
set was a perfect platform for the musical performances and easily accommodated
the large production numbers as well as the intimate
scenes.) The finale of Act 1, Anything Goes, with its
tap routine was, for these reviewers, the highlight of a consistently
entertaining evening.
The lead performers, Ashley Stevens (Reno), Tony Shawley
(Billy), Ryan Beach (Sir Evelyn), Jess Ayola (Elijia), Kaitlin Yancey
(Bonnie), Issac Klander (Moonface) and Chelsea Arnett (Hope), all gave
strong performances. Ethel Merman starred as Reno in the original 1934 Anything
Goes)
and is a hard act to follow. But Ashley Stevens was clearly up to the
task. Ashley has a great voice and stage presence and really brought
down the house with classic Cole Porter songs - You’re the
Top, I Get a Kick Out of You and Blow, Gabriel,
Blow.
And she can dance a bit, too.
Tony Shawley’s comedic talents carry the show. Unfortunately he
was difficult to hear when performing dialects and with the false beard
and blanket. This may be a microphone problem.
Kaitlin Yancey, as the moll Bonnie LeTour, was outstanding,
making a couple of lesser Cole Porter tunes – Heaven
Hop and Let’s
Step Out– into first-rate pleasures. She is an
excellent comedic actress. Issac Klander, as Moonface Martin, Public
Enemy Number 13, made a song we had never heard of – Be
Like the Bluebird– into
a crowd pleaser.
In fact, the audience had a great time at this show – whistling,
clapping and cheering -- and gave the performers a well-deserved standing
ovation at the conclusion.
A few minor criticisms: The first few minutes were marred by some minor
technical difficulties with the sound system. The orchestra didn’t
overpower the singers; however, at some points, the music was thin and
lackluster. The costumes were wonderful, especially the gowns that Ashley
gets to wear. But we think that Chelsea, even though she is an ingénue,
deserves to wear grown-up shoes.
Someone once said there are many ways to get something wrong but only
one way to get something right. The Columbia Theater Summer Youth Camp’s
rendition of this classic gets most things right - very right.
See the show July 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10, $8 students
(including CTPA preservation fee), available at the Box Office, 1322
Vandercook Way, Longview. 360-575-8499.
The next Summer Theatre Camp for children 7 to 12 years
of age will be Missoula children’s Pied Piper.
Auditions will be August 7 and camp will continue through August 12,
the performance date. Tuition is $65, with limited scholarships available.
Please contact the Columbia Theatre at 423-1011 for more information.
Edward Phillips, a retired teacher, economic
consultant and public employee, is a musical theatre aficionado.
Laurel
Murphy is a member of the Longview Stageworks Board of Directors. The
couple lives in Kalama.
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Southwest Washington Symphony Concert: Celebration
May 16, 2006
Reviewed by J. Howard Meharg
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They called the concert “Celebration,” and for good reason.
The Southwest Washington Symphony, under the capable baton of Maestro
Ryan Heller, celebrated with superb musicianship and high voltage programming.
They were rewarded with a standing ovation by an appreciative audience,
Tuesday evening, May 16th, in the R. A. Long auditorium.
Heller opened the program with Leonard Bernstein’s Overture
to ‘Candide. The musical marking con brio |
(with fire), was realized in the performance
Tuesday. Heller, conducting without score---rather amazing, considering
the varied meter of the work---led this showy work with élan.
The woodwinds, especially the oboes, flutes, and piccolo (played by Ellen
Bercovitz) were especially effective. The French Horns, led by principal
Deena Martinsen, did a nice job with some of Bernstein’s sweeping
melodies that take the instrument into its upper ranges.
The program as presented was changed from the original
plans early in the season. Two pieces were postponed for later use when
symphony manager, Gary Lindstrom, learned that Bolivian guitarist, Fabian
Carrera, was in the Northwest and looking for venues that would allow
him to introduce himself to American audiences. The program committee
decided to use him.
Carrera proved to be a master of the instrument, playing
Vivaldi’s Concerto for Guitar in D Major. While both of
the faster movements, the first and third, were played with finesse and
transparency, the slow moving Largo was especially striking. Carrera
displayed sensitivity as well as passion in this section and had the
listener almost to himself as the orchestra strings provided shimmering
chords as background. In the final Allegro, the only hint of discomfort
resulted when the cellos pushed the tempo slightly in an ostinato-like
passage.
