tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31034825313842882282024-03-27T16:54:56.098-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.comBlogger448125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-32482161433540835982024-01-09T14:25:00.000-08:002024-01-09T14:27:59.844-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 448, Performer of the Year, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Costume Design<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-Z2phP2xMKM8s5-jVM84i1Rmrm3Sy3a8o1y7fK0zckIMeu6VopYzR8D-3lMX2H_hSfb3HtbV7Sq_r0VfBdB7FBaAgSYZNVKVBl8vp-xJp_yj40QEt__nZVsBL923j4NyuXI4q-6i7iEOhl-Sb7ewelqcnO60GMzchljE2nKP-kcrJeMhxo2NsAUwU2w/s2048/springawakening985.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-Z2phP2xMKM8s5-jVM84i1Rmrm3Sy3a8o1y7fK0zckIMeu6VopYzR8D-3lMX2H_hSfb3HtbV7Sq_r0VfBdB7FBaAgSYZNVKVBl8vp-xJp_yj40QEt__nZVsBL923j4NyuXI4q-6i7iEOhl-Sb7ewelqcnO60GMzchljE2nKP-kcrJeMhxo2NsAUwU2w/w400-h266/springawakening985.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1ACvFL9eatj9D3sUcUGlXrszktxsACPa_h-1fwdTm0GI-bGihiQNSoVUeAt05gTHiqLLOSmOHZrL25qCLOGJXaJ_HNhLgIbdO6mkwrIbWVQhX2e9OrNFaB5tJorz5NmNk7M7THKtd-APZZwNUWtB3OkAx2kQNZ0M-rUeKHlrjt-8ERypcgzlCudDwls/s2048/intothewoods451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1ACvFL9eatj9D3sUcUGlXrszktxsACPa_h-1fwdTm0GI-bGihiQNSoVUeAt05gTHiqLLOSmOHZrL25qCLOGJXaJ_HNhLgIbdO6mkwrIbWVQhX2e9OrNFaB5tJorz5NmNk7M7THKtd-APZZwNUWtB3OkAx2kQNZ0M-rUeKHlrjt-8ERypcgzlCudDwls/w300-h400/intothewoods451.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="font-family: arial;">By James V. Ruocco</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The actor.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The actress.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The musical.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The songs.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The showstoppers.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The performance.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The interpretation. <br /><br />Who stood out?<br />Who deserves the recognition?<br />Who went above and beyond?<br />Whose talents were award-winning?<br />Whose work left a lasting impression?<br />Who stole the show?<br />Whose musical performance was unmissable? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In 2023, Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, White Rabbitt Theatre, Castle Craig Players and Connecticut Theatre Company, among other venues, featured a stellar line-up of non-equity actors whose work - outstanding, expressive, lyrical, inspired, melodic - was deeply felt, emotional, amplified and handsomely presented within the framework of the individual musical storytelling. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotpHOG0UbAqnGXQ9rs_YKIfRtVtFYRWyRTWGwB7Qk7mAjvYoYE2ZeNvBpibR8dZ0NBEuc-mxueEVLOb3Vx6XLY-5K7I3svvZ8_BN4kf5RsURueyhlf2B0bLmo3i-hi-s7f32QJQ96xqsJO3fYxx1HXr4CN_454TfV7vhYnDut2phZy2Rk4pkbRp9SO2Y/s2048/rentwr67.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotpHOG0UbAqnGXQ9rs_YKIfRtVtFYRWyRTWGwB7Qk7mAjvYoYE2ZeNvBpibR8dZ0NBEuc-mxueEVLOb3Vx6XLY-5K7I3svvZ8_BN4kf5RsURueyhlf2B0bLmo3i-hi-s7f32QJQ96xqsJO3fYxx1HXr4CN_454TfV7vhYnDut2phZy2Rk4pkbRp9SO2Y/w300-h400/rentwr67.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My choices are as follows:<br /></span></p><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Performer of the Year</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_gTHiUqzhOyciBuGaYxVxLc5KM3ursidC8z4ds8F00hBphefIWra6Fii65Lxm5RD_X8isT7Pczfuf5yJ0cJBq6TxmObcBCoB_6BAmZtX09bcrv9G7ncmMmUZDcTOj4JT2SXZAV_7iiEKFOa7igXES4cxhT7MKxshBqubendYnSoMyvGBQBcWV4v7k44/s2048/headoverheels700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_gTHiUqzhOyciBuGaYxVxLc5KM3ursidC8z4ds8F00hBphefIWra6Fii65Lxm5RD_X8isT7Pczfuf5yJ0cJBq6TxmObcBCoB_6BAmZtX09bcrv9G7ncmMmUZDcTOj4JT2SXZAV_7iiEKFOa7igXES4cxhT7MKxshBqubendYnSoMyvGBQBcWV4v7k44/w400-h266/headoverheels700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kerrie Maguire (Ilse Newmann in "Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company), (</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Scarlett in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater), </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Gynecia in "Head Over Heels"), (Connecticut Theatre Company<br />Erin Campbell (Cinderella's Stepmother in "Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Charlie Hartel (Zanna in "Zanna Don't!") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Joyce Follo Jeffrey (Mrs. Paroo in "The Music Man") (Seven Angels Theatre)<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Javen Levesque (Bobby Strong in "Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts), (</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Moritz Stiefel in "Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Shelly Marsh Poggio (Carlotta in "Panto of the Opera") (Pantochino Productions)<br />Moses Jacob (Harold Hill in "The Music Man") (Seven Angels Theatre)</span></span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Actor in a Musical</b></span></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynr27zX6zpHQ_Qfq2N7P4vURwheCvNlBUBQgRwQmq-hDRzLqb8oGwp2GGrRp3663IMTCjeQS1A-DXNHNv1b3zplI7H-VDTJAB2YcG9YyGvD78QU8OgLHSjWnwrkfubNO34qUEVxlMiM7xbDqPAZgJ1qGvk30gjNKqJW4dGlbkHjs2CiOPgBg5H5CYk5k/s1365/rentwr561.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1162" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynr27zX6zpHQ_Qfq2N7P4vURwheCvNlBUBQgRwQmq-hDRzLqb8oGwp2GGrRp3663IMTCjeQS1A-DXNHNv1b3zplI7H-VDTJAB2YcG9YyGvD78QU8OgLHSjWnwrkfubNO34qUEVxlMiM7xbDqPAZgJ1qGvk30gjNKqJW4dGlbkHjs2CiOPgBg5H5CYk5k/w340-h400/rentwr561.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Adam Tortorello (Mark Cohen in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Tiernan Michael Shea (Roger Davis in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Javen Levesque (Bobby Strong in "Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Griffin Kulp (The Wolf/Cinderella's Prince in "Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Zachary Geiger (Melchior Gabor in "Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Galen Donovan </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Melchior Gabor in "Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Nick Kuell (Buddy in "Elf") (Fairfield Center Stage)<br />Martin Giannini (Captain von Trapp in "The Sound of Music") (Black Rock Theater)</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Featured Actor in a Musical</b></span></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfVxDdahffJqosbSzqoT_xUGVbYLEzhoDXcWB6u4urtGmtNpA0j9Up6aIwDnlUpo4MyvwgtY-LkFbdp4GwxwkFkI6RwjFv_vtKlTWusH3HLz-vxroS3sA4bhPUA9hcaBEGHqHlvSp_0eEBz7UWoQgdDPGyNmMT40TTb20slBve3E2uVNOsLknm-b1K2E/s2047/pantooftheopera55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2047" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfVxDdahffJqosbSzqoT_xUGVbYLEzhoDXcWB6u4urtGmtNpA0j9Up6aIwDnlUpo4MyvwgtY-LkFbdp4GwxwkFkI6RwjFv_vtKlTWusH3HLz-vxroS3sA4bhPUA9hcaBEGHqHlvSp_0eEBz7UWoQgdDPGyNmMT40TTb20slBve3E2uVNOsLknm-b1K2E/w400-h265/pantooftheopera55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bert Bernardi (Victoria Sautee as Madame Cherchez in "Panto of the Opera") (Pantochino Productions)<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Javen Levesque </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Moritz Stiefel in "Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Ethan Valencia (Hanschen Rilow in "Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Marc Improta (Nathan Detroit in "Guys and Dolls") (Fairfield Center Stage)<br />Galen Donovan (Angel Dumott Schunard in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7W3QF5UkcsPuemcrlgSahbYkwVPDWSJnJcG7TYVCByWAVtprBRhlNQTa_FXgjI3_04kWXpljYWP2YBhdXyA4F31GX2qAD-D2EVvF0y1DOgUeJqLF11_mwVjrJsTPq4oVJDFcZzamFuBwhZoU4qRiwkW1P1AhDWsi9YJm3Aon6f0viH_EGULHUG2hwAQ/s6000/rentwb81.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7W3QF5UkcsPuemcrlgSahbYkwVPDWSJnJcG7TYVCByWAVtprBRhlNQTa_FXgjI3_04kWXpljYWP2YBhdXyA4F31GX2qAD-D2EVvF0y1DOgUeJqLF11_mwVjrJsTPq4oVJDFcZzamFuBwhZoU4qRiwkW1P1AhDWsi9YJm3Aon6f0viH_EGULHUG2hwAQ/w400-h266/rentwb81.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Abraham Hussein (Benjamin Coffin III in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Kevin Kiley (Tom Collins in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Dylan Ryan (Moritz Stiefel in "Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Jeffrey Fulton (Nicely-Nicely Johnson in "Guys and Dolls") (Fairfield Center Stage)<br />Benjamin Race (Jack in "Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Jeremy Ajdukiewicz (Santa Claus in "Elf") (Fairfield Center Stage)</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Actress in a Musical</b></span></p><p style="font-family: Calibri;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi045KHOqX8THhed2iETpJjf2BMgAtdKnN__hsTJy7SfiTe3IWoe0zMtD-yA4wxC758atpMQ0CfPDQ8BV0vrgfTqDb1_he-_u6oWt_kbOh-yAdJH1ghs4Mj5USjVRaMh2pZm3sOegK7bxFEesYXpJEvKzJRxEAOyhG4z_OhpSKl5j5XGtPLQijzJot9-JM/s1429/urinetown448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1142" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi045KHOqX8THhed2iETpJjf2BMgAtdKnN__hsTJy7SfiTe3IWoe0zMtD-yA4wxC758atpMQ0CfPDQ8BV0vrgfTqDb1_he-_u6oWt_kbOh-yAdJH1ghs4Mj5USjVRaMh2pZm3sOegK7bxFEesYXpJEvKzJRxEAOyhG4z_OhpSKl5j5XGtPLQijzJot9-JM/w320-h400/urinetown448.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Kate Patton (Little Sally in "Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts) Desi Amato (The Witch in "Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Christy McIntosh-Newsom (Miss Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls") (Fairfield Center Stage)<br />McKenzie Campbell (Charity Hope Valentine in "Sweet Charity") (Kingswood Oxford)<br />Kerrie Maguire (Gynecia in "Head Over Heels") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Rebecca Borowik (Sarah Brown in "Guys and Dolls") (Fairfield Center Stage)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNyAgYOsS6qYCTRjjTmZjLe3R-PY9RQ1hjQGSKqOQ2RdZwzhcDFCcOMDz8yRH7laJozcRUCMdC3o4tg48rQ4Y4m_LTG9uHVEwm02vi05lDqWZHBPweq-gfpWHoL9tTaGhYRd8vBYMugULNGfAmZoY_APh5k0AZxyRgI1pWy145vnc3CdCxz41W8Qml8I/s1440/soundofmusic56.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1440" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNyAgYOsS6qYCTRjjTmZjLe3R-PY9RQ1hjQGSKqOQ2RdZwzhcDFCcOMDz8yRH7laJozcRUCMdC3o4tg48rQ4Y4m_LTG9uHVEwm02vi05lDqWZHBPweq-gfpWHoL9tTaGhYRd8vBYMugULNGfAmZoY_APh5k0AZxyRgI1pWy145vnc3CdCxz41W8Qml8I/w400-h303/soundofmusic56.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Emily Fink (Maria in "The Sound of Music") (Black Rock Theater)<br />Kennedy Morris (Wendla Bergman in "Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the<br />Arts)<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Montana Telman </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Wendla Bergman in "Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Montana Telman (Mopsa in "Head Over Heels" (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Destiny Whitten (Mimi Marquez in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Featured Actress in a Musical</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV8-JKskSHroW0Y-lksI9YnMNgIf3k3d_fWxNkuX_iRzrs1VJSKZZZoPA2n_jWkTLXgEpZwWZGPSqsLTowCccHT10ZJ12nEs020wQOR5ubTnyzpRG_R5qyZNmFKVKJWc3n0SJ5BF_gkaoFTXACj3WFukSy3m1Ll6P2MhA7r61I0trrg_1icFgzvX7O4U/s2048/intothewoodscastlecraig800.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV8-JKskSHroW0Y-lksI9YnMNgIf3k3d_fWxNkuX_iRzrs1VJSKZZZoPA2n_jWkTLXgEpZwWZGPSqsLTowCccHT10ZJ12nEs020wQOR5ubTnyzpRG_R5qyZNmFKVKJWc3n0SJ5BF_gkaoFTXACj3WFukSy3m1Ll6P2MhA7r61I0trrg_1icFgzvX7O4U/w400-h400/intothewoodscastlecraig800.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Erin Campbell as Cinderella's Stepmother, Nicole Zolad as Florinda and Erin Aldrich as Lucinda in "Into the Woods" (Castle Craig Players)<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Kerrie Maguire </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Ilse Newmann in "Spring Awakening) (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br /></span>Joyce Jeffrey (Mrs. Paroo in "The Music Man" (Seven Angels Theatre) <br />Diana Yeisley (Mark's Mom in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Olivia Ciaffaglione (Maureen Johnson in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre) </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r5QSSbOI6ZTCyjkBIxQW1plavQJXdrnQ0mGmDCF0GgjddYhEUBdxEWy2swS6B-aDvyPMgghbMRGt-tTS1zwBBlvaDRU5ra0dGXSj5_vkG8vuIy6YVVmekknrv2ZiXFkd7cY3wGmXRy-YNLG2OzORfaqBbo0eNpVz-dHntj0denbNVlSGV1pMhkgRSnw/s2048/zannadont231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r5QSSbOI6ZTCyjkBIxQW1plavQJXdrnQ0mGmDCF0GgjddYhEUBdxEWy2swS6B-aDvyPMgghbMRGt-tTS1zwBBlvaDRU5ra0dGXSj5_vkG8vuIy6YVVmekknrv2ZiXFkd7cY3wGmXRy-YNLG2OzORfaqBbo0eNpVz-dHntj0denbNVlSGV1pMhkgRSnw/w400-h266/zannadont231.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Emma Gulick (Kate in "Zanna Don't!") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Erin Aldrich (Roberta in "Zanna Don't!) (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Chelsea Dacey (Suzy in "The Marvelous Wonderettes Dream On") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Krystina Diaz (Joanne Jefferson in "Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Jocelyn Titus (Ilse Newmann in "Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Lindsay Anderson (Deb in "Elf") (Fairfield Center Stage) </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Costume Design</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwX3WTDNeMHvuReY4gkB6NHs4Md3yXptGQM8XQ6wend3GavtXkj-b4Ij2tZI7PGf3H52ST-OurYLfrhxY58rxx5Js1tXTgdKCOyxbDCbIlXkc4UmhrRe4MUKv343tt39H9ZaptcBXSQa0_47R-3BPORtpQafpJN-LMB8Vro4vwcgkfpVDX0ADCPM1B56k/s5852/rentwb55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3901" data-original-width="5852" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwX3WTDNeMHvuReY4gkB6NHs4Md3yXptGQM8XQ6wend3GavtXkj-b4Ij2tZI7PGf3H52ST-OurYLfrhxY58rxx5Js1tXTgdKCOyxbDCbIlXkc4UmhrRe4MUKv343tt39H9ZaptcBXSQa0_47R-3BPORtpQafpJN-LMB8Vro4vwcgkfpVDX0ADCPM1B56k/w400-h266/rentwb55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Brendon Rogers ("Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Jimmy Johansmeyer ("Panto of the Opera") (Pantochino Productions)<br />Ian Galligan, Melanie Del Sole and Kate Bunce ("Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Margaret Teed Jones ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Kate DeAngelis ("Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Krysten Drachenberg ("Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-7592907684371269472024-01-09T10:57:00.000-08:002024-01-09T11:01:26.905-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 447, Best Actor in a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Best Actress in a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play, Best Lighting Design<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFOAgxoF3hLADi_gOXsNaBu5g2riCouroPne4vB-Sdn0S3mmIN59Jb65ZPN_UPimrD0kye-6aukodhhQYSYftUIRPMslqVnalqfYMSCkP_T2NxBscR4OY1x2FPKHyfgIsDaAgSQg_WxtRFKfAQEBLMflEm47DrmupMHkKmCn6A0_YO0jKj_6PRAvTP08/s956/wifeworker701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="956" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFOAgxoF3hLADi_gOXsNaBu5g2riCouroPne4vB-Sdn0S3mmIN59Jb65ZPN_UPimrD0kye-6aukodhhQYSYftUIRPMslqVnalqfYMSCkP_T2NxBscR4OY1x2FPKHyfgIsDaAgSQg_WxtRFKfAQEBLMflEm47DrmupMHkKmCn6A0_YO0jKj_6PRAvTP08/w400-h201/wifeworker701.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuopgkDU71zFXWJy44br_lBdB3zNN2vafUJ8DoLMMbWIONyUly4j0_nTxAasywprAIKHr4V_5_Jwri4huNykTNQvrR5bd5BICtJUtCooH0k3toI9Ym2lKwzyHXV79rseJicdf_7tXUo_6qYUdwPmPWShL4oGVcxo-bXutl09VUVLb0c-zqzXWmuF_CIY/s2048/athena488.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuopgkDU71zFXWJy44br_lBdB3zNN2vafUJ8DoLMMbWIONyUly4j0_nTxAasywprAIKHr4V_5_Jwri4huNykTNQvrR5bd5BICtJUtCooH0k3toI9Ym2lKwzyHXV79rseJicdf_7tXUo_6qYUdwPmPWShL4oGVcxo-bXutl09VUVLb0c-zqzXWmuF_CIY/w266-h400/athena488.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The actor.<br />The actress.<br />The play.<br />The performance.<br />The interpretation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Who stood out?<br />Who deserves the recognition?<br />Who went above and beyond?<br />Whose talents were award-winning?<br />Whose work left a lasting impression?<br />Whose performance was unmissable?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1HH0dTidDcd7Co-Ngy1Z-pXZ-da2MTj6hDPK-yku9-R74zTAaaUvE-LzHcGV0C3Jk5mRLGR-GpkHNSe3oKZ7BdYNJJRBM1sgfQ_lj82VOvvvaSjJMTgoKndzwUb_zMOqoCFPIJ0z-pWgfyLW2QDZG_W1D3vLhyphenhyphenIYXJ7jkkxagg6y52xAdaGlOUfj8c8/s2048/straightmen4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1HH0dTidDcd7Co-Ngy1Z-pXZ-da2MTj6hDPK-yku9-R74zTAaaUvE-LzHcGV0C3Jk5mRLGR-GpkHNSe3oKZ7BdYNJJRBM1sgfQ_lj82VOvvvaSjJMTgoKndzwUb_zMOqoCFPIJ0z-pWgfyLW2QDZG_W1D3vLhyphenhyphenIYXJ7jkkxagg6y52xAdaGlOUfj8c8/w400-h286/straightmen4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />In 2023, Hole in the Wall Theater and Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, among other venues, featured a stellar line up of non-equity actors whose work - outstanding, expressive, inspired, thematic - was deeply felt, emotional, amplified, confident and handsomely presented within the framework of the individual storytelling.<br /><br />My choices are as follows:<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Actor in a Play</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqOOZA6oBRZ4u5YLCONjboi_lvFMkKFlocECUO-NuTovAoxLUFzjLPZ3keFByMvj6ov6Ezc4Gh1PPdE3uLR_dm-2-PS2D_9KDj34YlAaGTNd4pkrUk2ks4bXAakBp89dISYKyuq5vBakX_RdiUO3ElOs4oA_upLKaCakcViFkr0JUkl150OZa-MszyDw/s1000/Mentors8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1000" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqOOZA6oBRZ4u5YLCONjboi_lvFMkKFlocECUO-NuTovAoxLUFzjLPZ3keFByMvj6ov6Ezc4Gh1PPdE3uLR_dm-2-PS2D_9KDj34YlAaGTNd4pkrUk2ks4bXAakBp89dISYKyuq5vBakX_RdiUO3ElOs4oA_upLKaCakcViFkr0JUkl150OZa-MszyDw/w400-h279/Mentors8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Rick Malone (David in "Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)<br />Rick Calvo (Stephen in "Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Jordan Pita (George Hay in "Moon Over Buffalo") (Sacred Heart University)<br />Terrance J. Peters (Frankie in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater) <br />Tony Palmieri (Brian in "Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)</span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Best Featured Actor in a Play</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYpvx4wIdZXrQThUVRKms8vYkKlvzWfw-3HLtioVXVXbah2YG7mIzffQoE-vOE4ZTLM5o1bAYgyNcyfqEdmZtlOU9nwMf-tbtvcgOAMy1s0foCVFou9gSuuxIEhtrk02DkRgOROy02PmZm9irza6KEnHVxJ-nKhcp4TphJa1LRSCYx5-ziyQdbG1wlyU/s1113/drjekyll45.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="749" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYpvx4wIdZXrQThUVRKms8vYkKlvzWfw-3HLtioVXVXbah2YG7mIzffQoE-vOE4ZTLM5o1bAYgyNcyfqEdmZtlOU9nwMf-tbtvcgOAMy1s0foCVFou9gSuuxIEhtrk02DkRgOROy02PmZm9irza6KEnHVxJ-nKhcp4TphJa1LRSCYx5-ziyQdbG1wlyU/w269-h400/drjekyll45.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Terrance J. Peters (Hyde 3, Surgical Student 1 and Man 3 in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">John Garfield (Javier in "Wife/Worker/Whore") </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Billy Dempster (Winston in "Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts) <br />Jamie Reopell (Morris in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Dennis Hull (Charlie Aiken in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Ethan Timothy (Elmer Sweeney in "Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Actress in a Play</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3O5mN3Lh-8O-hLNkYDnPI_enFOiyFwwY3mAyteyMnctbv5DY-MIh5oITegvBqNj80cpUPcKNyNJPF0l0wix-Qs13qR6xeA3FD3v5SDGSi0hMT49eW9s1POtw8Xk1tIG1bbbhFESWJIoLiKuX3TxnXNwAmdjW9u6rjKyoEPK28gYVk5JTX1nvyN0I-n8/s2738/augustosagecounty65.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3O5mN3Lh-8O-hLNkYDnPI_enFOiyFwwY3mAyteyMnctbv5DY-MIh5oITegvBqNj80cpUPcKNyNJPF0l0wix-Qs13qR6xeA3FD3v5SDGSi0hMT49eW9s1POtw8Xk1tIG1bbbhFESWJIoLiKuX3TxnXNwAmdjW9u6rjKyoEPK28gYVk5JTX1nvyN0I-n8/w400-h266/augustosagecounty65.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Ingrid M. Smith (Violet Weston in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Sarah Etkin (Barbara Fordham in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Kerrie Maguire (Scarlett in "Wife/Worker/Whore" (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Sarah Etkin (Donna in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Tina Parziale (Jenna in "Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)<br />Sydney Yargeau (Athena in "Athena") (Andromeda Theatre Guild) <br />Carolyn Doherty (Karen Andre in "Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Featured Actress in a Play</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwjyw6xl1n3sFFmBpVNKLUWRmB6oRWUE6IPIWdozwxTiwDOq9a9cH40qloB4k42kp7Hi6-HuRR767TNwpCJ4NiHbmeAZyBSGNPG-Xfqzy38sIiDxUrtfx4zs-E18HXNOtSurvqNfIrvn3Ru1uSuCh4tXveFUKeeuZEeW8_oL1M3Oz2VIUK2uyKfvh9C0/s4287/nightofjanuary500.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3050" data-original-width="4287" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwjyw6xl1n3sFFmBpVNKLUWRmB6oRWUE6IPIWdozwxTiwDOq9a9cH40qloB4k42kp7Hi6-HuRR767TNwpCJ4NiHbmeAZyBSGNPG-Xfqzy38sIiDxUrtfx4zs-E18HXNOtSurvqNfIrvn3Ru1uSuCh4tXveFUKeeuZEeW8_oL1M3Oz2VIUK2uyKfvh9C0/w400-h285/nightofjanuary500.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Dawn Maselli (Mrs. Sportelli in "Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Marie R. Altenor (Liz in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater) <br />Krysten Drachenberg (Johnna Monevata in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall<br />Theater)<br />Lindsay Campbell (Ivy Weston in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Jan Andree (Poole and Woman 1 in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Lynn Nissenbaum (Bitsy in "Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Maggie Devlin (Ethel in "Moon Over Buffalo") (Sacred Heart University) </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Best Lighting Design</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVbWLEZYeK-B4EbKVgh-H4WcGK4J2BaPwnbfG0w69ZyI3sq0Cv4dYtuVkRyBa52ngGE8cKOMUrDtb2e1QQ8YNn7KS2DMP_o-h3T8GPLO5tPRGYWkrRmrEuSml4LkoQgKSvjIkw2lC72ibvhxv_NTSvGYMFwxwb2MZT4m9f-Gd1t7q9MZ7TTrI53ybxJI/s2048/springawakening70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVbWLEZYeK-B4EbKVgh-H4WcGK4J2BaPwnbfG0w69ZyI3sq0Cv4dYtuVkRyBa52ngGE8cKOMUrDtb2e1QQ8YNn7KS2DMP_o-h3T8GPLO5tPRGYWkrRmrEuSml4LkoQgKSvjIkw2lC72ibvhxv_NTSvGYMFwxwb2MZT4m9f-Gd1t7q9MZ7TTrI53ybxJI/w400-h286/springawakening70.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Stephen Cihanek ("Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Stephen Cihanek ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Lucas Veo ("Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Jakob Kelsey ("Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Jim Nason ("August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)</span></p><p><br /></p></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-65254624402213922352024-01-07T07:20:00.000-08:002024-01-07T07:20:33.555-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 446, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Direction of a Play, Best Musical Direction, Best Choreography, Best Set Design<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3leYcSog8i-G9YYy4YaVwj4e7xcPJ5OI1hsNzkVssqYN5DVZIjI_zlmR1lDYNNjQY_SgocLzbXKDQ529pfbkQtB4rkh5T7rnJdLcr_9p5c1aSH_x6Rqi9gtrnBkyvxOwwRkNy6SgovD-P8q8zDoaD4iJGn2la-LEFaY866tih_mgNV02oH0GWJSg6TY/s816/rent1010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="816" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3leYcSog8i-G9YYy4YaVwj4e7xcPJ5OI1hsNzkVssqYN5DVZIjI_zlmR1lDYNNjQY_SgocLzbXKDQ529pfbkQtB4rkh5T7rnJdLcr_9p5c1aSH_x6Rqi9gtrnBkyvxOwwRkNy6SgovD-P8q8zDoaD4iJGn2la-LEFaY866tih_mgNV02oH0GWJSg6TY/w400-h260/rent1010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsQwhe5uU8xh5DakFzLeCrxcDnvMNMyWgL1W62ZVya28iA56c2SynpvOJfpFjvwrQZERNylrRmX-r18-_9QFF-JDtr8QD2SdUGlSWruYwrxCFBGSBjuALxQbpPxPVsWuXKE1AZ5nfusRezrVfC0HYmuoO1EI_lFnY0vBgZOaBf7zatBNrxtVVx1cspAM/s1080/athena4881.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsQwhe5uU8xh5DakFzLeCrxcDnvMNMyWgL1W62ZVya28iA56c2SynpvOJfpFjvwrQZERNylrRmX-r18-_9QFF-JDtr8QD2SdUGlSWruYwrxCFBGSBjuALxQbpPxPVsWuXKE1AZ5nfusRezrVfC0HYmuoO1EI_lFnY0vBgZOaBf7zatBNrxtVVx1cspAM/s320/athena4881.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The musical.<br />The play.<br />The director.<br />The musical director.<br />The choreographer.<br />The set designer.<br /><br />Every production needs one.<br />Every production wants one.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In 2023, LIVE theatre from a Non-Equity perspective was in top form throughout Connecticut.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQGw5yJ-b-q4GRpugCEwhYmrzcAs9FpmY2Pw-xv6FuQBxIYkLPcSDhhBO0yU8OJy8b-9srRFnJlBs2i6bQRoMsdGZF4hynZ89DJzCaUnI3kHU2qI4iQiQDLmZXfd-Q1qS3SOoLY0EWDPLDMzg1LNn8h17AaXv-68cN0Dx_aBf5kHNHSdi8L2hYVuIoCU/s949/wifeworker70.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="949" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQGw5yJ-b-q4GRpugCEwhYmrzcAs9FpmY2Pw-xv6FuQBxIYkLPcSDhhBO0yU8OJy8b-9srRFnJlBs2i6bQRoMsdGZF4hynZ89DJzCaUnI3kHU2qI4iQiQDLmZXfd-Q1qS3SOoLY0EWDPLDMzg1LNn8h17AaXv-68cN0Dx_aBf5kHNHSdi8L2hYVuIoCU/s320/wifeworker70.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p>Brookfield Theatre for the Arts<br />White Rabbitt Theatre.<br />Hole in the Wall Theater.<br />Connecticut Theatre Company.<br />Castle Craig Players, to name a few.</p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Who stood out?<br />Who deserves the recognition?<br />Who went above and beyond?<br />Whose talents were award-winning?<br />Whose work left a lasting impression?<br />Who was the recipient of theatrical excellence in a certain field?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My choices are as follows:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Best Direction of a Musical</u></b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WTimOvW36IdsZoXc5VDne5ZxIImbYIBLjUiPo2SEepK_r499AYFdS5QYEjfAUtlzFnMvVyqDEOouoKxftZgJTa5unGxXcogW9PLC8Woavj6Knz4ofyXSYTUrNUBBN1Mt54RUgpuueU0GHbbZy0hwzM4KK5bii2hSY2mnzvxr1ZYiKKzdNfKL86vGLjw/s1197/rentwr78.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1197" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WTimOvW36IdsZoXc5VDne5ZxIImbYIBLjUiPo2SEepK_r499AYFdS5QYEjfAUtlzFnMvVyqDEOouoKxftZgJTa5unGxXcogW9PLC8Woavj6Knz4ofyXSYTUrNUBBN1Mt54RUgpuueU0GHbbZy0hwzM4KK5bii2hSY2mnzvxr1ZYiKKzdNfKL86vGLjw/s320/rentwr78.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Adam Tortorello and Lena Felix ("Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />David Anctil ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Beth Bonnabeau ("Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Erin Campbell and Becky McLean ("Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Ian Galligan ("Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)<br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Best Direction of a Play</u></b></span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pNPwjWLRd3WZj0rljbVWnUXm4MDqNuMxC-3CZsP6kldSOjrY0oxqangtIcRJnG0Mib6wXj10-XChCsp_f2LWNXKaVFQ4b4Ihcr9hF2aTTpthlD-kFj6XOilrqeGrG3MqBtCDsSOQ0hiKEyaLZbtNwf5MShGKcsgmLYHKPbNu-NtUOKRXRBGF6L6dsAA/s2386/augustosagecountry67775.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="2386" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pNPwjWLRd3WZj0rljbVWnUXm4MDqNuMxC-3CZsP6kldSOjrY0oxqangtIcRJnG0Mib6wXj10-XChCsp_f2LWNXKaVFQ4b4Ihcr9hF2aTTpthlD-kFj6XOilrqeGrG3MqBtCDsSOQ0hiKEyaLZbtNwf5MShGKcsgmLYHKPbNu-NtUOKRXRBGF6L6dsAA/w400-h250/augustosagecountry67775.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Warren Dutkiewicz ("August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Kirsten Easton-Hazzaa ("Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Terrance J. Peters ("Athena") (Andromeda Theatre Guild)<br />Teresa Langston ("Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)<br />Pam Amodio ("Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Craig David Rosen ("Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Best Musical Direction</u></b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmnY3PoJ60PCawXr1lmgpVMHxbcvakeybdLEto-IiFiYNFI3A9aDFK8DCuHErpJ3qD0R_NOMBFtbtYT5LfxojIzDYxgA-gQo93oP5xISETQHkYkv_oUqe_SmY8CYjjmdWGsEs5xWybe2UPOeiecoDGulk-zWWNSwK64QfONvWv141fB9qkXH-f1g1QqU/s2048/rentwr56.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmnY3PoJ60PCawXr1lmgpVMHxbcvakeybdLEto-IiFiYNFI3A9aDFK8DCuHErpJ3qD0R_NOMBFtbtYT5LfxojIzDYxgA-gQo93oP5xISETQHkYkv_oUqe_SmY8CYjjmdWGsEs5xWybe2UPOeiecoDGulk-zWWNSwK64QfONvWv141fB9qkXH-f1g1QqU/w400-h266/rentwr56.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Mark Sokolson ("Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Sarah Fox ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />David Anctil ("Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Nick Stanford ("Spring Awakening") (Connecticut Theatre Company)<br />Frank Martignetti ("Guys and Dolls") (Fairfield Center Stage)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Best Choreography</u></b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfYQrsK_EqiQotUgVlg6iH8sDeB-J14O6tZqhvdZmVZX6gmDGW9RKgP5fPpkDGgsyhXmu74bg3P8pc6I3EpP5l_wQg3P7LQbEpkmul9ee9NvGuX67s5y9kehRPaxhxp1pz3UyHLf2nZN9GoTDKeMZ38KzeqeKIN3cehIC2T3asJTkzoQg2dIPD_52tSY/s2048/springawakening105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfYQrsK_EqiQotUgVlg6iH8sDeB-J14O6tZqhvdZmVZX6gmDGW9RKgP5fPpkDGgsyhXmu74bg3P8pc6I3EpP5l_wQg3P7LQbEpkmul9ee9NvGuX67s5y9kehRPaxhxp1pz3UyHLf2nZN9GoTDKeMZ38KzeqeKIN3cehIC2T3asJTkzoQg2dIPD_52tSY/w400-h286/springawakening105.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Josephine Harding ("Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Josephine Harding ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Kyle Reynolds and Meghan McDermott ("Sweet Charity") (Kingswood Oxford)<br />Chantel Martin ("Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)<br />Marissa Follo Perry ("The Music Man") (Seven Angels Theatre)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Best Set Design</u></b></div></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6fX-9ekUQ6ZBa5hX1yFcaDpQPZlsJkoMiqfRIZQmdohERyulw8jn-c62i6wFvNRJtHZFOfFAWsecMRPVN1mNP9x7n097bEtS_Jxlek9g7TtVfhmi36Eg2xopfJiTaCf1bHzYdgHAzuCzNktHqQQ8ixtYK1UUt6z-Iw_nZel9YWmHGAYOmWk0ukky2Rc/s2000/urinetown44.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="2000" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6fX-9ekUQ6ZBa5hX1yFcaDpQPZlsJkoMiqfRIZQmdohERyulw8jn-c62i6wFvNRJtHZFOfFAWsecMRPVN1mNP9x7n097bEtS_Jxlek9g7TtVfhmi36Eg2xopfJiTaCf1bHzYdgHAzuCzNktHqQQ8ixtYK1UUt6z-Iw_nZel9YWmHGAYOmWk0ukky2Rc/w400-h286/urinetown44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />David Anctil ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)<br />Bill Arnold ("August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)<br />Mark Laucella and Bill Westermeyer ("Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)<br />Kimberly Jackson ("The Music Man") (Seven Angels Theatre)<br />Bill Arnold ("Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)</span><p></p><p><br /></p></div></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-7819256910742527232024-01-06T06:49:00.000-08:002024-01-06T06:51:23.660-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 445, "The Best Musicals of 2023 - Non-Equity"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0RzmacLjdewCKgRP0I2x6J1rHrfF2inNiN30Oa6-v3DUokuWSbgQAHKE4a9nAg1pxBDJaSM0E0SXDV-tOcnJWyP8eF9G1Q2SUY6CocbLxg6_MJRHqJ13tRsKucxwGXjhEF4q-FAHJ_nXpG41G3EnKczOMhJLBkZugF4GbR-RpCA5-iWnu_WtQ71vXuI/s2000/urinetown44.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="2000" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0RzmacLjdewCKgRP0I2x6J1rHrfF2inNiN30Oa6-v3DUokuWSbgQAHKE4a9nAg1pxBDJaSM0E0SXDV-tOcnJWyP8eF9G1Q2SUY6CocbLxg6_MJRHqJ13tRsKucxwGXjhEF4q-FAHJ_nXpG41G3EnKczOMhJLBkZugF4GbR-RpCA5-iWnu_WtQ71vXuI/w400-h286/urinetown44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGIEHaTDiebNa2bkmehxZmr-5QpNbGHe0mtVFldjhSECj47SrOkocZrDHA0yiDPl2VktzcQP-1faysM-hp4g-Zpjn0auGWzHUKKGdDAK8GkdKxUFy8l6kIcsVvH0I-dT_UZohfHFSwcS3n_CXQo6mPUQOi5DmOadIZNCfHaZp-uIrvshMP2ISaYJ_VJI/s2048/springawakening100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGIEHaTDiebNa2bkmehxZmr-5QpNbGHe0mtVFldjhSECj47SrOkocZrDHA0yiDPl2VktzcQP-1faysM-hp4g-Zpjn0auGWzHUKKGdDAK8GkdKxUFy8l6kIcsVvH0I-dT_UZohfHFSwcS3n_CXQo6mPUQOi5DmOadIZNCfHaZp-uIrvshMP2ISaYJ_VJI/s320/springawakening100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Passionate.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Whimsical.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Engaging.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Lively.<br />Hypnotic.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Well-played.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Uplifting.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The beauty of LIVE theatre - Non-Equity - had its defining moments throughout 2023 with musicals that stood out full of lush scores, brilliant directorial choices, thrilling emotionality, casting coups, standout performances and award-winning Broadway composers like no other.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Duncan Sheik. Mark Hollmann. Jonathan Larson. Stephen Sondheim. Cy Coleman. Frank Loesser. Meredith Willson. Rodgers and Hammerstein.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IO-bOj1mCw9XB5gOm7ApZCzbLxMFPtLzbrz5gnHDgaqnWDW9-Omy8lt7ZLU8uFDBeN_5y8UY0BwdZYaGOsD2hvwjDPTbSqR4a1BuTZRflRFxXH3tHfaNb20tylQtivQe3PFb_IpVluRgfjQe9K89ZahyMM3tmt5FXclKPu06L6T16SVy9JkJJ5mGkc8/s1600/intothewoordscastlecraig60.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IO-bOj1mCw9XB5gOm7ApZCzbLxMFPtLzbrz5gnHDgaqnWDW9-Omy8lt7ZLU8uFDBeN_5y8UY0BwdZYaGOsD2hvwjDPTbSqR4a1BuTZRflRFxXH3tHfaNb20tylQtivQe3PFb_IpVluRgfjQe9K89ZahyMM3tmt5FXclKPu06L6T16SVy9JkJJ5mGkc8/w400-h320/intothewoordscastlecraig60.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Opening night was a hit.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Standing ovations were plentiful.<br />The reviews came out.<br />Critics were quoted in big, colorful adverts.<br />Ticket sales skyrocketed.<br />Several performances were sold out.<br />Audiences went wild.<br />There were lots and lots of productions to choose from.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking back, 2023 was a great year for Non-Equity musical fare all across Connecticut.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What worked?<br />What stood out?<br />What was the big blockbuster?<br />What musical reduced its audience to tears?<br />What was the "after party" buzz and chatter? <br />What musical did audiences choose to see a second or third time?<br /><br />This year, things fell quickly into place.<br />Picking the very "best" musicals was pretty much - "one, two, three."<br /><br />Fun?<br />Yes.<br />An open mind?<br />Always.<br />Personal favorites?<br />It comes with the territory.<br />Rereading the reviews?<br />Naturally.<br />Playing fair?<br />Of course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But first, a few simple rules.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjwbE_1C4sFXEAfoLhZD2z3eYah59BDxIvbNg4dHMr63W_BHSbTozpoJ9e37TqOB6jUOIG6I-XVHPPhh8odQ0OJtC_0ej8C5yqGXR7Aco6PEo-Le2ZvGKVkZP046DdBwA-a0q80AhlV8_LHkApeWHDhLBztcYxQWp45mHMqSIWvvyBb7uNFNtAGx8Bfk/s5459/rentwb79.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3639" data-original-width="5459" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjwbE_1C4sFXEAfoLhZD2z3eYah59BDxIvbNg4dHMr63W_BHSbTozpoJ9e37TqOB6jUOIG6I-XVHPPhh8odQ0OJtC_0ej8C5yqGXR7Aco6PEo-Le2ZvGKVkZP046DdBwA-a0q80AhlV8_LHkApeWHDhLBztcYxQWp45mHMqSIWvvyBb7uNFNtAGx8Bfk/w400-h266/rentwb79.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNc8JOv7KPMB5hP2camTNBeR3Zy5cKyFGBdXTO1syAedXS5f01_M3bfUbEvqr_842880oAVYTUc6Eye00RKYqIHcp8qIFbAXOMLwpBVSYFJlfP99v3VzTPnFDNbWuLPb1kBW2JbCPnje2-E27ftw7XTmVbdQbUkPKOXeD3oR7Pz7IGqUqiN5pJ1QwQcyg/s2048/guysanddolls311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="2048" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNc8JOv7KPMB5hP2camTNBeR3Zy5cKyFGBdXTO1syAedXS5f01_M3bfUbEvqr_842880oAVYTUc6Eye00RKYqIHcp8qIFbAXOMLwpBVSYFJlfP99v3VzTPnFDNbWuLPb1kBW2JbCPnje2-E27ftw7XTmVbdQbUkPKOXeD3oR7Pz7IGqUqiN5pJ1QwQcyg/w320-h241/guysanddolls311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Only "press invited shows" (i.e., invites from Non-Equity theaters or marketing departments within the actual venue) are eligible for "Best Musical " consideration. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To place on the annual "best" list, all productions must be completely consistent in terms of excellence, execution, performance, direction, design, casting and showmanship.<br />No exceptions. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note: Normally, there's a tie for first place between two productions.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">This year: There are four.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Urinetown: The Musical, "Spring Awakening," "Rent" and a second production of "Spring Awakening" have each received first honors in this year's round up of eligible "Best Musical" productions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My choices are as follows:<br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Best Musicals of 2023 - Non-Equity</b> </span></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y3Z8aogbthvOacewvGNaTuZzh2SY6mu2PIekJ4U3yCQmr34y75eYqiusBDLWowzIh8W9Eol5lPu9nVcbqzTMr9OTp0dgwEWYfnQTssBqbcXOsSpSkRB2KCnueyq33QHjxmmBu_Zmjl7eRbLOlSTldu-perRkqQIoaV1ALU6k8ToqlfjzrlthnxdMh4c/s514/urinetown54.