By James V. Ruocco
Legend has it that this once thriving establishment (it was destroyed by a fire on August 7, 1884), the former home of Elizur Prichard, the button king of Waterbury, CT, not only houses a stolen, buried treasure somewhere on the grounds or in the waters, but is also visited by ghostly spirits befitting the island's well-publicized curses, mysteries, hauntings, disappearances, visions and unexplained noises.
Cursed or not, laughter abounds in this hilarious musical comedy where many of the facts and actual dates are distorted, swept under the carpet or simply are just not true, all in the form of entertainment - the kind where anything goes, conversations and truths are wildly exaggerated, characters lie and steal, identities are not exactly what they seem and everyone involved steps in and out of the big picture from time to time to sing a song, dance merrily about, flirt uncontrollably or reveal their hidden agenda.
Witty.
Crazy.
Genuine.
Full-On.
Shameless.
"Checking in on Charles" is a laugh-out-loud entertainment that gallops along with trailblazing humor, relentless merriment, over the top positives, evident joy, hysterical rivalry and ensuing Edwardian music hall chaos.
Written by Bert Bernardi, the script and its representation of life, circa 1905, is laced with humorous jokes, insights and complexities that are rich, dry, confident and daffy. Taking its cue from the story of Charles Island, its lifestyle (the bits about the once glamourous, thriving life in the Waterbury, CT. of yesteryear are absolutely hysterical; in 2022, the actual town itself is a complete eyesore) and its cursed history, the musical comes gift wrapped with plenty of period qualifications, insider's views and norms and nuances that although very silly, unfold with just the right amount of tongue-and-cheek and sensationalized melodrama. Bernardi also peppers his playscript with some choice, hilariously orchestrated LGBTQ gay references, witticisms, jokes, expressions and double entendres that are weaved in an out of the story with a crisp, confidant flair that prompts laughter in all the right places. The casting of Rick Calvo in the role of Mr. Middlebrow, a gay bellhop looking for some fun, frolic and possible fellatio with some of the play's obviously heterosexual male characters, is not only a source of inspiration on Bernardi's part, but one that allows Calvo to pretty much steal the show (his character gets the best one-liners, dialogue and story arcs) from practically everyone else on stage.
Musical theatre comedy loves nothing more than to laugh at itself and Bernardi, as director of "Checking in on Charles," sustains this obvious factual artifice throughout the production. His daft, gloriously handling of the material is priceless and primed with comic palettes, double takes, pratfalls, exaggeration and ceaseless energy - all wonderfully caricatured to the ensuing comedy at hand.
Moreover, there's a specific mindset and character to this type of production that requires a certain form of staging, movement, blocking and specialization required to make it fly, spark and ignite. This awareness, on Bernardi's part, fuels the fire - so to speak- and keeps things grounded, exact, atmospheric and completely in sync with the comedic balance, rhythm and texture of the playscript. Here, things happen very much in the moment and Bernardi's minutely detailed directorial strokes are slap-bang-right on every level.
Featuring music and lyrics by Justin Rugg (composer) and Bert Bernardi (lyricist), "Checking in on Charles" comes to the Pantochino stage with 10 original compositions. They are: "Prologue," "Aurelia Tells," "It's a Brand New Day," "Timbers are Shivered Again," "Maxwell's Shining Silver Sands Island," "Act One Finale," "Not Afraid the Curse Part One," "Won't You Come With Me, Bernice," "Not Afraid the Curse Part Two" and "Epilogue." Well-positioned within the story arc of Bernardi's playful script, all of the musical numbers are thoughtful, inspirational and perfectly in step with the characters who are asked to bring them to life.
As with previous Pantochino musicals, the songs - each and every one of them a tuneful, melodic delight - advance the story forward with snap, frivolity, vigor and irony. They unfold naturally and creatively, scene by scene, act by act, rife with enough imagination and purpose, necessary to keep the "Checking in on Charles" story afloat (pun, absolutely intended). There is contrast and panache. There is understated grit and tone. There is carefully probed meaning, line, urgency and commitment. Working alongside Bernardi, Rugg, who also serves as resident musical director, produces an individual, harmonious sound (the music is pre-recorded) with all the right touches of musicality, color, winks and instrumentation. He also accentuates the material with whoops, rhythms, beats and orchestral gestures that heighten and sustain the story's sunny disposition, its mystery, its spooky entanglements and accelerated comic rushes.
Among the show's best numbers: "Aurelia Tells," "Won't You Come Home With Me, Bernice," "Maxwell's Shining Silver Sands Island" and "Not Afraid The Curse Part One."
"Checking in on Charles" stars Mary Mannix as Miss Bernice Britchard, Tracey Marble as Miss Aurelia Biddle, Rick Calvo as Mr. Middlebrow, Eilee Dingus as Mrs. Dorothea Devlin, Shelley Marsh Poggio as Miss Honeysuckle Jones, Justin Rugg as Mr. Maxwell Malone, Jimmy Johansmeyer as Mr. Daxton Devlin, Jeremy Ajdukiewicz as Mr. Sprig, Janet Zamparo as Mrs. Prudy, Valerie Solli as Sister Pius, Maria Berte as Sister Boniface, George Spelvin as Mr. George Misch, Ryder Blanchard as Harry and Cara Marquis as Polly. Each performer gets his or her place in the spotlight while embracing the music, the story, the character and the comedy - illuminating the individuality of the musical score with confidence and style and the show's non-musical moments with humor, insight and melodramatic frenzy.
There are star turns (Pantochino's Mannix, Poggio, Johansmeyer, Rugg and Marble, naturally, stand out). There are musical showstoppers (Mannix, Marble and Splevin in top form). There are laughs aplenty (a scene-stealing but lovable Calvo). There are tears. There are nuns.
Song by song and scene by scene, the entire cast are in full and fine voice that reflect and complement the original conceit of the material, the musical story arc and its conjuring questions, legends and curses. What's also wonderful about this particular group of performers - all stars in their own right - is the depth, imagination and versatility they bring to every song they perform, harmonize or wrap their voice around. Comically, there's so much electricity here, they could easily cause a power outage or two.
No Pantochino production would be complete without the exceptional design work of Jimmy Johansmeyer and "Checking in on Charles," like other productions before it, benefits greatly from his definitive, distinct and creative costume design, vision and execution. For this go round, Johansmeyer works within the confines of the Edwardian era (1901-1910) to create timeless styles reflective of that particular period. Here, his tailoring techniques are put to great use to deliver a definitive wardrobe for all of the characters onstage. With "Checking in on Charge," there is craft and care put into every costume that is cut, sewn and made, matched by a personal touch and fashionable craftsmanship that is timeless, colorful and blended seamlessly into the production. All of the costumes benefit from specific "bespoke" tailoring with careful attention paid to characterization, color, texture, mood, line, assortment and statement. Brilliant - on every level.
A lighthearted musical with plenty of dash, zing and satisfying banter, "Checking in on Charles" is silly, frivolous fun, chock full of wonderful comic moments, well-staged buffoonery and strong, energetic performances by the entire cast. The sparkling musical score befits the plot's absurdity and storytelling mayhem. The onstage action by director Bert Bernardi is sweet and energetic, anchored by early 20th century nuance and flair. And the Edwardian sets and costumes are post-card perfect.
Wild and whimsical, this is yet another Pantochino production that casts its spell over a very appreciative audience, all of whom willingly succumb to its nostalgic exploration of life in a small Connecticut town called Milford - a very, very long time ago.
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