The second half of the concert opened with The Bacchanale
from Saint-Saens' opera Samson and Delilah. The composer
had originally intended that his work be an oratorio, since the story
is based on the Biblical tale. His librettist, a cousin from America,
convinced him the dramatic story would be suited for the operatic stage.
The Bacchanale takes place inside the Temple of Dagon,
where pagan worshippers revel in preparation for a sacrifice. Saint-Saens
makes use of augmented second intervals in the melodic minor scale to
evoke a kind of oriental feel to the music. Considerable crashing percussion
helps complete the notion of unrestrained revelry. As Maestro Heller
described it in his comments preceding the concert, “…it’s
full of explosive frenzy.”
Again, the woodwinds showed great skill, wonderful intonation
and musicianship. The oboe soloist, Roxanne Knutson, was featured. After
all, what instrument best epitomizes the flavor of such pseudo-Middle
Eastern flavored music written by a Parisian?
But wait, there’s still more celebration and revelry!
Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, is a work based on the poetry
of rather debauched medieval monks. The original and full version of
the work is in some 25 parts. The poetry expresses the joys and trials
of fortune, the beauty of the seasons, and the pleasures of nature. Written
in low Latin and early German, some of the sentiments expressed in the
total work are of questionable taste. However, only nine of the short
movements were presented in this concert, presumably those suitable for
all audiences.
The orchestra was joined by some 83 choral musicians
from Mark Morris and R. A. Long High Schools’ advanced choirs directed
by Brian Mitchell and Alison Askeland.
One might expect that the overstated dramatics that the
work calls for might easily come up lacking without mature and highly
trained singers. Nothing was lacking in this presentation! Despite the
extremes of range and the power of voice that the work demands, these
youthful singers were up to the task. They were focused and they filled
the auditorium, easily balancing the orchestra in full force. Sure, strategically
placed microphones helped, but it takes more than amplification to sell
such a piece, it also takes maturity of tone, good tuning, and great
balance between sections. I was particularly impressed by the power of
the tenor section and the clarity of the sopranos as they soared through
the demanding high notes. The driving O Fortuna movement that bracketed
the movements as an opening and a closing, was especially well done.
Heller called on his resources in the Portland area to
bring in two fine soloists for the Orff; Jacqueline Shoda-Iwasaki, soprano,
and Sojourn Breneiser, baritone. While performing in only one of the
nine movements, both were impressive. If Breneiser is a baritone, he
is especially to be commended for a superb upper range.
Not to be overshadowed, the orchestra was completely
up to the continuing celebration. It’s worth mentioning that Orff
demands much from the percussion section. That’s especially true
of the tympani. David Walworth stayed busy throughout the performance,
providing his usual consummate professionalism, surrounded by five of
the big drums.
The orchestra continues to grow in ability, providing
this area with a wonderful anchor group for all the musical arts. I’m
particularly impressed with the tighter unisons in the strings, and,
in particular, the low strings, basses, cellos, and violas. While the
upper brass seemed solid, one could wish for a bit better intonation
and accuracy in the lower brass.
Maestro Heller seems to be building on the fine foundation
established by former conductor George Simonsen. In this concert, I had
the sense that the players were having fun, that they were relaxed and
had confidence. It was, in fact, a great season finale…a “Celebration,” just
as billed.
Longview resident J. Howard Meharg has been intimately
involved in music all of his adult life. He earned a  Master's
Degree in Music Education from Western Washington University. He began
his teaching career in Castle Rock and then taught vocal music at Kelso
High School for 14 years. His professional career includes two tours
with the famed Norman Luboff Choir. He returned to teaching in 1981 and
directed choirs at Mark Morris High School until his retirement in 1995.
Over the years, he has directed many school, church and community vocal
groups, including the Columbian Choral Ensemble and Male Ensemble Northwest
(founder). He is frequently called upon to judge at music contests and
festivals, Howard enjoys travel, reading, designing websites and writing
and is an occasional contributor to Columbia River Reader. |
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An Evening With Thornton Wilder
Opening Night, May 24, 2006
by Horace J. Digby
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If you enjoy theater, An Evening With Thornton Wilder is
a must see. And if you only plan to see one play this year,
face it. You need to get out more.
I attended the opening night of this perfectly marvelous evening of theatre.
The title was misleading. I thought An Evening With Thornton Wilder might
be one of those one actor events, like An Evening With Mark Twain,
which launched Hal Holbrook's career. But it wasn't at all.
There were 15 actors in this cast, and more than 24 different parts, in
four separate one-act plays.