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="514" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y3Z8aogbthvOacewvGNaTuZzh2SY6mu2PIekJ4U3yCQmr34y75eYqiusBDLWowzIh8W9Eol5lPu9nVcbqzTMr9OTp0dgwEWYfnQTssBqbcXOsSpSkRB2KCnueyq33QHjxmmBu_Zmjl7eRbLOlSTldu-perRkqQIoaV1ALU6k8ToqlfjzrlthnxdMh4c/w400-h400/urinetown54.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Urinetown: The Musical"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: David Anctil</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0h97uzU1Uu4AfAOMCEBp94h3M8chD1_zIhhYMOtGxWrdFjf50qWbcjf4iBxGW0p7_3khYaehzgrKGzmYM8UWRoa2RJ8pMhKjYJvlwYb1j26molwxswJr_YMKZAR_ju5VejVMoIg4lY6bCmgk_gSiqdM7aHjMeaPWhqJTigaYKcZp7uoJl9TDKW8w6DI/s2048/springawakening103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0h97uzU1Uu4AfAOMCEBp94h3M8chD1_zIhhYMOtGxWrdFjf50qWbcjf4iBxGW0p7_3khYaehzgrKGzmYM8UWRoa2RJ8pMhKjYJvlwYb1j26molwxswJr_YMKZAR_ju5VejVMoIg4lY6bCmgk_gSiqdM7aHjMeaPWhqJTigaYKcZp7uoJl9TDKW8w6DI/w400-h286/springawakening103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Spring Awakening"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Beth Bonnabeau</b></div></b></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxcOPm3m1A9fKBBBHIVgEwgeY_a6m7jrab2ET9-B7BINAgx_LphqInzk-bYFa-BVvjpRH_a5BzfuAj2dDWv_MA-RKD4ylYXxUzD7afTWAO4dwLemxaBkbXX7TxjFFXY9K7cUSDu0Tz7xi7Iu_nBAbo8TMxgDagBjIhNgPIYiosTDb9dRYhcG892GhwYM/s2048/rentwr43.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxcOPm3m1A9fKBBBHIVgEwgeY_a6m7jrab2ET9-B7BINAgx_LphqInzk-bYFa-BVvjpRH_a5BzfuAj2dDWv_MA-RKD4ylYXxUzD7afTWAO4dwLemxaBkbXX7TxjFFXY9K7cUSDu0Tz7xi7Iu_nBAbo8TMxgDagBjIhNgPIYiosTDb9dRYhcG892GhwYM/w400-h266/rentwr43.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Rent"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(White Rabbit Theatre)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>directors: Adam Tortorello and Lena Felix</b></div></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6Q_FcYL7JHuBJ4lKJ2HSOMp4tCnlA54OXJfEf9AkntV8HHv0frbZ4iV8DtM75ZxUCwhvE_vKiocpsPs6ezrsKaPwJp8qHHTvvOC02W6GWhd96qe9vJgfYQNJB1vRRXtJ2XB1bRJt7NVzQoPPC9SyeawXprTxGYS8dp0v59KNSn7iurd6Iy1kHUxvIbY/s2048/springawakening54.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6Q_FcYL7JHuBJ4lKJ2HSOMp4tCnlA54OXJfEf9AkntV8HHv0frbZ4iV8DtM75ZxUCwhvE_vKiocpsPs6ezrsKaPwJp8qHHTvvOC02W6GWhd96qe9vJgfYQNJB1vRRXtJ2XB1bRJt7NVzQoPPC9SyeawXprTxGYS8dp0v59KNSn7iurd6Iy1kHUxvIbY/w400-h266/springawakening54.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Spring Awakening"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Connecticut Theatre Company)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>directors: Erin Campbell and Becky McLean</b></div></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OozjI52iUDD8__2xPS74MfuD9eTyIOct-_J2MG6Rfp7FN634CrZR_X5L2dESxcOcI6FechMGO7YahFFgt8z88t3uklErJqsbunXA6q_tJy9GYIhw6EEx9oV14mljggqjuk9tvmRXERHlh09aQRJcIgu08_IDDGL8r6-WbZMk_bjCJHqIIvovAnhxyXw/s1600/intothewoodscastlecraig70.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OozjI52iUDD8__2xPS74MfuD9eTyIOct-_J2MG6Rfp7FN634CrZR_X5L2dESxcOcI6FechMGO7YahFFgt8z88t3uklErJqsbunXA6q_tJy9GYIhw6EEx9oV14mljggqjuk9tvmRXERHlh09aQRJcIgu08_IDDGL8r6-WbZMk_bjCJHqIIvovAnhxyXw/w400-h320/intothewoodscastlecraig70.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Into the Woods"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Castle Craig Players)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Ian Galligan</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQO6_WsktFORRyZB0NRSvJFBdMV5KIM5xkmRAKQeX83JXqslom0SGJlivGPIRvgdhqYa1MWosTvy7EI6Er4nPQsBcpROpNJxng2ZwzH7xLiNEFqPiGgWwlFnBGgbNBKFUo6Sp7Ei48N-1cyjSDT99j5VANNwW8lM8LcJPcbZyqS3QhIo8qByiBsgs6qs/s1250/guysanddolls21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQO6_WsktFORRyZB0NRSvJFBdMV5KIM5xkmRAKQeX83JXqslom0SGJlivGPIRvgdhqYa1MWosTvy7EI6Er4nPQsBcpROpNJxng2ZwzH7xLiNEFqPiGgWwlFnBGgbNBKFUo6Sp7Ei48N-1cyjSDT99j5VANNwW8lM8LcJPcbZyqS3QhIo8qByiBsgs6qs/w400-h200/guysanddolls21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Guys and Dolls"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Fairfield Center Stage)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Brian Crook</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1e24y1nCOTxlsYIryDbSRgtNOJX0mOoSsOiF5NdwlLEC5uqrGDUiqUuRNbreXSMJHdEU9apaI-C-hGazdSCwR1YT2eFTDOKDfQXD8BJNraGHTt4bin4bkItFNMvBr3V_QfiHL0QXDHm_ZIBPq1BKZaVdjmPNFs3oWtULNTGlHUNzCV-pV5B3lS6SsyA/s2048/elf12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1e24y1nCOTxlsYIryDbSRgtNOJX0mOoSsOiF5NdwlLEC5uqrGDUiqUuRNbreXSMJHdEU9apaI-C-hGazdSCwR1YT2eFTDOKDfQXD8BJNraGHTt4bin4bkItFNMvBr3V_QfiHL0QXDHm_ZIBPq1BKZaVdjmPNFs3oWtULNTGlHUNzCV-pV5B3lS6SsyA/w400-h258/elf12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Elf"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Fairfield Center Stage)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Marcelle Morrisey</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeFr0qYt_J_QqFHCeHhR7jA1-pJwS16AYvKyJbpjmNrW1Mrpjn00K8EtTUUEqroH5_oRvw4V2UBlnyBa5sAKDjz1c9T97TMZtZ29P2WayYa97ccXQlN_C3pBAr8UvV5xazV9V2xzQC0W2g4hK6V0j6zL8LAhgodUqndlKE-QDETtofPGPnvXC4w2YR7M/s2048/zannadont9076.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeFr0qYt_J_QqFHCeHhR7jA1-pJwS16AYvKyJbpjmNrW1Mrpjn00K8EtTUUEqroH5_oRvw4V2UBlnyBa5sAKDjz1c9T97TMZtZ29P2WayYa97ccXQlN_C3pBAr8UvV5xazV9V2xzQC0W2g4hK6V0j6zL8LAhgodUqndlKE-QDETtofPGPnvXC4w2YR7M/w400-h266/zannadont9076.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Zanna Don't!"</b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">(Connecticut Theatre Company)</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Duane Campbell</b></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZouqGK1WaNIrsJ5yKjVm6SR-3t3RBbLRUff6dOTmEQcGbX-Wx80c1e9tQQBiKFnIOANNDfLDPLLQ6zl8Ckdrfp-8Qddn8ItD7zBq9Wfie46aAckBxX6NEiNoB51KPzNugkU87a9vbk-iXG3T9e1FdLH896NLN7gjWIPDZXJRs1NgWcJK-5TeUKd3FrI/s2048/headoverheels98.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZouqGK1WaNIrsJ5yKjVm6SR-3t3RBbLRUff6dOTmEQcGbX-Wx80c1e9tQQBiKFnIOANNDfLDPLLQ6zl8Ckdrfp-8Qddn8ItD7zBq9Wfie46aAckBxX6NEiNoB51KPzNugkU87a9vbk-iXG3T9e1FdLH896NLN7gjWIPDZXJRs1NgWcJK-5TeUKd3FrI/w400-h266/headoverheels98.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Head Over Heels"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Connecticut Theatre Company)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">directors: Duane Campbell and Emma Gulick</span></b></div></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgparbr15R8s8u2DHERFICWCUJYbxdUM94HWhjA2-VyxdJSTLtritRfj3_8CWL8eoJYemWMiUQL880VML7e3yPd3wIc-WUJoqAXjDCXJU5h0UYxZZvH3galnJ2wyHFS1tEutj1i2OCvzKPEg0WoFOvWjtHuEBIImOJOGaTWHQNtU5jSChC1_Wx-4bzGs/s1440/soundofmusic56.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1440" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgparbr15R8s8u2DHERFICWCUJYbxdUM94HWhjA2-VyxdJSTLtritRfj3_8CWL8eoJYemWMiUQL880VML7e3yPd3wIc-WUJoqAXjDCXJU5h0UYxZZvH3galnJ2wyHFS1tEutj1i2OCvzKPEg0WoFOvWjtHuEBIImOJOGaTWHQNtU5jSChC1_Wx-4bzGs/w400-h303/soundofmusic56.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Sound of Music"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Black Rock Theatre)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Connor Deane</span></b></div></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6deHkPZDH8Ko29_T6PXWans1bVL9sSVMESKTCVArj84pHIprCSU7LFrAKxO8hNPHTlYOg0_ix3W10eaRGhaCS8fEjrdQmekVw9EJurzCW1JVEh80k0Aac-2LE_dzy_pchuct0diJEbSItB1gh-_G5DzO6eG_9-ZE9Zmqofl-pYJq5BXhDLNmHqtUzRNQ/s5472/themusicmansa43.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6deHkPZDH8Ko29_T6PXWans1bVL9sSVMESKTCVArj84pHIprCSU7LFrAKxO8hNPHTlYOg0_ix3W10eaRGhaCS8fEjrdQmekVw9EJurzCW1JVEh80k0Aac-2LE_dzy_pchuct0diJEbSItB1gh-_G5DzO6eG_9-ZE9Zmqofl-pYJq5BXhDLNmHqtUzRNQ/w400-h266/themusicmansa43.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Music Man"</span></b></div></span><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Seven Angels Theater)</span></b></div></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>director: Jimmy Donahue</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67eWHAS1IWLxlquJjnlrrm6ncqtrs0XOyEmaSYylP7K9ywqzbb24gra-_-d6c6HL7uWafgMIB7ZAU1LwuNyiUYrekkODMMMrLfL7ZgZ6hzTPDGK6YEHQU9mtA8pP3GisBh7OefP904a0gW5tRHzB_2jQr7WQ5z2DHolb8dK2apR_X22MS_eafvUvawcg/s2048/sweetcharity70.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67eWHAS1IWLxlquJjnlrrm6ncqtrs0XOyEmaSYylP7K9ywqzbb24gra-_-d6c6HL7uWafgMIB7ZAU1LwuNyiUYrekkODMMMrLfL7ZgZ6hzTPDGK6YEHQU9mtA8pP3GisBh7OefP904a0gW5tRHzB_2jQr7WQ5z2DHolb8dK2apR_X22MS_eafvUvawcg/w400-h266/sweetcharity70.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Sweet Charity"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Kingswood Oxford)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Kyle Reynolds</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgXq1HGw6yPzkSn38KgYOc8tXtVBeIgQl54cXrewW-m3O99MmVOpwtwvLd1_nlpQVOQNTF1NpjmqKRzPdupz3tdFZoWrvl55f8vI2p1V55N5p43y5KmeBhBgkixRflfgc5cpmAUGNxm6uwIGCu8y6yTMlTesAUBZidahTS_O4tF3cM-ckqTztiPsRxl4/s2047/pantooftheopera55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2047" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgXq1HGw6yPzkSn38KgYOc8tXtVBeIgQl54cXrewW-m3O99MmVOpwtwvLd1_nlpQVOQNTF1NpjmqKRzPdupz3tdFZoWrvl55f8vI2p1V55N5p43y5KmeBhBgkixRflfgc5cpmAUGNxm6uwIGCu8y6yTMlTesAUBZidahTS_O4tF3cM-ckqTztiPsRxl4/w400-h265/pantooftheopera55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Panto of the Opera"</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Pantochino Productions)</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Bert Bernardi</span></b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFYrWQaHVRVRr2-ypqYlXs6GdjOagMW6bZ7bysN-Na0GagTJmo_Ls2lTJ1zHgGpzYnKfJ3R_q9qlYIKVIIEh_09cM7d74v2nUiN0Kstz_bY5d83GEefU0E6tydwm_4mg2xKeT2nSjzsG7JFhwLVW6LlTK0W5T9WIuv-vrJH6XeipqsfdCej7wpp65kyo/s2048/titleofshow31.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="2048" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFYrWQaHVRVRr2-ypqYlXs6GdjOagMW6bZ7bysN-Na0GagTJmo_Ls2lTJ1zHgGpzYnKfJ3R_q9qlYIKVIIEh_09cM7d74v2nUiN0Kstz_bY5d83GEefU0E6tydwm_4mg2xKeT2nSjzsG7JFhwLVW6LlTK0W5T9WIuv-vrJH6XeipqsfdCej7wpp65kyo/w400-h283/titleofshow31.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"{title of show}"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(The Arts at Angeloria's)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Lori Katherine Holm</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxU8FWxhvXbPZBZWkcaMsynnEg9J_Hq7ceFIDJV2TecO0BFs3VeNmbZ_pfEi9Km4SynvXbLm5nhHis-Jet1QxpN36Iy4tcZ3mIzB8TJzNlKXSnKSn6NKyirIw-vrkMvvd8hxscrVRIQGHDY3htN2fXGwxqa4VncBm0fozglz5wDJb7XgCNJ68Rg287J8/s640/MARVELOUS444.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxU8FWxhvXbPZBZWkcaMsynnEg9J_Hq7ceFIDJV2TecO0BFs3VeNmbZ_pfEi9Km4SynvXbLm5nhHis-Jet1QxpN36Iy4tcZ3mIzB8TJzNlKXSnKSn6NKyirIw-vrkMvvd8hxscrVRIQGHDY3htN2fXGwxqa4VncBm0fozglz5wDJb7XgCNJ68Rg287J8/w400-h320/MARVELOUS444.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"</span><b style="font-family: arial;">The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Castle Craig Players)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Ian Galligan</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgth-Jgj1MJOqEkDuFLph-g2o8L5EztGNGgA1TsL5cdEwTc0sfSIx9x1018iCYxbj9sZPt6O30g1pqml7CKYK27pKaEJMW50Xtf18y_NGD7-s1nPQ4139wrGDf9bnMXdJnfiygGk1q5hkXK6Zu2YRHzSEhBQPh3eBWk4ANvhV4bmWDaf1oblhiMmvrsW3s/s1440/iloveyouyoureperfect78.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgth-Jgj1MJOqEkDuFLph-g2o8L5EztGNGgA1TsL5cdEwTc0sfSIx9x1018iCYxbj9sZPt6O30g1pqml7CKYK27pKaEJMW50Xtf18y_NGD7-s1nPQ4139wrGDf9bnMXdJnfiygGk1q5hkXK6Zu2YRHzSEhBQPh3eBWk4ANvhV4bmWDaf1oblhiMmvrsW3s/w400-h266/iloveyouyoureperfect78.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Sacred Heart University)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Justin Zenchuk</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTnHE2jSt5Z1WLeSc7qObrYzSH4BNGP7u08oriJK6ypLpe8QfNKHReLeIvWDIUMTWkhHg_RIVf173IdCZSLyqcX6e_RMUsQRlra8ViSBg-7j7eVlfZn22dWPjWZN6RQwqEDo1b-HslH9xZhi02Ulr1dsAkEjnIHL7idXS8bSOkK2Lm8dFR0UwIDIbhPw/s2048/jackandthebeanstalk5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTnHE2jSt5Z1WLeSc7qObrYzSH4BNGP7u08oriJK6ypLpe8QfNKHReLeIvWDIUMTWkhHg_RIVf173IdCZSLyqcX6e_RMUsQRlra8ViSBg-7j7eVlfZn22dWPjWZN6RQwqEDo1b-HslH9xZhi02Ulr1dsAkEjnIHL7idXS8bSOkK2Lm8dFR0UwIDIbhPw/w400-h266/jackandthebeanstalk5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Jack and the Beanstalk"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Downtown Cabaret Theatre)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Ashley Depascale</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br /></p></div></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-73296631679604058092024-01-03T09:42:00.000-08:002024-01-03T09:42:23.830-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 444, "The Best Plays of 2023 - Equity"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81VhjRrqqGYkpMCw-8JPOQ3lYrhyOn9WKNXPoNsBNCEEzWcgYQQJtVc5aLdgvUHjDPs8d-wycunwDK0wI6DdwOEzJEioXr-qYtVCctvQbNldmmfYN6NQuYNO8sXhuaeVU6zdTm39Xdk3RH64sxd1zUGLuXAF3FlOzAiret7Qyc3CCVUwrOQt-L8yAU_8/s2048/indecent39.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="2048" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81VhjRrqqGYkpMCw-8JPOQ3lYrhyOn9WKNXPoNsBNCEEzWcgYQQJtVc5aLdgvUHjDPs8d-wycunwDK0wI6DdwOEzJEioXr-qYtVCctvQbNldmmfYN6NQuYNO8sXhuaeVU6zdTm39Xdk3RH64sxd1zUGLuXAF3FlOzAiret7Qyc3CCVUwrOQt-L8yAU_8/w400-h236/indecent39.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitozFR__LklbdF3HRyo4K-0xdyG9V8-FaSYG11a3Jmls8oCyq-Hrjq27guPuHb52VeN_ZUocUXNl4g-S6Zat6FKdQUe0EOP3GKlzei2vp-FB-B-r6FbOXjuZlM19EySXElmmP7w7JNhLvNFlr44YAGzef0K2XXty5BqmylLXS9eH7JUdF03hZkszaN89A/s1398/ourtown1212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1398" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitozFR__LklbdF3HRyo4K-0xdyG9V8-FaSYG11a3Jmls8oCyq-Hrjq27guPuHb52VeN_ZUocUXNl4g-S6Zat6FKdQUe0EOP3GKlzei2vp-FB-B-r6FbOXjuZlM19EySXElmmP7w7JNhLvNFlr44YAGzef0K2XXty5BqmylLXS9eH7JUdF03hZkszaN89A/s320/ourtown1212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">By James V. Ruocco </b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Equity theatre in 2023.<br />There was much going on.<br /><br />Fresh takes.<br />Seasoned classics.<br />New works.<br />Engaging comedies.<br />Intimate dramas.<br />Mesmeric revivals.<br />Skilled ensembles.<br />Surprise turns.<br />Amplified immersion.<br />Lean, mean productions.<br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The play. The actor. The actress. The director. The script. The interpretation.<br /><br />LIVE theatre from an Equity perspective was in top form throughout Connecticut.<br /><br />Playhouse on Park.<br />Sharon Playhouse.<br />TheaterWorks/Hartford.<br />Yale Repertory Theatre.<br />Hartford Stage.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SOduCGJgvRlO_JEFIVgzwn9k9hJlyCcBN-iieALoZEofYB0OpdDOS-JhlCFLW8s6oVPoirTj-G3-nx170zSjnePQV-T8GwdLo_uZdsmCStIavnJ23rcOPTohYpVttZRipZtMTkRyZMJ_6ZjLE4WxrsehdhzpjIJb6JtRvgmAbsriygWwhyphenhyphenDSCIym9_8/s2048/pride12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="2048" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SOduCGJgvRlO_JEFIVgzwn9k9hJlyCcBN-iieALoZEofYB0OpdDOS-JhlCFLW8s6oVPoirTj-G3-nx170zSjnePQV-T8GwdLo_uZdsmCStIavnJ23rcOPTohYpVttZRipZtMTkRyZMJ_6ZjLE4WxrsehdhzpjIJb6JtRvgmAbsriygWwhyphenhyphenDSCIym9_8/w400-h249/pride12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Paula Vogel. Thornton Wilder. Jane Austen. William Shakespeare. Lynn Nottage. Alice Childress. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Opening night was a hit.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Great orchestra seats were plentiful.<br />Ticket sales skyrocketed.<br />The reviews came out.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Critics sung their praises.<br />Several productions were sold out.<br />There were surprises pretty much everywhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What worked?<br />What stood out?<br />What was the big blockbuster?<br />What drama reduced its audience to tears?<br />What comedy prompted laughter all night long?<br />What was the "after party" buzz and chatter?<br />What play did audiences choose to see a second or third time?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho48_q85I1BfPwPfFN6ThKRDYPZS88V9nL3JIBAmTEvE2mwigLwSJTY03JVzYaKMa89if0U4qwp4fc0snfoJtp2wFu3bEteWhfO3IxbNpq0DRVzuEisMQJ_GhnzETnYh1Nym6miDJPl_NfpLtpbhS54KXD4_xtjqyub8ZAKj2_YWUvW0DLqqLiYaFFXLs/s6000/winterstale44.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho48_q85I1BfPwPfFN6ThKRDYPZS88V9nL3JIBAmTEvE2mwigLwSJTY03JVzYaKMa89if0U4qwp4fc0snfoJtp2wFu3bEteWhfO3IxbNpq0DRVzuEisMQJ_GhnzETnYh1Nym6miDJPl_NfpLtpbhS54KXD4_xtjqyub8ZAKj2_YWUvW0DLqqLiYaFFXLs/w400-h266/winterstale44.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />This year, things quickly fell into place.<br />Picking the very "best" plays of the 2023 season was pretty much - "one, two, three."</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fun?<br />Yes.<br />An Open Mind?<br />Always.<br />Personal favorites?<br />It comes with the territory.<br />Rereading the reviews?<br />Naturally.<br />Playing fair?<br />Of course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But first, a few simple rules.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSbAezpWRkGfuiyVfdOaKQAKUgd2V3JpN2lnmrHUSiwYuHtl7JeK2r-bvLTMNdZaTfVNBb8OX832xlDyxn8yS2Xm4hMxrsSDIFNOTynIRzpQ5XEGAJXS6Hqu6bt2vBz6QFa_5lUU0aerl8RjEzF6xDX20gzknQiSTSzDKt26FRWUSvWVDm6YaCUT2vRc/s1800/troubleiunmind23.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSbAezpWRkGfuiyVfdOaKQAKUgd2V3JpN2lnmrHUSiwYuHtl7JeK2r-bvLTMNdZaTfVNBb8OX832xlDyxn8yS2Xm4hMxrsSDIFNOTynIRzpQ5XEGAJXS6Hqu6bt2vBz6QFa_5lUU0aerl8RjEzF6xDX20gzknQiSTSzDKt26FRWUSvWVDm6YaCUT2vRc/w400-h266/troubleiunmind23.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Only "press invited shows" (i.e., invites from Equity-based theaters or marketing departments within the actual venue) are eligible for "Best Play" consideration. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To place on the annual "best" list, all productions must be completely consistent in terms of excellence, execution, performance, direction, design, casting and showmanship.<br />No exceptions. </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note: Normally, there's a tie for first place between two productions.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">This year: There are four.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Indecent." "Our Town" "Clyde's" and "George & Gracie: The Final Bow" have each received first honors in this year's round up of eligible "Best Play" productions.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My choices are as follows:</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Best Plays of 2023 - Equity</b></span></div><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5z0-nebPfuB7tGpBfeH5NINsEc7rE8UZBGurSrzdMTSzb_kub5Uku2cSyW5Xx8Q-VizDQbv7DQeoclD67We6SRMTxIn1WyQYCRkCT0-DnwM5WvfMJoGK85MtHoFKFRmwgDL_YEdh-k_NV1CbrgJvD_otHEIyPDREu5xMqoj-1y2pkRIwI3z8rdTyG6Tk/s2048/indecent6000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5z0-nebPfuB7tGpBfeH5NINsEc7rE8UZBGurSrzdMTSzb_kub5Uku2cSyW5Xx8Q-VizDQbv7DQeoclD67We6SRMTxIn1WyQYCRkCT0-DnwM5WvfMJoGK85MtHoFKFRmwgDL_YEdh-k_NV1CbrgJvD_otHEIyPDREu5xMqoj-1y2pkRIwI3z8rdTyG6Tk/w400-h266/indecent6000.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Indecent"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Playhouse on Park)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Kelly O'Donnell</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGeOGQY4jwZQ_FQUd9tw0bJrYnMh00aelD0FSLho6626W9GHU6auo2noaNRa4x05Q0nRti4uhVIAgqWQZpJYhCbRzNO8rLmH86z-R0bYyNlcK3Y97nSqX2TjhsXpIg5LRMcgxkpBduyQ2GT-oz2wZ7ZZLNrwHNinRWXCNjrPGFrJaHHvyjHtJD6YGouU/s2048/ourtown433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGeOGQY4jwZQ_FQUd9tw0bJrYnMh00aelD0FSLho6626W9GHU6auo2noaNRa4x05Q0nRti4uhVIAgqWQZpJYhCbRzNO8rLmH86z-R0bYyNlcK3Y97nSqX2TjhsXpIg5LRMcgxkpBduyQ2GT-oz2wZ7ZZLNrwHNinRWXCNjrPGFrJaHHvyjHtJD6YGouU/w400-h266/ourtown433.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Our Town"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Sharon Playhouse)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Andrus Nicols</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ85-LiAp_5qb-NLZJo3gcJF54MFDnMO3C-ooOaE0cisTR8gJuUsyz43h1eYiXI42E__jb8OhYMaMtTLN9nZDt0W4O74MH1VGg5I7plSHKPCxmjcW1LmAlw1jQayae7TSfVIcoUVI3_85R4XYyu097hJXuATbGsIMAokOyq0Swk4lt3L5DXYZ8mj6kwhY/s1200/clydes123.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1200" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ85-LiAp_5qb-NLZJo3gcJF54MFDnMO3C-ooOaE0cisTR8gJuUsyz43h1eYiXI42E__jb8OhYMaMtTLN9nZDt0W4O74MH1VGg5I7plSHKPCxmjcW1LmAlw1jQayae7TSfVIcoUVI3_85R4XYyu097hJXuATbGsIMAokOyq0Swk4lt3L5DXYZ8mj6kwhY/w400-h285/clydes123.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Clyde's"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(TheaterWorks/Hartford)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Mikael Burke</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy6dZ4ZhTIlSQ7FWuZlONK7-HaiToTkM9M77ZWmeI6HKK42bvc2V2mCEJZ3HcEGp8CkcFmSUc259U5O0oVeHRiN-wjKqnMMzEEV9J6UVR2MF2hs3O4mkHKlBCs2ESiPFHh-RXtDtwtaF1riU9dqeXWWC3DDjoeEjhnSRVBfS-_5-hfOjHtZKKpX9Arus/s3001/georgeandGracie54.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="3001" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy6dZ4ZhTIlSQ7FWuZlONK7-HaiToTkM9M77ZWmeI6HKK42bvc2V2mCEJZ3HcEGp8CkcFmSUc259U5O0oVeHRiN-wjKqnMMzEEV9J6UVR2MF2hs3O4mkHKlBCs2ESiPFHh-RXtDtwtaF1riU9dqeXWWC3DDjoeEjhnSRVBfS-_5-hfOjHtZKKpX9Arus/w400-h305/georgeandGracie54.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"George & Gracie: The Final Bow"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Seven Angels Theatre)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Julia Kiley</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_QVMN_l8t51ltVizFJ-KPbVIzExqzteo1WNExCoT0P5y9ubCgtP00_hdzhHU7xYarKMlKRFUY-95rE2pMr9vsMkO_FOG96a9UWWv5CAw4HKJIyxMcR2LK09voF4BExITlooFNso_-VZ-EfJzimwvhsl_11C3ohMVFylNRMHEs-EfA5Z9WrGwf44_Ts8/s2048/pride600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_QVMN_l8t51ltVizFJ-KPbVIzExqzteo1WNExCoT0P5y9ubCgtP00_hdzhHU7xYarKMlKRFUY-95rE2pMr9vsMkO_FOG96a9UWWv5CAw4HKJIyxMcR2LK09voF4BExITlooFNso_-VZ-EfJzimwvhsl_11C3ohMVFylNRMHEs-EfA5Z9WrGwf44_Ts8/w400-h266/pride600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Pride and Prejudice"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Hartford Stage)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Tatyana-Marie Castro</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwL2hnuDVGUCREmPq2qxx_ZDQAiNDfEDT6dvFEc-wmik80vlaX_Zp7_kPIoAisiEzvHMO2ePSMCSG5YveT60eGPCOySkzvK-gtxvI-ZA8p-rDdA-VEzSyzssSoNWFfT0u17eujqaKAzuFSyDoz-uku9pGfk7Vtl2bFKHmwINce9KS1T9WJFLdd7hjkLU/s6000/winterstale35.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwL2hnuDVGUCREmPq2qxx_ZDQAiNDfEDT6dvFEc-wmik80vlaX_Zp7_kPIoAisiEzvHMO2ePSMCSG5YveT60eGPCOySkzvK-gtxvI-ZA8p-rDdA-VEzSyzssSoNWFfT0u17eujqaKAzuFSyDoz-uku9pGfk7Vtl2bFKHmwINce9KS1T9WJFLdd7hjkLU/w400-h266/winterstale35.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"The Winter's Tale"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Hartford Stage)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Melia Bensussen</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxPUt9NH63ppmNftjkd69L84L2ukIApZ0nXS67WumGWvvLoqNLADZAC-obxwCj2DwyEgpbYNegw3Be2-WPEcGhEyK912zQdlxGunvgR9FkqwV9uUBhCkJm1BmGgafeBBZ9XHStX3NbOiGnVEjGgZI7mXcwr8BhOyaJoQb8G0dvdyhjAiiIpedH6a2lAg/s1800/troubleinmind90.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxPUt9NH63ppmNftjkd69L84L2ukIApZ0nXS67WumGWvvLoqNLADZAC-obxwCj2DwyEgpbYNegw3Be2-WPEcGhEyK912zQdlxGunvgR9FkqwV9uUBhCkJm1BmGgafeBBZ9XHStX3NbOiGnVEjGgZI7mXcwr8BhOyaJoQb8G0dvdyhjAiiIpedH6a2lAg/w400-h270/troubleinmind90.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Trouble in Mind"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Hartford Stage)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Christoper D. Betts</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ql4r48UIJsNlIHQ93i3ItYAGOuhqPdkr71LIUsAYTUxDpQAtdl8myJCclHzEkMVWsQ-cuCKiOLCKEndUqTT_gag_016IrHIbkp30qGnhpudo5bFVfUTV-yS9EYier8NRo9Di-9MPR3qXDhfZ-eDnhYglATdB1NDO-qGEXnn6JZAiIJFH5JmiUa3PLC8/s2560/Mojada12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ql4r48UIJsNlIHQ93i3ItYAGOuhqPdkr71LIUsAYTUxDpQAtdl8myJCclHzEkMVWsQ-cuCKiOLCKEndUqTT_gag_016IrHIbkp30qGnhpudo5bFVfUTV-yS9EYier8NRo9Di-9MPR3qXDhfZ-eDnhYglATdB1NDO-qGEXnn6JZAiIJFH5JmiUa3PLC8/w400-h266/Mojada12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Mojada - A Medea in Los Angeles"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Yale Repertory Theatre)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Laurie Woolery</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEils9ALWlntJS4iO6HiAHIKLL3KlneuD23W54zPKqlCiayaUfCrUqpKaIFnwmfLz8joY3VtxisoT1wyu9VpmHdqv17tINGhoelRQa-qatZRa1zuvcp0xlicIkIcP6APcVm73YFPlaRu14ixrsuzxX2yEpnNLz9cSds9G654XIv4-t0WwBDZIKVBGVT3pqE/s1920/ongoldenpond33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="1920" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEils9ALWlntJS4iO6HiAHIKLL3KlneuD23W54zPKqlCiayaUfCrUqpKaIFnwmfLz8joY3VtxisoT1wyu9VpmHdqv17tINGhoelRQa-qatZRa1zuvcp0xlicIkIcP6APcVm73YFPlaRu14ixrsuzxX2yEpnNLz9cSds9G654XIv4-t0WwBDZIKVBGVT3pqE/w400-h286/ongoldenpond33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"On Golden Pond"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Ivoryton Playhouse)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Brian J. Feehan</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OlssuEbUidvzWQp7tojzNuXavwJqltJYKawhKakeip_pGP43-cFyiFPc-ZiZDaMCT4fZI_QMizB_H1OWhSYE-IjIWejQGC53cASVNHZcNYhXEfWO4kg__S-RtvuyJX6wa0eL0kJoMODQm3adQ3HpBLYH0POh-ijKXDFyll4AElaMAlIITqq1mdjbAO4/s2500/clybournepark883.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OlssuEbUidvzWQp7tojzNuXavwJqltJYKawhKakeip_pGP43-cFyiFPc-ZiZDaMCT4fZI_QMizB_H1OWhSYE-IjIWejQGC53cASVNHZcNYhXEfWO4kg__S-RtvuyJX6wa0eL0kJoMODQm3adQ3HpBLYH0POh-ijKXDFyll4AElaMAlIITqq1mdjbAO4/w400-h225/clybournepark883.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Clybourne Park"</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Music Theatre of Connecticut)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Pamela Hill</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wt1kYn9a7DVozoVeOMBf_-Dn_D2pwpgUcWWkmU_mz7Ml2k3evkr1QyhAsR4r3J6DwbIQYdDycSvmPCI538upKGqIUp6QNleFyiITu4Tp2IiOktz3_F9Yd7EDUx6Ro4DZfg-2lwihSVbfBapmePL-WjW8MN-WBHHGvISftwpz95B01Zr5TLQfj-2jGOM/s1170/sevencousins31.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1170" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wt1kYn9a7DVozoVeOMBf_-Dn_D2pwpgUcWWkmU_mz7Ml2k3evkr1QyhAsR4r3J6DwbIQYdDycSvmPCI538upKGqIUp6QNleFyiITu4Tp2IiOktz3_F9Yd7EDUx6Ro4DZfg-2lwihSVbfBapmePL-WjW8MN-WBHHGvISftwpz95B01Zr5TLQfj-2jGOM/w400-h266/sevencousins31.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Seven Cousins for a Horse"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Thrown Stone)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Jonathan Winn</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYhr9fJsNRhFwhh4cw7fHG6OxvCrhn10BNG1gAywtmjD84c9V4AAXoPw3WtLB2_LqwAVZ1pvpkuBVVG3IcibEUF8SMw-berC59cqbR-AaQjkIj3ZkKspNL_Mkq3B-Y1q-YIyfQ8Xi0x895GVqI1uS4RWJ7k8JfUyH8MwZsIr28egVmUvuJ7Ap1IcP-QA/s4096/artofborning500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYhr9fJsNRhFwhh4cw7fHG6OxvCrhn10BNG1gAywtmjD84c9V4AAXoPw3WtLB2_LqwAVZ1pvpkuBVVG3IcibEUF8SMw-berC59cqbR-AaQjkIj3ZkKspNL_Mkq3B-Y1q-YIyfQ8Xi0x895GVqI1uS4RWJ7k8JfUyH8MwZsIr28egVmUvuJ7Ap1IcP-QA/w400-h225/artofborning500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"The Art of Burning"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Hartford Stage)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Melia Bensussen</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjw5E6KsEZMrHLwLwCHekqt8MUfcJizmqsQ3Ow0f_pYZ-kFfxW5D_QDuc_6GsTD6s1qn7I5MT2xyF6-43foscT7ySZiohouDBaFxK2vC8cFuBnlXlRqo5ERsFFirRW12NkP5fP6rGfRuWm9HxBZyNEmU9qRkCz0p2qWsjiabt45ppJwG2OLa5-nWowzLw/s1080/cheesefries1212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjw5E6KsEZMrHLwLwCHekqt8MUfcJizmqsQ3Ow0f_pYZ-kFfxW5D_QDuc_6GsTD6s1qn7I5MT2xyF6-43foscT7ySZiohouDBaFxK2vC8cFuBnlXlRqo5ERsFFirRW12NkP5fP6rGfRuWm9HxBZyNEmU9qRkCz0p2qWsjiabt45ppJwG2OLa5-nWowzLw/w400-h266/cheesefries1212.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Cheese Fries & Chili Dips"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Seven Angels Theatre)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Mark S. Graham</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZntiVOfOIB6ajZNV1pu3cWXSZVqE8PKWrVhsFxW5_BSaGlXOryebDvT8HL8AN55UqoWPwh26PKm3luGmFj0vlttjhl5ZOF_cUuiec3cxzbGvlYaI0gqoXsNjumLqCcPdTMbr-7SuAg2ZIUPtnuttWkJFvRlbK4hgxjaNqQffFTT-125Qz26gd6NXX_No/s552/georgia44.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="552" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZntiVOfOIB6ajZNV1pu3cWXSZVqE8PKWrVhsFxW5_BSaGlXOryebDvT8HL8AN55UqoWPwh26PKm3luGmFj0vlttjhl5ZOF_cUuiec3cxzbGvlYaI0gqoXsNjumLqCcPdTMbr-7SuAg2ZIUPtnuttWkJFvRlbK4hgxjaNqQffFTT-125Qz26gd6NXX_No/w400-h363/georgia44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"The Legend of Georgia McBride"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Ivoryton Playhouse)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Todd L. Underwood</b></div></b><p></p></span><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeEv3mLYp6POLa4mQAe0lvFn7vUqOVyNPXhtAHQHNFLQRllfftV6ggHe5Lys6iiqMtI-XROLoIWHHeDYftfzIFFIYtpe4-cf5l-49N7I174z0vSjxGWvGdy_NcpKN6RBNep3By36k1VsxnNQxraxiwidMqy7q2LYNBOtrKGxXNiQyOAuNR70zKYSNz4I/s625/mastersofpuppets68.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeEv3mLYp6POLa4mQAe0lvFn7vUqOVyNPXhtAHQHNFLQRllfftV6ggHe5Lys6iiqMtI-XROLoIWHHeDYftfzIFFIYtpe4-cf5l-49N7I174z0vSjxGWvGdy_NcpKN6RBNep3By36k1VsxnNQxraxiwidMqy7q2LYNBOtrKGxXNiQyOAuNR70zKYSNz4I/w320-h400/mastersofpuppets68.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Masters of Puppets"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Legacy Theatre)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Gabe McKinley</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1c6kyLpQrvMwY6VQGXdoRIWVqN43q3jY_R7xGffA2dZx8hMiJu3g8YTqTh-JeVT7ItDwJJQfK5JwRbHgNyw4lyGo8DSl8TDt8pGO777Jx9wpKNPdXSuYqBNoQ1m3m_w45qEPWWSG57k3lO91uEkigXREScUx68j4e2BYGX8H6jkW9KWwIHBPkyte4UGc/s2500/Ihatehamlet69.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1c6kyLpQrvMwY6VQGXdoRIWVqN43q3jY_R7xGffA2dZx8hMiJu3g8YTqTh-JeVT7ItDwJJQfK5JwRbHgNyw4lyGo8DSl8TDt8pGO777Jx9wpKNPdXSuYqBNoQ1m3m_w45qEPWWSG57k3lO91uEkigXREScUx68j4e2BYGX8H6jkW9KWwIHBPkyte4UGc/w400-h225/Ihatehamlet69.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"I Hate Hamlet"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Music Theatre of Connecticut)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Kevin Connors</b></div></b></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_EvkhN5a4bX_9GgzH3YZlCDUhPN3B-Xt_kbH9H7CRvuPFBrdgr4d3SGndvhdnEaARMLf8R4qCdEbH11ZSwSk4IPN5J971uxqdvn17huWnlaNeGJO7XUH-gKKtoeq-p6wmbawCLYzECWoKGzyZP9TM37lENIUvhuvI-GiOThjQlXynCO7ullOJ6AcWOk/s2048/webstersbitch664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_EvkhN5a4bX_9GgzH3YZlCDUhPN3B-Xt_kbH9H7CRvuPFBrdgr4d3SGndvhdnEaARMLf8R4qCdEbH11ZSwSk4IPN5J971uxqdvn17huWnlaNeGJO7XUH-gKKtoeq-p6wmbawCLYzECWoKGzyZP9TM37lENIUvhuvI-GiOThjQlXynCO7ullOJ6AcWOk/w400-h266/webstersbitch664.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Webster's Bitch"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Playhouse on Park)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Vanessa Morosco</b></div></b><p></p></span><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-87180951737605710002024-01-02T11:05:00.000-08:002024-01-02T11:07:44.032-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 443, "The Best Musicals and Broadway Concerts of 2023 - Equity"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCHUtwWS4k0QwN497rrp1ub6xQcy0bWSqWNz4LL-naaa9aoCs2ZOo7tln7u5zK0LmcX3TUxEMEPJZH40yLEqJ5QfrewvMhLAB5HxaSHUSW6oKr1EXVxLLHVl51Sxy1AUFiJryvmNIb_VKikPBN32nGFrD2rWIw588Bv0HZuGCgs7b_vv4Bk3QTS7mOlA/s6048/secretgarden709.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4024" data-original-width="6048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCHUtwWS4k0QwN497rrp1ub6xQcy0bWSqWNz4LL-naaa9aoCs2ZOo7tln7u5zK0LmcX3TUxEMEPJZH40yLEqJ5QfrewvMhLAB5HxaSHUSW6oKr1EXVxLLHVl51Sxy1AUFiJryvmNIb_VKikPBN32nGFrD2rWIw588Bv0HZuGCgs7b_vv4Bk3QTS7mOlA/w400-h266/secretgarden709.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAcAPnxMT99Vu7d50sv9n9TTOrDSgm2TgMqxnoxsO6Xwimg3of_PVrBsgjqCm_TkbItOuw7wO4EzpXYWNKOP2KZe_X26Bo7yy-5YBqqTaMxeQPKoZdvnZMV4zw6lU0D0mhv20ZJfaYBuWsuHowRLb7ys538ikpZ19GnbBPfyIMDfqTnouCazI0Nw9teA/s675/sunsetactofct333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAcAPnxMT99Vu7d50sv9n9TTOrDSgm2TgMqxnoxsO6Xwimg3of_PVrBsgjqCm_TkbItOuw7wO4EzpXYWNKOP2KZe_X26Bo7yy-5YBqqTaMxeQPKoZdvnZMV4zw6lU0D0mhv20ZJfaYBuWsuHowRLb7ys538ikpZ19GnbBPfyIMDfqTnouCazI0Nw9teA/s320/sunsetactofct333.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fresh takes.<br />Major revivals.<br />Seasoned classics.<br />Soaring melodies.<br />Grand and glorious national tours.<br />Sell-out performances.<br />Tour de force experiences.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another year has come and gone, and with it, a year of bittersweet memories, triumphs, electricity and freshly scored home runs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Marsha Norman. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Harold Arlen. George Gershwin. Rodgers and Hammerstein. Stephen Sondheim. Fats Waller. Jule Styne. <br /><br />There's nothing quite like the thrill of musical theatre.<br /><br />Looking back, 2023 was a great year for </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Equity-based musical fare all across Connecticut.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J1WwVqRxe08jdy2YMVpW-GYZPgu8ZqWr_7QfJmfRZcAf-rFhX6ehbQ1RCz7XFMnCSO1WRpOaTBS4p0bS5eVe3cHd4I9kufOoCBYsRSxwsvVZK7JdkqY0HgX5ISyITVRlRUL2BlzJfti8FzQEQqQF-3mBOI65FZrlUx0hN_I-0bIz3xP0sttKtybVis0/s512/summerstock342.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J1WwVqRxe08jdy2YMVpW-GYZPgu8ZqWr_7QfJmfRZcAf-rFhX6ehbQ1RCz7XFMnCSO1WRpOaTBS4p0bS5eVe3cHd4I9kufOoCBYsRSxwsvVZK7JdkqY0HgX5ISyITVRlRUL2BlzJfti8FzQEQqQF-3mBOI65FZrlUx0hN_I-0bIz3xP0sttKtybVis0/w400-h400/summerstock342.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">LIVE or streamed, musicals of every size, shape and color were showcased day by day, week by week or month by month much to the delight of theatergoers, music buffs, showtune aficionados, rock fans and anyone in the mood for something sweet and nostalgic.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Opening night was a hit.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Great orchestra seats were plentiful.<br />Tickets sales skyrocketed.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The reviews came out.<br />Sold-out performances were commonplace.<br />Standing ovations were in full swing.<br />There was lots and lots to choose from.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What worked?<br />What stood out?<br />What was the big blockbuster?<br />What kept audiences coming back for more?<br />What was the "after party" buzz and chatter?<br />What musical or musicals prompted a return visit?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjao1OL-r6f5vFD1dBYX65Ap7ARu-rr63t2DdwfM6jbl2cx8oA8o1pDlP-NdjwQUULhzhGkACQErvjEgBGaB7v5ikKje4SnFnmJxSuZ0FTBeJ3ySFs3QvZ8_bsjFsOpasmPraD3c41D69f_Mf7MBpy6h1Fsz9iYPy8W4qCmLKYSs4xIroS0ufKFvC1MI/s4303/gypsy304.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2869" data-original-width="4303" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjao1OL-r6f5vFD1dBYX65Ap7ARu-rr63t2DdwfM6jbl2cx8oA8o1pDlP-NdjwQUULhzhGkACQErvjEgBGaB7v5ikKje4SnFnmJxSuZ0FTBeJ3ySFs3QvZ8_bsjFsOpasmPraD3c41D69f_Mf7MBpy6h1Fsz9iYPy8W4qCmLKYSs4xIroS0ufKFvC1MI/w400-h266/gypsy304.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This year, things quickly fell into place.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Picking the very "best" musicals and concerts of the 2023 season was pretty much - "one, two, three."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fun?<br />Yes.<br />An Open Mind?<br />Always.<br />Personal favorites?<br />It comes with the territory.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But first, a few simple rules.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Only "press invited shows" (i.e., invites from Equity-based theaters or marketing departments within the actual venue) are eligible for "Best Musical and Concert" consideration. <br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">To place on the annual "best" list, all productions must be completely consistent in terms of excellence, execution, performance, direction, design, casting and showmanship.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhPdLEIQ-am7PDhhpAfrS_2vs9ndm8PTnScxRc22e1USmLfgb2URj1q-rHsxp6I3cor_T-FvU15ZKP3t_DZQ0mUsQtoEyS-eGpsGu8AkneFC7TwbCDUUROEXhB5LawJtLDgUvuGeqqBns6Bgb5JAR1hU14LBOHF-ImJ9ucrKfMPDEUqL49LyxLtIHFjI/s6048/secretgarden701.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4024" data-original-width="6048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhPdLEIQ-am7PDhhpAfrS_2vs9ndm8PTnScxRc22e1USmLfgb2URj1q-rHsxp6I3cor_T-FvU15ZKP3t_DZQ0mUsQtoEyS-eGpsGu8AkneFC7TwbCDUUROEXhB5LawJtLDgUvuGeqqBns6Bgb5JAR1hU14LBOHF-ImJ9ucrKfMPDEUqL49LyxLtIHFjI/w400-h266/secretgarden701.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This year, for the very first time ever, all 2023 musicals staged at ACT of CT and Goodspeed Musicals have received a place on my annual "Best Musicals and Broadway Concerts of 2023 - Equity" with special credit going to Daniel C. Levine, Artistic Director of ACT of CT and Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director of Goodspeed Musicals.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another first: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">ACT of CT is the first and only venue ever to have all three of their 2023 productions receive first place honors - "The Secret Garden," "Sunset Boulevard" and "Rock of Ages." <br />"Summer Stock" from Goodspeed Musicals completes the quartet of first place winners.