The first play gives a nod to classic Greek theatre, with costumes including
faux stone masks. It's hard to appreciate how much of acting involves facial
expressions, until you see actors wearing masks. In this story of Apollo's
attempt to trick the three demigoddess sisters into leaving their work
spinning, measuring and cutting the threads of life, and of the sisters'
sometimes successful attempts to make Apollo their fall guy, Mallory Bosch,
Leslie Wheeler, Natalie Kelley and Scott Lawrence, tell their tale wearing
masks. Wheeler's interesting voice portrayal of sister Lachesis stands
out.
The second play, Love and How to Cure It, joins young ballet dancer,
Linda, played by Mallory Bosch, in her quest to turn away the comically,
tragically unrequited love of Cambridge student Arthur, played by Scott
Lawrence. Mike Rader, as a British comic actor, Joey, and Ashley Wheeldon,
as Rowena, an aging music hall soubrette (a theater term referring to a
saucy, coquettish, young, actress or singer), really bring their characters
to life. The actors made me believe I was backstage in a turn-of-century
British gaslight theater, wondering about a murder.
The third play, The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden takes
us to New Jersey, circa 1931, for a visit with the Elmer Kirby family on
a motor car trip to visit their married daughter. Natalie Kelly absolutely
shines in her portrayal of the complex, cheerful, deeply caring and wonderfully
strong Mrs. Kirby. Kelly beautifully portrays this wife and mother who
is the bedrock and foundation for a slice of Americana that is the Kirby
family. She lends support to a strong ensemble -- including Ashley Wheeldon,
as the oldest daughter, Beulah; Obadiah Noakes, as the classic 1930s father
figure Elmer Kirby; Gabrielle Braman as wide-eyed and rambunctiously engaging
younger daughter Caroline; and Josh Noakes, as Caroline's sassy older brother
Arthur -- that takes us back to a lost (and, I suspect, entirely fictional)
era.
The production is done in the classic Thornton Wilder style, with only
the merest suggestion of sets and props, leaving it for these talented
actors, with the help of lighting and stage direction, to convince us that
two stools and a couple of boxes are the Kirby family's 1930 Model A Ford. I
could nearly hear the crossing bell clang and feel the rhythm of iron on
steel as the Kirbys waited in their car at a railroad crossing. The simplicity
of these sets and props belies the fact that it took four people to build
them. But these stark sets and minimalist props, subtly painted with light
and occasional music, in the hands of this fine cast, transformed the warehouse-like
Pepper theater into a Greek temple, a British theater, a New Jersey country
road, and the Bayard mansion.
With another classic Thornton Wilder touch, this play includes a Stage
Manager, played by Dawson Carter. Carter stands on stage throughout, reading
along in the script, sometimes directing actors with the slightest of “finger
English,” and often speaking lines meant for absent bit players. Wilder
doesn't have Carter breach the fourth wall, as he does with his more famous
Stage Manager in "Our Town," but he does blur that wall, having
Carter move the stools and boxes which create the family auto, as Elmer
Kirby tells him, "Young man, please get away from our car." The
illusion is complete.
The fourth play, The Long Christmas Dinner, tells us why Thornton
Wilder won three separate Pulitzer Prizes during his career as a novelist
and playwright. It takes us on a journey spanning 90 years and a
succession of Christmas dinners in the dining room of the Bayard mansion.
Obadiah Noakes, Gabrielle Braman, Mallory Bosch, Mike Rader, Ashley Wheeldon,
Scott Lawrence, Natalie Kelley, Leslie Wheeler and Josh Noakes play an
array of family members and servants who come and go. The more things stay
the same, the more they change. Mike Rader, as comical Cousin Brandon,
perfectly creates the illusion of growing old, right before our eyes. But
in the end, it is Leslie Wheeler who -- with a word, a gesture and a glance
-- brought tears to my eyes, with her understated but powerful performance
as cousin Ermengarde, .
My brother Larry once observed at a family gathering, "This is like
a movie. We keep coming back to the same scene. Only everyone
is a bit older and one of us is gone." I couldn't help feeling
that The Long Christmas Dinner was Wilder's way of sharing memories
of family gatherings over the years of his own life.
This thoroughly enjoyable evening of theatre was made more so by the clever
work of costume designer Mary Rayon. What a daunting task this must have
been, dressing actors to span more than 2000 years, from 405 BC Greece,
to post World War I America.