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My choices are as follows.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Best Musicals and Broadway Concerts of 2023 - Equity</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7tlYyvTOwXDfF4CFfWxzq8TBr_1rqkoims79X2Zn-SIuvjzh6wOoTJiH5TSBRjB_lw6Yz0j9IjChbpCnZ5aKF2o2s0X5D6PfS7CNiTBUIb0PtI4lXocCqJniiDqiLLoeAurDHyp4Zv-3BCy2dYHA5mk2jsC6Y2ynTma0zq0A6w20Uq-6SomjyNqnlWU/s2048/secretgarden654.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7tlYyvTOwXDfF4CFfWxzq8TBr_1rqkoims79X2Zn-SIuvjzh6wOoTJiH5TSBRjB_lw6Yz0j9IjChbpCnZ5aKF2o2s0X5D6PfS7CNiTBUIb0PtI4lXocCqJniiDqiLLoeAurDHyp4Zv-3BCy2dYHA5mk2jsC6Y2ynTma0zq0A6w20Uq-6SomjyNqnlWU/w400-h266/secretgarden654.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Secret Garden"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(ACT of CT)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Daniel C. Levine</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJ4VTXpZOJLdl2yZ2U6B_MUxmk5NJ1mgHuQhCoLrYM1QmtwVNTgU8AxfsG_6KRg3ZUieLhgrVfea0AvU8_u9quP-wOph2dG5WVGR3U_ryHysyEbIjNSB6ppe2GVpIqR7vuWD98lLIHgJKZ1NoPhigjY1JkSnd891qvFEDw6uXSH-uhIkHtzz4JELgjEI/s1363/sunsetact%20ofct332.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1363" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJ4VTXpZOJLdl2yZ2U6B_MUxmk5NJ1mgHuQhCoLrYM1QmtwVNTgU8AxfsG_6KRg3ZUieLhgrVfea0AvU8_u9quP-wOph2dG5WVGR3U_ryHysyEbIjNSB6ppe2GVpIqR7vuWD98lLIHgJKZ1NoPhigjY1JkSnd891qvFEDw6uXSH-uhIkHtzz4JELgjEI/w400-h400/sunsetact%20ofct332.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Sunset Boulevard"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(ACT of CT)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Daniel C. Levine</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93PSN6r_pX8n1-doEivcJGr6j2P3mpbr9HRZUSej4xhEySK6wvkg3NddKF3R0HQPqq_zgb97khWfy-scZ2CQBx2Il12_5gl0huMs5wrGlg3R1ngJze2RV3J-9IvnJFvcLj2OWHAVw5RTtx8C0ZKYUWKT9n1KYqz2QY9e5my36uh_2fWGfAsmLD713e_Y/s1024/summerstock454.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93PSN6r_pX8n1-doEivcJGr6j2P3mpbr9HRZUSej4xhEySK6wvkg3NddKF3R0HQPqq_zgb97khWfy-scZ2CQBx2Il12_5gl0huMs5wrGlg3R1ngJze2RV3J-9IvnJFvcLj2OWHAVw5RTtx8C0ZKYUWKT9n1KYqz2QY9e5my36uh_2fWGfAsmLD713e_Y/w400-h266/summerstock454.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Summer Stock"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Goodspeed Musicals)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Donna Feore</b></div></b><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78wf2ATyLZykkspjIILOxFn7TJpI-Y569j1OHJEXqO_LAimCAOuI5INL0MlbPXRQcxum4x9C0mGLtYFdXv6-NUf0SUxo2Lus7wuSQz7xJtiWagHRYX1D1Zmeccd1mkh6P5E-t95tdjwXP22TJti6uPSiTRdcMp7_MrJpnifOawjy69HLJkSylaoLN5no/s2048/rockofages90.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78wf2ATyLZykkspjIILOxFn7TJpI-Y569j1OHJEXqO_LAimCAOuI5INL0MlbPXRQcxum4x9C0mGLtYFdXv6-NUf0SUxo2Lus7wuSQz7xJtiWagHRYX1D1Zmeccd1mkh6P5E-t95tdjwXP22TJti6uPSiTRdcMp7_MrJpnifOawjy69HLJkSylaoLN5no/w400-h266/rockofages90.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Rock of Ages"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(ACT of CT)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Igor Goldin</b></div></b><p></p></span><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaQQeUkPRspUcxQpCoSNJcdDJdGqBn9Ki-nKQhBG0eMBE-l4PEYtmwekYD9kJrOoumVpX5OAuOfNuL6J01ZyDmLHudOOzCNqe2D2nTFKKPrFzCOklIcJqxvcBefudslT5Blc0UGWNfyGmFq0THdJvGqSJVsxWuprPUGOZ5s7JS4ZDQLHq6TFPR60x5P8/s2048/six98.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaQQeUkPRspUcxQpCoSNJcdDJdGqBn9Ki-nKQhBG0eMBE-l4PEYtmwekYD9kJrOoumVpX5OAuOfNuL6J01ZyDmLHudOOzCNqe2D2nTFKKPrFzCOklIcJqxvcBefudslT5Blc0UGWNfyGmFq0THdJvGqSJVsxWuprPUGOZ5s7JS4ZDQLHq6TFPR60x5P8/w400-h300/six98.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Six: The Musical</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(The Bushnell)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">directors: Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage</span></b></div></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOz503DX-0JpA4p3VirDa_zSGTtGQVoVvz-JXgSdXeCbs6iz8SwNXboH7jAjJfU7CLG_eccS1SoUAazQcQLOQuvYJPlwzKP0aKdwUy0vH5V2ZFotNnpr4H_qtiTuD83UF1HAz0Z5tNd-K7lyfyJfeSoHMWtOlykQnvy__BpuzTGdn6-cPkVM7LWGA5QR8/s3680/gypsy307.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2454" data-original-width="3680" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOz503DX-0JpA4p3VirDa_zSGTtGQVoVvz-JXgSdXeCbs6iz8SwNXboH7jAjJfU7CLG_eccS1SoUAazQcQLOQuvYJPlwzKP0aKdwUy0vH5V2ZFotNnpr4H_qtiTuD83UF1HAz0Z5tNd-K7lyfyJfeSoHMWtOlykQnvy__BpuzTGdn6-cPkVM7LWGA5QR8/w400-h266/gypsy307.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Gypsy"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Goodspeed Musicals)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Jenn Thompson</b></div></b></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU-jQs1pDQRp1qpzXKCnzKYXrzGHtyOUyHC0onX2qPHf7V2UeyO6LiAAga18nVmO3FigV6BsOpX8bjxaaes8o5lpKv8vAwnzB39bJXnYbqWRAQltw6r7Q_jRrgYT-RFEs4BkiBoz6splNEZ-B8Z3is_O5HE4WiO6WY90xU7uqeMrYQspATsDV0BptWHY/s2048/somethingrotten53.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU-jQs1pDQRp1qpzXKCnzKYXrzGHtyOUyHC0onX2qPHf7V2UeyO6LiAAga18nVmO3FigV6BsOpX8bjxaaes8o5lpKv8vAwnzB39bJXnYbqWRAQltw6r7Q_jRrgYT-RFEs4BkiBoz6splNEZ-B8Z3is_O5HE4WiO6WY90xU7uqeMrYQspATsDV0BptWHY/w400-h266/somethingrotten53.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Something Rotten!"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Sharon Playhouse)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Amy Griffin</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rC8dB-MN2UgIMTA_5Douf1zww3GD0GuHY1XijxBEWs2KKajAGUxcIIrPoUfcIaEgbfcXw9lWeonotKLFZqjUuzMQy0bh5M2vdr2yuupB8ZraLZYvBK2zWOxZDyOg_Ld5tHF21o8v8KFeJhUH9S42Uj5nX8RLvV43bxeg7Tk2WKHbGGgSrVVUAjUclSU/s779/tina121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="779" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rC8dB-MN2UgIMTA_5Douf1zww3GD0GuHY1XijxBEWs2KKajAGUxcIIrPoUfcIaEgbfcXw9lWeonotKLFZqjUuzMQy0bh5M2vdr2yuupB8ZraLZYvBK2zWOxZDyOg_Ld5tHF21o8v8KFeJhUH9S42Uj5nX8RLvV43bxeg7Tk2WKHbGGgSrVVUAjUclSU/w400-h400/tina121.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Tina: The Tina Turner Musical"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(The Bushnell)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Phyllida Lloyd</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0KF9xCp_ImQNSsd-u7omCUcDkSw02XlMdK_lSkkLwCYA-dkwXLwaTzNaFqLwKCBCMU_UIongNHjw2V2aMXsArsTZVC9yWZoFWVZyhIaecG0rjUYo2K1sBSHoZbMPEIEWghUuKTwCANejRtQkMzeL1MBb7_c0MGxfPBIX-KJxoxyD8iDEbKlklighyQQ/s2500/jerseyboysmct22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0KF9xCp_ImQNSsd-u7omCUcDkSw02XlMdK_lSkkLwCYA-dkwXLwaTzNaFqLwKCBCMU_UIongNHjw2V2aMXsArsTZVC9yWZoFWVZyhIaecG0rjUYo2K1sBSHoZbMPEIEWghUuKTwCANejRtQkMzeL1MBb7_c0MGxfPBIX-KJxoxyD8iDEbKlklighyQQ/w400-h225/jerseyboysmct22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Jersey Boys"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Music Theatre of Connecticut)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Kevin Connors</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDK0iMY2n_42LnOEPenvp0F7ZKIl7X4jQOfWnFkx1uGEHRFuCOvE5Yza6pByF7K-DjBhEOS-y52qXXPAz2PzDxUOogcgi62ASkr3gYKe3oMbKw_C5Eo01BqHGswYNlLArlPX48W0wzmnzkM4AVuQXtbC3rSxbm6d4lfqPiEyZy8DQzp-kcPQbsl0qzkg/s1150/maxvonessen707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1150" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDK0iMY2n_42LnOEPenvp0F7ZKIl7X4jQOfWnFkx1uGEHRFuCOvE5Yza6pByF7K-DjBhEOS-y52qXXPAz2PzDxUOogcgi62ASkr3gYKe3oMbKw_C5Eo01BqHGswYNlLArlPX48W0wzmnzkM4AVuQXtbC3rSxbm6d4lfqPiEyZy8DQzp-kcPQbsl0qzkg/w400-h219/maxvonessen707.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Max Von Essen: Sunday Broadway Concert Series"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Legacy Theatre)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>At the piano: Billy Stritch</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5cYggjd6uRVz5zWDjLDPdbv0Y_moLcM4NuGQoW9CGEBfOUhto7LUYCWm5wgBmH3zyYHWk27vJCPbtWBAHRVvD6ol8FJge9hPZ2UF00dJRksQ9U1MHRNd-Te9ZfwrapxRxuH-p5BVr_J9i7GTgq928utl0_uYiWiJBjtCIOGajLHRlaleDTnVoA4wxdyw/s2048/aintmisbehavin51.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="2048" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5cYggjd6uRVz5zWDjLDPdbv0Y_moLcM4NuGQoW9CGEBfOUhto7LUYCWm5wgBmH3zyYHWk27vJCPbtWBAHRVvD6ol8FJge9hPZ2UF00dJRksQ9U1MHRNd-Te9ZfwrapxRxuH-p5BVr_J9i7GTgq928utl0_uYiWiJBjtCIOGajLHRlaleDTnVoA4wxdyw/w400-h210/aintmisbehavin51.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Ain't Misbehavin' "</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Westport Country Playhouse)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Jeffrey L. Page</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FuSohNuTSsvm3CHYh_4mSL-GXVtbyy4f9YLxWv_1-4iWhs3YXdCvBABFuDmd2TgFaoJiD5X9LMynZ9BX8vCQpKMPYw1ruFfZxvM0CAhbd5vTjbCwjqh5QkDgh08Jkni2qubbdd6T7yyhss8CJ22bz1J7sLw4T3__vO3Ob0Fr5oF6HP1r3wyAzQoA8ac/s800/jenncolella65.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FuSohNuTSsvm3CHYh_4mSL-GXVtbyy4f9YLxWv_1-4iWhs3YXdCvBABFuDmd2TgFaoJiD5X9LMynZ9BX8vCQpKMPYw1ruFfZxvM0CAhbd5vTjbCwjqh5QkDgh08Jkni2qubbdd6T7yyhss8CJ22bz1J7sLw4T3__vO3Ob0Fr5oF6HP1r3wyAzQoA8ac/w400-h400/jenncolella65.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Jenn Colella: Sunday Broadway Concert Series"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Legacy Theatre)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>At the piano: John McDaniel</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICVWL27Oq_RMPJCTTm8SipS1tinlk9rUAR37WgJSjfYe_Q7CBvug2PzvPDRhb-NrB7-aXxBBlRS-A7qsnTQPrhD5UK_Ne7bKVgWfVzV0usXXnJ12ermbbfKR5SATP3KMR9CmmNvYDIhyinf0wOZ0v26zJ54F7m_BFg7uzej1zrenjUDuY_AG5sFKXwC0/s1500/lizzie122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1500" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICVWL27Oq_RMPJCTTm8SipS1tinlk9rUAR37WgJSjfYe_Q7CBvug2PzvPDRhb-NrB7-aXxBBlRS-A7qsnTQPrhD5UK_Ne7bKVgWfVzV0usXXnJ12ermbbfKR5SATP3KMR9CmmNvYDIhyinf0wOZ0v26zJ54F7m_BFg7uzej1zrenjUDuY_AG5sFKXwC0/w400-h286/lizzie122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Lizzie"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(TheaterWorks/Hartford)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Lanie Sakakura</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLezA0tGx_uriMadE9u5QK9sAOK8YrYLRIs8V61eKkfCx1FysQ2o6l2cNEUlLRqlPdicaCI4E6RwvAFTtPHxL1mQcS31JKN0djhOsMnXewvFA8WdDRno0m9FCJhlMWVed3GdR3sx_hNgH_2YCnhhdQXh_-z8bMuAI9OZLX6gArcP2wWX5Kb9q1F4sGX3Y/s2048/bandstand6000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="2048" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLezA0tGx_uriMadE9u5QK9sAOK8YrYLRIs8V61eKkfCx1FysQ2o6l2cNEUlLRqlPdicaCI4E6RwvAFTtPHxL1mQcS31JKN0djhOsMnXewvFA8WdDRno0m9FCJhlMWVed3GdR3sx_hNgH_2YCnhhdQXh_-z8bMuAI9OZLX6gArcP2wWX5Kb9q1F4sGX3Y/w400-h209/bandstand6000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Bandstand"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Playhouse on Park)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Sean Harris </b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs4LvPdF8YipuK8gIFkNdFRpd-kqtGAgKrmd8EgoS5Lk2SR8nkspwQqgRk6RiyMAV3AKtRAsIAinw9wzVjOmlC9VBKd45MR1BZNhxSamsv3vsqYb0D6cAFOXo4IGlB5SXDw5kRTfe1Aj97maYQb-GnxSYR9tZ5sPQGToTGqO5WgWdDFiQdNwofXnycuM/s1295/musicalsofmusicals500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1295" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs4LvPdF8YipuK8gIFkNdFRpd-kqtGAgKrmd8EgoS5Lk2SR8nkspwQqgRk6RiyMAV3AKtRAsIAinw9wzVjOmlC9VBKd45MR1BZNhxSamsv3vsqYb0D6cAFOXo4IGlB5SXDw5kRTfe1Aj97maYQb-GnxSYR9tZ5sPQGToTGqO5WgWdDFiQdNwofXnycuM/w400-h266/musicalsofmusicals500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"The Musical of Musicals"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Legacy Theatre)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Colin Sheehan</b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8f41I9Jx2ZbkWbWvO5zVvp09-DW8VUz0l3tMwy02bLBljExJpzlsY5sucwVEJqaQJ_k2VNhrVws3ycDnYVbVHn5GybrAzS6EZ3UCoTgZEqovSgSypQta-5y_nIBGuna4f417AcGh51VuRDtfTvh63u51LOkeDFerK7f9jdxm7_bu91K3_BxJHrvdrMmI/s2048/stoptime91.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8f41I9Jx2ZbkWbWvO5zVvp09-DW8VUz0l3tMwy02bLBljExJpzlsY5sucwVEJqaQJ_k2VNhrVws3ycDnYVbVHn5GybrAzS6EZ3UCoTgZEqovSgSypQta-5y_nIBGuna4f417AcGh51VuRDtfTvh63u51LOkeDFerK7f9jdxm7_bu91K3_BxJHrvdrMmI/w400-h286/stoptime91.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Stop Time Dance Machine"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Playhouse on Park)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Darlene Zoller</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxfaem5eHcMT13aCni_l3YgVrTwLmfmgYqyikc6r28OkQRMXoL3ar_fe5jWmkH4F_pUCFNcHN4AF_7fQSRRht7wtdSY-jhGGBU6VX84xdPPPfshTgmrZO3SlY64SQ1Q5g3BmxisJmxYmZcDrzcZRB-v-Fs4uzbHsPZgEaEKvo2ePT9TN5CbPLhUFuVAA/s1350/moulinrouge122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxfaem5eHcMT13aCni_l3YgVrTwLmfmgYqyikc6r28OkQRMXoL3ar_fe5jWmkH4F_pUCFNcHN4AF_7fQSRRht7wtdSY-jhGGBU6VX84xdPPPfshTgmrZO3SlY64SQ1Q5g3BmxisJmxYmZcDrzcZRB-v-Fs4uzbHsPZgEaEKvo2ePT9TN5CbPLhUFuVAA/w320-h400/moulinrouge122.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Moulin Rouge"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Bushnell</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Alex Timbers</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62RLMdKAWlTzL5vXIKot6_LoM0PTatArIYiKYJqTezDmHErGs2dC5Z9kpHMnWPYLkwiYIZRdGne0hHxCWyEz1LGjKA9zbh4gqcvwnnutjomfwG5PdoN58vQMGs0MHmjSUR4gRbp_-eIAKltmlpPZIS7K7sM_TmA_1HuW1bBjocHPfG9AsWuiGiG12Rkg/s2048/joanjoyce32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62RLMdKAWlTzL5vXIKot6_LoM0PTatArIYiKYJqTezDmHErGs2dC5Z9kpHMnWPYLkwiYIZRdGne0hHxCWyEz1LGjKA9zbh4gqcvwnnutjomfwG5PdoN58vQMGs0MHmjSUR4gRbp_-eIAKltmlpPZIS7K7sM_TmA_1HuW1bBjocHPfG9AsWuiGiG12Rkg/w400-h266/joanjoyce32.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Joan Joyce!"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Seven Angels Theatre)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Keely Baisden Knudsen</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjk2pCnfm5zKyDsrOGXfB47dqTVnTlqZmGBV5TeZp74Kprph4HexQx0NFmFOvwmfLZwGs7ScRqDCOcA5WVIcY7iGsS-LpAW56MnzzbZhp8b7MWpXpjyfUKm29A1aMlRYk3Z4udDS_9w0Hv-huilggnVnoj8YgIQdhsEYZ7F1JaKt_ZnR1eNjln6w8NSM/s4200/soundofmusic43.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjk2pCnfm5zKyDsrOGXfB47dqTVnTlqZmGBV5TeZp74Kprph4HexQx0NFmFOvwmfLZwGs7ScRqDCOcA5WVIcY7iGsS-LpAW56MnzzbZhp8b7MWpXpjyfUKm29A1aMlRYk3Z4udDS_9w0Hv-huilggnVnoj8YgIQdhsEYZ7F1JaKt_ZnR1eNjln6w8NSM/w400-h266/soundofmusic43.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"The Sound of Music"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Ivoryton Playhouse)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Jacqueline Hubbard</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BbcpFXLOz4q39xKSMCVvbsIpcpxEJnAQ2m6Fl2b9VJzSvhkvd0wOI3GxBWJy0zr3fcitBdUIEVZX6zf2gwgeRTMt7ENHWZWJoPmPAPAiKk_RIsdjOTTMIsjKStNiXSDDj7jUm7afcWakNUcwGz0vDxqlblKQaron7U6h4ijDNaq4ahrrK2xQyiwAnWA/s1000/tootsie33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BbcpFXLOz4q39xKSMCVvbsIpcpxEJnAQ2m6Fl2b9VJzSvhkvd0wOI3GxBWJy0zr3fcitBdUIEVZX6zf2gwgeRTMt7ENHWZWJoPmPAPAiKk_RIsdjOTTMIsjKStNiXSDDj7jUm7afcWakNUcwGz0vDxqlblKQaron7U6h4ijDNaq4ahrrK2xQyiwAnWA/w400-h266/tootsie33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Tootsie"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(The Bushnell)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: David Solomon</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCC2kOUWIK8XsqyPJMUIH2pEr4IkuoidqH4XrTnllyOIdAQcpdZgRkJkNDQ8zQkuZKZcMaZuZ6KtII-xFLMVr_kOo3fyFpQOOrFu_AKbqkdsw7F6bS0w_R9DmPSlUjPEMYFfmuQc2cTY8tpVRh9ZkQxxPugkj-FCjELqLQWlOs22I4bozZ8xseBV7kCqs/s1399/ellafirstgerald477.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1399" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCC2kOUWIK8XsqyPJMUIH2pEr4IkuoidqH4XrTnllyOIdAQcpdZgRkJkNDQ8zQkuZKZcMaZuZ6KtII-xFLMVr_kOo3fyFpQOOrFu_AKbqkdsw7F6bS0w_R9DmPSlUjPEMYFfmuQc2cTY8tpVRh9ZkQxxPugkj-FCjELqLQWlOs22I4bozZ8xseBV7kCqs/w400-h250/ellafirstgerald477.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"First Lady of Song Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Westport Country Playhouse)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Angela Ingersoll</b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8ppxQ8BKhBqY4dWqPpkceznXWzoOQcELzSNYZMFJc__HuGAjWhNxYCLiRAQVlaPvEI08rDi1GIkuQIBA7rO175oXPyn_xD_wmpA_A8U8DBTjHLgv4sswED-wQGF9nHF0oAkDRzgf4-OAfykDUtWxsh0p7Tz3KBlZWHL9F5u0yno_tqVmIwEWqK2QG7Q/s4464/dreamgirls333.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="4464" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8ppxQ8BKhBqY4dWqPpkceznXWzoOQcELzSNYZMFJc__HuGAjWhNxYCLiRAQVlaPvEI08rDi1GIkuQIBA7rO175oXPyn_xD_wmpA_A8U8DBTjHLgv4sswED-wQGF9nHF0oAkDRzgf4-OAfykDUtWxsh0p7Tz3KBlZWHL9F5u0yno_tqVmIwEWqK2QG7Q/w400-h266/dreamgirls333.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Dreamgirls"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Goodspeed Musicals)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Lili-Anne Brown</b></div></b><p></p></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAafXuZdF3ooVyKJOrE8iJPMAw1KHunHsfDPBgtr2jUUGJuK02Mg0qXhociNsmwbtXqUCo7QOzYBIqJIoIq37M3f_owsCojpmeFAHv70wCoN_nmS9KYqD1j507JFbYThvlmmsP2CIgX-K5BWbWI2XjtcIRubCRhQSaItRD6aRrTYW6RJ6IewKmE3NBw8/s4204/twelve553.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2703" data-original-width="4204" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAafXuZdF3ooVyKJOrE8iJPMAw1KHunHsfDPBgtr2jUUGJuK02Mg0qXhociNsmwbtXqUCo7QOzYBIqJIoIq37M3f_owsCojpmeFAHv70wCoN_nmS9KYqD1j507JFbYThvlmmsP2CIgX-K5BWbWI2XjtcIRubCRhQSaItRD6aRrTYW6RJ6IewKmE3NBw8/w400-h258/twelve553.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"The 12" </span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Goodspeed Musicals)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: John Doyle</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhuVycuTud2icMrnrD08nxPJUUAorkEhXT1ToaG5w_-d2U-b8u8AiDq-S3nKB-3CJYd5hoTnDEY_whhRTE-iexVjbrfYlCf9nKGl3gUJvzuQjyv63MyfQR5BACPKmXwGcx8JUUTLzDI7Qdh77vVgMxynqvfQID1DpGJ5Hd5q2zv72dH6Y45tnBLxO3OA/s600/edenespinosa23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhuVycuTud2icMrnrD08nxPJUUAorkEhXT1ToaG5w_-d2U-b8u8AiDq-S3nKB-3CJYd5hoTnDEY_whhRTE-iexVjbrfYlCf9nKGl3gUJvzuQjyv63MyfQR5BACPKmXwGcx8JUUTLzDI7Qdh77vVgMxynqvfQID1DpGJ5Hd5q2zv72dH6Y45tnBLxO3OA/s320/edenespinosa23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">"Eden Espinosa: Sunday Broadway Concert Series"</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Legacy Theatre)</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>At the piano: John McDaniel</b></div></b></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQyTrnBjLQqfc2T1vRlZNyVDdWkW8TbvCAtZxq8RGoA21kaGqmmm3ukW5-1j_wCsWhAa4EnxGM7zi91MfSgOuuwkVk8KaPyvKZvDcFI_LoGU9IR8cIiXk2ZtGxXzK9k9xFCJyr6PiyozzYRmi_KEqvw__X3VsmjEbR5uGjSm0r_XIBMOIWChomncq-IU/s1500/rocky109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1500" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQyTrnBjLQqfc2T1vRlZNyVDdWkW8TbvCAtZxq8RGoA21kaGqmmm3ukW5-1j_wCsWhAa4EnxGM7zi91MfSgOuuwkVk8KaPyvKZvDcFI_LoGU9IR8cIiXk2ZtGxXzK9k9xFCJyr6PiyozzYRmi_KEqvw__X3VsmjEbR5uGjSm0r_XIBMOIWChomncq-IU/w400-h275/rocky109.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Rocky Horror Show"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Music Theatre of Connecticut)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Kevin Connors</span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-79371951026892331852024-01-01T09:35:00.000-08:002024-01-02T07:07:35.538-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 442, "The Best Plays of 2023: Non-Equity"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikY2MWDZydepjhDs188yH8s6AT5-327vJApXCSd5-QBQj1EYxBqO2lBcpPTzSxJNbNKT-Vl-xi2lLufy3nAvvwq0onVjYrwiUMdnZZy9cQyh0uUIr0LqNqa8nC9zXiJfyxY9qyAwloSmnHDKl_6wa5prNQRGXmQdZ2BGYUWwK7pUMVScgKm02wlEK1akg/s2738/AugustOsageCounty67.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikY2MWDZydepjhDs188yH8s6AT5-327vJApXCSd5-QBQj1EYxBqO2lBcpPTzSxJNbNKT-Vl-xi2lLufy3nAvvwq0onVjYrwiUMdnZZy9cQyh0uUIr0LqNqa8nC9zXiJfyxY9qyAwloSmnHDKl_6wa5prNQRGXmQdZ2BGYUWwK7pUMVScgKm02wlEK1akg/w400-h266/AugustOsageCounty67.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-luOdmoeKBUAucmqHWcXMWUj2UjGRwZbDEyUqBx5g0-qBhpw0hYNa1j74OPt2RQBdoO7PRJwa9YNGNifdY5pnNQSLgW6ro4WBnzlqLeT0sM-CFftBGrMpxzDdcsUiifKF2MarR1e5eLwmPXstXB6_pJD2izYgJp_cS9JT6rwgGevT0rgRmN-506NfvY/s2318/nightofjanuary55.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2318" data-original-width="1854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-luOdmoeKBUAucmqHWcXMWUj2UjGRwZbDEyUqBx5g0-qBhpw0hYNa1j74OPt2RQBdoO7PRJwa9YNGNifdY5pnNQSLgW6ro4WBnzlqLeT0sM-CFftBGrMpxzDdcsUiifKF2MarR1e5eLwmPXstXB6_pJD2izYgJp_cS9JT6rwgGevT0rgRmN-506NfvY/s320/nightofjanuary55.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Gritty.<br />Engaging.<br />Vibrant.<br />Hypnotic.<br />Thrilling.<br />Assertive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Non-Equity Theatre in 2023 was exactly that.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So many plays to discover.<br />So many plays to cherish.<br />So many plays to enjoy.<br />So many great performances.<br />So many standing ovations.<br /><br />Drama. Comedy. Classics.<br />Some very recognizable.<br />Some rarely performed.<br />Some completely brand new.<br />Some very few theatergoers have heard of.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUv3zOAdfBG__f5Qbwo0hu-cR9qZMeAAL0VczubJajXiAfkg2pynXx37djVvB2qH26E4m3qVGlaZsKusXo_BtWOCYK6Pa1tk2ut1tYqvV7QkGdXiW_TeaRVe2PF042qIPKUmxdFcj9LpwDYxV2bqY6zCX5QQLCVAZ1l7c5OLLbbYg4h2afDLt2AXlHes/s1440/wifeworker80.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUv3zOAdfBG__f5Qbwo0hu-cR9qZMeAAL0VczubJajXiAfkg2pynXx37djVvB2qH26E4m3qVGlaZsKusXo_BtWOCYK6Pa1tk2ut1tYqvV7QkGdXiW_TeaRVe2PF042qIPKUmxdFcj9LpwDYxV2bqY6zCX5QQLCVAZ1l7c5OLLbbYg4h2afDLt2AXlHes/w400-h400/wifeworker80.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The thrill of course, was discovery.<br />New. Old. Timely. Quirky. Edgy. Outrageous. Surprising.<br />From "August: Osage County" to "Night of January 16th," it was a game-changing season that broke new ground, offset by themes and subject matter that enticed, cajoled, excited, surprised and left no room for error.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Non-Equity Theatre in Connecticut was more diverse than it has ever been.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There were, of course, several misfires, including one play that left "thrill and spill" in the back shed while two others derailed quickly due to generic dialogue and one-note characters that left the performers stumbling, forgetting lines or waiting forever for the set to be changed - five, ten, fifteen times.<br /><br />No matter. <br />Those productions are not included here.<br />To be eligible, all productions must be completely consistent in terms of excellence, execution, performance, direction, design and showmanship.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5ZFEBC66z5_rV27BUDuDnoWNAhres89MqyHcf8xYj9PfyoXHGeC037PmvcwXU2k78qsiyFrOh1KfU792n1WwFbppMsXruzQuvRmr9VTb2UVk6nss6jecrme7T9w4Cir_CMZF2kzsQRxqZeZCcagYUtSzlVDu4Fpirk0mIm4eyZl623tCb5solpO5uA4/s2048/straightmen4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5ZFEBC66z5_rV27BUDuDnoWNAhres89MqyHcf8xYj9PfyoXHGeC037PmvcwXU2k78qsiyFrOh1KfU792n1WwFbppMsXruzQuvRmr9VTb2UVk6nss6jecrme7T9w4Cir_CMZF2kzsQRxqZeZCcagYUtSzlVDu4Fpirk0mIm4eyZl623tCb5solpO5uA4/w400-h286/straightmen4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">What worked?<br />What stood out?<br />What drove audiences wild?<br />What was the "after party" buzz and chatter?<br /><br />This year, things quickly fell into place.<br />Picking the very "best" plays of the 2023 season was pretty much - "one, two, three."<br />Fun?<br />Yes.<br />An Open Mind?<br />Always.<br />Personal favorites?<br />It comes with the territory.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One final note: Only "press invited shows" (i.e., invites from Non-Equity Theaters or marketing departments within the actual venue) are eligible for "Best Play" consideration. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My choices are as follows:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Best Non-Equity Plays of 2023</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeejW45A7NJK89P-uGFLsSTzZAYTtFiV74kfHdyM31NIGXEdxKINSHqzQZU3-dNHNn4wV3AENU5u3yZcmQ-XCrzhKiqlZiOCDhZ331eBCkzOcYLhnEdBHLuIM8oyxIU8FLghlNxba_D8I8PQXePlW8qvkpNk2KdKiehHuJRr0SDWpMcvlKRXMgKNtXRto/s2738/AugustOsageCounty321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeejW45A7NJK89P-uGFLsSTzZAYTtFiV74kfHdyM31NIGXEdxKINSHqzQZU3-dNHNn4wV3AENU5u3yZcmQ-XCrzhKiqlZiOCDhZ331eBCkzOcYLhnEdBHLuIM8oyxIU8FLghlNxba_D8I8PQXePlW8qvkpNk2KdKiehHuJRr0SDWpMcvlKRXMgKNtXRto/w400-h266/AugustOsageCounty321.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"August: Osage County"</b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Hole in the Wall Theater)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Warren Dutkiewicz</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VuDrcofDzfY_Fg8ydu_35zu-0uXVM1UypYbyAQgtOnxnZNSP7sTZ1y8f8N8yTJQcM3iB6FpYQ33-EjE5-Srx0Q5UzNevAmDWO4dBlDLGieKu_1S7tDv0umhOTkObrOn9zZZrbrnmCpVwv-AXWbXad6CMYHQ6_2oJUhHTz0xcCKaGT0XqoK_CLGsysP4/s1440/wifeworker89.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VuDrcofDzfY_Fg8ydu_35zu-0uXVM1UypYbyAQgtOnxnZNSP7sTZ1y8f8N8yTJQcM3iB6FpYQ33-EjE5-Srx0Q5UzNevAmDWO4dBlDLGieKu_1S7tDv0umhOTkObrOn9zZZrbrnmCpVwv-AXWbXad6CMYHQ6_2oJUhHTz0xcCKaGT0XqoK_CLGsysP4/w400-h400/wifeworker89.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Wife/Worker/Whore"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Hole in the Wall Theater)</span></b></div></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Kirsten Easton-Hazzaa</b> </div><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYKzJgQq2XEBDY8DZ24oO-R0YWeglcSTXFDAbkkkzjYX-5dPdu-U4B53NsDShpR8-JuRpBYxuR7bpqIp5CsDzJ4e5Jphumm_7dQAx6ZNt_7lDmtDb5M7H7egWUvrBGyGovwqeecr6pRDVYzttxizeYAcAuMNnLFrQk3XAYsfExs5JOst8DA3XWaN8pKM/s4311/nightofjanuary662.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="4311" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYKzJgQq2XEBDY8DZ24oO-R0YWeglcSTXFDAbkkkzjYX-5dPdu-U4B53NsDShpR8-JuRpBYxuR7bpqIp5CsDzJ4e5Jphumm_7dQAx6ZNt_7lDmtDb5M7H7egWUvrBGyGovwqeecr6pRDVYzttxizeYAcAuMNnLFrQk3XAYsfExs5JOst8DA3XWaN8pKM/w400-h271/nightofjanuary662.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">"Night of January 16th"</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">(Castle Craig Players)</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">director: Pam Amodio</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div></span></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0UN2yWLCCgB7uI1g3LrCIwkWipCKOXaS0yQsGfcg_48vPi-PDCxyDNM80yjlgXQ1l3VI0Ifht_MUDyTXtISCadoaR2zQ4n-H6f7qN-CfsFr1qQoQfLMX6baWZzH958v80wFOWS9msHomkwG-jyZcXZi1b4MKxlGOjVxVSSY65qOarLMiWQoR6iK32wE/s2048/straightmen66.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0UN2yWLCCgB7uI1g3LrCIwkWipCKOXaS0yQsGfcg_48vPi-PDCxyDNM80yjlgXQ1l3VI0Ifht_MUDyTXtISCadoaR2zQ4n-H6f7qN-CfsFr1qQoQfLMX6baWZzH958v80wFOWS9msHomkwG-jyZcXZi1b4MKxlGOjVxVSSY65qOarLMiWQoR6iK32wE/w400-h286/straightmen66.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Straight Men Can't Dance"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Craig David Rosen</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRgP6884vcZ6vExk8Qxp9N2IFlzeAaZBlWfejKWxz8WWjCnC9KFbMhQpSAyDMJR1AMajfq1SGj9XOCI-aab83YEpJ6NUMDeXmGkBbnfICDXavC5VT-mDMAstmXgrwNXowoEthRveBIEbxvMyn3-wIdN1VOmG51O2AJiY6IfKK2p3qq8h4wH1SuaIGO88/s1000/Mentors8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRgP6884vcZ6vExk8Qxp9N2IFlzeAaZBlWfejKWxz8WWjCnC9KFbMhQpSAyDMJR1AMajfq1SGj9XOCI-aab83YEpJ6NUMDeXmGkBbnfICDXavC5VT-mDMAstmXgrwNXowoEthRveBIEbxvMyn3-wIdN1VOmG51O2AJiY6IfKK2p3qq8h4wH1SuaIGO88/w400-h320/Mentors8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Mentors" </b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Backyard Theatre Ensemble)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Teresa Langston</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicP12i6pLYN-VtnlUVf30hCyREx3QDfITbind2p9-BXMTpx0MvGtkHhrgIYeJ4wmMbba1q_wOxXYlHXCTbMuybtdDsov7jndBfXEz9YIl52Q1u6UwcnSA_8y3DHLiCcJDgbhOg7aVLQS96e6u0aRpR4wYvfSSaYtckVgWjl9_MYZ3JDnWb9s3mjH3z4jc/s2048/athena53.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicP12i6pLYN-VtnlUVf30hCyREx3QDfITbind2p9-BXMTpx0MvGtkHhrgIYeJ4wmMbba1q_wOxXYlHXCTbMuybtdDsov7jndBfXEz9YIl52Q1u6UwcnSA_8y3DHLiCcJDgbhOg7aVLQS96e6u0aRpR4wYvfSSaYtckVgWjl9_MYZ3JDnWb9s3mjH3z4jc/w400-h266/athena53.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Athena"</b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Andromeda Theatre Guild)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Terrance J. Peters</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYkupfilforRhjI-xh3ZVZucHxg5k1RAYqvddtzQ77oo3DIaFqJDHpNdcO9y8equTx2HSdVQDvFrSJZ3VJr0EkjpVgWRZ-UUvE7e3Cglm3_DzLJdkpZaOpOQGD2RoUVLeA0PmMDovQm7JFrBnN2KocPtqT39r65EtgxzeL4QIJkNh3hEG0Fh08hkk55k/s1440/moonoverbuffalo401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYkupfilforRhjI-xh3ZVZucHxg5k1RAYqvddtzQ77oo3DIaFqJDHpNdcO9y8equTx2HSdVQDvFrSJZ3VJr0EkjpVgWRZ-UUvE7e3Cglm3_DzLJdkpZaOpOQGD2RoUVLeA0PmMDovQm7JFrBnN2KocPtqT39r65EtgxzeL4QIJkNh3hEG0Fh08hkk55k/w400-h266/moonoverbuffalo401.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Moon Over Buffalo" </b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Sacred Heart University)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>director: Jerry Goehring</b></div></b><p></p></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-17300970558658394192023-12-07T03:51:00.000-08:002023-12-10T04:43:42.795-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 441, A Review: "Dreamgirls" (Goodspeed Musicals)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN9kn6gc5cBlb8k7G4MDTmqWopSppkjbv8uAMR8Kq272aOunl5NV4IsobhGFPO_kO2nibJHEMOkByAwwRnu7niTvI_69S89-JJX20COi5gIk9s3j48HOWp3qszBZIAiaGeoQ4N5MEUm3ombybCNT54GT5DaS9mUSkVe5qFv9UnYRBQ5kQ4GN3ujIodpM/s4464/dreamgirls333.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="4464" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN9kn6gc5cBlb8k7G4MDTmqWopSppkjbv8uAMR8Kq272aOunl5NV4IsobhGFPO_kO2nibJHEMOkByAwwRnu7niTvI_69S89-JJX20COi5gIk9s3j48HOWp3qszBZIAiaGeoQ4N5MEUm3ombybCNT54GT5DaS9mUSkVe5qFv9UnYRBQ5kQ4GN3ujIodpM/w400-h266/dreamgirls333.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco </b></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"We're your Dreamgirls, boys</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We'll make you happy</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yeah, yeah, yeah</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We're your Dreamgirls, boys</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We'll always care</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We're your Dreamgirls</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dreamgirls will never leave you!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>No, no</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And all you've got to do is dream, baby,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>We'll be there!"</i></div></i><br />A musical full of sparkle, glitter, ambition and gorgeous, jaw-dropping Technicolor splish and splash, propelled by pop-infused musical numbers and slick, weighty R&B dance moves from Motown's heyday, "Dreamgirls" - currently blazing its way to megawatt proportions on the Goodspeed Musicals stage - takes its cue, in part, from the real-life story of Diana Ross and the Supremes and other musical acts of the 1960's including The Shirelles, James Brown and Jackie Wilson.<br /><br />Functional.<br />Gutsy.<br />Emotional.<br />Inspired.<br />Entertaining.<br /><br />"Dreamgirls" moves up the charts at Goodspeed with an amazing power and gusto that packs a punch with knockout joy and delivery that is completely irresistible.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Written by Tom Eyen, the two-act musical tells the compelling story of The Dreams, a dynamic, all-female singing group hoping for a big break in the music industry of the 1960s and 1970s. Their hopes to harmonize their way to stardom, however, take a decidedly different turn when Effie, the trio's overweight lead singer is moved to the sidelines when Deena, the beautiful, charismatic, backup singer is chosen to front the group to make it more appealing, distinctive and marketable.<span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsVOQD9GVGrY9qnlfMvFQ_cdRJEpq4Po1DWeoIlvIFsVVav_Mq-ZfADqheFGmKPUGpYYlQipH5vAO7MC3Q1a42ZNHa8ylRCcoTQQc1hDUqkFSmfWT_CfrQOvwSy9GbnZvulf_P8rfsqHWX-RWr5sKIpGY2VFDpJ8VuVQuhPzzySzBu7A8nqpwSpzHcrc/s2048/dreamgirls21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsVOQD9GVGrY9qnlfMvFQ_cdRJEpq4Po1DWeoIlvIFsVVav_Mq-ZfADqheFGmKPUGpYYlQipH5vAO7MC3Q1a42ZNHa8ylRCcoTQQc1hDUqkFSmfWT_CfrQOvwSy9GbnZvulf_P8rfsqHWX-RWr5sKIpGY2VFDpJ8VuVQuhPzzySzBu7A8nqpwSpzHcrc/w280-h400/dreamgirls21.jpg" width="280" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br />Ross, of course, hated this pitch when "Dreamgirls" first played Broadway back in 1981 and vehemently denied that "Dreamgirls" had anything to do with the real-life story of Diana Ross and the Supremes. Sadly, no one believed her. And quite frankly, no one cared.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Dreamgirls," director Lili-Anne Brown brings a tremendous sense of theatricality and shimmer to the proceedings. It's a grounded assemblage of control and commitment schooled and embellished with just the right amount of thrust, drama, humor, heartbreak, redemption and hope necessary to pique interest and keep the story moving toward its inevitable, justified conclusion.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">As director, she </span><span style="font-family: arial;">is completely knowledgeable of the "Dreamgirls" concept, its rags to riches drama, its cat fights, its divas, its glitter, its sparkle, its pulse, its truths, its lies, its struggles, its gender and racial issues and its showbiz aspirations and successes.<br />Yes, there's a lot of ground to cover. Yes, certain plot points move too quickly or get lost in the shuffle. But, nonetheless, Brown kicks the musical into overdrive, sustains interest, gets laughs and tears in all the right places and involves her audience in show's powerhouse heartbreak and passion.<br />She also has cast the musical surprisingly well from leads and supporting characters to the very talented men and woman who play a variety of ensemble roles throughout the "Dreamgirls" story.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44u7eVpnbOelqtt4fgYK23OmxARqrSxdFJ5r3hdsflWH4OpfpoihAfzmeBhE7Jp5Bj4MRROPuHPLS99ra2jQxhrz56Y-SbmU8OaOyacLFhIS7x_e2Ff-szSSQZ8MBf-oLICkwzyOix9LexVJANCMP7-oB8O66kgs-Jp1eYqTY-i6aYPPJfaIr9ELCqsk/s700/dreamgirls488.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="700" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44u7eVpnbOelqtt4fgYK23OmxARqrSxdFJ5r3hdsflWH4OpfpoihAfzmeBhE7Jp5Bj4MRROPuHPLS99ra2jQxhrz56Y-SbmU8OaOyacLFhIS7x_e2Ff-szSSQZ8MBf-oLICkwzyOix9LexVJANCMP7-oB8O66kgs-Jp1eYqTY-i6aYPPJfaIr9ELCqsk/w400-h284/dreamgirls488.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Taking its cue from the classic Motown R&B acts of yesteryear, the adrenaline-fueled musical score for "Dreamgirls" was written by Tom Eyen (lyrics) and Henry Krieger (music). Mixing pop, soul, jazz and funk alongside carefully chosen Broadway-Las Vegas style melodies, diva turns and concert spins and vibes, it includes several noteworthy musical numbers including "Family," "Dreamgirls," "Cadillac Car," "Move (Your Steppin' On My Heart)," "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going," "I Am Changing," "One Night Only," "When I First Saw You," "You Are My Dream," "Hard to Say Goodbye (My Love)" and "Steppin' to the Bad Side."<br />At Goodspeed, musical direction for "Dreamgirls" is provided by Christie Chiles Twillie whose credits include "Hair," "Five Guys Named Moe," "Raisin," "Newsies" and "The Gospel at Colonus." Doubling as conductor and keyboardist, she is joined by musicians Wes Dziedzic (keyboard 2), Elliot Wallace (percussion), Liz Baker Smith (reeds), Travis Higgins III (trumpet), Ben Herrington (trombone), Nick DiFabbio (guitar) and Sherisse Rogers (bass).</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Given the musical's different rhythmic styles, beats and leaps through the decades, there's a lot to work with here and Twillie and her orchestral team have got every musical twist, turn, gasp, jump, thrill and heartbreak covered. From the musical's immersive opening number "I'm Looking for Something, Baby" to the melancholy-tinged "Hard to Say Goodbye (My Love)" that brings Act II to a close, all of the songs are fully imagined in true "Dreamgirls" style and, one of one, they each play out with decided flourish, joyfulness, gusto and pizzaz envisioned by the show's creators.<br />This is LIVE music that pops, sizzles, stirs, gyrates and hypnotizes.<br />It is hot. It is heavy. It is loud. It is rich. It is playful. It is sensual. It is romantic. It is melodic.<br />Twillie and company have great fun bringing it to life for both the audience and the onstage performer, addressing the musical's catalog of showstopping songs with just the right tempo, pulse and imagination to plunge the familiar story of "Dreamgirls" forward effortlessly. It makes all the difference in the world. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jurt-f_3C1-_wU4VbkI5U97pE27rCy9oeK_Lwlct8wIa8iATEikLPGCX8VrmJWDnipv_C4uvB9tcQwIZieIdfEyX6SYxmCpEtJ4VQN-Qec429YvwU1j5TIIpu5X4HBAoq3Z09wRakgCsFn8uD8N2OBLEPLlCfLutmFQfKywezJB0IbTo1BXhcDzttp0/s2048/dreamgirls211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jurt-f_3C1-_wU4VbkI5U97pE27rCy9oeK_Lwlct8wIa8iATEikLPGCX8VrmJWDnipv_C4uvB9tcQwIZieIdfEyX6SYxmCpEtJ4VQN-Qec429YvwU1j5TIIpu5X4HBAoq3Z09wRakgCsFn8uD8N2OBLEPLlCfLutmFQfKywezJB0IbTo1BXhcDzttp0/w400-h266/dreamgirls211.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The enlistment of Breon Arzell as choreographer for "Dreamgirls" benefits the musical enhancement of Tom Eyen's colorful scenario and the many characters who reveal their innermost thoughts, desires and passions through song and dance. Here, he sets the Goodspeed Musicals stage aglow with some very passionate, sizzling, powerful footwork that recall and reflect the eclectic R&B pairings, styles, pop infusions indicative of "Hullabaloo," "Shindig!" "American Bandstand," "The Hollywood Palace," "Soul Train" and "The Ed Sullivan Show."<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">As "Dreamgirls" inches forward, he </span><span style="font-family: arial;">dazzles and delights. He gets the juices flowing. He knows how to make things pop. He is completely in sync with the time frame, the look and the vibe of the story. He knows how to move people about through carefully constructed dance moves and maneuvers. He's also not afraid to take chances, up the stakes or experiment with the musical's already proven material. <br /><br />As with the original 1981 production of "Dreamgirls," its subsequent 1983 National Tour and the triumphant 2016 London West End revival that starred "Glee's" Amber Riley as Effie White, casting - the right casting, that is - is key to the musical's success, its storytelling, its authenticity and its connection between actor and audience.<br />At Goodspeed, the leading ladies - Trejah Bostic as Efflie White, Ta-Tynisa Wilson as Deena Jones, Keirsten Hodgens as Lorrell Robinson, Shantel Cribbs as Michelle Morris - and the leading men - Mykal Kilgore as Jimmy Early, Evan Tyrone Martin as Curtis Taylor, Jos. N. Banks as CC White - bring incredible vocal range, personality and a dynamic stage presence to their respective roles which adds layers of truth, resonance and importance to the production, its captivating musical score and its emotional storytelling journey. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Photos of "Dreamgirls" courtesy of Diane Sobolewski</b></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_AwzxwtStpmw8Mjb9emAqY-OkBKeWJo6vW23SSH2uJjiDfoqyPCMjyXC0SQtBztg-qoGs2_r64juOR2yoLNJAbWvs3f2qTSeG2JJxbhGr_f6dfU7QqkFX-j5Qm9eFa6yrdiJnLK2zSMje_dTkDrf-zMPnC228GJJ5KpadZBMQPvADJLGcIhCEqI3_GE/s2048/dreamgirls44.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_AwzxwtStpmw8Mjb9emAqY-OkBKeWJo6vW23SSH2uJjiDfoqyPCMjyXC0SQtBztg-qoGs2_r64juOR2yoLNJAbWvs3f2qTSeG2JJxbhGr_f6dfU7QqkFX-j5Qm9eFa6yrdiJnLK2zSMje_dTkDrf-zMPnC228GJJ5KpadZBMQPvADJLGcIhCEqI3_GE/w400-h266/dreamgirls44.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Dreamgirls" is being staged at Goodspeed Musicals (6 Main Street, East Haddam, CT), now through December 30, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets for more information, call (860) 873-8668</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">website: goodspeed.org </span></i></div></span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-17939108985349234632023-11-24T17:04:00.000-08:002023-11-28T07:14:31.303-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 440, A Review: "Moulin Rouge!" (The Bushnell) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDfAhZaqpG00SyQwRTU-XUqWBIIfLjMYGdQ-vHDSkYS9bm4VMYI8kjghU6eZ3RWhdF4im8mux00NngGqNZerjXzyah6uuBBgPaLSQ35wgBaYIbj0PNqrjdCB8VI7SWDXGYt0-8RBUjthpbimM5dIVvmavXIosjzsFJPnGA5FwYNP4yNGh-muK5qxKfN0/s770/Moulin-Rouge333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="770" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDfAhZaqpG00SyQwRTU-XUqWBIIfLjMYGdQ-vHDSkYS9bm4VMYI8kjghU6eZ3RWhdF4im8mux00NngGqNZerjXzyah6uuBBgPaLSQ35wgBaYIbj0PNqrjdCB8VI7SWDXGYt0-8RBUjthpbimM5dIVvmavXIosjzsFJPnGA5FwYNP4yNGh-muK5qxKfN0/w400-h208/Moulin-Rouge333.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There's much to admire about the National Touring Company of "Moulin Rouge!" the Tony Award-winning musical based on Baz Luhrmann's hypnotic, wildly energetic 2002 motion picture that starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor draped in technicolor madness, offset by catchy jukebox music choices, splashy colors, styles and genres and sumptuous Parisian backdrops that cried "</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Paris est pour les amoureux, à la fois romantiques et condamnés." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So, let us begin.<br />On stage, the dazzling, artistic nightclub district of 19th century Montmartre sparkles with rich Bohemian allure, entrapment and intoxication.<br />The thick, vintage layers of fabric draped around the sets and backdrops glitter with dusty artist twinkle, flavor and French atmospheric influence.<br />The musical's big "Moulin Rouge!" sign - bathed in shiny, red, seductive lights that heat up every now and then - is a jaw-dropping sight to behold that casts its spell upon welcoming theatergoers as they take their seats, row by row, in the vast audience space before them.<br />Derek McLane's atmospheric set design is spectacle worthy with dreamlike dashes of fantasy, blaze, sexiness and shimmer.<br />Catherine Zuber's enticing costume design enhances the story's romantic tale of love and doom with couture specificity and refinement.<br />As Christian, Christian Douglas is appropriately dreamy as the romantic leading man of the "Moulin Rouge!" musical narrative.<br />In the role of Satine, the doomed, consumption-ridden heroine of the "Moulin Rouge!" fairy tale, Gabrielle McClinton, is so fiery, sensual and enticing, the seductive beauty and presence of her confident characterization radiates throughout the entire theatrical venue.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mX44GTMOeoffJWTOtbgc-1vmkTYujkYDd4o0BQtxdAbuoZ3QX-ZZ6i7oioVgNiwHq1sl0mpf1WlALELRWV15yErMKCaewT65HZRrKyekMZ-qyRi3D844wPh7I7JbJjB7r8H7ENkeknKQcbWX5xCYb7hYruLbVHZKYbW_WQCrLHApLjdADbch-OsqMQg/s2048/moulinrouge23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mX44GTMOeoffJWTOtbgc-1vmkTYujkYDd4o0BQtxdAbuoZ3QX-ZZ6i7oioVgNiwHq1sl0mpf1WlALELRWV15yErMKCaewT65HZRrKyekMZ-qyRi3D844wPh7I7JbJjB7r8H7ENkeknKQcbWX5xCYb7hYruLbVHZKYbW_WQCrLHApLjdADbch-OsqMQg/w400-h266/moulinrouge23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />But first, let's backtrack.<br />As musical theatre, "Moulin Rouge!" flashes and shines with crazed, brilliantly timed execution, nostalgia and flamboyance. There's plenty of money, talent, energy, pyrotechnics and color to burn, making it "a hot ticket" for pretty much every single theatergoer in the audience - gay, straight, non-binary, transgender, confused or not-too-sure - willing to succumb to a glorious, hypnotic sound-and-sight show that never once fails to titillate, entertain or work one up into an emotional lather that lingers long after the musical has ended and the cast unite as one for their final curtain calls.<br />It's obvious to everyone that no expense has been spared - the show has cost millions to replicate on tour - to create this lavish, lush, immersive extravagance.<br />Unfortunately, the reworked book by John Logan, a playwright who tweaks parts of the original story for Broadway-inspired onslaught, debauchery and madness, often flatlines, if only fleetingly, as does certain dialogue and uninspired story arcs that interrupt the musical's push-and pull fantasia and giddyap.<br />Regardless, the musical's recognizable pop tunes and delightfully pumped-up staging and choreography thrust "Moulin Rouge!" back into the spotlight with enough oomph and splash to camouflage its paper-thin, age-old plot contrivances. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As scripted </span><span style="font-family: arial;">by Logan, "Moulin Rouge!" replays the story of Christian, a handsome, destitute bohemian songwriter from Ohio who finds himself in the throes of the resplendent, late 19th century Moulin Rouge district of Paris where he falls immediately in love with Satine, a beautiful courtesan and nightclub star coveted by the very wealthy Duke of Monroth who has earmarked the sultry enchantress as the pièce de résistance in his gallery of paramours unaware of her love for Christan, her intended deception, her fatal illness or secret pact with the club owners to use the Duke's social position and wealth to save the Montmartre-based cabaret from financial ruin.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2saLjzIxdUWafk5uATLaEAlKC6VzQGKLedS9h7L8YV1vYyja-MS9Fq4FVA338W5lfEgeNDBV3_Rzy-a4hEI1nlqhywoR4Sj-sn6nqvjjr24zYtD-FNk3FS80tMEo7cWT3EOEsSE7n4e5x0de-MAbGLsqRWE03ZCwyaXH9kpVPJbaWZl06BI4umpsnrA4/s1200/moulinrouge432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2saLjzIxdUWafk5uATLaEAlKC6VzQGKLedS9h7L8YV1vYyja-MS9Fq4FVA338W5lfEgeNDBV3_Rzy-a4hEI1nlqhywoR4Sj-sn6nqvjjr24zYtD-FNk3FS80tMEo7cWT3EOEsSE7n4e5x0de-MAbGLsqRWE03ZCwyaXH9kpVPJbaWZl06BI4umpsnrA4/w400-h266/moulinrouge432.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The heart </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and soul of "Moulin Rouge!" however, comes from its glittering array of jukebox songs, which, upon glancing back, were one of the key components of the 2002 motion picture. Mixing important elements from Hollywood movie musicals and popular Broadway musicals alongside opera (mainly Puccini's "La Boheme"), vaudeville and supper club entertainment, Luhrmann's pastiche of songs, lyrics, melodies and formats lent themselves nicely to the story and the film's vintage 19th century Parisian backdrop.</span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Shifting the action from screen to stage, Logan and the show's collaborators have quadrupled the musical's playlist of popular songs and showstoppers - much to the delight of everyone on stage and in the audience - with full blown numbers, mash ups, lyrical teases, love songs, duets, character spins, ensemble turns, cabaret leaps, inserts, snippets, vocal dramaturgy, remixes and outrageous, giant leaps of faith that reflect the beaming, dazzling backdrop of Montmartre and its pivotal, revolutionary players to full-on excitement, enticement and exhibition.<br />This flash-bang-whiplash-wallop of musicality and bohemian ideals comes gift wrapped with energy-induced offerings famously originated by the likes of Lady Gaga, Police, Madonna, OutKast, Pink, Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe, Adele, Gnarls Barkley, Britney Spears, Soft Cell, The Eurythmics, Rihanna, White Stripes, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sia, Walk the Moon, Katy Perry, Rick Astley, Shirley Bassey, Lorde, T- Rex, The Beatles, No Doubt, Tina Turner and Dolly Parton, among others.<br />It's a concept of bold moves and musical cards that pumps the already adrenaline-fueled "Moulin Rouge!" into applause worthy proportions of interpretive specificity, gorgeous encores, lustful preening and parading and head-on, note-perfect directness and embracement.<br />Getting top placement are </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Diamonds Are Forever," "Bad Romance," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "Children of the Revolution," "Sympathy for the Devil," "The Sound of Music," "So Fresh, So Clean," "Lady Marmalade," "Royals," "We Are Young," "Material Girl," "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," "Firework," "Toxic," "Come What May," "Seven Nation Army," "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Shut Up and Dance," "Tainted Love," "Roxanne," "Chandelier," Rolling in the Deep," "Crazy," "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Every Breath You Take," "All You Need is Love," "Don't Speak," "What's Love Got to Do With It?" and "I Will Always Love You."</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The pleasure that comes from hearing one song hit after another is credited to musical director Andrew Graham, a talented musician whose expressive depth, showmanship and intuitive rattle and roar fills "Moulin Rouge!" with a proud musical glow that is both joyous and luminous, mixed lovingly with achievement, shimmer, delivery and agenda. It's a truthful, silvery collaboration of orchestral showpieces, melodies and morsels that prompt immediate attention to the storytelling, its snap and sparkle, its romantic anticipation and its tinges of fantasia, chaos and rapture. Sonya Taveh's snappy, effective, significant choreography heightens the excitement with extravagant dance entertainment reflective of movie musicals, concerts, MTV videos and big, glossy Broadway productions.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_9zD38MFfaLnI3u0vmGvg9QfFNqCIVQ0dWyLQgXURnlCwJ5MR_c-iiD6tnX8GI8uezwHemEsY2WZOzjWPOgV0jqPu0BW9hdgXKo7_jL-s_JwBzuKSQ53U8TXhzU4PXWKndHt2svEVRMZBmuxAx7G1cwq52elArzoPbOrdjQAGoe7hZ4HtKx_qRZWMSI/s2560/moulinrouge555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_9zD38MFfaLnI3u0vmGvg9QfFNqCIVQ0dWyLQgXURnlCwJ5MR_c-iiD6tnX8GI8uezwHemEsY2WZOzjWPOgV0jqPu0BW9hdgXKo7_jL-s_JwBzuKSQ53U8TXhzU4PXWKndHt2svEVRMZBmuxAx7G1cwq52elArzoPbOrdjQAGoe7hZ4HtKx_qRZWMSI/w400-h266/moulinrouge555.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Moulin Rouge!" director Alex Timbers ("Beetlejuice," "Here Lies Love," "Guttenberg! The Musical!") crafts an event-worthy pop musical that immerses its audience in the bacchanalian splendor and fantasy of the narrative, its storied Paris setting, its bohemian clientele, its navigated schtick and its playful mix of humor, reflection, sentiment, deceit and seduction. The script's subsequent lack of character and emotion occasionally knocks Timbers off his creative box from time to time, but he quickly moves past these odd, one-note interruptions with colorful choices, expressions and intentions that thrust "Moulin Rouge!" back into orbit with balance, feeling and anchored composition. He also has the pleasure of working with a cast of watchable, talented performers - principals, supporting players, ensemble - who bring plenty of heart, soul and spectacle to the piece and its curated, proven list of one hit pop song after the other.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0SH5hAv3gy4su02iyj5B8SJzsO0N5rNFRnHLjdbGbW7n2utG_IZVQCwHeSu4OE9siaHiAq6Lg5SRXp6eL_eTV6-QXG2yqNz2UEkqQW_riQXwh8z6BhAR1_vouxJdiUKFvCzLNIw3OomXLmf-zSKm0eGejosCiZSs1Wpb67EcbPFA21v1NwvfAgkK5po/s1250/moulinrouge54.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0SH5hAv3gy4su02iyj5B8SJzsO0N5rNFRnHLjdbGbW7n2utG_IZVQCwHeSu4OE9siaHiAq6Lg5SRXp6eL_eTV6-QXG2yqNz2UEkqQW_riQXwh8z6BhAR1_vouxJdiUKFvCzLNIw3OomXLmf-zSKm0eGejosCiZSs1Wpb67EcbPFA21v1NwvfAgkK5po/w400-h200/moulinrouge54.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the lead role of Satine, the beautiful cabaret star and courtesan of the Moulin Rouge nightclub who is forced to seduce the wealthy Duke of Monroth to keep the Parisian venue from going bankrupt, Gabrielle McClinton dominates the musical with a tour-de-force performance of independence, glitter, sensuality and star power that reaches out far beyond the theater's proscenium wall to taunt, entice and arouse every heterosexual male in the audience willing to succumb to her to hypnotic allure, charm and beauty as both theatergoer and voyeur. <br />Throughout the production, she never once loses touch with the emotion, thrill and heartbreak of the piece or the fact that her character, who will eventually die of consumption before the musical's big mega mix finish, is part of a tragic fairy tale of which there is no escape or happy ending. Her romantic entanglement with the handsome Christian explodes with real warmth and trigger as does her many musical numbers that dominate the stage with an MTV bravura that is seamlessly integrated with a nightclub feel and aura reminiscent of Paris in the 1890's and the concert-going thrill of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s all rolled into one. Vocally, she brings a standout voice and snap to the stage, mixed with sass, buzz, vintage burlesque and three-ring circus bounce and flair.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As Christian, the struggling young artist and composer who comes to Paris to escape his stifling life in America, the boyish and dreamy Christian Douglas is the perfect fit for the part of the justifiably innocent songwriter and composer from America who wanders into the bohemian, red-light district world of the Moulin Rouge and falls instantly in love with Satine, the club's diamant scintillant à l’état brut.<br />Like his glamourous leading lady, Douglas plays his role with both enthusiasm, sway and pop tune magic, resulting in a polished, magnetic performance of energy and sexiness that leaves you saying, "Aaron, who?" <br />He's focused. He's confident. He's charming. He's committed. He's sweet. He's lost in the moment. He's genuine. He's the real deal.<br />Vocally, his flair for musical theatre is a happy explosion of balance, appreciation and confetti, laced with shine, purpose, inspiration and concept. He quickly transports his audience into another world and dimension - part fantasy, part glamour, part time travel - naturally fulfilling the musical's sensory exhilaration, flamboyance and groove. It's in his eyes. It's in his smile. It's in his movements. It's in his voice. It's in his expressions.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzxGtQAA7rm4Fcqsb7e4mpqhjJ3exWutAp-UfTxgGM5d4Uiv6CNE2pGn25KLWBtk1kK6XuZaNnwC9Tx8k2QWP5uqdDcqjmc7WNjEeibPZTSN8-9uA3huD_hgN3I52-pYExTBihhUjAOonYgwksVqcKJ6Uu-351s-l8uGYOkru_o7v69ccIYZ57nioO3I/s4835/moulinrouge565.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3225" data-original-width="4835" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzxGtQAA7rm4Fcqsb7e4mpqhjJ3exWutAp-UfTxgGM5d4Uiv6CNE2pGn25KLWBtk1kK6XuZaNnwC9Tx8k2QWP5uqdDcqjmc7WNjEeibPZTSN8-9uA3huD_hgN3I52-pYExTBihhUjAOonYgwksVqcKJ6Uu-351s-l8uGYOkru_o7v69ccIYZ57nioO3I/w400-h266/moulinrouge565.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Robert Petkoff, in the pivotal, scene-stealing role of Harold Zidler, the welcoming ringleader, owner and emcee of the decadent and inviting Moulin Rouge nightclub, delivers a dazzling, delicious, ridiculously entertaining performance that commands your attention whenever he's onstage. He has great fun with the role, investing it with the thrill and spill the part call calls, but making it very much his own.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Hello, chickens!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yes, it's me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Your own beloved Harold Zidler.</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the flesh!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Welcome...to the Moulin Rouge," he cries.</div><div style="text-align: center;">"This is where all your dreams come true.</div><div style="text-align: center;">You are the Moulin Rouge!"</div><br />And he's not kidding.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSi1JdSw3LdMawKIDi8-Xy0c3HM0cCtGgEmPANEJs8oKx3mCgoudiccz1PmBXuoqIGLAkPiN0WMYhofXUvHyjNxUEnOFKsAEPxW7jCm9Ass57ipaUSnuvWwQfwFXQ8V0TbdP-VBf-SWS0J1Wzdx779O2uDDrIPfMPnThedAb8Pr9UunvNyzdTcpLhqjw/s1200/moulinrouge12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSi1JdSw3LdMawKIDi8-Xy0c3HM0cCtGgEmPANEJs8oKx3mCgoudiccz1PmBXuoqIGLAkPiN0WMYhofXUvHyjNxUEnOFKsAEPxW7jCm9Ass57ipaUSnuvWwQfwFXQ8V0TbdP-VBf-SWS0J1Wzdx779O2uDDrIPfMPnThedAb8Pr9UunvNyzdTcpLhqjw/w400-h210/moulinrouge12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Moulin Rouge!" is being staged at the Bushnell (166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT), now through December 3, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (860) 987-5900.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">website: bushnell.org</span></i></div></span></i><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-32596671818600132482023-11-19T12:06:00.000-08:002023-11-20T07:06:57.957-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 439, A Review: "Miracle on 34th Street" (The Arts at Angeloria's) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJECxJ4UX_4lIRniQ8TBKxG5-kadpt0vkTtfU4dIrzhmbyyhLuzP5lGVy_Dn7iEgKeVawZ1v9o_VHaW467pG-8iCJrvqVdrYmhVHF9Oo8flgclGSC3xVCyQ-WVp5oTmYRSxxXs7CcwejlMeFmw6-OeM_kgoAxlTuFnmButXLjjidHkGyKFrYsd4F0jFus/s1461/miracleon34thstreet444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1461" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJECxJ4UX_4lIRniQ8TBKxG5-kadpt0vkTtfU4dIrzhmbyyhLuzP5lGVy_Dn7iEgKeVawZ1v9o_VHaW467pG-8iCJrvqVdrYmhVHF9Oo8flgclGSC3xVCyQ-WVp5oTmYRSxxXs7CcwejlMeFmw6-OeM_kgoAxlTuFnmButXLjjidHkGyKFrYsd4F0jFus/w400-h191/miracleon34thstreet444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Is there really a Santa Claus?<br />Does he actually live in the North Pole?<br />Is his workshop filled with Christmas elves who make toys of every shape, color and size from handwritten wish lists from kids of all ages?<br />Does he really bring gifts to children worldwide on Christmas Eve with the aid of flying reindeer who pull his toy-filled sleigh through the air?<br />Yes?<br />No?<br />Maybe?<br />Well, that depends.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In "Miracle on 34th Street," the stage version of the original 1947 film that starred Edmund Gwenn and Maureen O' Hara, Kris Kringle believes he's Santa Claus.<br />He can grant any wish.<br />He can give you any gift.<br />He can speak any language.<br />His kindness knows no boundaries.<br /><br />To the children visiting the welcoming Christmas grotto of Macy's Department Store, he's the one and only North Pole Santa and not an actor or salesperson commissioned via a weekly employee paycheck to pretend to be you-know-who.<br />Suspicion mounts.<br />Pretty much everyone thinks he's crazy.<br />A supreme court judge is hired to decide his sanity and real identity.<br />Christmas is threatened.<br />And the myth of the legendary figure of Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Saint Nicholas and Père Noël, may be destroyed for good.<br /><br />This being a "holiday-themed-show" with the word "miracle" in its title, "34th Street" eventually becomes a very happy place of smiles, gumdrops, candy canes, giddy wordplay and fantasy. <br />But is there a Santa Claus?<br />You bet there is!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGjwcTf1hlEyNqCIwurAXAZKbgZWsjZtGgZr8sby5I-RG3Geaeb7VI-8zLXjTbR7PvcmZ77GQiduQXTn_jmLaZOJt7AspWHmHiiprFPeqUUx46uo1jepHYoJB1us-cc5nkjxAMVR6EeHTd64vJ7F95LHxubHmziw5Q6qlnx5qicImSr1sQL3-NkUhpJ4/s2048/miracleon34street89.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGjwcTf1hlEyNqCIwurAXAZKbgZWsjZtGgZr8sby5I-RG3Geaeb7VI-8zLXjTbR7PvcmZ77GQiduQXTn_jmLaZOJt7AspWHmHiiprFPeqUUx46uo1jepHYoJB1us-cc5nkjxAMVR6EeHTd64vJ7F95LHxubHmziw5Q6qlnx5qicImSr1sQL3-NkUhpJ4/w400-h266/miracleon34street89.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Not one to disappoint, The Arts at Angeloria's turns a dark winter's night into a glorious snowy morning with its charming, hyperactive, very lengthy take on "Miracle on 34th Street." Produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois, it comes to the stage with a book by Valentine Davies and a patchwork of handpicked "public domain" songs (not covered by copyright law) interspersed throughout the familiar, carefully modulated narrative.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is also not to be confused with Meredith Wilson's 1963 Broadway musical "Here's Love," which, years later, was retitled "Miracle on 34th Street," for theatergoers and critics who felt "Here's Love" was the wrong title for a musical that questioned the existence of Santa Claus during the Christmas holidays.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">With the accent on fun, amusement and over-the-top point of view and commitment, this decidedly different, musically remixed interpretation of "Miracle of 34th Street" glides and slides with holiday spirit, cheery wordplay and ample enough gallop and dash to turn even old Ebeneezer Scrooge into a fan of Kris Kringle.<br /><br />It is sweet and corny.<br />It is brave and mischievous.<br />It is naive and twinkly.<br />Some of the songs work.<br />Some of them don't.<br />The first act is a tad too long.<br />Some of the plot seems dropped in as an afterthought.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJ7p0XP7yRWZmN6LfN4tFrVRuyFHybT-1DGy8ccExvVUm6rLwU0pxOcndshfiuvlZD3V_2XSdbv_ITRsmar9HWD1aqFPKbnBe-393iMUKtUYhhHn72k-oGv8ciC3paH7nZzwbgYc_MGyx5HpE9uTLpAEAj39TWy9CnAWtearhfhM3wq1sFO2Fdcr1it4/s2048/miracleon34street33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1503" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJ7p0XP7yRWZmN6LfN4tFrVRuyFHybT-1DGy8ccExvVUm6rLwU0pxOcndshfiuvlZD3V_2XSdbv_ITRsmar9HWD1aqFPKbnBe-393iMUKtUYhhHn72k-oGv8ciC3paH7nZzwbgYc_MGyx5HpE9uTLpAEAj39TWy9CnAWtearhfhM3wq1sFO2Fdcr1it4/w294-h400/miracleon34street33.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Nonetheless, "Miracle on 34th Street" succeeds mainly on the strength of its two lead performers - Nicole Zolad as Doris Walker and Tony Lamberto as Kris Kringle - and an exceptional team of seasoned adult performers including Heidi Bass-Lamberto, Leann Crosby, Diana Bruenn, Nick Rapuano and Helen Malinka.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Miracle on 34th Street" director Lori Holm stays close to the source of the original 1947 movie for inspiration, going for full impact dramatically and comically, mixed with appropriate doses of melancholy, warmth, reflection and nostalgia. She is full of ideas, knowledge and enthusiasm and generates the right amount of holiday spirit without going overboard to make a point or drowning the theatergoer in "The Night Before Christmas" overkill. <br />The script, as written by Valentine Davies, however, requires a number of scene changes that given the venue's small, intimate space, often interrupts the action as cast and crew work diligently - Santa's elves come to mind - to kick "Miracle on 34th Street" back into orbit, move the action forward and keep the adrenaline flowing. It's a task that Holm masters with engagement, carrying the audience along to the big finish, a place where miracles can and do happen and everyone lives happily ever after. Unfortunately, these shifts in time, place and scenery, though necessary to the production, add a half-hour to the already overlong proceedings.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW8FwgHq8jkO6VEca2oXWbB2qblCYcDnm0yV4Gwm6BRf1eWbyLB75OL8UQg3-40EjI3TNHEmASFjTOnk-BZAcUREgrexOyWuRpyBnyPuNJ_pylG9Ox5OPxmzpy7T2-8eyEqqpD_ww9dmwVNfz-wG6yd4Bmd5kQRYUVWWzJRLA-qkxpMwR1SY7QOPzIGg/s2048/miracleon34street67.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW8FwgHq8jkO6VEca2oXWbB2qblCYcDnm0yV4Gwm6BRf1eWbyLB75OL8UQg3-40EjI3TNHEmASFjTOnk-BZAcUREgrexOyWuRpyBnyPuNJ_pylG9Ox5OPxmzpy7T2-8eyEqqpD_ww9dmwVNfz-wG6yd4Bmd5kQRYUVWWzJRLA-qkxpMwR1SY7QOPzIGg/w400-h300/miracleon34street67.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Musically, this adaptation incorporates 13 "public domain" songs, handpicked by Holm to enliven the storytelling and spirit of the "Miracle on 34th Street" story. They are: "Here We Come a Caroling," "Wassail Song," "Brighten the Corner Where You Are," "Up on the Housetop," "Lucky Day," "Smile Will Go a Long, Long Way," "Jolly Old St. Nicholas, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," "Toyland," "Golden Days," "In the Bleak Midwinter," "Feather Your Nest" and "Deck the Halls."<br />Shoehorning musical numbers into an otherwise non-musical play, the songs themselves, all well intended, pop up every now and then like variety show interludes similar in style to that of "Your Hit Parade," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour" and "Your Show of Shows." They are genuine, playful and vintage-ready and serve their intended purpose. A few could be cut for time constraints, particularly in Act Two where they slow the action down or add nothing to the ongoing holiday story.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KJL282MBZWAxzb6pPfLJS7VQsiFb6HL-l4o5Bm-hNanLsaBm4cuFurmQQuaioD6DfNwFLF1q5Y9waUmatQYmrgGb40E2O1C9lrs_PD4u0Tj1MVBom8b4fDm-fLWCDgO1HRRU_wfsmpgJL5NedyT-43d6c0WpI18z2HkofmrR8yaOdHHEhwCVoo5mKFU/s1974/miracleon34thstreet477.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1974" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KJL282MBZWAxzb6pPfLJS7VQsiFb6HL-l4o5Bm-hNanLsaBm4cuFurmQQuaioD6DfNwFLF1q5Y9waUmatQYmrgGb40E2O1C9lrs_PD4u0Tj1MVBom8b4fDm-fLWCDgO1HRRU_wfsmpgJL5NedyT-43d6c0WpI18z2HkofmrR8yaOdHHEhwCVoo5mKFU/w311-h400/miracleon34thstreet477.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the role of Doris Walker, an attractive, divorced woman who works as an event director for Macy's Department Store, Nicole Zolad, has found yet another pivotal role to showcase both her dramatic and musical talents. Here, dressed glamorously in Kim Turret's impeccably designed 1940s period wardrobe, Zolad is runway ready, delivering a genuine, captivating performance in sync with that of the 1947 characterization created by Maureen O'Hara and one that in this incarnation, she interprets with a natural spark, honesty and sureness that makes her every on-stage moment really matter. Her hardline stance on keeping her young daughter grounded in reality is played with real emotion and concern, particularly when defining the Christmas myth surrounding Santa Claus. Elsewhere, her vocal interpretation of the Victor Herbert/Glen MacDonough song classic "Toyland," is nothing short of brilliant, rich and expressive with just the right touch of warmth, lilt and arrangement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Tony Lamberto's star turn as Kris Kringle is every bit as magical and delightful as Edmund Gwenn was in the 1947 film version of "Miracle on 34th Street." Championed by an onstage naturalness and charisma that goes a very long way in this Arts of Angeloria's production, Lamberto is the real deal. He's charming. He's personable. He's magical. He's imaginative. He's in such fine form from start to finish, it's no surprise to anyone onstage or in the audience that everything he does works so well. Nick Rapuano, as Fred Gayley, Doris Walker's next-door-neighbor who eventually becomes her romantic suitor plays his leading man role with evolving rapport, emotion and strongness. He and Zolad work wonderfully together, engaging in a sweet-and-sentimental romantic coupling that produces all the right sparks, smiles and happily-ever-after enchantment.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEEedKDsGeNq3nNqo9eEfEMYtZjOQSLhnXItP13CrI0jQ4i9W3aSNKkioiT36nUxb1M5MQfQUJ3vslvUnNhygDlN4uZTbU7qgCnP_SWhkrUTr_OcQV000aUlyFS5tmSa8diC1N6zg_qZvTklNljuNrXjIo9FnzwKamQSIxPQsGbDr62DUrpH7gC026sg/s2048/miracleon34thstreet5555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEEedKDsGeNq3nNqo9eEfEMYtZjOQSLhnXItP13CrI0jQ4i9W3aSNKkioiT36nUxb1M5MQfQUJ3vslvUnNhygDlN4uZTbU7qgCnP_SWhkrUTr_OcQV000aUlyFS5tmSa8diC1N6zg_qZvTklNljuNrXjIo9FnzwKamQSIxPQsGbDr62DUrpH7gC026sg/w400-h300/miracleon34thstreet5555.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_7XrLgsdGLqXmSTYmk_UPOwMUV2nzyrDZcbPWuL5vAo2JSM3Pz2DusCz_zgqMRR_-cDNsmlAKG04V6tmKU88nePu4RSYcsU2s7X2qjbTZifMQMNMU0WiDE0iRdhoJlA56CDwDfKWkGl9Lhz9HQ1KZSDbxyBiDQQjBmpPXKE6TtoApQ0p-TPCsCKVRLI/s2048/miracleon34thstreet53.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_7XrLgsdGLqXmSTYmk_UPOwMUV2nzyrDZcbPWuL5vAo2JSM3Pz2DusCz_zgqMRR_-cDNsmlAKG04V6tmKU88nePu4RSYcsU2s7X2qjbTZifMQMNMU0WiDE0iRdhoJlA56CDwDfKWkGl9Lhz9HQ1KZSDbxyBiDQQjBmpPXKE6TtoApQ0p-TPCsCKVRLI/w300-h400/miracleon34thstreet53.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Leann Crosby as Attorney Mara, a New York lawyer with a penchant for conceding point after point, comes to "Miracle on 34th Street" with the comic finesse and gait of a variety show vaudevillian who can make anything funny through the employment of line delivery, funny faces, positioning and punch and pull gather and grab. Heidi Bass-Lamberto, as Halloran, a nosy, gossipy type whose comic style recalls that of Vivian Vance's Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy," impresses at every comic turn, knowing exactly how to get laugh after laugh (her "Sanny Claus" schtick is hysterical) the way it was intended to be shaped and performed in the sit-com television world of yesteryear. <br /><br />Equally impressive is Helen Malinka as Shellhapper and Diana Bruenn as Sawyer. They too come to the proceedings with lots and lots of stage presence, personality and great comic flair and dramatic invention. They are both natural-born entertainers who have great fun with their individual characterizations, dialogue, one-liners and interaction with other members of the "Miracle on 34th Street" cast. Kuhlken Gorman is wonderfully animated as Doctor Pierce, but stumbling over his dialogue from time to time, flatlines his performance. Lilly Wood's Susan Walter is adorable enough, but she lacks the open-eyed wonder and child-like innocence associated with the role. As James, the son of Attorney Mara, Felix Allen, makes a strong impression, particularly when he takes the witness stand in Act II to tell everyone that his mother told him that "Santa Claus" is real. It's one of those "standout" moments that audiences know and love. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUhe_LtHnVBB3jLtGOA_W7dsHgKEdm9-_cF_aUpucyO4N6K7LUe3BzfW5ctC0A66Um7-U34GKLJoKz0jTClifHf1Yfta3OVsf4_2c7Jnt0JFiOYRNlwXVlRzv7k6ifBODjMSo7Q5sdY8Xf3ldXQSvY2_ZFEpxtkhbiW6XvQE7Pfhr1nORXjmJCsNiQVg/s2048/miracleon34thstreet600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUhe_LtHnVBB3jLtGOA_W7dsHgKEdm9-_cF_aUpucyO4N6K7LUe3BzfW5ctC0A66Um7-U34GKLJoKz0jTClifHf1Yfta3OVsf4_2c7Jnt0JFiOYRNlwXVlRzv7k6ifBODjMSo7Q5sdY8Xf3ldXQSvY2_ZFEpxtkhbiW6XvQE7Pfhr1nORXjmJCsNiQVg/w400-h300/miracleon34thstreet600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Miracle on 34th Street" is being staged at The Arts at Angeloria's (223 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Southington, CT), now through December 3, 2023.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (860) 426-9690.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: theartsatangelorias.com.</i></div></i><p></p></span><p></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-35202836587571705892023-11-13T14:20:00.000-08:002023-11-13T14:21:09.831-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 438, A Review: "Elf - the Musical" (Fairfield Center Stage)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaQpSJ39eMcR1u4Q6rUEMLF0bnviT56D9c3ZKNQslZAqHFCj0Q_OuI51O-e-FKDf8Qht5nq4TqsMaw5Lk4-eJ9VjlZBNzby55WD7iLs4NGfgQiM9ZY1YamQG745N3eQq5MdYjZv-B3lsKDreILiws3JfYYQxIjtllwLGLlsQ9dJAvXx1ljBZ9Zz6dDqQ/s2048/elf123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaQpSJ39eMcR1u4Q6rUEMLF0bnviT56D9c3ZKNQslZAqHFCj0Q_OuI51O-e-FKDf8Qht5nq4TqsMaw5Lk4-eJ9VjlZBNzby55WD7iLs4NGfgQiM9ZY1YamQG745N3eQq5MdYjZv-B3lsKDreILiws3JfYYQxIjtllwLGLlsQ9dJAvXx1ljBZ9Zz6dDqQ/w400-h255/elf123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b> </span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"Christmas is a lot more than just Santa Claus. Christmas is sleeping on a futon. Having cold spaghetti for breakfast with your little brother. It's going ice skating with your girlfriend and kissing her for the very first time under a big, glittery Christmas tree.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"It's traveling miles and miles to be with your family, walking through the Lincoln tunnel with cars blowing their horns the whole time and drivers yelling things that no person should say to another human being, let alone to an elf.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"It's hoping that when you wake up on Christmas morning, all the cars, and all the big grey office buildings, and all the piles of garbage will be covered in snow."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Buddy) ("Elf - the Musical") </i></div></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you've seen the 2003 Will Ferrell film "Elf" ("Is there anyone out there who hasn't?"), you already know the plot.<br />If you haven't (shame on you), it's time for a recap.<br />After crawling into Santa's great big sack of presents as a baby, little Buddy is magically transported to the North Pole and raised by those around him as an elf. Years later, he accidentally learns that he's not an elf at all, but rather a very tall human being whose father is a hard-nosed New York publisher of children's books who's about to get the ax unless he comes up with a great holiday story by Christmas Eve. <br />Not to worry, though.<br />Traveling to the Big Apple, Buddy is not only reunited with his long-lost family (dad, stepmom and stepbrother), but finds true love with a Macy's department store salesgirl named Jovie, marries her and brings their newborn daughter Suzie back to the North Pole to meet the big man in red.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEvNoRjruffaUj7EREAXO1DItutCb10TaOeq-h7t20NQLUHryEIW3SLFxiAWsVdIxJti9bi3quEVaaG2Q-sr-eNakXcFCoNIK4kyp_AcQ149nJNUSOvPlAID0bmCD8neuLhtB0M3CVIfW9NGWHHNW5ewEJJ5T3PLDaldvbAOpdF9nfQfeCB77Ohlt0GE/s1080/elfthemusical33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEvNoRjruffaUj7EREAXO1DItutCb10TaOeq-h7t20NQLUHryEIW3SLFxiAWsVdIxJti9bi3quEVaaG2Q-sr-eNakXcFCoNIK4kyp_AcQ149nJNUSOvPlAID0bmCD8neuLhtB0M3CVIfW9NGWHHNW5ewEJJ5T3PLDaldvbAOpdF9nfQfeCB77Ohlt0GE/w400-h301/elfthemusical33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Drawing its inspiration from the popular Christmas movie, "Elf - the Musical" takes a similar path to Santa Land with storytelling techniques and ideas that recreate most of the amusing diversions of the original film alongside characters, dialogue, musical numbers and dances that replay Buddy's antics with charm, gusto and festive effervescence.<br />That intoxicating spirit, accompanied by a sparkly presentation of Christmas snap, goodwill and wrapping paper transport, turn Fairfield Center Stage's reenactment of Buddy the Elf's story into a joyful, five-star celebration that hits a high note at every single turn.<br />This is a grown-up fairy tale of sorts that dares you to dream with lots and lots of candy canes, hot cocoa and candy corn on standby to share with all the people you love.<br />It pops.<br />It blazes.<br />It tilts.<br />It also bursts into widescreen technicolor glory with astonishing feats of wizardry, niceness and holiday glee that is great fun for all, diced and spliced with Christmas cracker pep and step, twirling satirisation and jolly good sentimentality.