An Evening With Thornton Wilder is produced by LCC's Center Stage
theatre, under the direction of Donald A. Correll. Performances are
at the Pepper Theatre, 1538 Commerce Avenue, Longview, Wash. on May 24,
25, 26, 27 and June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10. Tickets are available
at the Columbia Theatre for trhe Performing Arts box office, 1231 Vandercook
Way, Monday-Friday, 11:30 am to 5:30 pm and two hours before show
time; 360-360-8499 or online at www.columbiatheatre.com. General
admission $9.50; $8.50 students and seniors. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m..
Horace J. Digby writes a regular humor column for
Columbia River Reader and
won the Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor in 2005. Digby earned a
degree in communications from the University of Washington and has acted
in plays occasionally since 1968. Following in the footsteps of Robert
Benchley who, in addition to a humorist, was a noted play reviewer, Digby
now joins the rank of CRR’s performing arts reviewers. He lives in
Kelso.
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The Piper
Rising Star Productions
Review by Susan Donahue |
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Rising Star Production’s premiere of The
Piper promises mirth and meaning for patrons
By Susan Donahue
 I think it was W.C. Fields who cautioned against acting with animals
and children because they’ll steal the scene every time. With The
Piper, however, there’s no avoiding it--you must have both rats
and kids. Although I often had difficulty hearing, this Rising Star Production
provides many enjoyable moments, complete with the scene-stealers of
which Fields warned.
The Piper, by Roger Griffin and Roseann Hammill,
is a retelling of Robert Browning’s The Pied Piper of Hamlin.
In this play, the "heinous" actions
of the piper of lore are gone, and it focuses on the power of love to
lead us where we want to go.
Director Jueanne Meyers has assembled a talented
52-person cast. Steve Thorpe in the title role as the Piper is engaging
and mesmerizing. Especially nice are the passionate moments about believing
in oneself, which Thorpe performs with total commitment, whether singing
or acting.
Other highlights include the lovers Gerta and Penn, excellently played
by Tricia Potter and Adam Pithan. Their duet "Could We Have Been
In Love?" was tender and emotional.
Laurel Moore as Mistress Hale also had many strong moments, but her
rendition of "Love Must Grow" was simply stunning. This scene
with Potter’s Gerta was one of my favorites.
The Ministrel was ably played by James Johnson. Johnson’s gorgeous
tenor voice was a bit hard to hear at times, but his captivating manner
drew me into his story.
The accompaniment by pianist Greg Moore and flutist Melanie Kitchens
served this production well. Both are extremely talented musicians.
Some of the more humorous moments in the show come from a variety of
characters. Adam Pond as Franzenfoofer, the evil Mayor’s sidekick,
was haughty and arrogant in his humor. Erica Gonser as Ilse, who aspires
to be the Mayor’s daughter, is excellent; both her voice and acting
warrant special notice. Also, Ti Nhong as French tailor LePel has many
hilarious moments, but I did have trouble hearing him. And W.C. Fields
didn’t lie; Latte, the live rat (don’t worry--he’s
in a cage) had a memorable, humorous scene, too.
Likewise, the town children are adorable, confident, and completely
charming, especially in their scene with a dead rat. Chiefly notable
are Matthew Meyers as Willy, the rat slayer, and Loryn Musgrove as Hilde.
Costumes, designed by Director Meyers and Stacie Kelley, were wonderful.
Every costume seemed appropriate for the time, character, and vision
of the play. The set worked well and provided the production with a variety
of settings with a minimum of fuss.
Two preventable problems, however, plague this production: sound and
choreography.
Many times the chorus (and individual voices from the chorus) cannot
be heard or understood. I saw the emotions in the actors’ expressive
faces; I heard the feelings in the voices, but often, I could not understand
the lyrics. Several times, actors in leading and supporting roles turned
so far upstage (to the back of the stage) that it was virtually impossible
to hear them. While an inadequate sound system or theatre with poor acoustics
can be held partially accountable, being seen, heard and understood should
be the paramount concern of all involved.
The other area that did not work for me was the choreography. Actors,
especially in chorus scenes, seemed uncertain of their steps, shooting
furtive glances to each other as the dances began. I felt that if the
actors had confidently executed the dance numbers, I wouldn’t have
noticed or cared if mistakes happened.
In other numbers, the choreography didn’t seem to flow. An example
of this is in the scenes with the Mayor and Franzenfoofer. As they plot
their evil plans, the complexity of the choreographed movements detracted
from the humor and made the lyrics secondary at a moment when they should
be primary.
The dancers in the rat ballet also seemed uncertain of their dance.
And the moves were graceful with long, elegant lines! Since the rats
are described as the scourge of the town, I wanted the rats to be grittier,
grimier--well, more rat-like, in their movement.
Despite these limitations, Rising Star Productions has
created a pleasing play that the entire family can enjoy. Performances
continue at the Kessler Elementary School auditorium in Longview, Fridays
and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through July 8, with matinees on July 1 and
8 as well.
Susan Donahue teaches English at R.A. Long High School
in Longview and has been active in community theatre for 26 years.
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The Piper
Rising Star Productions
Review by Ned Piper
Normally, you’d have to go to New York City – or possibly
Peoria – to attend the world premier of a musical production. That
was not the case on June 23 for the Longview debut of an original musical
titled “The Piper.” It can be seen at the Kessler School
Auditorium (1902 E. Kessler Blvd., Longview) on June 24, 30, July 1,
7 and 8. Curtain rises at 7:30 pm; there are also 2 pm performances on
July 1 and 8.
Playwright Roger Griffin teamed with 19th century poet Robert Browning
and Roseann Hammill, a modern day composer, to fashion a stage presentation
of the well-known legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a vagabond piper
who agrees to rid a small German town of a rat infestation. Presented
by Rising Star Productions, the play is directed by Jueanne Meyers, assisted
by vocal director Laurel Moore. Steve Thorpe, as the Pied Piper, heads
a cast of 52 players.
The townspeople are upset by an influx of rats that are ruining their
town. A young lame boy named Kurt (Tanner McDaniel) encounters a wandering
piper who claims to have magical powers. Kurt asks the piper to help
the town solve the rat problem. The town counsel votes to hire the piper
for a fee of 1000 gilders. The Mayor (Ron Naff) and his henchman Franzenfoofer
(Adam Pond), hatch a devious plan to cheat the piper out of his fee.
The playwright has woven a number of interesting subplots into the storyline,
some based on love, others on political intrigue and past deceitfulness.
The action is interspersed with 26 original songs. The clever lyrics
do a fine job of advancing the plot. The melodies composed by Ms. Hammill
are unique and varied, often beautiful and lilting. An original CD produced
by the cast is available for sale at the performance.
On the whole, the acting was excellent. In his first solo, Tanner McDaniel’s
voice sounded thin. He was positioned at the back of the stage and had
his head was turned away from the audience. The piano accompaniment drowned
out his voice. As the play progressed, the young carrot top’s voice
grew stronger and his character became more defined. It might have been
opening night jitters that held him back in his first scene.
Tricia Potter (Kurt’s older sister) has a strong
singing voice and projected a believable character. Tricia’s love
interest, Penn (Adam
Pithan) also exhibited a fine voice and a solid stage presence. Ron Naff
(the Mayor), hampered by a case of laryngitis, made a valiant effort.
The sense of his character carried him through and he promises to bring
even more to the part as his voice returns. Adam Pond
(Franzenfoofer) towers over the rest of the cast and is blessed with
an unforgettable face. As a result, he appears to overact a bit. He was
perfect as the Mayor’s evil sidekick. Adam’s scenes with
the Mayor are very funny, though, perhaps, the two of them should dance
a little less during their duets.
The chorus of townspeople and the children’s chorus added much
to the atmosphere on stage, with wonderful voices and animated characters
all paying attention to the action. It’s rare to hear a children’s
choir produce the volume and quality that this group of kids turned out.
The ballerinas who played the rats danced gracefully and beautifully,
adding a nice touch to the production.
Three actors/singers deserve special mention: The first is Steve Thorpe
who did great justice to the title role. His piper was magical, true
and inspirational. With his easy manner and excellent singing voice,
he interacted well with the rest of the cast in crowd scenes and with
individual actors in the more intimate scenes. I want to see him in more
productions.
The second special mention goes to Erica Gonser, cast as Ilse, the ingénue
who is in love with Monsieur Le’Pel. She has a bright, fluid singing
voice that scampers over the notes effortlessly. She also has a commanding
quality on stage. And third, Monsieur Le’Pel, played by Ti Nhong,
bursts onto the stage with verve, giving a striking performance as a
petulant noble intent on getting his own way.
Director Jueanne Meyers did a fine job of casting this production. Laurel
Moore deserves credit for getting the maximum out of the singers. Some
of the songs appear to be difficult, but were performed flawlessly.
The set was functional. There were numerous set changes in the Act Two
that were somewhat distracting, but the cast managed them efficiently.