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7HlU6WX1tMyzD7C0TmW-vAxveLQ9QyccBDR0NwA9IvIbN9NpRGtcHwd7ogQxsBbTcxU-_hu8G8mU0LKcKCAyEtu7URELsBpy5EVfluJJFsUdEdm-06oLEr2Yt5xjyRH-KQeqpown3Nj-Z8O4MNimafeEEDQqP_AylCNF_Cfh7xLgLn_6NotsEiZYVQ4/s2048/elfthemusical77.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7HlU6WX1tMyzD7C0TmW-vAxveLQ9QyccBDR0NwA9IvIbN9NpRGtcHwd7ogQxsBbTcxU-_hu8G8mU0LKcKCAyEtu7URELsBpy5EVfluJJFsUdEdm-06oLEr2Yt5xjyRH-KQeqpown3Nj-Z8O4MNimafeEEDQqP_AylCNF_Cfh7xLgLn_6NotsEiZYVQ4/w400-h301/elfthemusical77.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Elf - the Musical," director Marcelle Morrisey brightens the stage with a viable thrill and spill, offset by great warmth, wonderment, feel-good Christmas magic and shed-a-tear playfulness. Never once losing focus on the intent, purpose and story arc of this popular holiday tale, she fuels the musical with non-stop energy, opportunity and emotion that ditches the schmaltz and overkill of other "Elf" productions in favor of a win-win theatrical experience for all ages that is portrayed with relatable love, originality, style and word-for-word confidence and exhilaration.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Directorially, she has great fun with the material, clarifying the zigzagging, whimsical plot with comfort, zest and shine, mixed seamlessly with candy-cane sweetness, easy-listening sensibility and bang-on detail, encounter and concern. It's all paced and bandied about with fast-moving scene changes, straightforward, immersive storytelling, rippling flutter and landmark negotiation and leverage. Nothing is out of place. Nothing is thrown in for sentiment's sake. It all works splendidly including the snow machines that produce wet, falling whiteness much to the delight of the sugar-crazed, excited kids in the audience.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Full to the brim with Christmas spirit and holiday cheer, "Elf - the Musical" comes gift wrapped with a candy-coated musical score of festive treats, a melee of solo turns and ensemble numbers and joyfully bittersweet melodies that are plum pudding perfect for the snap-bang-wallop holiday fantasia invoked and marketed throughout the two-act musical.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Written by Matthew Skylar (music) and Chad Beguelin (lyrics), the production contains sixteen efficient, clever, strategically placed musical numbers that propel the action forward with lift, reference, naiveite and heartstring plucked merriment. Every one of songs is right for the characters who sing them and for theatergoers accustomed to musical scores supercharged with traditional Broadway charm, smartness and melody.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">They are: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Happy All the Time," "World's Greatest Dad," "In the Way," "Sparklejollytwinklejingley," "I'll Believe in You," "In the Way (reprise)," "Just Like Him," "A Christmas Song," World's Greatest Dad (reprise)," "Nobody Cares About Santa," "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)," "There is a Santa Claus," The Story of Buddy the Elf," "Nobody Cares About Santa (reprise)," "A Christmas Song (reprise)" and "Finale."</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGkYKDzbuShfMSe0TqfW4M4MG3RUkeC9UXiMlIjuB5wo5qfx49Xc7bOUlvCWkUDxG4oIBdhEN3Gr-P-7G4_ItxKJDOXPWaIGAKG4f6uKHWKS4l8nd9aWV5yqj_P6NS_afcLvZeGZMLhRNkhyWE6MacRLqNqwxJ3B1Dnh08NgvSfzmqVLpS0liSn6vjik/s1080/elfthemusical66.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1080" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGkYKDzbuShfMSe0TqfW4M4MG3RUkeC9UXiMlIjuB5wo5qfx49Xc7bOUlvCWkUDxG4oIBdhEN3Gr-P-7G4_ItxKJDOXPWaIGAKG4f6uKHWKS4l8nd9aWV5yqj_P6NS_afcLvZeGZMLhRNkhyWE6MacRLqNqwxJ3B1Dnh08NgvSfzmqVLpS0liSn6vjik/w400-h301/elfthemusical66.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As musical director, Clay Zambo taps into the playful Skylar/Beguelin score with enlivened tinkle, plunk and roar, mastering the beat, flicker and gesture of the material itself, its lyrical chords and theatrics, its festive, holiday sound and its orchestrational flash, dash and rhythmic harmonies. Here, everything is given its whimsical, elemental, romantic weight. Nothing is overplayed, glazed over or schmaltz personified for entertainment's sake. Musical storytelling is pure fun with plenty of color and character. And the cast, under Zambo's tutelage is always animated and energetic.<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Doubling as keyboardist, Zambo brings "Elf - the Musical" to life alongside the talented, handpicked orchestral team of </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Charles Casimiro (bass), </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Mark Dennis (trumpet), </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Gabe Nappi (drums) and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Steve Fasoli (woodwinds). All five musicians are engaged and commanding, offering highly expressive choices, sounds and blending of instruments that expertly convey the concept and musicality of the show's creators, the freshness and vitality of the songs themselves, their bounce back tunefulness and their clearly delineated immediacy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI30daKBBh8CzrEli3SRsl8M_e2l5rVpHqYX-yXivL9BTrGwD7yPnzSiHw-1fIk8lDRsKw3ZPY-gyG66N_dhGiWJEgHoE3NkdzAy_t7aS2-w7fUaoLthJFmiLQE_H61WcQDJ5NgK9h3anRZ96x8XQ9X6e-RIIYMYGZmDczEZO2gx9NSwp3jdopcBh6Yjw/s2048/elfthemusical88.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI30daKBBh8CzrEli3SRsl8M_e2l5rVpHqYX-yXivL9BTrGwD7yPnzSiHw-1fIk8lDRsKw3ZPY-gyG66N_dhGiWJEgHoE3NkdzAy_t7aS2-w7fUaoLthJFmiLQE_H61WcQDJ5NgK9h3anRZ96x8XQ9X6e-RIIYMYGZmDczEZO2gx9NSwp3jdopcBh6Yjw/w400-h301/elfthemusical88.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Emily Frangipane and Kelsey Kaminski, as co-choreographers, craft a celebration of dance and movement that is sunny, varied and fluent and chock full of swoop, slide, clash, cluster and glide. Throughout "Elf - the Musical," their choreographic interplay heightens the musical merriment of the show's narrative, its fluid, synced and swaying composite, its melancholic sizzle and its colorful, festive salute to all things Christmas. Mixing dance elements from "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and "Annie" alongside that of the "Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular," the duo give their hardworking company of performers a variety of signature, classic Broadway moves to showcase via partnering and groupwork that shines and excites and prompts lots and lots of well-deserved applause in all the right places.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7nCSYbDD7dWYQO4RW0Obet2p_qNCfZ7GGo1pVTM947NzpG2H_zxdOTtBeZvoZar4vWDLngyz7Riex4PnOvAkbuClRVvebmWTqvwu3XpsZY_-Rtamly-YIPw0dA7Y053hAUeXaQd0zBIYHkxMIfu7UrZLcNe41ggmL0RMw9qkA1HsgJjS8hKopi98VmY/s1012/elfthemusical5553.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="1012" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7nCSYbDD7dWYQO4RW0Obet2p_qNCfZ7GGo1pVTM947NzpG2H_zxdOTtBeZvoZar4vWDLngyz7Riex4PnOvAkbuClRVvebmWTqvwu3XpsZY_-Rtamly-YIPw0dA7Y053hAUeXaQd0zBIYHkxMIfu7UrZLcNe41ggmL0RMw9qkA1HsgJjS8hKopi98VmY/w320-h312/elfthemusical5553.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The success of "Elf - the Musical," first and foremost, depends on the casting of the show's Buddy. Without the "right" Buddy, the two-act musical, doesn't stand a chance. Here, Nick Kuell - a talented, charismatic actor who was born to play this role - knocks it out of the ballpark with a genuine, big-hearted performance that comes across as loveable, magical, childlike and sweet.<br />It doesn't get any better than Kuell and he owns the part of Buddy the moment he first appears on stage. It's a great musical comedy turn and one that the actor effortlessly confronts with bouts and flashes of cheer, heartbreak, amusement, romance and immensely likeable grace, sparkle and twinkle. Vocally, Kuell is in his element selling each and every one of the songs he is asked to sing with welcoming ease, passion, impact and arrangement.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOMD707c52VlwGoumoxCt3OzRcyPKQpGcMLFaOLgNV2hYnCvqKqAd83mtGpNHZhzFVJsVWGm2nkIvjLI_1g2zbPuDmZbZznv78qM2cXwaj_0tOki7MvW-8t2c2_KDWXw94ty-KZW3uy3iHqFWm80uB9MeK9HWXm-w_YzryKQAs92YqGZqggwNzerZREg/s2048/elfthemusical655.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOMD707c52VlwGoumoxCt3OzRcyPKQpGcMLFaOLgNV2hYnCvqKqAd83mtGpNHZhzFVJsVWGm2nkIvjLI_1g2zbPuDmZbZznv78qM2cXwaj_0tOki7MvW-8t2c2_KDWXw94ty-KZW3uy3iHqFWm80uB9MeK9HWXm-w_YzryKQAs92YqGZqggwNzerZREg/w400-h300/elfthemusical655.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />In the roles of Buddy's newfound family, Walter, Emily and Michael Hobbs, Mark Silence, Samantha Moore and Sam Matis, fully embrace the sugar-coated cheer, angst, stumble and bewilderment of their individual characterizations, offset by great line delivery and a catchy song style showcased to great applause whenever they're onstage. As Jovie, Alexis Willoughby delivers yet another ovation worthy performance (her powerhouse vocal "Never Fall in Love" is a showstopper) that is brilliantly primed and executed with real feeling, real style and real emotion. Jeremy Ajdukiewicz is both the perfect storyteller and the perfect Santa Claus. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqsekUqP8_f3MZPNnwyEPMiwv6bhPZZBCbibFVi8WTDNCXXsVKqwxMwNXCUsD6AD3wE6Nc4_e_MWkHY13mKJTTbwEVdlmh81MsZ4U9hDmCgoAK1l9KiL0kVYP2g_zs3Ij-DH1U_P50zYhMtPHEhQYm-0dvfxH-0rGE5bIU8u0TNef6x7YBByH3yWeM2Y/s2048/elfthemusical76.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="2048" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqsekUqP8_f3MZPNnwyEPMiwv6bhPZZBCbibFVi8WTDNCXXsVKqwxMwNXCUsD6AD3wE6Nc4_e_MWkHY13mKJTTbwEVdlmh81MsZ4U9hDmCgoAK1l9KiL0kVYP2g_zs3Ij-DH1U_P50zYhMtPHEhQYm-0dvfxH-0rGE5bIU8u0TNef6x7YBByH3yWeM2Y/w400-h260/elfthemusical76.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />As Deb, Walter's secretarial assistant, who is "the life of the office," Lindsay Anderson is one of those natural, stand-out performers you can't help but notice the moment she appears on stage. She pretty much steals every scene she's in (not intentionally - she's a musical theatre triple treat with plenty of talent and musicality to boot) bringing the right spark, attitude and optimism to the production, matched by an in-the-moment connection and immersion that works wonders in this top-drawer musical confection of the highest order.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cfPVXV_3xSRsAm2frAgvi_F1bGdd6zPxVPqtJszWuofGFbhHZaoL_NacikZ9IcaXPwKzFbAmH6rlAAprQvsPGHZVswaUwdt41aNbyYu9lsKN23HSb4f7MLdB4JFzS8KCs8lGO0ib-z-mRsp5Glw_Ow4q3jwSCGlhKLSfuT-DDM74m2uywcAFtQ_w3UY/s2048/elfthemusical555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cfPVXV_3xSRsAm2frAgvi_F1bGdd6zPxVPqtJszWuofGFbhHZaoL_NacikZ9IcaXPwKzFbAmH6rlAAprQvsPGHZVswaUwdt41aNbyYu9lsKN23HSb4f7MLdB4JFzS8KCs8lGO0ib-z-mRsp5Glw_Ow4q3jwSCGlhKLSfuT-DDM74m2uywcAFtQ_w3UY/w400-h300/elfthemusical555.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Elf - the Musical" is being showcased at Fairfield Center Stage (First Church Congregational, 148 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT), now through November 25, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (203) 416-6446 (voice mail)</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: fairfieldcenterstage.org</i></div></span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-22405279823765664802023-11-08T09:48:00.002-08:002023-11-08T09:49:05.980-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 437, A Review: "Clybourne Park" (Music Theatre of Connecticut)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj01Cj9JkBcMMRqj2hmu2eE7rj11CZVsIbPPGshZ6Toke1UhotOfJvPKnDCrxPoUcSyf0DB0a7h0Y-nkaI3XhaiNiX1wyzNIk1r3xG0XcAysZfTjtyxn7SBOZc-UO6bVWwCULqQHmC4fPjjc31CJZPiK4XF_qo807xQgBjsQoYyHQ43P-Bl4eQhqZPgiI/s2325/clybournepark334.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="2325" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj01Cj9JkBcMMRqj2hmu2eE7rj11CZVsIbPPGshZ6Toke1UhotOfJvPKnDCrxPoUcSyf0DB0a7h0Y-nkaI3XhaiNiX1wyzNIk1r3xG0XcAysZfTjtyxn7SBOZc-UO6bVWwCULqQHmC4fPjjc31CJZPiK4XF_qo807xQgBjsQoYyHQ43P-Bl4eQhqZPgiI/w400-h217/clybournepark334.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Interracial tension, property ownership, white privilege, historical change and death by suicide are among the topics addressed in Bruce Norris's timely, provocative 2010 play "Clybourne Park," which when first produced on Broadway and in London, won the Tony Award for Best Play, the Olivier Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama.<br />Prior to its staging, no other play was the recipient of all three honors.<br />Inspired by Lorriane Hansberry's acclaimed 1959 work "A Raisin in the Sun," the two-act play is set in the fictional, white middle-class neighborhood of Chicago's Clybourne Park during 1959 (Act One) and 2009 (Act Two). <br />Here, one white couple, traumatized by the suicide of their soldier son Kenneth, prepare to move out of their home only to discover that their house was sold to a black family. The second half, which picks up the action 50 years later, finds a white couple purchasing the same house in a now predominantly black neighborhood, which they plan on leveling (the house, not the neighborhood) to create an even bigger dwelling. That said, they are also completely unaware of the history of the home and its previous residents, one of whom killed himself because he was unable to face the violent acts, he committed against innocent civilians during the Korean War.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A work of significant smarts, sensitivity and salacious skewering, "Clybourne Park" comes to Music Theatre of Connecticut with an electric charge of heat, debate, trigger and wallop that provokes, taunts, entices, shouts and tantalizes.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsieCWQtgIc4bTMj5dT3VFCcAxDMF73WXecD3NEXsun7yQ9XrqU9iqE0Ww31UeoU5dT77qN1NP5Z8kKm-gGCtq2j64deWXzNRaCfr-YybqHcZbQzRfZPEvrTXNtvKCBGvVcKEqs-XY3XwY7UdZoULcz92cWjV9EgArks_Sg3IozNC68sdgnvfCD9NhKvs/s2500/clybournepark77.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsieCWQtgIc4bTMj5dT3VFCcAxDMF73WXecD3NEXsun7yQ9XrqU9iqE0Ww31UeoU5dT77qN1NP5Z8kKm-gGCtq2j64deWXzNRaCfr-YybqHcZbQzRfZPEvrTXNtvKCBGvVcKEqs-XY3XwY7UdZoULcz92cWjV9EgArks_Sg3IozNC68sdgnvfCD9NhKvs/w400-h225/clybournepark77.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is master-class theatre performed by a master class ensemble of seven who tackle the play's bold take on race relations, liberal arguments and neighborhood community history and with edgy persuasion, bullishness and relevant vitality.<br />This is play that dashes about with sting, movement and stimulation.<br />There is humor. There is drama. There is dislike. There is surprise. There is patronizing. There is violence.<br />Here, people, black, white, male, female, gay, straight, behave like total jerks, bigots, fools, assholes and self-righteous pricks.<br />But Norris, as artist and playwright, crafts a smart, ferocious, well-meaning play that connects the dots, breaks down the walls and acts out the logistics and conflicts with truths, parallels and brilliantly etched set ups, speeches and chaos that thrusts "Clybourne Park" into the spotlight with voyeuristic commitment, confidence and extension.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pi_r_UBjXom3jZ_sBFQKsPeUQoN8kmOGTrlYzyCZpdHRWVg6jfk8rmx001kiRwJAk8lpkeovHg7SRAze0yfFFiCH4TE3MIYVTRMQNVMFahs4d__uD4uRMaKUb2q7y2_JxEmfxg9ZbRt-dyjbKWbwfUZAQC8JnyI3b0qglWB5jEbG0Pz2ma_ieV1ih4Y/s2500/clybournepark881.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pi_r_UBjXom3jZ_sBFQKsPeUQoN8kmOGTrlYzyCZpdHRWVg6jfk8rmx001kiRwJAk8lpkeovHg7SRAze0yfFFiCH4TE3MIYVTRMQNVMFahs4d__uD4uRMaKUb2q7y2_JxEmfxg9ZbRt-dyjbKWbwfUZAQC8JnyI3b0qglWB5jEbG0Pz2ma_ieV1ih4Y/w400-h225/clybournepark881.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Clybourne Park," director Pamela Hill - "Lend Me a Tenor," "Steel Magnolias," "Always...Patsy Cline," "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" - stakes immediate claim to Norris' award-winning work, which, in theatrical terms, emerges as deftly balanced order and composition, mixed generously with lived-in organic feel, immediate pathos and hunger and Donmar Warehouse accompaniment, courtship and immersion.<br />Under her directorial tutelage, this production is not only one of the best theatrical offerings of the year, but it is also one that prompts fiery debate and conversation long after the actor's take their bows and the stage lights fade to black.<br />Not keen on blueprint staging or by-the-book mechanics, Hill keeps a tight, concentrated reign on the material, its evolution, its two different time periods, its motley array of characters, their backstories, the flammable subject matter, its slyness, its humor and its satirical swipes at prejudice. Each act fulfills its intended purpose and appeal, validated by the heightened realism and time-bomb ticking/explosiveness of the play text, its thorny machinations, its double-talk and its black/white point-of-view perspective. <br />As storyteller, Hill only gives so much away, thus creating an atmosphere of suspense and escalating tension that could erupt out of nowhere. So, when the bomb drops, and it does, Hill and fight choreographer Dan O'Driscoll, use the immersive, intimate environs of MTC to rock the boat and rattle and roar with the violent intent, shock and visibility intended by the playwright himself.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglg06TqKOAEPw0hxuepJF26P76duYYj7xv5PHxMV8XSobIc9gOk58nfQzDG8u8OTP1sNKmiYyGmhH5TpAopLx36b3DPsU2hj7O-MQUB9AIh6R9RDYxGSKrbOMR4DOnUmvmqpXW9ThR4hqutIF6OOi_6RSAjpZMCp1wDoimr7rQvam1rr3nOuEPfYrLWYs/s2500/clybournepark883.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglg06TqKOAEPw0hxuepJF26P76duYYj7xv5PHxMV8XSobIc9gOk58nfQzDG8u8OTP1sNKmiYyGmhH5TpAopLx36b3DPsU2hj7O-MQUB9AIh6R9RDYxGSKrbOMR4DOnUmvmqpXW9ThR4hqutIF6OOi_6RSAjpZMCp1wDoimr7rQvam1rr3nOuEPfYrLWYs/w400-h225/clybournepark883.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the dual roles of Bev, a lovely, meaningful 1950's housewife and Kathy, an intelligent real estate broker with a wicked sense of humor and mood-kill buzz, Susan Haefner, as both actress and artist, delivers two brilliant character turns that make great use of her talents, her extraordinary dramatic range, her masterful wheel of input and characterization and her instinctive, flip delivery of the playwright's acidic one-liners. Equally impressive is Frank Mastrone, an actor so focused and so genuinely honest, you never once think of him as acting. Here, as Bev's foul-mouthed husband Russ and Dan, a gruff workman who has found the army trunk of their dead son buried in the backyard, Mastrone's deeply felt emotion and strong sense of stage presence indulges and impresses with skilled actor-audience professionalism. Matt Mancuso, last seen as Bob Crewe in MTC's thrilling production of "Jersey Boys" (his performance was quite memorable), time travels to "Clybourne Park" to play not one, but three different roles, all of which he invests with a connection and intent that is reinforced with depth, truth and natural ownership. His appearance as a third character at the end of Act II is so beautifully and sensitively rendered, is should and will move you to tears. The addition of Haefner and Mastrone in the same scene heightens the production's strong, bittersweet conclusion.<br />Other fine performances are given by Allie Seibold, Rae Janeil, Nick Roesler and SJ Hannah.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Photos of "Clybourne Park" courtesy of Geovanni Colon Rosario</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeRaeQwlccvrW83jegLLz4qs7fHU_PEQucWQHcDwatZEenbxkmXqweij9GElMQOj3N1enO1UMRvKznaFDs9pVz5vbEbWJVjbQNV3rMNBKPWumPhl-51tCIergIJhV0CxjBGx11r6WCsXoZ5wIz4Nu6IsYOF7EEbXDz2Tj1D7hQV0wR9uqUCc5HL7gZxk/s1931/clybournepark88.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1931" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeRaeQwlccvrW83jegLLz4qs7fHU_PEQucWQHcDwatZEenbxkmXqweij9GElMQOj3N1enO1UMRvKznaFDs9pVz5vbEbWJVjbQNV3rMNBKPWumPhl-51tCIergIJhV0CxjBGx11r6WCsXoZ5wIz4Nu6IsYOF7EEbXDz2Tj1D7hQV0wR9uqUCc5HL7gZxk/w400-h225/clybournepark88.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Clybourne Park" is being staged at Music Theatre of Connecticut (509 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT), now through November 19, 2023.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (203) 454-3883.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: musictheatreofct.com</i></div></i><p></p></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-7983143799858435872023-11-05T08:23:00.009-08:002023-11-05T08:39:17.141-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 436, A Review: "Cheese Fries & Chili Dips" (Seven Angels Theatre) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIlD5E8tY_0VF-9KnEn9S7JsNT4EfJ_sQ7iXUMhhsRtNr_uUVnZarXnM_S-GkXmT4rOUiwRdM8ZqlM7wkI1jc6biiBX3Ye5eV5lyGWucYMWi_kzsajckdsn5UqmzSiXwx6eGH4SHVxNSERA9ra964HOirdgDyqkxeLuUFVIgYBMuV77Aa5WlwYeSDMsI/s1080/cheesefries1212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIlD5E8tY_0VF-9KnEn9S7JsNT4EfJ_sQ7iXUMhhsRtNr_uUVnZarXnM_S-GkXmT4rOUiwRdM8ZqlM7wkI1jc6biiBX3Ye5eV5lyGWucYMWi_kzsajckdsn5UqmzSiXwx6eGH4SHVxNSERA9ra964HOirdgDyqkxeLuUFVIgYBMuV77Aa5WlwYeSDMsI/w400-h266/cheesefries1212.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To make a one-man comedy show click and resonate, it must have all the necessary ingredients and tools - par for the course - to thrill, track, excite and dramatize its playful subject matter with real-care encounter, floorshow expression, non-stop humor and striking, distinctive focus and orchestration.<br />It also must house an energetic, think-outside-the-box raconteur whose stories and recollections provide its audience with plenty of context, lots of explanatory notes, running gags, real-life connections, rom-com silliness and stop and go interspersion to make it a fully gratifying experience.<br />Masterful writing, mixed with dashes of triggered improvisation is yet another key to the elevation and likability of the one-man show effort, its hook, its gait, its excitement and its breezy, adaptable progression.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Cheese Fries & Chili Dips," the brainchild of Chris Fuller, a former pro golfer who grew up in Weston, Connecticut and now makes his home in Arizona, comes to Seven Angels Theatre with a sure-fire consciousness and laugh-a-minute gallop that is richly moving, homespun theatrical, giggly, imaginative and take-everything-in-stride relatable.<br /><br />It is appropriate level inspired.<br />It is fast and admirable.<br />It is authentic and poignant.<br />It is feel-good ready.<br />It strikes a fine balance between self-discovery and autobiographical journey.<br />It's so much fun, you leave the theatre with a smile.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmzZ1NeUpf6vCgZYgLnnxhiONYI87DfDbQe-hyzmolWUVDIf5d7Yj4_qSd3CdCnyrbnQrs5up_DAVcl_Ief9S1wrXUTZI68COiNbBmJnLOwejp-z-08IdN3tCk7JiU-GRpayGz2XfZtmi6jU_48nwuM3BMwwXd3U8Pg2vuBCwqsuDQYEkXT2m9gqvS1s/s1620/cheesefries44.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmzZ1NeUpf6vCgZYgLnnxhiONYI87DfDbQe-hyzmolWUVDIf5d7Yj4_qSd3CdCnyrbnQrs5up_DAVcl_Ief9S1wrXUTZI68COiNbBmJnLOwejp-z-08IdN3tCk7JiU-GRpayGz2XfZtmi6jU_48nwuM3BMwwXd3U8Pg2vuBCwqsuDQYEkXT2m9gqvS1s/w266-h400/cheesefries44.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />But first let's backtrack.<br /><br />Who exactly is Chris Fuller?<br />And what kind of story does he have to tell?<br /><br />At the tender age of four, Fuller's passion for golf was sparked by putt-putt games triggered by legendary film star Bette Devis who was actually staying in his home as a "house guest," drinking, swearing, chain smoking, chatting, reminiscing and acting very much like the characters she played in several hit movies including that of Margo Channing ("All About Eve"), Baby Jane Hudson ("Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?") and Charlotte Hollis ("Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte"). <br />It's all hilariously recounted in "Me and Jezabel," a hilarious, acerbic, face-to-face memoir written by Fuller's mom Elizabeth (the book has also been transformed into a one-woman show) who tells what transpired the night Davis came to dinner in Weston and ended up staying four weeks due to a hotel strike in Manhattan.<br />One of the props used in "Cheese Fries & Chili Dips" is the actual kiddy putter that Davis autographed for "Master Christopher," stating "I won - Bette Davis."<br /><br />At 12, Fuller began playing in various golf tournaments and turned professional at the age of 23 with hopes of making the PGA Tour. Several games followed including the New England, Pepsi, Outlaw, Gateway and Dakota Pro Golf Tours.<br />Life, however, changed for Fuller, at the age of 26, when he was diagnosed with Bipolar II. Nonetheless, he persevered, found a fallback career and years later, he developed "Cheese Fries & Chili Dips," a comic showcase that portrayed his inspirational, healing and humorous storytelling.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2uhZE2yqMKZ0V8Dig3EirYQjtPETNM2Dp4XpuD6PX5rjDnNIVKo0Ll0rid5ZAf1ZEtOzDnDAiLjmxwjtBllffi2xKtAon14COZ5HglQVEQLJyrjY7-W6tOpGhoNM-aGzBE4hhIbr7nexz5KmB4jNUiv_rHr-nBW6v0oBJqgr3clhCrrGLVtIKX0HlK0/s1080/cheesefries55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2uhZE2yqMKZ0V8Dig3EirYQjtPETNM2Dp4XpuD6PX5rjDnNIVKo0Ll0rid5ZAf1ZEtOzDnDAiLjmxwjtBllffi2xKtAon14COZ5HglQVEQLJyrjY7-W6tOpGhoNM-aGzBE4hhIbr7nexz5KmB4jNUiv_rHr-nBW6v0oBJqgr3clhCrrGLVtIKX0HlK0/w400-h266/cheesefries55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Written by Fuller with original direction by Mark S. Graham, "Cheese Fries & Chili Dips" is rife with imagination, wit and insight that is greatly enhanced by monologues, asides and one-liners that give the theatergoer an insider view of the show's creator, his personality, his identity, his qualifications, his ticks, his quirks, his memories, his trappings and his career.<br />With a voice that is cynical, heartfelt and observant, Fuller's storytelling technique never loses sight of its details, ideas, story arcs, sentences and cheeky stand-alone quotes. <br />He's excited. We're excited. He's an excellent writer who cuts right to the chase with great orchestrated timing and calculation. His reliance on words and situations is admittedly fascinating. He's engaging and entertaining. He's an advocate of finite jest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A liberating, relaxed and intimate story of hope, inspiration and survival, "Cheese Fries & Chili Dips" time travels through Fuller's life with information and facts that openly discuss his early life in the affluent township of Weston where lack of money was often a problem; how he coped with his father's death when he was only eight years old; how his math skills were particularly low; how competition in pro golf was important to him; and how and why he ended up in a mental hospital before a major qualifying golf event.<br />Divided into two snappy, fast-paced acts, the production also includes humorous bits about various jobs (T-Mobile, bug inspector, dressing up as an oversized packet of cheese fries), Zen Golf, Coach Mike, Amish schooling, his lack of dance and vocal talents and finally, how he became friends with a psychic guru named Moonbeam, who, in real life was none other than Debbie Pinsky. <br />Standing tall against the colorful backdrop of Miggs Burroughs outdoor atmospheric golfing green set design, which, incidentally fits seamlessly into the welcoming, immersive environs of Seven Angels Theatre, Fuller retraces his life-affirming journey with lively, important back screen photos, clips and projections (all timed and orchestrated with absolute storytelling perfection) that heighten and cement his line delivery, his transformation into several different people including his mom Elizabeth and actress Bette Davis, his hilarious facial expressions and the show's continual changes of pace, style and mood. He even finds the time to explain the "chili dip" slang term in the game of golf.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UhJUHVSUkZuC7TfsolOUvHxwSwtTA2U3dYTWoSKJjb_VZdhPRYGafonSiVRf6fwjLRk_mbwj-PUwPJxqLeAukmLkkzo6TQldnQ3DY0vpRVMFFvCCL-Z54A1rh3sHo5FvARb5TVD5XLVWcYTYBv5I557NE_ZUaT3eyPjD4HB5Msqa4vIHHQMth2pZ_VI/s1080/cheesefries33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UhJUHVSUkZuC7TfsolOUvHxwSwtTA2U3dYTWoSKJjb_VZdhPRYGafonSiVRf6fwjLRk_mbwj-PUwPJxqLeAukmLkkzo6TQldnQ3DY0vpRVMFFvCCL-Z54A1rh3sHo5FvARb5TVD5XLVWcYTYBv5I557NE_ZUaT3eyPjD4HB5Msqa4vIHHQMth2pZ_VI/w400-h266/cheesefries33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Uplifted with the knowledge that anything in life is possible, "Cheese Fries & Chili Dips" not only emits real joy, humor and emotion but comes gift wrapped with a hilarious, timely, inventive five-star performance by Chris Fuller, who, golf clubs aside, leaves his audience visibly thrilled by a raw talent and on-stage showmanship that dazzles and charms with real heart and soul. <br />He sells it with such utter conviction, even Bette Davis, if she were alive today, would stand up and cheer Fuller's performance with accompanying love and putt-putt embracement.</span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"Cheese Fries & Chili Dips" is being staged at Seven Angels Theatre (1 Plank Road, Waterbury, CT), now through November 19, 2023.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (203) 757-4676.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: sevenangelstheatre.org</i></div></i></span><p></p><p><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-42647764785346169862023-11-02T06:07:00.017-07:002023-11-04T21:02:29.068-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 435, A Review: "Sunset Boulevard" (ACT of CT)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWDJZKFgz2SuiawuxS-aKONRoBlvP06McAgNumRaQvRCE15uPZJYgToR56XXrpTFKc-c_gBI57gPPkXydGzj129HT-ynILdmkPxBNLqevVkeQwleHdUxek5k3TKa7OiPYPvTZ6FP9KbTTe6IQHem3CRbhd40kpkqNd2UQrmWEwD77h4VfrX91dfzn6YU/s3703/sunsetactofct444.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="3703" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWDJZKFgz2SuiawuxS-aKONRoBlvP06McAgNumRaQvRCE15uPZJYgToR56XXrpTFKc-c_gBI57gPPkXydGzj129HT-ynILdmkPxBNLqevVkeQwleHdUxek5k3TKa7OiPYPvTZ6FP9KbTTe6IQHem3CRbhd40kpkqNd2UQrmWEwD77h4VfrX91dfzn6YU/w400-h246/sunsetactofct444.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"Say, aren't you Norma Desmond? You used to be big," chimes penniless Hollywood writer Joe Gillis.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"I am big," cries the desperate, still glamorous woman he comes face to face with in classic widescreen movie fashion. "It's the pictures that got small."</i></div></i><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A great line.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A great moment.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A sneer. A swoop. A smile.</div><div style="text-align: center;">An edge of madness.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A dusty, secluded palazzo.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The fall of Hollywood.</div><div style="text-align: center;">An epic comeback.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Champagne and caviar.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A new beginning.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or is it, the beginning of the end?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As Gillis points out, "You've come to the right party."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The address: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">10086 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And what a party, it is.</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">First produced in 1993 at London's Adelphi Theatre, "Sunset Boulevard," the musical, draws its inspiration from the 1950 Billy Wilder film of the same name that starred Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Nancy Olson and Erich von Stroheim.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">A complicated, dark and revelatory satire about Hollywood and those who, have sadly, fallen from view, it looks back at the glamorous life of Norma Desmond, a long forgotten silent screen film star living in exile, but dreaming of a comeback pioneered by the great Cecil B. DeMille.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Drenched in gothic movie ambiance, resonant melodrama, cinematic parody and romantic reflection - all rolled into one - it quickly became "a hot ticket" for those theatergoers looking for something that was edgy, grand, passionate, eccentric and pride-mock-flamboyant. More importantly, it lovingly paid homage to Wilder's vision, his scathing look at the end of the silent movie era, its scars, its successes, its victims and its famous players.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In London, on Broadway, on National Tour or in Regional Theatre, when done right, "Sunset Boulevard" works magnificently.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xIhSspDLW-sgYSmmEis1zD292qcIjT21GGDLS7ZazHb-wLuGjUPFxCcroyboItKMGC0dkQuyiCTC3H5Ey8RbD86_lwmZvyKukK5HsyxD7Z-dYLiblN7ZH5H2S3BmPu5KtZcn9nRmOV3pbBZmFQM_WY57U396sWyDK9S4kcJcYl8D5-NJm5nOJ37fH60/s960/sunsetactofct661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xIhSspDLW-sgYSmmEis1zD292qcIjT21GGDLS7ZazHb-wLuGjUPFxCcroyboItKMGC0dkQuyiCTC3H5Ey8RbD86_lwmZvyKukK5HsyxD7Z-dYLiblN7ZH5H2S3BmPu5KtZcn9nRmOV3pbBZmFQM_WY57U396sWyDK9S4kcJcYl8D5-NJm5nOJ37fH60/w300-h400/sunsetactofct661.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">At ACT of CT, an immersive, acclaimed, award-winning Equity-based venue where dare-to-be-dared ideas, theories and conceits are seamlessly mixed with creative concepts, design elements and staging choices that are propulsive, harmonious and think-outside-the-box a freshness, the story and music of "Sunset Boulevard" is primed and ready for its closeup with comeback vehicle splendor, fiery anticipation, cleverly shaped persona and hit by a spotlight delusion and grandeur.<br />Delivered with intimate enhancement, creamy command, dead-eyed cynicism and high standard resolve, ACT of CT's deep dive glide into the anguish, beauty and torment of this classic Hollywood tale is truly magnificent. It is an attractive, powerful piece of musical theatre </span><span style="font-family: arial;">voiced with affirming mystery, playful abandon, rooted film noir, blunt attitude and grandiose narrative storytelling.<br />Executing all the right moves, marks, dashes and punctuations, it dazzles with spotlight persuasion, effort, and undeniably theatrical size, scope and exhilaration.<br />It is ambitious and full-hearted.<br />It is tight and old-fashioned. <br />It is snarky and acidic.<br />It is connective and edgy.<br />It is dark and dizzying.<br />It is Hollywood classic lost in a world of intertwined glamour, pathos and wonderment.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA4uDnOdOBlzoTEmS0F3-X8ke4e5R-z8FPh4oFCVVCdN7OgLy4PH6ieJM0GrTEmHdxazZn4a3dv6hg1FRznJzHDyqgoBCjRMmjiXTOIsRQ0wBWuuQotcucy4yV6g0AxDQiQC0mLjOK_HS4toxTiqXjUYUvG-4f94kddKjvImImfYrU4WYxOmcKMPXAcw/s1673/sunsetactofct999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1673" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA4uDnOdOBlzoTEmS0F3-X8ke4e5R-z8FPh4oFCVVCdN7OgLy4PH6ieJM0GrTEmHdxazZn4a3dv6hg1FRznJzHDyqgoBCjRMmjiXTOIsRQ0wBWuuQotcucy4yV6g0AxDQiQC0mLjOK_HS4toxTiqXjUYUvG-4f94kddKjvImImfYrU4WYxOmcKMPXAcw/w400-h304/sunsetactofct999.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To give "Sunset Boulevard" the stand-out darkness and romanticism it needs to reach its quickfire high note, director Daniel C. Levine jumps right in and pens a unified, stunning film noir close up of reinvention, surprise, edge and Hollywood glamour with directorial choices so polished and attesting, the musical's clash between reality and fantasy explodes with first-time thrill-and-spill, twisty aspiration and exalted, hypnotized technique. As storyteller and artist, Levine is clearly in his element here and his collective grasp of the material, its tremendous sense of theatricality, its melodrama and its ripened colors and motifs befit his impassioned, ravishing storytelling.<br />Upon entering the venue's spacious, immersive playing space, the theatergoer finds the show's title colorfully emblazoned on a widescreen front curtain, which, through Levine's eyes, immediately prompts questions about the action that will soon unfold once the house lights dim, the overture is played, and the "Sunset Boulevard" story hits its mark.<br />Is this revival, arthouse cinema? Is it film noir homage? Is it 1950's theatre moved forward in time with real vintage Technicolor flair and flourish? Are, we, the audience, witness to downstage, voyeuristic intimacy steeped in silent movie expressionism and magic? <br />The answer, of course, is "Yes."<br />Well versed in the irony, bite and plot machinations of the original 1950 Billy Wilder screen version and the lush musicality of Webber's original stage adaptation, Levine, a visionary in his own right, puts his own directorial spin on this production, bringing new ideas and knowledge to the work using striking, simplified takes, pauses, beats and rhythms to create a cinematic, beguiling, one-on-one trajectory between actor and audience, conditioned with real thought, real drama, real purpose, inevitable edge and film noirish confrontation.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFHP2WK28JnM9qmBEmKtRw22mUDogL23D8pjQxDF0gcjDgM7o6pZNYbgL3FMBho4Z8OaEDdeSMPE9NuNjobq5U_zCY2FuhzOqOdUhkEHLZiYF6aSxq9SePd9m116BEH_YPatvqGb3PSUguAkpQ3pSkX-E4gEPMLldlVfn2D6b1GWV5K4ddLHt34ZpTOE/s1671/sunsetactofct60.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1671" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFHP2WK28JnM9qmBEmKtRw22mUDogL23D8pjQxDF0gcjDgM7o6pZNYbgL3FMBho4Z8OaEDdeSMPE9NuNjobq5U_zCY2FuhzOqOdUhkEHLZiYF6aSxq9SePd9m116BEH_YPatvqGb3PSUguAkpQ3pSkX-E4gEPMLldlVfn2D6b1GWV5K4ddLHt34ZpTOE/w400-h326/sunsetactofct60.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Directorially, Levine dances to his own decided beat and rightly so. Here, as in "Evita," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Working," he is a true original. He's not interested in paint-by-numbers musical theatre. He's not one to play by the rules. He isn't going to let his audience down by page-by-page directorial copycatting or standard blueprint interpretation. Instead, he grabs his paintbrush and experiments. He takes chances. He rattles and roars. He interprets to cite strong reactions. He creates with buzz and devoted illustration. <br />What's remarkable about his take on "Sunset Boulevard" is the amount of attention Levine pays to detail. The movement of a prop, a kiss between Joe and Norma, a grimace, a widescreen shot or a hold is just as important to the storytelling as is the positioning of a silent film camera, a spotlight, a director's chair bearing the Paramount Studios logo, a walk through the studio backlot or the opening of a traveler curtain that reveals the Desmond palazzo featuring strategically placed black and white photos of the actress herself on the back wall, similar in style to those of silent screen movie star Anna Mae Wong, Hollywood's first Chinese-American star.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And that's only the beginning.<br />During the first act of "Sunset," Levine begins the pending seduction between silent screen star and penniless writer with a brilliant bit of staging that finds Desmond slowing unwrapping her "Salome" screenplay (she is hoping for "a return" to motion pictures) with a long red ribbon which she uses to entrap and ensnare Gillis by tying it up casually between his unsuspecting fingers. It's a hint of what will happen and one that Levine thrusts forward with an obvious sensuality and tension that heightens the brewing and eventual "toy boy" romance between the couple.<br />Given the musical's homage to the silent screen era, Levine, when necessary, adapts a clever, cinematic directorial style that is purposely played out with the exaggeration and melodramatic staginess of a D.W. Griffith 1915 movie epic. Most notable is Desmond's retreat to her glory days which has the character step forward into a flickering white light reenacting moments from one of her silent movies. It's an eerie, effective, mind-blowing process that immediately recalls Alla Nazimova's overacting in the 1921 film version of "Camille" and Lillian Gish's subsequent exaggeration in "The Birth of a Nation," circa 1915. A brilliant touch of madness, on Levine's part. Simply brilliant.<br />Elsewhere, Levine's melodramatic use of a gorgeous backwall stained glass window bearing a full-length image of Desmond herself is effectively played out with a special flashing-light madness (when needed, of course) that heightens the dramatic momentum of the piece as does a stop-and-go staging technique of red-and-white illusion that portrays the death of Gillis by Desmond's hand (i.e., revolver) during the final moments of the musical. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_O9RvvBJ4bn1wT2Pp1FUE7Qj3hNbUMHXUPH0aZJPDz_iK__tQJnkaVtcyJbwlToFuBJKo3DFYOwhAFEQethYwbVYiOiVTKXuTZhLgVWSQZPrn3qH3C4saPIKI8nTbd58B-Dg9OxzMc3vubWHtYJeYhCytA71sSqlKF2thPJpcIHSaWiXrzMyQLFcJg8M/s2048/sunsetactofct694.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_O9RvvBJ4bn1wT2Pp1FUE7Qj3hNbUMHXUPH0aZJPDz_iK__tQJnkaVtcyJbwlToFuBJKo3DFYOwhAFEQethYwbVYiOiVTKXuTZhLgVWSQZPrn3qH3C4saPIKI8nTbd58B-Dg9OxzMc3vubWHtYJeYhCytA71sSqlKF2thPJpcIHSaWiXrzMyQLFcJg8M/w400-h266/sunsetactofct694.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Set to music, "Sunset Boulevard" plays out its boldest prospects and achievements.<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Its wavering, sometimes feverish themes of illusion, triumph, escape and film noir come full circle in the excitingly realized original musical score which bears t</span><span style="font-family: arial;">he familiar Andrew Lloyd Webber creative stamp (he composed the music) and that of his collaborators Christopher Hampton and Don Black (they wrote the lyrics).<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Filled with an engrossing mix of ballads, solos, duets, ensemble turns and cinematic anthems, the songs, all centered, positioned and primed, are, in order of performance: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Overture," "Let Me Take You Back Six Months," "Let's Have Lunch," "Every Movie's a Circus," "Surrender," "With One Look," "Salome," "The Greatest Star of All," "Every Movie's a Circus (reprise)," "Girl Meets Boy," "New Ways to Dream," "The Lady's Paying," "The Perfect Year," "This Time Next Year," "Entr'acte," "Sunset Boulevard," "There's Been a Call," "As If We Never Said Goodbye," "Surrender (reprise)," "Girl Meets Boy (reprise)," "Eternal Youth Is Worth a Little Suffering," "Too Much in Love to Care," "New Ways to Dream (reprise)" and "The Final Scene."<br />Webber's flair for the dramatic - via music, song style, progression and orchestration - works wonders here as he pays tribute to the original Billy Wilder 1950 motion picture, its theatrics, its subject matter, its irony, its darkness and its Oscar-winning score by Franz Waxman. It's pointed. It's set. It's determined. It's creative. It's sweeping. It's engaging. It's tango. It's jazz. It's showtune iconic. It speaks volumes.<br />More importantly, his compositions smartly reflect the buzz and snare of the movie industry, its backlot players, its forgotten stars, its entrapment, its cynicism, its power plays, its struggles, its delusions, its hypocrisy and its dream of, one day, making it big on the silver screen. Hampton and Black, in turn, strike back with choice, motivated lyrics that recall the acidity, the angst, the melancholy, the bite and the acknowledgement of the silent film era and the black-and-white movie.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeM3oeY2IxHujpNZKgCkgGR6xpgh10ZaSEju6HDpCsCHUukqftiBE0JIRBsIMO6WZDyRg57qgdjBHkaVVPnjHtB-bk0GhfosDEa9LCfxLGu8mvkMVi6iTnSlvOtkTYzWJtbc4v2GpUKAN8Gsm8rKt-xgWYnedEJUAgmt9msadBBhM4KP1mWVIZZKWNdgU/s1597/sunsetactofct55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1597" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeM3oeY2IxHujpNZKgCkgGR6xpgh10ZaSEju6HDpCsCHUukqftiBE0JIRBsIMO6WZDyRg57qgdjBHkaVVPnjHtB-bk0GhfosDEa9LCfxLGu8mvkMVi6iTnSlvOtkTYzWJtbc4v2GpUKAN8Gsm8rKt-xgWYnedEJUAgmt9msadBBhM4KP1mWVIZZKWNdgU/w400-h316/sunsetactofct55.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">With credits that include musical direction for the Broadway staging's of "Wicked," "Jagged Little Pill," "Chaplin," "Almost Famous" and the National Touring company of "Next to Normal," Bryan Perri is the perfect choice to bring "Sunset Boulevard" front and center at ACT of CT. <br />He's talented. He's centered. He's direct. He's inventive. He's focused. He's challenged. He makes beautiful music.<br />Here, as both musical director and conductor, he </span><span style="font-family: arial;">addresses the thrilling, monumental Webber/Black/Hampton score with wit, imagination and propulsion, thus, capturing the darkness, the romanticism, the melodrama and the moodiness of the piece, coupled with well-orchestrated bits of silent screen nostalgia, flickering eccentricity and quickfire snap, encouragement and attitude. It's a task he takes to heart with much-loved innovation, illumination, intensity, pride and evident enjoyment. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">With Perri at the helm, the trio's musical language and its unique combination of words and music also comes full circle with effective, game-changing orchestral sophistication and brilliance. It's all savored and managed with luminous directness, interpretive specificity and Broadway musical rapture and enticement.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">For this production, Perri (keyboard one) has assembled </span><span style="font-family: arial;">first-rate team of talented and dedicated musicians to bring the "Sunset Boulevard" score to life at ACT. They are Kai Hedin (viola), Jeff Cox (keyboard two), Seray Goktekin (violin), Cheryl Labrecque (cello), Gary Blu (reed one), Sue Goff (reed two), Darcy Macrae (drums/percussion), Ronald Hartner (trumpet/flugelhorn), Marjorie Callaghan (french horn), Kevin Callaghan (bass) and Dennis J. Arcano (synthesizer programmer). </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Vital, vigorous and attentive, this orchestral ensemble display a sterling sound and style that brings exhilarating highs to the musical score, its interpretive balance, its tonal challenges, its ripened qualities and its registrational grouping of musical numbers.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It's a distinct, ripe, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">collaborative effort, filled with the right touches and the right flourishes of sound, irony, string and functioning color. It is also flavorfully sprinkled with shimmering timbers, melodic waves, sumptuous movements and dashes of uplifting experimentation and ideas that complement the tone, the passion, the commitment and the evolution of the "Sunset Boulevard" story.<br />In terms of sound, power, expression, execution and orchestral instrumentation, this production far surpasses that of the original Broadway production and subsequent National Tour. Musically, it's Perri's show and one that portrays his great love of musical theatre, its melancholy flow, its construction, its dynamics and how as an art form, music is shaped, played and executed night after night to radiant, beguiling, roof-raising effect before a live audience. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoS4mOOYCTIm8ZWgT9jKxJfZkOjkIF9U9LFsF5vXPGg4J_T5zyryj_5ArIjE4Blssd40VWE6Nr1i2dcH19ub_b5PLeefyMSY_k2nB7oqMSjtp6aii3a6yX6YnNmUKelY0PuBBQdV2_8G1jVqHeeoFR3AQ4eDqLnqioz6nQWPtOfYL9TRNPRkKh6cfpIo/s1363/sunsetact%20ofct332.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1363" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoS4mOOYCTIm8ZWgT9jKxJfZkOjkIF9U9LFsF5vXPGg4J_T5zyryj_5ArIjE4Blssd40VWE6Nr1i2dcH19ub_b5PLeefyMSY_k2nB7oqMSjtp6aii3a6yX6YnNmUKelY0PuBBQdV2_8G1jVqHeeoFR3AQ4eDqLnqioz6nQWPtOfYL9TRNPRkKh6cfpIo/w400-h400/sunsetact%20ofct332.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">No musical would be complete without its share of production numbers and with "Sunset Boulevard" choreographer Sara Brians enlivens the two-act musical with movements, tableaus and aesthetic refinement that give a fresh feel to the proceedings, marked by instinctive dance strokes that are intoxicating and full of detail, color and narrative expressions. Like Levine, she portrays the production's vintage 1950's setting, stylization and mindset with the exactness of a period Broadway musical, an MGM Technicolor backlot production and a big widescreen weekend movie show layered with strong, on-stage chemistry, light and lyrical sweetness, pop culture precision and sweep and swoon volume and musicality. In turn, "Let's Have Lunch," "Every Movie's a Circus" and the show-stopping "The Lady's Paying" (the "Sunset" ensemble is absolutely incredible) glide across the stage with vivid, mindful signature purpose and absolutely no modernization (a Levine touch, as well) whatsoever. It's as though Brians time traveled back to the 1950's and returned with shot-for-shot theatricality, tilting reproduction and real, authentic cinematic confection. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfLsqPAx1NrhBtpRp8NTnaWOct5-1rSuHATHNAKu7lV0CbpZTaPgHf9bIt_Pwup_BNXN4bBCsxj1nLKGSDfNfPCEIFAKjF_EBzXlW7EttWy24cRZEivnzB9B5Qc3QQ_MvrCLigenHNZzCYDBYX2lVZCWXT_GsRxzCXI5P8B3XJkIKVNFeJFxD4CYGxsA/s1800/sunsetactofct500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfLsqPAx1NrhBtpRp8NTnaWOct5-1rSuHATHNAKu7lV0CbpZTaPgHf9bIt_Pwup_BNXN4bBCsxj1nLKGSDfNfPCEIFAKjF_EBzXlW7EttWy24cRZEivnzB9B5Qc3QQ_MvrCLigenHNZzCYDBYX2lVZCWXT_GsRxzCXI5P8B3XJkIKVNFeJFxD4CYGxsA/w320-h400/sunsetactofct500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For the London production of "Sunset Boulevard," currently playing at the Savoy Theatre, director Jamie Lloyd chose to make the character of Norma Desmond (played magnificently by Nicole Scherzinger in the West End revival) younger than she was portrayed by Gloria Swanson in the 1950 film and the garish-looking, overwrought and spooky Glenn Glose in the original 1994 Broadway musical. It's a creative choice that is masterstroke worthy and one that Levine, for his ACT of CT directorial turn, also fulfills with equal opportunity and star status bravura with the casting of Asian-American star Pearl Sun as the delusional, tormented, glamourous Norma Desmond.<br />Sun is not only ready for her close up but delivers a powerhouse performance of glitter, intrigue and vulnerability like no other.<br />In the role of a faded movie star looking to reclaim her former glory as a box-office icon, Sun infuses the part of Norma Desmond with real glamour, madness, desperation and fantasy world entrapment.<br />She is silent screen goddess jilted by Hollywood industry abandonment. She is museum and mausoleum taunted. She is lush, romantic and melancholic. She is film noir greatness with dashes of Anna Mae Wong, Alla Nazimova, Pola Negri and Theda Bara. She is eccentric, abrasive and cunning. She is privileged and grand. In extreme close-up, her hands, her body and her eyes flicker with silent-screen magic.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYmaGyqEhfFttKZ69Kk9byZEwlubi6vxUhyy8gcEaHPjXxTp8Blx9tWBgKkEMqoJ4vytdhtirbCMOJm844ihKeJB3FuENlpA7lZaTRjk9DeWBgzlCbgnUT3qx_zGugFYHJPIZ7-Hiv4FXNdeb2RGj7kbWHr2avNYEaVvXB3oqowLXxWabNhNLVpVUrY8/s675/sunsetactofct333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYmaGyqEhfFttKZ69Kk9byZEwlubi6vxUhyy8gcEaHPjXxTp8Blx9tWBgKkEMqoJ4vytdhtirbCMOJm844ihKeJB3FuENlpA7lZaTRjk9DeWBgzlCbgnUT3qx_zGugFYHJPIZ7-Hiv4FXNdeb2RGj7kbWHr2avNYEaVvXB3oqowLXxWabNhNLVpVUrY8/w313-h400/sunsetactofct333.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p>Sun's brilliant assumption of the role, molded with confidence, rapture, encore and invitation, is ignited with affecting acumen, range, accuracy and vintage bravura. It's eye-catching revolutionary - defying gravity, if you prefer - but at the same time, very much, original, committed, stand-alone focused, vital and bewitching.<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Vocally, she tears into the Webber/Black/Hampton score with raw, reflective escape, powerful lift, elbowing and tone, gracious imagination and leading lady warmth, radiance and sensation. S</span><span style="font-family: arial;">inging such iconic showstoppers as "With One Look," "As If We Never Said Goodbye," "Surrender" and "The Perfect Year," Sun is very much in her element, channeling the inspiration, drama, variety and note-perfect brilliance of the "Sunset Boulevard" musical score to perfection. But she's no copycat. She's an original.<br />When she steps downstage center to perform the second half of the silent movie drenched remembrance "As If We Never Said Goodbye" with stand-out capture, the actual number, as staged by Levine, not only magically seduces the theatergoer, but the on-stage ensemble as well, all of whom slowing turn, bask and succumb to the beauty of Sun's solo, its intertwined fantasy, its triumphant grandeur and its lyrical brilliance.</span></p></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bEQ8E9YdIdJqY159c7Om3J0B1Jory2zEWgQpB5DuxDwJQaRR8icw3ajpWV9QRlThw5Mbt7-A95KPepB2t8SnSLaxOAMSVy2vfolR3vB0K_P6wLjrZty2wCpgDBfcFbhlN54h5gmwAosLlnHYEwCFroopZSbj9n5Pu76BuqK-uCix4qrehLSB1zUAPX4/s1293/sunsetactofct799.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1293" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bEQ8E9YdIdJqY159c7Om3J0B1Jory2zEWgQpB5DuxDwJQaRR8icw3ajpWV9QRlThw5Mbt7-A95KPepB2t8SnSLaxOAMSVy2vfolR3vB0K_P6wLjrZty2wCpgDBfcFbhlN54h5gmwAosLlnHYEwCFroopZSbj9n5Pu76BuqK-uCix4qrehLSB1zUAPX4/w400-h328/sunsetactofct799.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Michael Burrell, cast in the role of Joe Gillis, the drifting opportunist and fledging Hollywood writer who allows himself to be kept by Norma Desmond, invests the part with the dash, charm, curiosity, good looks and tangled entrapment envisioned by the musical's original collaborators. It's a performance of boulevard acknowledgement and Hollywood dazzle and dream mixed with proper confidence, irony, swagger and homage-spirited influence.<br />His many vocals - "Let Me Take You Back Six Weeks," "Sunset Boulevard," "Too Much in Love to Care," "Let's Have Lunch," "Girl Meets Boy"- are delivered not only with the crisp, powerful truism and flair reflective of his strong, natural hold on the musical elements of the piece, but with the wit, sarcasm and expression concurrent in the sweeping score, its suave, tart lyrics and the vitality of the proceedings.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As sweet-voiced, anxious Betty Schaefer, Helen J. Shen inhabits the role (she plays Gillis' attractive, aspiring writing partner) with a certain charm, zest, personality and clarity that not only defines her important position in the musical narrative but gives it a strongness and confidence that is put to great use whenever she's on stage, most notably in her many scenes with Michael Burrell, her charismatic co-star. Vocally, she possesses an amazing voice, style and range that is wonderfully refreshing, engaging and chock full of emotional certainty. Listening to her perform the beguiling, showstopping duet "Too Much in Love to Care" alongside Burrell halfway through Act II furthers that notion. Both performers build this song to such stirring, romantic effect, a replay would be most welcomed.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Gj8Wzfzk5qtbXbiPsb4m34ObvtqFjzW6S5qjE14h0hcpiYSi78lvy_3IGVI_i1d9Zx7CF2kAl-4U6Mow1vLWG5ULqoDfUiXrqztsE3k50zc16nJFfOKWxzmKhRPIb5L0iv2LxJXfb41Gu6hsebWjp-WhrzXpTphbyyjOUO2bMkFUSlLUefyJaSS5Tg/s1603/sunsetactofct699.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1603" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Gj8Wzfzk5qtbXbiPsb4m34ObvtqFjzW6S5qjE14h0hcpiYSi78lvy_3IGVI_i1d9Zx7CF2kAl-4U6Mow1vLWG5ULqoDfUiXrqztsE3k50zc16nJFfOKWxzmKhRPIb5L0iv2LxJXfb41Gu6hsebWjp-WhrzXpTphbyyjOUO2bMkFUSlLUefyJaSS5Tg/w400-h340/sunsetactofct699.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">George Xavier, as Max Von Mayerling, Norma Desmond's former director and ex-husband, now dutifully positioned as the silent screen film star's trusty manservant and fierce protector, crafts a masterful, haunting portrait of a silent screen auteur and survivor, mixed with the darkness and delusion of the character as portrayed in both the Billy Wilder movie and the original Broadway production. He is both captivating, majestic and achingly </span><span style="font-family: arial;">sincere. Vocally, his rich bass-baritone range is seasoned ready, intersected with wonderful clarity of pitch, tone and dynamic control, most notable when he performs Mayering's hypnotic solo "The Greatest Star of All" in Act II and the emotionally riveting reprise of "New Ways to Dream" in Act II.<br /><br />As evidenced in previous ACT of CT productions - "Evita," "Working," "Nickel Mines," "Little Shop of Horrors," "Jesus Christ Superstar," among others, - the design element is an important point of every presentation. Here, the creative team of David Goldstein (scenic designer), Charlie Morrison (lighting designer), Kurt Alger (costume and wig designer), Marisa J. Barnes (sound designer), Angelina Avallone (makeup designer) and Daniel C. Levine (projection designer) work together, using talents, ideas, experimentation and backstage savvy to create a "Sunset Boulevard" stomping ground rich in color, atmosphere, nostalgia and character. It's a focused camaraderie with tech and visuals rooted firmly in the past world of yesterday that bring the theatergoer closer to the world of both Billy Wilder and Andrew Lloyd Webber.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ensemble wise, "Sunset Boulevard" overflows with a dream cast of actors, singers and dancers, some of whom have graced the ACT of CT stage before or are making their official ACT debut with this production. All of them - Emily Solo, Amanda Hunter-Finch, Gary Harger, Val Moranto, Liz Schmitz, Andrew Winans, Will Stone, Mac Myles, Conor McGiffin, Daniel Pahl, Claire Fossey, Pragun Bhardwaj, William Bishop, Jasmine Gobourne - are well-suited for each of the particular roles they are asked to portray throughout the two-act musical, each akin to Levine and Brian's 1950's mindset, the musical's vintage pairings, groupings, staging and stylization, its choreography, its songs, its harmonies, its film noir homage, its Hollywood grandeur, its plotting, its evolution and its emotional denouement.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCC-cosPY_13VcaFGUOiY3dVmFkDysW3_1u4kkhFAqS1zQoiuGcD18Pmn2qQDMHurhSEjlq4ZUvKemrQdPDvGJA-G6Lq3NOa2dmm2EOOD_9Tq3tg_NQfPZHhc-qRGAUqwClzn0u06lQWE5x4l6Vc_qGMD_rbuFbCcdlDp-mmCsIQ-C6KvZlo-CyJelnc/s1507/sunsetactofct70.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1507" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCC-cosPY_13VcaFGUOiY3dVmFkDysW3_1u4kkhFAqS1zQoiuGcD18Pmn2qQDMHurhSEjlq4ZUvKemrQdPDvGJA-G6Lq3NOa2dmm2EOOD_9Tq3tg_NQfPZHhc-qRGAUqwClzn0u06lQWE5x4l6Vc_qGMD_rbuFbCcdlDp-mmCsIQ-C6KvZlo-CyJelnc/w400-h361/sunsetactofct70.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A mind-blowing triumph for director Daniel Levine, his cast and his creative team, this hypnotic portrayal of "Sunset Boulevard" sets the ACT of CT stage ablaze with groundbreaking intensity and glory, backed by a thrilling springboard of vamp, memory, illusion, embrace and caring, total artistic achievement.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Recharged with an honest, affecting intimacy and an intimate 1950's film classic dramatic stylization that leaves a long, lasting impression, it bristles with such dare and avant-garde sensation, it demands to be seen not once, but twice, without question.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Its fearless gaze into the forgotten Hollywood of yesteryear is both haunting and swaying as is its properly balanced turntable of story, music, song, action and character.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">As seen through the directorial lens of Levine and musical showman Bryan Perri, it tilts, its spins, it haunts, it teases, it marvels, and it surprises.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">This is musical theatre at its best, primed and etched to perfection, basking in the chilling, truth-bending sweep set forth by its London-based originators, its leading ladies, its glossy storytelling devices and its whip smart, film noir magnificence.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">In Norma Desmond's eyes, "it's the pictures that got small."<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">And, maybe, that is true.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">But here, at ACT of CT, "Sunset Boulevard" is alive with endless possibility, delivery, captivation and unmistakable shatter, force, doom and gloom. It's also more than just one woman's descent into extreme close-up madness as the music builds to a crescendo, the character of Norma Desmond faces her tormented fate the stage lights fade to black. <br />This is go-for-broke "Sunset Boulevard" with a numbing, gratifying big finish.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTsLo8tbBbcgn1PXmIzGUaIHkN-8SQZ-Mj0SfqWOxvYIImk2VKKnB8XaYZClI-6h1fikaazTzd5itmsgtDvazhRDbXXC96usvgHdNMdgCG967yShou7hPXt65wTJTI5J4j104S9yYGX1wWp8mHHK-lm5zpbV_1aAywaAHx_aSJW5c1wk86NDNeee49Ps/s1365/sunsetactofct554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTsLo8tbBbcgn1PXmIzGUaIHkN-8SQZ-Mj0SfqWOxvYIImk2VKKnB8XaYZClI-6h1fikaazTzd5itmsgtDvazhRDbXXC96usvgHdNMdgCG967yShou7hPXt65wTJTI5J4j104S9yYGX1wWp8mHHK-lm5zpbV_1aAywaAHx_aSJW5c1wk86NDNeee49Ps/w400-h400/sunsetactofct554.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Photos of "Sunset Boulevard" courtesy of Jeff Butchen.</b></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Sunset Boulevard" is being staged at ACT of CT (39 Old Quarry Road, Ridgefield, CT), now through November 19, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (475) 215-5497</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">website: actofct.org</span></i></div></span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-32524669503494332172023-10-29T15:00:00.001-07:002023-10-30T05:19:45.589-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 434, A Concert Review: "First Lady of Song Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald" (Westport Country Playhouse) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiZZqDLATrJVJH5wuwZvqwBkDz7YxndVKGq-5RMi_j1CR-ugyr6hbVqNlgPkfFs-8SX8BwQmr2gF84_CzSkUSFeZyzljqaQbBZFElZYnjAbJt0S8wlVIR_tN6qtp1IAo-SgioyGJ6KkNbQsWNUvLSrs_eSjGeCg9X6Ah9OdTR94aSAG4Jyy_Zlj2fKKc/s474/ellafirstgerald599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiZZqDLATrJVJH5wuwZvqwBkDz7YxndVKGq-5RMi_j1CR-ugyr6hbVqNlgPkfFs-8SX8BwQmr2gF84_CzSkUSFeZyzljqaQbBZFElZYnjAbJt0S8wlVIR_tN6qtp1IAo-SgioyGJ6KkNbQsWNUvLSrs_eSjGeCg9X6Ah9OdTR94aSAG4Jyy_Zlj2fKKc/w400-h200/ellafirstgerald599.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The voice.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;">The sound.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The range.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The power.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The songs.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The life. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The career.</div><br />Ella Fitzgerald - the first lady of song - is given the all-star treatment in Westport Country Playhouse's jazzy concert tribute "First Lady of Song Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald," a fond, tuneful and lively trip down memory lane that celebrates the life and times of one of the music industry's greatest recording artists with remembrances, songs and conversations from her illustrious half-century career.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An "Artists Lounge Live" production, documented with flair, liberation and triumph, this two-hour concert event, which includes a fifteen-minute intermission, replays and reinvents moments from Fitzgerald's "Great American Songbook" repertoire with clear, careful jazz precision, a probing, nostalgic thoughtfulness and time-honored music that lovingly spills its guts with jazz club, supper club influence and jubilation.<br /><br />Structured as much by theme, appreciation, dedication and arrangement, this production gets off to an incredible jazzy start (how could it not?) that grows in stature from song to song and moment to moment before its glorious, memorable, exciting big finish.<br />It also fits perfectly into the intimate, welcoming and cozy environs of the Westport Country Playhouse with smiles, tears and applause deftly etched in from patrons, newcomers, regulars and music lovers united as one to hear songs they've all heard before and want to hear again and again.<br />Magical, oh yes. <br />And, so much more. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JZIrXrfEEO6nxTgs9TZ_hS5ehpzaLbjgVyLQ1XAlCBP6WnEwreR1LhVpFQMNpkYSw8QWQuFs5G2flYGrvJGu5jPTqZBRc9WlpULqUh-KhfVY5aue5JiaiQXUVCV9to0j9RiEa16jDSuIZs24IgdlXnyjHNFv82Xx7-PRxCZI5exLkaGTZ4XOZOwcFdg/s1125/ellafirstgerald45.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1125" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JZIrXrfEEO6nxTgs9TZ_hS5ehpzaLbjgVyLQ1XAlCBP6WnEwreR1LhVpFQMNpkYSw8QWQuFs5G2flYGrvJGu5jPTqZBRc9WlpULqUh-KhfVY5aue5JiaiQXUVCV9to0j9RiEa16jDSuIZs24IgdlXnyjHNFv82Xx7-PRxCZI5exLkaGTZ4XOZOwcFdg/w400-h241/ellafirstgerald45.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Make no mistake about it: "First Lady of Song Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald" is in a class by itself.<br />It unfolds with brooding melancholy and bristle.<br />It is commanding and heavenly.<br />It tilts and spins.<br />Its breezy jazz eruption channels the lady herself.<br />Its balance of color, detail and complexity heightens its charm, its vibrance and its signifying groove, immediacy and trigger.<br />And then, there is the star herself.<br /><br />Creating a strong, natural and charismatic bond between singer and audience, Chicago-born actress and entertainer Cherise Coaches takes center stage in "First Lady of Song" and creates a unique sound and vibe of boom, high energy, impact and passion.<br />She is sensational. <br />But first, let's backtrack.<br />On Broadway, Coaches appeared in the hit musical "Waitress" and later, was featured in the National Touring edition of "Disenchanted: The Musical." <br />Her other credits include Dionne in "Hair," Charlene in "Dreamgirls" and Young Patti in "A New Attitude: In Tribute to Patti LaBelle." <br />With "Artists Lounge Live," Coaches appeared as a featured vocalist in "Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul," "Higher and Higher with Chester Gregory" and "Signed, Sealed Delivered: John-Mark McGaha Sings Stevie Wonder."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">With "First Lady of Song," Coaches shows how passionate she is about the music of Ella Fitzgerald, the songs she chooses to sing in concert, how and why each piece holds a special place in her heart and more importantly, the impact that comes from right after hearing and performing it.<br />Vocally, she dazzles and shines with a voice and range that showcases her talents in full display, offset by skill, uplift, swing and imagination.<br />Here, Fitzgerald's song hits - there are many - are remembered with a certain oomph and fondness that makes the occasion in Westport even more special.<br />They include: "I Got Rhythm," "Misty," "Mack the Knife," "Night and Day," "Summertime," "The Lady is a Tramp," "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," "A -Tisket, A-Tasket," "My Funny Valentine" and "Too Dark Hot," among others.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwF0Nh0cfeDu6X7qi4G5UenKgHiJ-jf7H3zX0MkXmWDAcIy7zCY2GqpgkrBWQwsjnBvT59DeBdZMs1N0TR-aGSVgvmZGWjGEQVfPE2vZ6G4gLPivUSqbtzDsrviFMTS_GSApKjNE3_DtNOgVt4luzEObc7pqgSHQKUOs744fbuTZWEVdcR-01KisI3Ew/s1400/ellafirstgerald33.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1400" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwF0Nh0cfeDu6X7qi4G5UenKgHiJ-jf7H3zX0MkXmWDAcIy7zCY2GqpgkrBWQwsjnBvT59DeBdZMs1N0TR-aGSVgvmZGWjGEQVfPE2vZ6G4gLPivUSqbtzDsrviFMTS_GSApKjNE3_DtNOgVt4luzEObc7pqgSHQKUOs744fbuTZWEVdcR-01KisI3Ew/w400-h250/ellafirstgerald33.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Backed by a confident, committed onstage band that includes William Kurk (musical director, piano), Jay Flat (flute/saxophone), Ryan Bennett (drums) and Runere Brooks (upright bass), Coaches steps into the limelight putting her own personal spin on the music of Fitzgerald rather than imitate or copycat the legendary singer's special voice and sound. It's a creative choice that the singer spins with warmth, bewitchment, purity, timelessness and Harlem Savoy Ballroom sultriness. It's all velvety smooth and navigated. Or belted and crooned with powerhouse sensation and bustle.<br />The singer also engages in scatting, a vocal improvisation that Fitzgerald was famous for, improvising melodies, sounds and rhythms, comprised of nonsense syllables, wordless vocables, humor, quick tongue, various compressions or no words at all. It's a showstopping feat and one of the many, many highlights of this exhilarating production.<br /><br />Written and directed by Angela Ingersoll, "First Lady of Song" also comes packaged with unique stories, tidbits and facts that recall Fitzgerald's life story from her 1917 birth in Newport News, Virginia to her death at the age of 79 from a stroke in 1996.<br />With Coaches as narrator, a part she claims with tremendous inspiration and spirit, the audience is privy to lots of valuable documentation that includes Fitzgerald's 1934 "Amateur Night" contest win at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater, her years of mentoring with bandleader Chick Webb, her first hit single at age 19, her booking at L.A. hotspot Macambo via superfan Marilyn Monroe and the creation of Verve Records in 1955 for the singer herself.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg002aaQw7uibFo_yihYACMix5LxRX69678AsS_Zs7nqK9CO5W6hKZJ4OLz0QUXkjpgFJvzhzH-YuP1CfxY1lyRHm_fLZD3rEKZ4WEKYN-U_AlcXnHzi0AEpX7YTVt_QRsNqALIWbYPpMeBhPtgOpYiW3NC6Ovn0qBMaPYWJwX75x4RwEWXAKOErwVYBfw/s1130/ellafitzgerald33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1130" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg002aaQw7uibFo_yihYACMix5LxRX69678AsS_Zs7nqK9CO5W6hKZJ4OLz0QUXkjpgFJvzhzH-YuP1CfxY1lyRHm_fLZD3rEKZ4WEKYN-U_AlcXnHzi0AEpX7YTVt_QRsNqALIWbYPpMeBhPtgOpYiW3NC6Ovn0qBMaPYWJwX75x4RwEWXAKOErwVYBfw/w400-h350/ellafitzgerald33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"First Lady of Song Cherise Coaches Sings Ella Fitzgerald" is being staged at Westport Country Playhouse (25 Powers Court, Westport. CT), now through November 5, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (203)227-4177</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: westportplayhouse.org</i></div></span></i><p></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-47087506897801053392023-10-24T08:45:00.013-07:002023-10-29T11:30:29.624-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 433, A Review: "Pride and Prejudice" (Hartford Stage)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1vrbIkROT393DxExwb_ae3VXgJhz0jRXLMyrp9iJCJ8iHWEmDGUxfnvSOG0cx1sj1ckH6seqNvObLqHowapC0wKOJ3jgrPiFu_66oDESWJoWwHbpTZQpNCuWkNGyguf3dYw1vjinofUQopwFTlJIoLr3vclLN3dQ4Ck-0QZKvndBURYVDHzJRP-4KlA/s2048/pride12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="2048" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1vrbIkROT393DxExwb_ae3VXgJhz0jRXLMyrp9iJCJ8iHWEmDGUxfnvSOG0cx1sj1ckH6seqNvObLqHowapC0wKOJ3jgrPiFu_66oDESWJoWwHbpTZQpNCuWkNGyguf3dYw1vjinofUQopwFTlJIoLr3vclLN3dQ4Ck-0QZKvndBURYVDHzJRP-4KlA/w400-h249/pride12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">By James V. Ruocco</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">There are many ways to stage novelist Jane Austen's cherished 1813 novel of manners "Pride and Prejudice" without losing the richness of her writing, her carefully choreographed plot and her hugely entertaining views of the world, society, wealth, influence, marriage, courtship, position, alliteration, observation and the complete absurdity of it all.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">In Hartford Stage's animated, brilliantly skewered interpretation of Austen's classic character study, playwright Kate Hamill digs deep into the novel's very posh, readable text and concocts a tale of great comic relief that pushes the boundaries of manners, marriage, social standing, education and morality in the most entertaining of ways. It's still the same story, but it's crafted without the stiff, upper lip dramatics and theories of a four-part BBC presentation, a prim and proper National Theatre revival or a sprawling cinematic adaptation from the popular heyday of the Merchant-Ivory </span><span style="font-family: arial;">filmmaking team.<br />Through the bold, outrageous comedic lens of Hamill, this glorious Austenian take on "Pride and Prejudice" is a treatment like no other. It revives the original source material with such with thrill and spill, one easily succumbs to the page-turning craziness and versatility of the presentation itself, its critique of feminism and social conventions, its playful conversations and banter and its over-the-top theatrics and acknowledgements that propel the action forward with steadfast giddyap.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRR1BvzDuaTKuJMZytD9iwEQwuRBJhn950rSLpeyDhDmlE2f4sC04ApiDwBDs1-3JKjQc3Jaj7xv1N2O7SniKW1yKK8qtu3NSBAY_j4WOUMCA2X9o2ke4zQElUW7b0TscDfolBMPVweSb_rKPiNfVglMVWdsyhC3uoKZQ71Ij0fgIPpao-fJa4bX6Imc/s2048/pride600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRR1BvzDuaTKuJMZytD9iwEQwuRBJhn950rSLpeyDhDmlE2f4sC04ApiDwBDs1-3JKjQc3Jaj7xv1N2O7SniKW1yKK8qtu3NSBAY_j4WOUMCA2X9o2ke4zQElUW7b0TscDfolBMPVweSb_rKPiNfVglMVWdsyhC3uoKZQ71Ij0fgIPpao-fJa4bX6Imc/w400-h266/pride600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Played against the backdrop of Sara Brown's lush, atmospheric set design, which includes a twirling, revolving stage of early 19th century period surroundings, this frame-worthy, nontraditional take of Jane Austen - reinforced by a joyride of gleefully oddball jokes, ideas, scandals, proposals and cross-casting outrageousness - is so much fun, one wishes there was a "replay" button to watch it all over again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Better yet, this "Pride and Prejudice" dances to its own set of rules.<br />It is saucy and irreverent.<br />It is jaunty and peculiar.<br />It is confident and spirited.<br />It is grand and glorious.<br />Its screwball silliness is masked with chiming cynicism.<br /><br />Set in rural England, circa 1813, the play centers on the themes and conflicts of the day when women either married for love or for purely economic reasons. For plot purposes, because none of Mr. Bennet's four daughters - Lizzy, Mary, Jane or Lydia - can inherit his Hertfordshire estate (in the novel and the 1940 film adaptation starring Greer Garson, there are five daughters) they are pressured by both he and Mrs. Bennet to marry well and find financial security in what is commonly known as "good marriages."<br />And so, the game begins.<br />Who is suitable? Who is not?<br />Who has money? Who has prospects?<br />Who can help secure the Bennett family fortune?<br />Which man - there are many - will bewitch the Bennett sisters?