The costumes were consistent with the times in which the play took place.
Pianist Greg Moore provided the fine accompaniment, beautifully enhanced
by flutist Melanie Kitchens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this production. I had occasion to speak with several
members of the audience after the curtain closed and heard only positive
comments. It’s a very thoughtful and creative work. Hats off to
Jueanne Meyers for having the courage to undertake this production. She,
the playwright, the crew and the cast deserve kudos. The show is worth
the ticket price. Take the whole family -- there’s something in
The Piper for everyone.
See the show at the Kessler School Auditorium (1902 E. Kessler Blvd.,
Longview) on June 24, 30, July 1, 7 and 8. Curtain rises at 7:30 and
there are 2 pm performances on July 1 and 8. Tickets are available
at the door. Adults: $10 evenings, $7 matinees; Under 16: $5 evenings,
$4 matinees.
The Cast:
Minstrel…………………… James
Johnson
Piper……………………….
Steve Thorpe
Penn……………………….
Adam Pithan
Kurt………................Tanner McDaniel
Gerta……………………… Tricia
Potter
Gunter……...............Adam Wolfer
Mistress Hale………... Laurel Moore
Mayor………….......... Ron Naff
Franzenfoofer….......Adam
Pond
Dietmar…………………. Matt
Hayes
Hortense……………….. Kay
Naff
Olga……………………….
Janie Polm
Ilse………………………...
Erica Gonser
Monsieur Le’Pel……… Ti Nhong
Philippe…………………… Jonathan
Mintz
Attendant………………. Isaac
Stiltz
Captain…………………… Darby
Erickson
Guard……………………..
Sam Meyers
Willy…………………….… Matthew
Meyers
Hilde………………….…… Loryn
Musgrove
Rolph……………………… Jeffrey
Meyers
Townspeople……………… Lucy Bakke,
Mary Hoover, Stacie Kelley, Crystal Wilding, Moriah Urseth, Kryie Huggins,
Jessica Hood, Claire Ouelette, Erika Radcliffe, Lisa Francis, Jenae Bakke,
Marcus Cooper Town children…………..… Rebekah
Kitchens, Erin Kitchens, Kole Musgrove, Nathan Meyers, Serena Gakke,
Natalie Reynolds, Samuel Larson
Rats (Ballerinas)…… Katie Schmidt, Elizabeth Larson,
Margo Kaufman,
Kaitlyn Johnson, Alissa Smerdon, Bonnie Smerdon, Debi Meyers, Fontain
Poyfair, Anastatia Stepankowsky, Heather Bean, Karla Bean
The Mayor’s
Rat………….. Latte Bakke (a real rat) Accompianist……………… Greg
Moore
Flutist…………………...…… Melanie
Kitchens
Ned Piper earned a B.A. degree in drama at the University
of Washington and is a life insurance agent in Longview. He also serves
as a Commissioner for Cowlitz County Public Utility District.
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The Dark Side of the Story
The story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin dates back to the year 1284. During
the centuries that followed, the legend has been recounted with wide variation;
some versions depicting the piper as a hero, others as a mass child killer.
The common thread in each account tells of a traveling exterminator
who is hired by the Mayor of Hamelin, a German village on the Weser River,
to rid the town of an infestation of rats. His only tool-of-the-trade
is a musical pipe. In Robert Browning’s epic poem (published in
1888), the piper offers to do the job for 1000 guilders.
Believing that he has a firm contract with the township, the Pied Piper
begins walking through the streets of Hamlin, playing his pipe. Attracted
by the sound of the music, the rats follow him to the river, where all
but one rat drowns. The surviving rat swims to safety and lives to warn
his fellow vermin in other towns not to be seduced by the plaintive sound
of the pipe. The citizens of Hamelin rejoice.
When the piper asks for his payment, the Mayor reneges, offering to
pay him half of the agreed-upon one thousand guilders. To obtain revenge,
the piper lures the children of the village away, again employing his
musical charms. Some versions have him leading the children to a happy
place, safe from the cruelty of their parents. Other, more ominous versions
suggest that the children, 130 of them, were taken to a cave where they
were murdered.
In his musical, "The Piper," Roger Griffin
offers a more optimistic outcome.
Before attending the show, you may wish to preview Robert Browning’s
popular poetic treatment of this ancient legend. Go to your local library,
or visit this
website. It also includes the book’s wonderful illustrations
by Kate Greenway.
---Ned Piper
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