<br />And who, during the final fadeout, will get their happily ever after? </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr9InD0kyzWbpTHDy0f-IEOsG-bNQK0CXO20lf4qxJt7hCW5byhBMHfNmLlq_aCIt9tMzPZFg3CZEXCtBFpPECYCtWIAe-WzsH3V-M5z8WLWuyOb6G-B5Fyo8VMqNlawNgYtVTZ34aQdrOCPjIA8imCXRKQbknXLr161y_V7t5Y-GFGYxMxHTm0bvjng/s2048/pride50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1397" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr9InD0kyzWbpTHDy0f-IEOsG-bNQK0CXO20lf4qxJt7hCW5byhBMHfNmLlq_aCIt9tMzPZFg3CZEXCtBFpPECYCtWIAe-WzsH3V-M5z8WLWuyOb6G-B5Fyo8VMqNlawNgYtVTZ34aQdrOCPjIA8imCXRKQbknXLr161y_V7t5Y-GFGYxMxHTm0bvjng/w273-h400/pride50.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />At Hartford Stage, "Pride and Prejudice" is being staged by Tatyana-Marie Carlo whose directorial credits include "Marisol," "She Kills Monsters," "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot," "Clybourne Park," "Real Women Have Curves" and "Don Quixote." It's a labor of love fueled by smart directorial choices, great comic zing and snap, well played, collective gimmickry and push and pull silliness.<br />In shaping Hamill's inventive playscript, she creates a lively, circus-like arena where private conversations, upper class exchanges, chance meetings, exits, entrances, philosophies, theories, dispositions and playful romantic notions are tossed and bandied about with giddy, front-and-center abandonment.<br />At the same time, nothing is out of place, thrown in or shockingly tactless. As "Pride and Prejudice" evolves, Carlo adapts a vigorous, refreshing and mischievous gait that is confident, inventive, apparent, surprising and knee-deep in Panto-like creativity, assertiveness and period melodrama.<br />Here, timing is everything and Carlo balances humor, pathos and wit with dynamic, well-oiled flashes, flourishes, sweeping, sloping, prancing, preening and expansive gestures that complement the merriment and drawing room theatrics at hand. It's all very genuine, unexpectedly funny stuff that lives up to its potential and tears into the 1813 source material of Austen's legacy with a voice that is confident, snarky, devious, enlightening and whimsical. Directorially, she also marshals her eight-member cast swiftly and expertly through the play's fast-paced scene changes, fadeouts, musical interludes and dances with splendid musicality.<br />This is timeless, universal, thoroughly engaged Austen played mainly for laughs, coasting effortlessly between Hertfordshire, Netherfield, Kent and Pemberly, then back again.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeVhUUdGB5KuQJjvNVmDvDG8t3uILL7dSbf7txV0atPZAZd2pNWlRDovLgekwWh55EgYL7So1anxszhgdQK9JFnNsoPNRuEsw9wxiYnyr9bNn8HgoffRUQnhSFKiR7D0Rqe_5UBLMwUQUUfv3kopyA0JIoJvWaS_EvwkvI56R20YFrEtCxvOQysp-7iw/s2048/pride90.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeVhUUdGB5KuQJjvNVmDvDG8t3uILL7dSbf7txV0atPZAZd2pNWlRDovLgekwWh55EgYL7So1anxszhgdQK9JFnNsoPNRuEsw9wxiYnyr9bNn8HgoffRUQnhSFKiR7D0Rqe_5UBLMwUQUUfv3kopyA0JIoJvWaS_EvwkvI56R20YFrEtCxvOQysp-7iw/w400-h266/pride90.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's not all. Glitter balls and disco-like dances spring out of nowhere. Modernism is mixed amusingly with Regency wanderlust. Sight gags pop up with in-and-out craziness. Characters run wildly across the stage screaming, ranting and raving. A purposely paused Hertfordshire location gets a Hartford, Connecticut name drop giggle. Certain lines are purposely exaggerated as if "Pride and Prejudice" was reborn as a late 19th century melodrama. Period fans are opened and closed by the female characters with very loud flaps and flapping. The fourth wall is continually broken to allow certain characters to flirt with the audience or enter and exit through the actual theater. Spilled punch prompts rowdy crotch jokes.<br />The use of a mannequin, garbed in period servant's clothing, to announce the arrival of certain characters, is well worth the price of admission as is the hilarious substitution of broomsticks and poles (all dressed in various, familiar costume fragments) whenever an actor is playing a different role, but their previous character, is called upon, if only fleetingly to participate in the ongoing scene. A true stroke of genius on Carlo's part.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAk7mytloOyX7E-x7Qnx3qe7ANnTB04O0021xZtIEFGUpDz27JGCEdDeL2PRtAJx-TrYa4o10gTGAN1kkTlpbbIXgfek9ROCAFnZCqU_yAXHqaHnwmRngSzEFU6-YLHgKVevC7QFzSJfWBKEm44Er7lOpDdjsARPDs7NYhM62fpSvjMCIE0VbpFTX7Ha8/s2048/pride98.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="2048" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAk7mytloOyX7E-x7Qnx3qe7ANnTB04O0021xZtIEFGUpDz27JGCEdDeL2PRtAJx-TrYa4o10gTGAN1kkTlpbbIXgfek9ROCAFnZCqU_yAXHqaHnwmRngSzEFU6-YLHgKVevC7QFzSJfWBKEm44Er7lOpDdjsARPDs7NYhM62fpSvjMCIE0VbpFTX7Ha8/w400-h259/pride98.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Pride and Prejudice" stars Renata Eastlick as Lizzy, Carman Lacivita as Mr. Darcy, Lana Young as Mrs. Bennett, Anne Scurria as Mr. Bennett and Charlotte Lucas, Madeleine Barker as Mary and Miss Bingley, Sergio Mauritz Ang as Mr. Bingley, Wickham and Mr. Collins, Zoë Kim as Lydia and Lady Catherine and MarÃa Gabriela González as Jane and Miss de Borough.<br />Everyone in the cast are tremendously gifted, talented performers whose charm, warmth, wit and knack for this type of full-tilt mayhem and craziness give the production its unifying lift, pulse, drive and fever-pitched adrenaline. Under Carlo's intuitive, fancy-free, colorful direction, each and every actor inhabits the role he or she is given (Barker as the unhinged Mary is a real comic standout) with the right comic dash and flourish that serves the material well. Everyone understands his or her role inside out and all around. They are quick on their feet. They know how to play comedy and they play it well. They engage. They entertain. They toss and turn. They give the play's multiple characterization and cross-casting conceit the creative aplomb it deserves. They have great onstage chemistry with one another. They know how to get a laugh without exposing the punchline. They can also shift gears in a millisecond whenever they are asked to change from character to character, man to woman, or vice versa.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOz_jspGlhNgTLSZZhFuXyBaO-3qIKrzWVfVTAqwqf5z2llmmsIbQncLldBztfa3sOwvf4_aQqwIy-Nn7E8Fz6x_gxbZNFINShBNPhZnuaY5w-NaC5ERhAWtMltVSlMyiHs1EeZNhh0TovQv6kUqbEG4kkJ7vQj1DfHqn-YHHxpqlTRDjYNZTqIFM0B_Q/s2048/pride444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1499" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOz_jspGlhNgTLSZZhFuXyBaO-3qIKrzWVfVTAqwqf5z2llmmsIbQncLldBztfa3sOwvf4_aQqwIy-Nn7E8Fz6x_gxbZNFINShBNPhZnuaY5w-NaC5ERhAWtMltVSlMyiHs1EeZNhh0TovQv6kUqbEG4kkJ7vQj1DfHqn-YHHxpqlTRDjYNZTqIFM0B_Q/w293-h400/pride444.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Silly, lightweight, witty, romantic and swayable, Hartford Stage's sumptuous mounting of "Pride and Prejudice" breathes new life into Jane Austen's celebrated 19th century classic. It gallops and stirs. It tilts and glides. It delights and cajoles. It takes liberties with the actual story and gets away with it.<br />Playwright Kate Hamill creates a madhouse of giddy romantic mayhem, entanglement and enticement. Director Tatyana-Marie Carlo goes full-tilt in well-timed, harmonious fashion. Regency period costuming designed by Haydee Zelideth makes its mark in true couture fashion.<br />The entire cast has great fun with the insanely wacky material. And like several other Hartford Stage productions that came before it - "The Rivals," "Loot," "The School for Scandal," "Tartuffe," to name a few - every element works splendidly in this liberating, intoxicating staging that amusingly conveys the age-old struggle between pride and prejudice with riotous exhilaration, social mayhem, screwball indulgence and gooseberry empowerment.<br />In short, what's not to love?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Photos of "Pride and Prejudice" courtesy of T. Charles Erickson</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDg-xX05xDad61Wou2HX9vEThbfj8D26R6cYFn1WzdeUJn00bPeyNKuK1wZiE6-_6nbFoGN7yTqwDqA7MljWzcAQQ3IwNFxpuoxRuLclpV7jDJabQ9lYneJ9LkzGiMYeV1meyGfo2BkHAl52VlsDOmXqnSxg4O858wLbDdBewxKnqCsSBXrgqxOv9cCk/s2048/pride88.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDg-xX05xDad61Wou2HX9vEThbfj8D26R6cYFn1WzdeUJn00bPeyNKuK1wZiE6-_6nbFoGN7yTqwDqA7MljWzcAQQ3IwNFxpuoxRuLclpV7jDJabQ9lYneJ9LkzGiMYeV1meyGfo2BkHAl52VlsDOmXqnSxg4O858wLbDdBewxKnqCsSBXrgqxOv9cCk/w266-h400/pride88.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Pride and Prejudice" is being presented at Hartford Stage (50 Church St., Harford, CT), now through November 5, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (860) 527-5151.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: hartfordstage.org</i></div></span></i><p></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-6273715479414791072023-10-20T09:21:00.003-07:002024-01-09T08:26:00.208-08:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 432, A Review: "The Panto of the Opera" (Pantochino Productions)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTl03LgvsL5omCz-1H7SeHtsLqcDmIDyeDIjMycKC3fJCasn-JG4Wu7t-9uJVRFMbWhmuA7YC6dFuIdvOEV4gbIuV46dgEVOyBdo69tDijK0Ul-jtGUSnoPxweXaCLOIA4GgrL7JKB-7z72p1EMSrRdnYedJxNABhRGVTMg5Uv3PNq9G5HcvGUqIXMf2c/s1640/panto55.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTl03LgvsL5omCz-1H7SeHtsLqcDmIDyeDIjMycKC3fJCasn-JG4Wu7t-9uJVRFMbWhmuA7YC6dFuIdvOEV4gbIuV46dgEVOyBdo69tDijK0Ul-jtGUSnoPxweXaCLOIA4GgrL7JKB-7z72p1EMSrRdnYedJxNABhRGVTMg5Uv3PNq9G5HcvGUqIXMf2c/w400-h225/panto55.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">By James V. Ruocco</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Traditionally performed at Christmas and after, "The British Panto," developed in England, is a laugh-out-loud entertainment consisting of sight gags, slapstick, double entendres, songs, dancing, improvisation, erotic content, outrageous costuming, gender-crossing actors and lots and lots of accompanied giddyap.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Following a similar, basic format "The British Music Hall Entertainment," originally designed for a working-class audience, offered unpretentious skits, songs, dancing and bawdy plot lines that parodied everyday life, famous operas and the high-profile scandals of the rich and famous. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In "The Panto of the Opera," a silly, wicked, eccentric musical comedy that takes its cue from both "The British Panto" and "The British Musical Hall Entertainment," Pantochino Productions concocts a dazzling, classic, bin hilarious production that unleashes a tsunami of wonderfully dispensed hilarity reinforced by loop-the-loop innuendo, true to tradition mayhem, glitz and giggles, channeled zing and snap and marvelously orchestrated deadpan aloofness.<br />This is Pantochino at its very best, brimming with joy and genuineness, grandness aplenty, celebrated cackle and sure-footed engagement.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0G9aQeBBc2mmx7svYGMyxDQrd9VZnbIZCPjDGw2q_Bphp8QnbWZRSbWuKr7bLh5Zkv01j6N_j77xA9jg0c1jHq6Q4ST7QYe0TbpO27R78GB_JS6YgWnm9HJNTIMOlh7kpDC7-d3Fd-hpb2b3U9v6Rf4GQdys3xU3VusHdNEbQ4dYAxzhA9-6UQg552w/s2048/pantooftheopera333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0G9aQeBBc2mmx7svYGMyxDQrd9VZnbIZCPjDGw2q_Bphp8QnbWZRSbWuKr7bLh5Zkv01j6N_j77xA9jg0c1jHq6Q4ST7QYe0TbpO27R78GB_JS6YgWnm9HJNTIMOlh7kpDC7-d3Fd-hpb2b3U9v6Rf4GQdys3xU3VusHdNEbQ4dYAxzhA9-6UQg552w/w400-h265/pantooftheopera333.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Written by Bert Bernardi, the two-act musical deliciously puts the "Panto" spin on Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," which has been entertaining West End theatre audiences for decades since its premiere at Her Majesty's Theatre (renamed His Majesty's Theatre in 2022 to reflect the current reign of monarch King Charles III) on October 9, 1986.<br />Mixing spoof with parody along with that in-house Pantochino tilt and swerve, Bernardi retells the famous story of the Paris Opera House masked Phantom who makes his home in the subterranean labyrinth below.<br />For story purposes, there is no papier-mâché music box with a monkey figurine, no unexplained deaths or murders, no angry mob searches and no elaborate masquerade balls. Egotistical opera diva Carlotta still gets a frog in her throat, the opera house chandelier still rises and falls, and Christine Daae is still the Phantom's romantic obsession.<br />But since "The Panto of the Opera" is played for laughs, Bernardi has great fun throwing in local geographical commentary (Christne travels from Norwalk to Paris), referencing other well-known musicals including "Les Misérables" and "Beauty and the Beast" and breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience. It's a playful conceit that fuels the production with smart, heartwarming, popcorn gallop, shared amusement and just-the-right filter of hotfoot insanity.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWI7tL37GFOM2j57E_iREn-zOIBm0UsIOsxVAJdm2K07VbdeZLUqrfVytSCgpU_9FZ0qnQVHCY9dODaNbeNUA2SgxLQEcxGQgtEZ88-QXHfp6CN488eYD5CAxoRymYkMBeyOPjVLAciG_K99rDQPgCtKIa0UXtyaJGUQ7PtRhePHOI0zLBh9xvGpkbMc0/s1080/pantooftheopera441.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWI7tL37GFOM2j57E_iREn-zOIBm0UsIOsxVAJdm2K07VbdeZLUqrfVytSCgpU_9FZ0qnQVHCY9dODaNbeNUA2SgxLQEcxGQgtEZ88-QXHfp6CN488eYD5CAxoRymYkMBeyOPjVLAciG_K99rDQPgCtKIa0UXtyaJGUQ7PtRhePHOI0zLBh9xvGpkbMc0/w400-h400/pantooftheopera441.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging the production, Bernardi turns the tables upside town and topsy turvy offering the theatergoer a fancy-free exploration that thrives on the pleasurable clash between "Panto" and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The show takes flight immediately with illustrated gags-land bite and humor, mixed affectionately with can-do doses of optimism, confidence, imagination and channeled, well-played exaggeration.<br />It's a win-win situation for all boasting a wicked spirit of fun, a sugar rush wattage of directorial commitment and the usual shenanigans that come gift wrapped with "Panto."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Featuring a colorful and tuneful score, with music by Justin Rugg and lyrics by Bernardi, "The Panto of the Opera" unfolds through ten strategically placed musical numbers that set the story in motion, give it shape and balance and wildly cement the insaneness of the Phantom story.<br />They are (in order of performance): </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"A Night at the Opera," "The Phantom's Song," "Carlotta's Song," "The Baguette Song," "Angel of Music," "The Peripatetic Paranormal," "I Only Want to Sing," "Phantom in Red," "The Phantom Situation" and "Angel of Music (reprise)."</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">"I Only Want to Sing," a showstopping comic duet sung between the characters of Raoul and Madame Dreary," is an inventive, slippery, attention-grabbing ditty similar to that of "Mr. Cellophane" from "Chicago" and "Never the Luck" from "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." Hilariously executed and brilliantly sung by Lu DeJesus and Rachelle Ianniello, the song itself showcases the angst of two secondary characters of not-too-great importance in a story who sadly, are not given the chance to get a major solo that would thrust them in the spotlight. That, all changes here, in only fleetingly. And yes, it is SENSATIONAL.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_RX5UN5S4a84U0ONwmU_4ZxAZmjnwlQ5W0Ke0vxrtMyUU5y-QJVXwNlMWhyphenhyphenr3knmn14uJeWAthkP7J7iUBPe8dVKSZy6IihRqQd8KvP5x36B0HesIoeB5KHhKcWkyx4ENvyKa5QSwypu-PFtF1ipMZwJPCeprs-FlN9IeT644X-RLEzqmqYF8N27J2U/s2047/pantooftheopera55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2047" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_RX5UN5S4a84U0ONwmU_4ZxAZmjnwlQ5W0Ke0vxrtMyUU5y-QJVXwNlMWhyphenhyphenr3knmn14uJeWAthkP7J7iUBPe8dVKSZy6IihRqQd8KvP5x36B0HesIoeB5KHhKcWkyx4ENvyKa5QSwypu-PFtF1ipMZwJPCeprs-FlN9IeT644X-RLEzqmqYF8N27J2U/w400-h265/pantooftheopera55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Panto of the Opera" stars Justin Rugg as The Phantom, Jimmy Johansmeyer as Maestro, Shelly Marsh Poggio as Carlotta (a star turn of the highest order enriched by great presence and intuitive comic timing), Rachelle Ianniello as Madame Dreary, Killian Meehan as Noel, Don Poggio as Manager, Mary Mannix as Christine, Leanne Onofrio as Solange, Sydney Maher as Yvette, Lu DeJesus as Raoul and Bert Bernardi as Victoria Sautee in the role of Madame Cherchez.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The perfect fit for "Panto" cross-dressing, the character of Victoria Sautee, garbed in haute couture refinery for the role of Madame Cherchez, not only gets a big, colorful, rousing musical number ("The Peripatetic Paranormal") at the end of Act I, but springs to life on the Pantochino stage in the form of Bert Bernardi whose energy and charm oozes naughtily out of his spectacular costuming, thus, providing his audience with an electric-charged performance of cockle-warming innuendo and festive spirt, offset by humor, on point, improvisational dare and riotous pace, grip and presentation. <br /><br />Costuming at Pantochino - in this production and others before it - is executed with bespoke fostering, creativity and design by Jimmy Johansmeyer, a master craftsman who knowledge of fabric, style, form and presentation could easily give the House of Chanel, Balenciaga and Dior a run for its money. Here, he creates a 19th century period look of eye-popping clothing using a variety of colors and materials that each and every cast member on stage displays with proud showmanship, flair and standout bespoke definition.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5GnzLE38iDG3jlH-rJZRw646bQ5WeBUqpSGrxCRYPMus-MM5A1F0ELsKwzlmndSivZezxDsu9J7aoCnOThcbACTCYiul8sW6X1-mJ9KuDcnWTqmn_WE6PgJN6ed0xSnFfnfhJMk3nXpUH5NQh3KhH_8I52VXHDiAOat3o3HL1ccNER_oBO4glcQ0zEM/s2048/pantooftheopera32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5GnzLE38iDG3jlH-rJZRw646bQ5WeBUqpSGrxCRYPMus-MM5A1F0ELsKwzlmndSivZezxDsu9J7aoCnOThcbACTCYiul8sW6X1-mJ9KuDcnWTqmn_WE6PgJN6ed0xSnFfnfhJMk3nXpUH5NQh3KhH_8I52VXHDiAOat3o3HL1ccNER_oBO4glcQ0zEM/w265-h400/pantooftheopera32.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Panto of the Opera" is being staged at Pantochino Productions (40 Railroad Avenue, Milford, CT), now through October 29, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (203) 843-0959.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">website: pantochino.com </span></i></div></span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-19918516805165985972023-10-19T12:27:00.002-07:002023-10-19T12:35:39.588-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 431, A Review: "Night of January 16th" (Castle Craig Players)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5W7OMTLX8qsKNpxA8H8YVLmnQ1inWl2zaAqH_Z4JYLolbm3Yr-va2S6Wz0nFxpMmdhNQwF-D9EV0jjUO6NWD7OeLmvgB05UoS4_hKCZZCS9JdDW6FmNiILwo3mT5vPI98S8cy-xx9CLEKDb-ciUHqw1YYiO7njmkuyXXGNsxWg5In_ZnOyP4SQgf7Lc/s4311/nightofjanuary662.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="4311" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5W7OMTLX8qsKNpxA8H8YVLmnQ1inWl2zaAqH_Z4JYLolbm3Yr-va2S6Wz0nFxpMmdhNQwF-D9EV0jjUO6NWD7OeLmvgB05UoS4_hKCZZCS9JdDW6FmNiILwo3mT5vPI98S8cy-xx9CLEKDb-ciUHqw1YYiO7njmkuyXXGNsxWg5In_ZnOyP4SQgf7Lc/w400-h271/nightofjanuary662.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpjKh0d4owoWaCvkoh6jy0QYdJpUjLKh6gGcSFyVv3bmYy17dWF3HfknhRZ14wfzw7AieIguXqQcYdSzVhEv0VzP5bv7-gvbhyfP5Szc_UuJkvQ6vFT1nA12mgkFL9wC2rqR0SCYCvos-_h2KK_xV_Zl29ecNE0jKF7Xq4uXazaL389YexsytAtTRm48/s2318/nightofjanuary55.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2318" data-original-width="1854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpjKh0d4owoWaCvkoh6jy0QYdJpUjLKh6gGcSFyVv3bmYy17dWF3HfknhRZ14wfzw7AieIguXqQcYdSzVhEv0VzP5bv7-gvbhyfP5Szc_UuJkvQ6vFT1nA12mgkFL9wC2rqR0SCYCvos-_h2KK_xV_Zl29ecNE0jKF7Xq4uXazaL389YexsytAtTRm48/s320/nightofjanuary55.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b> </span></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Guilty?</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;">Not guilty?</div><div style="text-align: center;">You decide.</div><br />In Ayn Rand's taut, quick-paced 1934 courtroom drama "Night of January 16th," the theatergoer assumes the role of juror and decides, along with everyone else in the audience, the collective verdict that closes the play.<br />It's a gimmick that works especially well and adds a dash of lightweight fun to the already enjoyable proceedings. <br />At Castle Craig Players, an intimate, immersive venue where Rand's three-act play is being revived to thrilling satisfaction, the bailiff takes center stage five minutes before the play's conclusion to ask each table - (the venue offers patrons a cabaret style setting) - to submit of verdict of "guilty" or "not guilty" much to everyone's delight. Once the votes are collected and tallied up, "Night of January 16th" resumes, the verdict is read, and the production draws to a close. <br /><br />As written by Rand, Karen Andre, a former secretary and lover of successful business mogul Bjorn Faulkner stands trials for the murder of her crooked boyfriend. She, of course, claims that she is innocent. But evidence suggests that during the night of the murder, Faulkner's body was thrown to his death from his penthouse balcony.<br />If she didn't do it, who did?<br />Is she lying? Is she telling the truth?<br />Was it a set up?<br />Is Faulkner still alive?<br />If so, whose body ended up smashed and bloodied on the pavement below?<br />According to the medical examiner, the body of Faulkner was so damaged by the fall, it was impossible to tell if he was killed by the impact of the fall or he was already dead.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8csumakrDu_Nno1F2ZfDTIhbmd-kxU7YeUMJH4adzLb7D12XUtSkdeiZn4KuiQtwY3GbOsxVjtBko-b_LuIrcvICk0MMWXz-M2Ex72MyucM_yJ-TLpACbJZ-h2xFrJO_dBPw5cIrn3x9MR7nliqRIMmYMOjwzD857gv4MpCDKgjZbw9CRJ_0UufynR0k/s6244/nightofjanuary60.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4995" data-original-width="6244" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8csumakrDu_Nno1F2ZfDTIhbmd-kxU7YeUMJH4adzLb7D12XUtSkdeiZn4KuiQtwY3GbOsxVjtBko-b_LuIrcvICk0MMWXz-M2Ex72MyucM_yJ-TLpACbJZ-h2xFrJO_dBPw5cIrn3x9MR7nliqRIMmYMOjwzD857gv4MpCDKgjZbw9CRJ_0UufynR0k/w400-h320/nightofjanuary60.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhqe9_dHEAITT4_uLMeTHC-0o39rGAseTCOk_fsQafoEy8aVbPROERJJieCCh8rIvieth2LYPmbM9mZnhtb98TWcmLlQXgz24ykH_059bdcA6AQ5dPOaImXY7H5cA3kSJZJCHBwyx0RzkdiTPup_a5NdXk34o4SoDWQXVbeplbj94eHrN2Bqc-LQi3Oc/s3996/nightofjanuary44.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3996" data-original-width="3197" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhqe9_dHEAITT4_uLMeTHC-0o39rGAseTCOk_fsQafoEy8aVbPROERJJieCCh8rIvieth2LYPmbM9mZnhtb98TWcmLlQXgz24ykH_059bdcA6AQ5dPOaImXY7H5cA3kSJZJCHBwyx0RzkdiTPup_a5NdXk34o4SoDWQXVbeplbj94eHrN2Bqc-LQi3Oc/w256-h320/nightofjanuary44.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Drawing inspiration from the real-life death of Swedish financier and industrialist Ivar Kreuger (his body was found dead in his Paris bedroom flat and years later, it was discovered that he didn't commit suicide but was murdered) and the 1927 melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan" (a showgirl is prosecuted for the death of her wealthy lover), Rand concocts a thrilling cast-and-mouse game of courtroom theatrics that give "Night of January 16th" its weight, its push and pull, its dynamic and its edgy, shrewd impression and concept.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The drama of the courtroom, the testimonies, the exchanges, the lies, the tension, the truths, the betrayal and the humor are effectively rendered, performed and executed in Castle Craig's superior mounting of "Night of January 16th," which kicks off the venue's official 2023-2024 season.<br />Smooth, mobile and intelligently fluid, "Night of January 16th" is a fun, crackerjack entertainment with polished wit, climactic sweep, significant temperament, and engaging stop-smart melodrama.<br />It gets you thinking.<br />It gets you excited.<br />It moves.<br />It tilts.<br />It taunts and delights.<br />It surprises.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6aeiJDw0g7AFillGCvjBdmljWyY2MJDlk-e92286MDC6DEg0_K6HJMnCpyV8yYXmiEqJQJTao_lV0YXilYHHRbg5jqTPs_o_8CoYOUl5Cd7kWqHD48ZxSRuL1s_YrCUNvPsuqnQK4ecsggpZ4PLGqBu57aunKR3oJ33ETppbIN-3SFPTrxSxML9N7go/s2754/nightofjanuary68.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2156" data-original-width="2754" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6aeiJDw0g7AFillGCvjBdmljWyY2MJDlk-e92286MDC6DEg0_K6HJMnCpyV8yYXmiEqJQJTao_lV0YXilYHHRbg5jqTPs_o_8CoYOUl5Cd7kWqHD48ZxSRuL1s_YrCUNvPsuqnQK4ecsggpZ4PLGqBu57aunKR3oJ33ETppbIN-3SFPTrxSxML9N7go/w400-h314/nightofjanuary68.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The grand payoff comes from putting Pamela Amodio in the director's chair. With a trunk load of acting and directing credits to boot including "California Suite," "The Vagina Monologues," "Doubt," "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," "Steel Magnolias" and "Lend Me a Tenor," she weaves together a smooth, confident, fully alive work that heightens the real drama and humor of the piece, its arguments, its etymology of words, its power plays, its grandstanding, its rooted influences, its common sense, its reasonable doubts and its salacious unpicking of evidence.<br />Directorially, Rand's playscript is shaped wonderfully and intuitively by Amodio with close attention paid to the ongoing narrative, the characters, the courtroom setting (smartly designed by Mark Laucella), the dialogue, the interactions and the play-by-play evolvement of the story. There is real dedication here, backed by a real understanding and knowledge of how a scene should be played, how it should be developed, how it should be acted and how it moves the action forward.<br />Here, as in other productions she has directed including "California Suite" at Castle Craig, Amodio's attention to detail, stage movement and positioning, is conveyed with relaxed, important brush strokes and colors that heighten the dramatic momentum of individual scenes and how they are implemented by the actors themselves. Not one to go the paint-by-numbers route when directing, Amodio, in turn, enriches the material with in-the-moment, natural engagement, probing, rallying and investment that ripens the performance, the storytelling and the connection between actor and audience.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qoI4-gAR8fl14zb8NrZptikzWQlB0QBbIhxCQuikyIHSlQEzlhmW10hVJNFOn20CvINtNwftQPcFiIzK1HTaEGD2vwZ5l7h-eApDqVw4QiuUHIDAivCO-FaGYYkBFQPVmD7NI72bjr95JCmZvfLw-kBVLj406R6EllELOrNElIaF__AyiOV-bqU-1OA/s4287/nightofjanuary500.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3050" data-original-width="4287" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qoI4-gAR8fl14zb8NrZptikzWQlB0QBbIhxCQuikyIHSlQEzlhmW10hVJNFOn20CvINtNwftQPcFiIzK1HTaEGD2vwZ5l7h-eApDqVw4QiuUHIDAivCO-FaGYYkBFQPVmD7NI72bjr95JCmZvfLw-kBVLj406R6EllELOrNElIaF__AyiOV-bqU-1OA/w400-h285/nightofjanuary500.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Night of January 16th" stars Michael Paris as District Attorney Flint, Art Canova as Defense Attorney Stevens, Carolyn Doherty as Karen Andre, Bret Olsen as Judge Heath, Nick Demetriades as Baillif, Gayle Barrett as Nancy Lee Faulkner, Len Fredericks as John Graham Whitfield, Dawn Maselli as Mrs. Sportelli, Beth Goodwin as Jane Chandler, Gina Marie Davis as Magda Svenson, Beth Goodwin as Jane Chandler, James Hyland as Larry "Guts" Regan, John Garvey as Siegurd Jungquist, Jacob Gannon as Homer Van Fleet, Ethan Timothy as Elmer Sweeney, Zoe Roland as Roberta Van Rensselaer and Diane Warner-Canova as Dr. Kirkland. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The cast, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">all well-chosen by Amodio, bring plenty of real emotion, twist, excitement and atmospheric sting to Rand's powerhouse courtroom drama, which, in turn, elevates the play's footing, attitude, shock, surprise and trickling eleventh hour revelations. Working together as a confident, primed and able ensemble, they deep dive into "Night of January 16th" with a committed trust and confidence (a five-star performance by Dawn Maselli rises to the top of the leaderboard) that complements the drama, its tension, its feel and its evolution. They also bring a natural, relaxed exuberance to the piece that prompts an immediate, immersive grasp between actor and audience.<br /><br />Whodunnit?<br />The play's two jousting attorney's think they have the answer.<br />Was it murder? Was it suicide? Was it a ruse?<br />Ladies and gentlemen of the audience - rise and cast your vote.<br />My verdict: "Not guilty."</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxSG5xVC2fBl9rwtzN82kLVZOfE6bcfQ7BtWABHjTExoMqLw5cy9Z9v-8NvIqWIzowTT_Ljes2r8aFiVJJN2-vJrYCvAScRV4HZtdIWiBNZLiOEj3k0IL7nfuthbD6tYdI4mrde28yaRBe1MnKSf7LwlEuExfapOZtljmePcjj_9WY71cuHp1jsNS8uQ/s5387/nightofjanuary50.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4310" data-original-width="5387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxSG5xVC2fBl9rwtzN82kLVZOfE6bcfQ7BtWABHjTExoMqLw5cy9Z9v-8NvIqWIzowTT_Ljes2r8aFiVJJN2-vJrYCvAScRV4HZtdIWiBNZLiOEj3k0IL7nfuthbD6tYdI4mrde28yaRBe1MnKSf7LwlEuExfapOZtljmePcjj_9WY71cuHp1jsNS8uQ/w400-h320/nightofjanuary50.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Photos of "Night of January 16th" courtesy of Kevin McNair</b></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Night of January 16th" is being staged at Castle Craig Players (Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse, 59 W. Main St., Meriden. CT), now through October 29, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (203) 634-6922.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: castlecraigplayers.org</i></div></span></i><p></p><p><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-37125907800906087752023-10-13T06:50:00.004-07:002023-10-18T09:41:29.449-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 430, A Review: "Lizzie" (TheaterWorks/Hartford)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGnk5ac0Bm1x-G5oPUXQgt8cGxu9BJ0Lv_YOQggmEVOU7B3lrk1vBSxhm81jnt2VzohAGw7OPqCSwAcnxFwqM9m7myRR8tiMXrZh8m_WWVc22AT3eADH1eXuzcxNd5QsNv9EmcepkwmZsvqc-dm42VhXgBLGZpCHlG_9rQtQQjSp2CWVxgi-Uq98_af8/s1500/lizzie123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1500" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGnk5ac0Bm1x-G5oPUXQgt8cGxu9BJ0Lv_YOQggmEVOU7B3lrk1vBSxhm81jnt2VzohAGw7OPqCSwAcnxFwqM9m7myRR8tiMXrZh8m_WWVc22AT3eADH1eXuzcxNd5QsNv9EmcepkwmZsvqc-dm42VhXgBLGZpCHlG_9rQtQQjSp2CWVxgi-Uq98_af8/w400-h271/lizzie123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fall River, Massachusetts.<br />230 2nd Street.<br />August 4,1892.<br />Two axes and a hatchet-head with a broken head.<br />Two dead bodies - Andrew and Abby Borden.<br />Bloody cloths found in the basement.<br />A forensic investigation.<br />No evident motive.<br />No robbery or sexual assault.<br />Widespread publicity.<br />The primary suspect: 32-year-old Lizzie Borden who was served with a warrant of arrest and jailed on August 11,1892 and indicted by a grand jury for murder on December 2, 1892.<br />But did she, do it?<br />Did she get away with it?<br />What really went on behind the closed doors of the Borden house?<br />Is she innocent, guilty or a damned good actress and liar?<br />On June 20, 1893, Borden was acquitted of the actual murders by a judge who ruled that the incident was "too remote" to have any connection or links to the death of both Andrew and Abby Borden.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrEsbhf8gIyaxRtMomGMye9_1445Fz2Rgb6CfAIKP_1Su7Kd6c_aVIZh6ZsLLVyEdvF7d0VtAHptDjXf0e6_0f0km5aqKwvF6qVXhubfHW2MUj-IBlqK_vvo0ailXZJ_tVpGWQPFg3jwJ9GBF7ZdORLHD44i1z2a-Qx-seql96zKg-OqikbeX4pwK6YQ/s1080/lizzie156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrEsbhf8gIyaxRtMomGMye9_1445Fz2Rgb6CfAIKP_1Su7Kd6c_aVIZh6ZsLLVyEdvF7d0VtAHptDjXf0e6_0f0km5aqKwvF6qVXhubfHW2MUj-IBlqK_vvo0ailXZJ_tVpGWQPFg3jwJ9GBF7ZdORLHD44i1z2a-Qx-seql96zKg-OqikbeX4pwK6YQ/w400-h266/lizzie156.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Her story - fascinating, hypnotic, disturbing - is played out in true rock concert form in "Lizzie," Tim Maner's adrenaline-fueled take on the infamous, supposed serial killer who had an axe to grind along with grievances, guilt, oppression, sin, fantasy and standout sexual liaisons with a woman.<br /><br />True.<br />False.<br />Fact.<br />Fiction.<br />Mad.<br />Crazy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Lizzie," as presented on the stage of TheaterWorks in Hartford is a rollercoaster thrill ride of darkness and playfulness allegorized by unapologetic dialogue, music, madness and motive that it distinctive, hip, crazed, ferocious, fucked up and completely mind blowing.<br />It is fun.<br />It is confident.<br />It is cold-blooded.<br />It is sexy.<br />It is original.<br />It is psycho-grand steeped in fascination, metaphor, subjugation and theory.<br />Its blast of energy and breezy confidence is blood-red roar with plenty of rumble, personality and impassioned perspective.<br />Here, anything that can happen, will happen and does.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJUTi7XMmq6WGJmOyS7sPRMShiw5BQW1vDZZ4hyphenhyphen5Pxd6ARFW7s5EwN5eVk8cVm-NYGmqHawB3vYZwvpMZdQuJhLTPBFZr-NAVPHBAo4wii16hJNlfNRfCa-uJRE9YPcCaR8imeLS1PYArZEVX-POuDeBHPBYf-f0dUTUbQbKGDVVQ0gJIt6IK9O9WlBs/s1500/lizzie43.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1500" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJUTi7XMmq6WGJmOyS7sPRMShiw5BQW1vDZZ4hyphenhyphen5Pxd6ARFW7s5EwN5eVk8cVm-NYGmqHawB3vYZwvpMZdQuJhLTPBFZr-NAVPHBAo4wii16hJNlfNRfCa-uJRE9YPcCaR8imeLS1PYArZEVX-POuDeBHPBYf-f0dUTUbQbKGDVVQ0gJIt6IK9O9WlBs/w400-h286/lizzie43.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The brainchild of Steven Cheslik-Demeyer (music and lyrics), Alan Stevens Hewitt (music) and Tim Maner (lyrics), "Lizzie's" emotional fireworks pave the way for steely vocals, soulful voices, pop-rock beats and rhythms, mind-blowing high notes and four girl ensemble runs that frame the story, emphasize the musical's mystery and deliver a blast of megawatt energy and contrast.<br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Carefully positioned, jockeyed, constructed and ready to rock, they are (in order of performance): </span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Forty Whacks (Prologue)," "The House of Borden," "This is Not Love," "Gotta Get Out of Here," "If You Knew," "The Soul of the White Bird," "Maybe Someday," "Sweet Little Sister," "Shattercane and Velvet Glass," "Will You Stay?" "Why Are All These Heads Off?" "Mercury Rising," "Somebody Will Do Something," "The Fall of the House of Borden/The Alibi," "What the Fuck Now, Lizzie?" "Burn the Old Thing Up," "Questions, Questions," "Will You Lie," "Watchmen for the Morning," "Maybe Someday (reprise)," "Thirteen Days in Tanton," "Maybe Someday (reprise 2)" and "Into Your Wildest Dreams (Epilogue)."<br />Bringing an adventurous, unique voice and style to the proceedings, musical director Erica R. Gamez's effective movement and expressivity thrust the "Lizzie" musical score front and center with achieved balance, spark, navigation and sensationalism. The result, in turn, is seamless, excited and harmonic - delivered with total commitment, truth, force and roar.<br />It's a thunderbolt process delivered with precise, bold interpretation by Gamez herself (conductor/keyboard 1) and an especially talented orchestral team that includes Molly Plaisted (drums), Billy Bivona (guitar 1), Esther Benjamin (cello), Jeff Carlson (guitar2/keyboard 2) and Christie Echols (bass). As "Lizzie evolves, its themes of anguish, lust and majesty come full circle as Gamez and company produce a performance that accentuates the sweep and drama envisioned by the musical's collaborators, its intense rock concert partnership, its daring push and pull, its cemented rattle and its lyrical position and poetry.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilA9QBVPIzDCRPvduoWM4xvKM3djRfKyHM5ubQJgA49vgJlXHb-FOMbE8uyJpFL56y3o9MMDOuLtQHsQuzV6tn-rgTqy9iH9gu5JvivYJ7hYji8a0nSkcAyNbJh4hHfGwIlif7tEO-ULQRa6jHn63rxwmP5PnGyHR8HB7pdclNDvARpwz_88hI4uOceI/s1400/lizzie555.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1400" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilA9QBVPIzDCRPvduoWM4xvKM3djRfKyHM5ubQJgA49vgJlXHb-FOMbE8uyJpFL56y3o9MMDOuLtQHsQuzV6tn-rgTqy9iH9gu5JvivYJ7hYji8a0nSkcAyNbJh4hHfGwIlif7tEO-ULQRa6jHn63rxwmP5PnGyHR8HB7pdclNDvARpwz_88hI4uOceI/w400-h286/lizzie555.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Lizzie," director Lanie Sakakura takes hold of the musical's daring ideas and flaming chaos and theories and creates an artfully arranged spectacle of colorful, made-made arcadia that stalks, tilts, hypnotizes and embellishes. Working alongside Brian Prather (set design), Rob Denton (lighting design), Camilla Tassi (projection design) and Megan Culley (sound design), she transports the theatergoer back in time to an eerie 19th century environment that retraces the Lizzie Borden story with a Jack the Ripper-like madness and darkness that is harrowing, speculative, invested and truthful. <br />Yet despite its alluring, ovation-worthy special effects and rich, atmospheric landscape, Sakakura doesn't turn "Lizzie" into a bona fide sound-and-light show. Nor does she sacrifice storytelling or characterization. Instead, she takes hold of Tim Maner's playscript, gives it a long, hard read and digs deep. That determination prompts knotty connections, theories, surprises and thoughts that lucidly augment the play's aesthetics, musicality, wordplay and dangerous implications and romanticism.<br />The heat intensifies. The danger mounts. Story arcs evolve till there's no time left. The music soars. And finally, full pathos clarifies the play's concluding moments as the lights ease their way into complete darkness. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHBVhfAh7rdmlaMEeRksljDIxDZ1xKKSapVAZ8gueEG1HnZ5W9DqrRgq2qx-uH40FWu8px0UpQT2ZkxHUZvnGl6umMPdoyLOdvAXtXu5kXgWqcFL0F-7ug3p1PuaBqoiLwLDNWVToa27W_gW_xL3Wyafe5xJOSsoNKtfCW2imMsRGkcFpU45EzMLUD9Q/s1080/lizzie32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHBVhfAh7rdmlaMEeRksljDIxDZ1xKKSapVAZ8gueEG1HnZ5W9DqrRgq2qx-uH40FWu8px0UpQT2ZkxHUZvnGl6umMPdoyLOdvAXtXu5kXgWqcFL0F-7ug3p1PuaBqoiLwLDNWVToa27W_gW_xL3Wyafe5xJOSsoNKtfCW2imMsRGkcFpU45EzMLUD9Q/w400-h266/lizzie32.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Lizzie" stars Sydney Shepherd as Lizzie Borden, Courtney Bassett as Emma Borden, Kim Onah as Alice Russell and Nora Schell as Bridget Sullivan,<br />All four actresses bring spirit-lifting humor, voice and sass to the rock concert arena that is "Lizzie" strutting around the stage with fierce determination, allure, spotlight exhilaration and power pop musicality.<br />Their singing gives way to hyper-aware, diva-like entertainment that is pop spectacle galore. Vocally, they are very much in the moment, lathered up in perfect-pitch girl-band spice and sizzle. <br />They jump. They tilt. They entice. They command.<br />They know their history. They know the story. <br />And each and every one of them get the anthems and showstoppers they deserve.<br /><br />A musical etched with rock concert jubilation and off-the-charts hysteria, "Lizzie" cuts loose across the TheaterWorks stage with a diva-like thrust, illuminated by a backdrop of eye-popping, technical brilliance, four outstanding performances, a cutting-edge score and a wicked mindset of blood, gore, motivation, mutilation and humor that takes an axe to front-page headlines with confidence, intensity and influence.<br />It is dark. It is gruesome. It is bizarre. It is emotional. It is mad. It is queer. It is hypnotic.<br />It is dangerous.<br />More importantly, it's all backed by story-shaking fantasy, barnstorming and attitude that hits you in the face, kicks you in the ass, gets you clapping and up on your feet ready for an amped up history lesson of female victimhood, education and survival that is absolutely incredible.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Guilty? Not Guilty?<br />You decide.<br />The choice is yours.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8DDLMjRcT3hUHmg5KlxWyEHhIHsBouXDWpU2jjUAAYMqrHhH8f6htxJ5ndBuj08omCW6JpXVJySb_HhcpdRvDtmNiyjADvLrnVIRs4WJsllU9WHai5ELJ9_RFSYTdfpiR9AsEOnyd1iDdZsA3xDWu9anMn12ErcWnqydvvKd8o6_gZXtaUYuNlBRKnI/s1080/lizzie89.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8DDLMjRcT3hUHmg5KlxWyEHhIHsBouXDWpU2jjUAAYMqrHhH8f6htxJ5ndBuj08omCW6JpXVJySb_HhcpdRvDtmNiyjADvLrnVIRs4WJsllU9WHai5ELJ9_RFSYTdfpiR9AsEOnyd1iDdZsA3xDWu9anMn12ErcWnqydvvKd8o6_gZXtaUYuNlBRKnI/w400-h266/lizzie89.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Photos of "Lizzie" courtesy of Mike Marques.</b></div></span><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"Lizzie" is being staged at TheaterWorks (233 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT), now through October 29, 2023.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (860) 527-7838.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: twhart.org </i></div></i></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-76506959352639818082023-10-12T11:09:00.001-07:002023-10-16T12:59:35.993-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 429, A Review: "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (Hole in the Wall Theater)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOz2H3m2i9qPuu5hQ0jTVH9b6QG867mk-UDysf08ot3JC3VZ7I6U3LaP9XGhnvG8WfQIxHXrLHSbRlBd5s6krAy8nu7gcjS0_v0tSz-L_Nl5TtCrkfROPdL6hsRTYemZi5uUp6nEMI7agp6LjWL3r4u8uPfe6CERaTfDSJimtvfx8MTJjc4T5bX7KSpQ/s2000/jekyllandhyde661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOz2H3m2i9qPuu5hQ0jTVH9b6QG867mk-UDysf08ot3JC3VZ7I6U3LaP9XGhnvG8WfQIxHXrLHSbRlBd5s6krAy8nu7gcjS0_v0tSz-L_Nl5TtCrkfROPdL6hsRTYemZi5uUp6nEMI7agp6LjWL3r4u8uPfe6CERaTfDSJimtvfx8MTJjc4T5bX7KSpQ/w400-h266/jekyllandhyde661.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNxeISi9jTjIuFmEMUCjgcvE6QptywkOBaN-zrBuNdRB7IdAyc7bgf_TKznVopCxJ4FuORU0WpINtKDTTWW7U8kK6OkbGy10B2aTftO_1jSeRV5s3ngiLJ8eQvqkWTVnd98HtwdKlzOieQ8cU6mVEviKJy-wJEnZg8pA5gMN2sOY3K1iX7hkF2Wh1_Z8/s2000/jekyllandhyde43.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNxeISi9jTjIuFmEMUCjgcvE6QptywkOBaN-zrBuNdRB7IdAyc7bgf_TKznVopCxJ4FuORU0WpINtKDTTWW7U8kK6OkbGy10B2aTftO_1jSeRV5s3ngiLJ8eQvqkWTVnd98HtwdKlzOieQ8cU6mVEviKJy-wJEnZg8pA5gMN2sOY3K1iX7hkF2Wh1_Z8/s320/jekyllandhyde43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">By James V. Ruocco</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Attempting to make Robert Louis Stevenson's classic 1886 gothic novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" a bit more twisted and maniacal than it already is, playwright Jeffrey Hatcher opts to have the good doctor Jekyll's sadistic alter ego creation Edward Hyde not only played by four different actors, but several times at once.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It's a "new work concept" that also eliminates love interests, 19th century facts and formulas and most of Stevenson's melodramatic details in favor of a more upbeat cat-and-mouse telling void of horror story bleakness, sensation and hysteria. Here, Hatcher, as storyteller, is much more interested in the good versus evil scenario that finds one man's goodness compromised by late-night scientific experimentations that transform him into a tormented, blood thirsty madman.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That means lots and lots of talk, talk, talk.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">In "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," the latest drama to be showcased at Hole in the Wall Theater, Hatcher's work serves up a menu of violence, punch, bloodshed and creepiness, offset by conversations, dialogue and edits, that despite good intentions, often falls flat, bores or disconnects as the play inches forward toward its inevitable climax.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It's a valiant effort but with so many other "Jekyll & Hyde" stories out there, Hatcher's take on Stevenson's original story just isn't up to the speed or style of many other adaptations including those written by Thomas Russell Sullivan, John McKinney, David Edgar and Jonathan Holloway.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGIB-PIWSFUngrXGKfXDHv_WUmQJhLT2lgwGC5F_V7qpWXilx3RLVUJFPSXQSngVLSAy_HKgEfaxwrxf64da1DJNWjmy0yzQR2buNmlXvUmnAKKh3UR2X3IOT9_R-kZe4K_O9Me6TKz13WpwjvIcT53J2CC8YrR7bln0vNwGxSa_oStpWoNb17FqWKKA/s2000/jekyllandhyde8811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGIB-PIWSFUngrXGKfXDHv_WUmQJhLT2lgwGC5F_V7qpWXilx3RLVUJFPSXQSngVLSAy_HKgEfaxwrxf64da1DJNWjmy0yzQR2buNmlXvUmnAKKh3UR2X3IOT9_R-kZe4K_O9Me6TKz13WpwjvIcT53J2CC8YrR7bln0vNwGxSa_oStpWoNb17FqWKKA/w400-h266/jekyllandhyde8811.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," director John Bosco adapts a Gothic melodrama mindset that, in some sections of the piece, is inventive, attractive, alluring and fast-forward fluid. Transporting his audience into 19th century drawing rooms, back streets, offices, laboratories, hotel rooms and dissection theaters, he never once loses focus, drive or intent.<br />But Bosco, is no miracle worker. Nor can he add shading and color to certain sections of the story that lack pulse, momentum, curiosity or strangeness. With the start of Act II, however, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" becomes creepy, bloody and mystifying with many important moments played out in true melodramatic fashion under Bosco's direction. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To bring "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" to life, Bosco has chosen a hard-working, consistent cast of actors who play a variety of different roles throughout the production.<br /><br />Terrance J. Peters (Hyde 3, Surgical Student 1, Man 3), Jan Andree (Poole, Woman 1), Luis Marrero-Solis (Enfield, Sanderson, Inspector, Man 2) and Ed Bernstein (Dr. Jekyll) command attention whenever they are on stage offering real, dramatic, powerful turns that adhere to the play's 19th century format, its specific style and concept, its language and accent, its positioning, its interactions, its exchanges and its Gothic melodrama.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaX1wvcRfZW_DbVnZ_5kLGhGOLHFNELSmrn8RlB5vZtOXyXaNCt_x8c8jdbTZSBOkCPYhjt-3OXCPZaKVWMyHvUZP8WKytPdAbqBhXqoq1RGzxfCIghM4JZ8EwEmw2qGLTEWxYQEm5BAjUhvVoeRoMV_YMUNX39evG3cZQK-TpxvR_d2ra4uOLrJ3WCY/s2000/jekyllandhyde433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaX1wvcRfZW_DbVnZ_5kLGhGOLHFNELSmrn8RlB5vZtOXyXaNCt_x8c8jdbTZSBOkCPYhjt-3OXCPZaKVWMyHvUZP8WKytPdAbqBhXqoq1RGzxfCIghM4JZ8EwEmw2qGLTEWxYQEm5BAjUhvVoeRoMV_YMUNX39evG3cZQK-TpxvR_d2ra4uOLrJ3WCY/w400-h266/jekyllandhyde433.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One final note: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Scene changes, which include the back-and-forth action of rolling panels, are especially noisy throughout the production and could benefit from dramatic music underscoring. </span></p></span><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is being staged at Hole in the Wall Theater (116 Main Street, New Britain, CT), now through October 21, 2022.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (860) 229-3049.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">website: hitw.org</span></i></div></span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-18710064938689159632023-10-11T09:45:00.001-07:002023-10-15T15:36:33.284-07:00From the Desk of Jim R Take 2, Column 428, A Review: "Joan Joyce!" (Seven Angels Theatre)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Du6QAWEE0pd6JWzSpL9d4KGSyGGNMpJ7wgrwmLOo1LngGe4lcYtnLvt5shYn7ThZ3f_9KwcDXG6s0-iRjnzjFsu799zCnBiUgmZ3aLzGbxDImZorZp1b2miC3x48C4dz2H3RCk_xAqDxuxGoF329G8Hjvr40MvqwVrQJbwM4ts4vQeiV1jy0JH5t708/s2048/joanjoyce896.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="2048" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Du6QAWEE0pd6JWzSpL9d4KGSyGGNMpJ7wgrwmLOo1LngGe4lcYtnLvt5shYn7ThZ3f_9KwcDXG6s0-iRjnzjFsu799zCnBiUgmZ3aLzGbxDImZorZp1b2miC3x48C4dz2H3RCk_xAqDxuxGoF329G8Hjvr40MvqwVrQJbwM4ts4vQeiV1jy0JH5t708/w400-h235/joanjoyce896.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;">By James V. Ruocco</b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Let us remember softball great Joan Joyce.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Her pitching feats including striking out baseball great Ted Williams during a 1961 fundraiser game at Municipal Stadium in her hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut before a crowd of 17,000 people were absolute legend as was her all-around athletic greatness in basketball, volleyball and golf. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Joan Joyce is the greatest player who ever played the game," said Johnny Stratton, her longtime coach with the Brakettes. "She dominated the sport for 24 years. And her name is the biggest name in softball forever. <br />"But she was tops at everything - volleyball, basketball, bowling, shooting pool, ping pong, cars. It didn't make any difference. She'd always beat you." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In "Joan Joyce!" a new musical tribute that takes its cue from Tony Renzoni's acclaimed 2019 bestseller "Connecticut Softball Legend Joan Joyce," the life and times of this softball phenom and true pioneer of women's sports, takes center stage at Seven Angels Theatre, time traveling back in time to when it all began, concluding with her death at the age of 81 on March 22, 2022.<br />It was first presented at Branford's Legacy Theatre, back in 2021, as part of the venue's "Family Series." The 2023 edition includes updated commentary and the addition of one new song.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A_Wf_C4Hvv8E7MPwnTyIzu6qsmITxptPPb6xtdCtbQj_p4nGLxadb8nGSGAt0dXR2t0ibjKO-59PNttyUqgZVPxaRJ9LIDKiKPBKlY-Crb2DWghNBpPHQuEAlYU5PHTkeYrC73Ivl2dXOafLm0ZnhjNDusL7FXxCoenqLH190HV5gybv8wuzefqu6vQ/s2048/joanjoyce881.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A_Wf_C4Hvv8E7MPwnTyIzu6qsmITxptPPb6xtdCtbQj_p4nGLxadb8nGSGAt0dXR2t0ibjKO-59PNttyUqgZVPxaRJ9LIDKiKPBKlY-Crb2DWghNBpPHQuEAlYU5PHTkeYrC73Ivl2dXOafLm0ZnhjNDusL7FXxCoenqLH190HV5gybv8wuzefqu6vQ/w400-h266/joanjoyce881.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Given the fact that Joyce was actually born in Waterbury, Connecticut (her birthday was August 18, 1940), Seven Angels Theatre is the ideal venue to showcase this musical homage to the much-honored athlete.<br />Its intimate, inviting working space not only complements the production itself but provides the theatergoer with a one-on-one. actor-audience connection not found in larger proscenium venues including New Haven's Shubert Theatre and the Bushnell in Hartford.<br />It makes all the difference in the world.<br /><br />At Seven Angels Theatre, "Joan Joyce!" is cleverly shaped and handled with nostalgic assurance.<br />It's a grown-up sports story of the gentlest kind.<br />It's brave and honest.<br />It's informative and page-turning.<br />It's brightly detailed.<br />It's wistful and caring.<br />It's also grounded, accurate and inspired.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DfSzLkXkCe4emD4Epes1RnoSIxCCLBnI7mv5oN7a5zCmdRwlbFElla0amNV2IodKWmLpDlhyphenhyphen8IMXI5i_y3lSf0_PTAUrO5uiqkZ14PI2H0Cxl90fMrwIbNSAFd0eru2hWodVwJhNM0C2t005wTgBxkbH1z1JrmGBaKr5gyb3QSGRrpop1jbxcuDwLOI/s2048/joanjoyce70.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DfSzLkXkCe4emD4Epes1RnoSIxCCLBnI7mv5oN7a5zCmdRwlbFElla0amNV2IodKWmLpDlhyphenhyphen8IMXI5i_y3lSf0_PTAUrO5uiqkZ14PI2H0Cxl90fMrwIbNSAFd0eru2hWodVwJhNM0C2t005wTgBxkbH1z1JrmGBaKr5gyb3QSGRrpop1jbxcuDwLOI/w400-h266/joanjoyce70.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As written by Keely Baisden Knudsen and Lauren Salatto-Rosenay, "Joan Joyce!" is promoted and pitched with a full-on glide and spin that addresses the subject matter with sports-oriented definition, purpose and excitement. The on-stage banter between author Tony Renzoni and the older Joan Joyce contains dialogue, conversations, history, facts, anecdotes and memories that create a great hook to keep the theatergoer informed, educated and completely tuned in to the ongoing narrative. It is also practical, involving and full of feeling and discovery.<br />Pivotal to the story are the real-life movie screen projections of Joan Joyce, her family, her friends, her coaches, her sports evolution and news-making headlines, all of which have been expertly designed by Rosenay and synced seamlessly throughout the musical highlighting the long, illustrious career of the famous, acclaimed athlete. Rosenay's eye for detail, history and period accuracy is home run worthy.<br /><br />Production wise, "Joan Joyce!" comes packaged with a keen, tuneful musical score created by Brad Ross (music) and Keely Baisden Knudsen/Lauren Salatto-Rosenay (lyrics). Additional songs contain music composed by Matthew Harrison, David Bell, Knudsen and Rosenay.<br />The musical numbers (in order of performance) are: "Joan Joyce (Show Us Who You Are)," "One Day," "We're Playing the Same Game," "Pitching My Game," "Slingshot," "Snap," "Who Knew," "Round and Round," "17 Puts," "Girls Gone Pro," "Your Biggest Fan," "Winter" and "Finale/The Game's Won."<br />An impressive score with just the right amount of thrust, vibe, impact and musicality, the music itself is natural, realistic, consistent, plot moving and inspirational. It complements the actual sports story, its renowned leading lady, its memories, its leaps and bounds, its expectations, its triumphs and its fact-based storytelling.<br />In short, everything is orchestrated and placed to ensure a play-by-play performance brought to life by a group of voices whose powerful sound is rendered with gleaming clarity, melody, pitch and velvety execution.<br />Musical director David Bell engineers all of the important emotions of the "Joan Joyce!" score, including its pleasurable outpourings, its joy, its anxiety, its hope, its anxiousness, its frustrations, its sports mentality and its musical theatre wonderment. There's refinement and color here, mixed with just the right instrumental balance, lyricism, texture and organic fluidity. It's a solid execution and build-up, nicely interpreted with the imagination and connection envisioned by the show's creators.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViCvogM1LZLREW_tdG5ZOPu6t-w_ugvt_lf-Sm-LxD2Zg5SXh3v-9G3wW2lQTPky4sEMPUciMhUl9QCssJ15QIQ6SH3WWD4QTJWIlKkIVNG0u9jZtFCUE1xN_oSH2qbYGJj-zD1t-wggY141-mxInoF7jQDuMACRqLcEv4wXu5FNxTlfaERfy7N9hMUM/s2048/joanjoyce89.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViCvogM1LZLREW_tdG5ZOPu6t-w_ugvt_lf-Sm-LxD2Zg5SXh3v-9G3wW2lQTPky4sEMPUciMhUl9QCssJ15QIQ6SH3WWD4QTJWIlKkIVNG0u9jZtFCUE1xN_oSH2qbYGJj-zD1t-wggY141-mxInoF7jQDuMACRqLcEv4wXu5FNxTlfaERfy7N9hMUM/w400-h266/joanjoyce89.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Joan Joyce!" director Keely Baisden Knudsen comes to the production with a depth of range, knowledge and experimentation that serves the production well. Her direction is clean and precise. It respects the boundaries and playing ground of what a musical can say and do. It is harmonized and executed with apt elevation that moves each song and scene to the next with tilt and swerve. It is also illuminated by everyday movement, enthusiasm and committed directorial choices that cement and accentuate the story, its ideas, its values and its athletic milieu.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Directorially, the power of "Joan Joyce!" lies in its ability to pay homage to the legend herself, which here, is conveyed with swinging emotions, nostalgic remembrance, a relaxed sports vibe and an informational format that Knudsen richly develops wholeheartedly. It's all precise and matter of fact, comfortably layered with centerpiece delivery, conversational accompaniment, smooth progression and warmhearted bouts of the athlete's accomplishments, struggles, familial ties and front-page headlines.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiws_y6KUCNCmsIQIf0RU2K06pe6GPjHxn4JH2F6AwdkpeeEU72rbvVlrt6d_ktmEQ5jgqVkfq1JK0kpH0bkNn43QJeMasNNP___HGH-3S_OVEkd-qupdxnUDMCt0LgXm1v3WMqYMdMNFuXTFBeSQYNyRqE-0fphkec6ldeNhcpn-8Dm2sUAer-LR_9dXE/s1080/joanjoyce43.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiws_y6KUCNCmsIQIf0RU2K06pe6GPjHxn4JH2F6AwdkpeeEU72rbvVlrt6d_ktmEQ5jgqVkfq1JK0kpH0bkNn43QJeMasNNP___HGH-3S_OVEkd-qupdxnUDMCt0LgXm1v3WMqYMdMNFuXTFBeSQYNyRqE-0fphkec6ldeNhcpn-8Dm2sUAer-LR_9dXE/w400-h266/joanjoyce43.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Joan Joyce!" stars Keely Baisden Knudsen as Joan Joyce, Kiersten Bjork as Teenage Joan Joyce and Al Bundonis as Tony Renzoni. Mitchel Kawash, Jillian Millette, Rylee Maxwell and Dan Frye play a variety of roles throughout the two-act musical.<br />In the role of the teenaged Joan Joyce, Bjork is sensational. She is precise, crisp and clear in every scene, covering the part's nostalgic journey with power, dash, range and believability. Vocally, she sings with rich, complex tones and phrasing, supported by a controlled Broadway-like sound that gives full voice to her many musical numbers.<br />As the older Joan Joyce, Knudsen touches the heart with a sweet, sentimental and polished portrayal of Joyce, matched by great line delivery, presence and a natural, up close and personal impersonation. Here, as in Legacy Theatre's recent mounting of "The Musicals of Musicals," Knudsen is a vocal powerhouse of wonderful musicality that ignites sparks and is always thrilling to hear.<br />The supporting cast - Bundonis, Kawash, Maxwell, Millette and Fry - complement the proceedings with strong acting and vocal skills which enhance the storytelling, the musical and their role or roles in the "Joan Joyce!" sports narrative.<br /><br />A remarkable life story told with vibrance, warmth and narrative gaze, "Joan Joyce! " is a confident, emotionally anchored musical that matches and celebrates the ambition and stamina of its subject matter.<br />It is spelled out with strong, newsworthy exuberance. It is nostalgic. It is big hearted. It is relevant. It is energetic. It is genuine.<br />Director Keely Baisden Knudsen creates a tremendous, upbeat, sentimental entertainment filled with likeable, music, framed, capable dialogue and a host of standout performances by a very energetic cast who excel in every single role they create.<br />The real Joan Joyce would be ever so proud.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEi4y42SA4H2PMeti8Sg-7qp5wyM9v3HfUloLtZn6IkQjjpaa8_R4ggEm91Y04ObONxEM2aZipW-MKCifSE_IgNLmNbzB2XN8YP5w5ii1XXH0lMHp9kGzpotQbjakWDHju4Q4U-gJKNmBHQL6G3Fn2JpxcMUe7Zd_vhvjVAOP6LdETWo7lRum8RBjafE/s1200/joanjoyce322.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEi4y42SA4H2PMeti8Sg-7qp5wyM9v3HfUloLtZn6IkQjjpaa8_R4ggEm91Y04ObONxEM2aZipW-MKCifSE_IgNLmNbzB2XN8YP5w5ii1XXH0lMHp9kGzpotQbjakWDHju4Q4U-gJKNmBHQL6G3Fn2JpxcMUe7Zd_vhvjVAOP6LdETWo7lRum8RBjafE/w400-h400/joanjoyce322.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Joan Joyce!" is being staged at Seven Angels Theatre (1 Plank Road, Waterbury, CT), now through October 22, 2023.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (203) 757-4676.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: sevenangelstheatre.org</i></div></i></span><p></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-230596663144342512023-10-05T08:51:00.004-07:002023-10-12T13:22:09.624-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 427, A Review: "The 12" (Goodspeed Musicals)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlO_1VCFZBH9T0tgQuiWBc1tE7SZ9TZMjWP38pjDuDMaYFlM-b1hScXW3TfbmDsKXGuVqkoJevVroNeRtTD_OJqzRKr3qr3A2lExJKdPgCueY3L1SHFvYKN7h6RWNH2u8H2p4y_fCOzthEzRspNQIGW5q2us2OSgPwh1-fMv0q9tLzG9MVzqOdem6UiUg/s3957/twelve590.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2479" data-original-width="3957" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlO_1VCFZBH9T0tgQuiWBc1tE7SZ9TZMjWP38pjDuDMaYFlM-b1hScXW3TfbmDsKXGuVqkoJevVroNeRtTD_OJqzRKr3qr3A2lExJKdPgCueY3L1SHFvYKN7h6RWNH2u8H2p4y_fCOzthEzRspNQIGW5q2us2OSgPwh1-fMv0q9tLzG9MVzqOdem6UiUg/w400-h250/twelve590.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The graffiti-drenched warehouse set of "The 12" bears a striking resemblance to that of Jonathan Larson's 1996 Broadway musical "Rent" as does some of its characters, its props, its set pieces, its costumes, its music, its dialogue, its lighting its dramatized cry for help.<br />Yet Mimi, Roger, Mark, Angel and Maureen never once slide into view.<br />Instead, "The 12" takes it cue from the New Testament story of Jesus Christ, picking up the action immediately following his death in Golgotha, a skull-shaped hill in biblical Jerusalem.<br />There, his frightened disciples gather together to sort out their lives (Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are also part of the story) trying to figure out how to move forward, what to do next and how to deal with the sudden loss of their beloved teacher while wrestling with mounting fear, confusion and jealousy coupled with thoughts of death, destruction, persecution and imprisonment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Not your typical Goodspeed Musicals presentation, "The 12" basks in its own individual limelight drawing its audience into a valid, religious paradox using elements, theories, ideas and reasoning to support its ongoing narrative, context and biblical perspective.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2xLhe-0l1CBbQ-rT-0wlHrFAHHQDEj9arpmLz3ol2ec3ILC8_igTbLx4_xTiCnvFfVcGX_nIyhYM2Ssd4dcgSU0EQaA91DW0Hv9Flweyz2JHhq6BUdhyqk2Z3_xUZaElcNYl6BCibr0vP2zqgUzzDJUhfPQWoEnYceZJy57W73W1VwtxiV6ynTm7qko/s2048/twelve55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2xLhe-0l1CBbQ-rT-0wlHrFAHHQDEj9arpmLz3ol2ec3ILC8_igTbLx4_xTiCnvFfVcGX_nIyhYM2Ssd4dcgSU0EQaA91DW0Hv9Flweyz2JHhq6BUdhyqk2Z3_xUZaElcNYl6BCibr0vP2zqgUzzDJUhfPQWoEnYceZJy57W73W1VwtxiV6ynTm7qko/w400-h266/twelve55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It looks incredible.<br />Its gloriously musical.<br />Its staged and executed with a lot of buzz.<br />Its inventive and challenging with universal relevance.<br />Its electric-charged rock score suggests "Rent" meets "Jesus Christ Superstar."<br />It injects a mature feeling into its modernized composition.<br />It effectively punctuates crucial moments of the story.<br />It doesn't, however, reveal much about some of its characters, a minor flaw that rarely interrupts or lessens the impact of its storytelling.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Written by Robert Schenkkan (book and lyrics) and Neil Berg (music and lyrics), "The 12" unfolds through 23 musical numbers. They are (in order of performance): "Walk Away," "Sons of Thunder," "Anyone But Me," "Do You Remember?" "Pick Up the Knife," "Three Times," "What Kind of Friends," "Magdalene," "I Did," "Give Up," "Rain," "Sweet Dream," "Empty," What If," "The Path," "I Am Not Alone," "Your Own Way," "Lazarus," "Ordinary," "Why?" "Rise Up," "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" and "Our Love." <br />A rock opera infused with clever, healthy and infectious doses of pop, folk, rock, gospel and traditional Broadway melody fare, the musical score for "The 12" provides its audience with a tantalizing, edgy mix of focused, intensely triggered sound and volume that shines with accompanied concern, drama, detail and immediacy.<br />Musical director Adam Souza and his orchestral team play the score with clarity, warmth and flourish, thus creating a hypnotic, unfolding drama full of notable solos, ensemble turns and majestic, choral symphonies that drive the work forward, blaze with fortissimo unison, teem with meteoric rise and conclude with revered response, rumble and great satisfaction.<br />Highlights include "Magdalene," "Walk Away," "Rain," "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep," "Rise Up" and "Our Love." </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqzjQU_WRivoeFWKVFXSjIJPdwiM-5nZnuTKqptjA0uya9Did2cWU0Li3JkELEUMGXawEdxbWyOOD4enETIxVs5S08PKwXswu-sE0Kx6PXR7WhSi2YQ_VRhwfZV-8VHkjrE1RHc8Ei435qEd4lVO6oexaONiFAEKU3jmt9oUv3wfg6rHFwq8atjt2XkQ/s3321/twelve115.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2216" data-original-width="3321" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqzjQU_WRivoeFWKVFXSjIJPdwiM-5nZnuTKqptjA0uya9Did2cWU0Li3JkELEUMGXawEdxbWyOOD4enETIxVs5S08PKwXswu-sE0Kx6PXR7WhSi2YQ_VRhwfZV-8VHkjrE1RHc8Ei435qEd4lVO6oexaONiFAEKU3jmt9oUv3wfg6rHFwq8atjt2XkQ/w400-h268/twelve115.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "The 12," director John Doyle (he also designed the musical's stunning atmospheric set) receives able assist from lighting designer Japhy Weidman, sound designer Jay Hilton and costume designer Ann Hould-Ward. Their creative, united input fuels the production with a look, frame and focal point that is used to great effect throughout the ongoing narrative.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">As "The 12" evolves, Doyle confidently delivers a precise, electrically charged work that raises questions about faith, loyalty and the nature of Christ's teachings, offset by the motives of his survivors and their different choices and perspectives following the aftermath of his crucifixion. The actual staging space is used to great advantage - no two scenes are alike - with bang on chaos, recourse, increase, civility and sustained energy and entrapment.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlhl4V9MHHWgHtFUPUjPVuzekM6jfPivM3gfMs2wmija7ZKxaD4L4p9-U-Ld4JMXN3VmnS3Pnc0aRwAmtIjgZEIV2tgoyoBDzeez6DmJeQ-ZCiiaNzyGBx82gLoJZvtdB_A3xk6Ttbqz1AISwONe0K6t4Z9ZjlfUZorNP1_fB2c826MdGqcEBneN83aE/s4204/twelve553.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2703" data-original-width="4204" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlhl4V9MHHWgHtFUPUjPVuzekM6jfPivM3gfMs2wmija7ZKxaD4L4p9-U-Ld4JMXN3VmnS3Pnc0aRwAmtIjgZEIV2tgoyoBDzeez6DmJeQ-ZCiiaNzyGBx82gLoJZvtdB_A3xk6Ttbqz1AISwONe0K6t4Z9ZjlfUZorNP1_fB2c826MdGqcEBneN83aE/w400-h258/twelve553.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The cast - Wonza Johnson, Adrienne Walker, Etai Benson, F. Michael Haynie, Kelvin Moon Loh, Rob Morrison, Kyle Scatliffe, Rema Webb, Wesley Taylor, Mel Johnson, Jr., Gregory Treco, Brandon J. Elis, Akron Lanier Watson - bring plenty of depth, intrigue and vigor to the proceedings, matched by flawless, outstanding, ravishing vocals that kick "The 12" into rock opera orbit. Their contrasting styles - complex, emotional, arresting - pave the way for an explosion of vocal gymnastics that not only complement the material and its language but nearly blow the roof off the Goodspeed Opera House.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A bold, hypnotic musical rich in soulfulness, volatility and restless anticipation, "The 12" is an amazing, powerful experience that holds status in the musical theatre universe, savoring its power, its humanity, its reflection and its timelessness.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It stirs, It pops. It ignites. It moves. It wields.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It is frenzied. It is arresting. It endures.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">At Goodspeed, it is outfitted with a dream team - cast, design, directorial, orchestral - that pull together for a 90-minute musical event kitted out with a moving story, a stunning atmospheric backdrop and a musical score draped in rock opera push and pull cemented with plenty of angst, swapper, excitement and superstar turns.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Photos of "The 12" courtesy of Diane Sobolewski</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreFQ_D_4Xa7WqzUQC014irx59OytNeii-QZNL7jBVwrhxKVTyHTdmHpbM9kICuTWVlLUqOk5Fm952htoQm8vMFBlb_W9kZAQQIbUlcNfi1P7oYCrNOQSqap5P8RVyT6_tEQ9PvDANEhzlbgI5UWcnRHkzLSnBpM-6sPLEkpQYi5dj7GYniM-4Wc4CL3M/s2048/twelve77.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreFQ_D_4Xa7WqzUQC014irx59OytNeii-QZNL7jBVwrhxKVTyHTdmHpbM9kICuTWVlLUqOk5Fm952htoQm8vMFBlb_W9kZAQQIbUlcNfi1P7oYCrNOQSqap5P8RVyT6_tEQ9PvDANEhzlbgI5UWcnRHkzLSnBpM-6sPLEkpQYi5dj7GYniM-4Wc4CL3M/w400-h266/twelve77.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"The 12" is being staged at Goodspeed Musicals (6 Main Street, East Haddan, CT), now through October 29, 2023.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (860) 873-8668.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: goodspeed.org</i></div></i></span><p></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-11926975724775671042023-10-04T09:32:00.002-07:002023-10-08T16:25:18.274-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 426, A Review, "The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)" (Playhouse on Park)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwmN3516TQbT7TD0dl72rBo5EUBNz8S6NRqVsEjj7SA6s27bDgGhzjeNAtyG4wpKW7c2c0IdD40Z9cYSXE0JVXVW7UDf2OVkr1Xco64LZywo3C2bk3cSu3VM-sQf4KAZwv5Ohwpeptf3FIHZsCtIV5XiYE6oW_TaZFbuEmFLXbq1j3gyVnkTr2ttIfWw/s2048/janeausten5535.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="2048" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwmN3516TQbT7TD0dl72rBo5EUBNz8S6NRqVsEjj7SA6s27bDgGhzjeNAtyG4wpKW7c2c0IdD40Z9cYSXE0JVXVW7UDf2OVkr1Xco64LZywo3C2bk3cSu3VM-sQf4KAZwv5Ohwpeptf3FIHZsCtIV5XiYE6oW_TaZFbuEmFLXbq1j3gyVnkTr2ttIfWw/w400-h251/janeausten5535.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Pride and Prejudice."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Sense and Sensibility."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Mansfield Park."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Emma."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Persuasion."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Northanger Abbey."</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Six novels, two published posthumously in 1818 following her death the year before, English novelist Jane Austen's works are best known for their honesty, social commentary and realistic, often ironic accounts of 19th century women seeking economic security, favorable social standing and serious romantic commitment through the institution of marriage.<br />Rich in language, comedy, wit and romance, these works transformed Austen into a literary lioness whose observations, class structures and societal genius resonated comfortably and intuitively with readers from generation to generation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That excitement, no doubt, led to the creation of "The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)," a playful, lively and sometimes exhausting work that pokes fun at her popular novels, her famous characters, her preserved traditions and arguments, her glib, important language and more importantly, her treasured, romantic endings.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QjSKJv5bqns3jUR4OpgPE6_D6OLLVi-J1Ja_vCzLG_ZWsDb8Nzg_kR2XKXOR9rMUs6GnHDHFruAoui2WV6f22HbpoUhcbMgL6Gzw-w85lujLfsi6_MXKyjDG5Mix_1j3L8kwmXqJ8q1Jp62Tz0E7a1fuPehnqampVfzxARRpsY8EgT0C51bOxm2Ewww/s2048/janeausten780.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="2048" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QjSKJv5bqns3jUR4OpgPE6_D6OLLVi-J1Ja_vCzLG_ZWsDb8Nzg_kR2XKXOR9rMUs6GnHDHFruAoui2WV6f22HbpoUhcbMgL6Gzw-w85lujLfsi6_MXKyjDG5Mix_1j3L8kwmXqJ8q1Jp62Tz0E7a1fuPehnqampVfzxARRpsY8EgT0C51bOxm2Ewww/w400-h293/janeausten780.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">At Playhouse on Park, now in its 15th season, three marvelously creative actors take center stage to engage the audience in all things Austen for an abridged 90-minute plus reenactment of novelizations that kick off with promise, merrily orchestrated cajoles and giggles, high tea preening and posturing and 19th century madness that affectionately pays tribute to the lady herself.<br />Unfortunately, the play periodically runs out of steam, backs itself into a corner, falls flat, disconnects or causes one's mind to wander. Then, before you can say Elizabeth Bennett, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Emma Woodhouse and Frederick Wentworth, "The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)" quickly picks itself up with plenty of English Regency gallop and commitment as it races toward the finish line.<br />Getting there, however, isn't always easy, a fault of the quartet of writers involved, namely Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast and Meghan Winch. While their intentions are good, as are their knowledge of Austen's literary canon, they automatically assume that the theatergoer is familiar with every single character and story arc from "Pride and Prejudice" to "Northanger Abbey."<br />Their choices - narration, asides, insight, explanations, the breaking of the fourth wall - are sincere and enthusiastic enough - but depending on the segment, novel of choice, or intentional bastardization, the end result isn't always satisfying, hilarious or gosh-oh-gee, let's hit replay and watch it again.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhROaNh0-HjmJ6bZTfGcOhDAszxxoTdf8xmuHGQw3kOPmii0C3FETrHI2CaX1X770DTnvtuPLcz5x0fz1pv8dgatMBxF-KANl4iOGTDVA621rAhqU8SR6NlcKyp8hnU_O8Nyjxblew0aD96wgRqKQaSSv-XOeRWjbaxem5zKH8I5rWHOEEpu6wcHAEhM/s2048/janeausten88.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1263" data-original-width="2048" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhROaNh0-HjmJ6bZTfGcOhDAszxxoTdf8xmuHGQw3kOPmii0C3FETrHI2CaX1X770DTnvtuPLcz5x0fz1pv8dgatMBxF-KANl4iOGTDVA621rAhqU8SR6NlcKyp8hnU_O8Nyjxblew0aD96wgRqKQaSSv-XOeRWjbaxem5zKH8I5rWHOEEpu6wcHAEhM/w400-h246/janeausten88.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)," Kathryn MacMillian (she is also one of the play's writers) jump starts the production with grab-bag, watchable comfort and imagination. With the aid of select props, costumes, hats, melodramatic twists and turns, gasps, sighs, shouts and exaggeration, the mood is set, the verbiage is inked, and the English Regency period blossoms with apt animation and flourish. <br />Still, MacMillian can't work miracles.<br />The farce, at hand, tends to wear thin. Explanations of plotlines - "Northanger Abbey," for example - are tedious. Occasional modernizations - "Dungeons & Dragons" - flatline. Pacing, at times, is also a problem. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The cast - Charlotte Northeast, Brittany Onukwugha, Shannon Michael Wamser - are brilliant, from start to finish, even when the script is not up to their standards. All three have great fun moving from novel to novel, character to character and challenge to challenge. They are engaging. They are animated. They are delightful. They are emotional. They are irreverent. They are fanatical. They are willing and ready.<br />They also have great fun changing costumes, shifting moods, making faces, breaking the fourth wall to address the audience and reenacting bits and pieces from Austen's celebrated novels and lesser-known works.<br />That said, "The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)" is fun and funny but sadly, often interrupted by scenes and dialogue that suggest immediate BBC mini-series intervention or a trip to Hatchards for a hardback copy of "Pride and Prejudice," "Sense and Sensibility" or "Persuasion" for a true sense of the real English Regency period and its literary inhabitants as seen through the lens of the lady herself.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLC-l-rluz3S_ev0FCZzZgCu1J8_eUB7a_Yt0MJW7U5EarETYOU9pnS9ABzMJRoYwp-xedsa4e3L0zFgNVnRMLoBnTDsa8IifyvaF6mVKe7shR5OlbBpTGsGh803WOrh6JZ59f-1KMyNRgSNfjsZkZ9rj7OE4gNajEfsPnycGNH9O7kg8_eCfkoFmE9o/s1319/janeausten67.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLC-l-rluz3S_ev0FCZzZgCu1J8_eUB7a_Yt0MJW7U5EarETYOU9pnS9ABzMJRoYwp-xedsa4e3L0zFgNVnRMLoBnTDsa8IifyvaF6mVKe7shR5OlbBpTGsGh803WOrh6JZ59f-1KMyNRgSNfjsZkZ9rj7OE4gNajEfsPnycGNH9O7kg8_eCfkoFmE9o/w328-h400/janeausten67.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)" is being staged at Playhouse on Park (244 Park Road, West Hartford, CT), now through October 22, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (860) 523-5900.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: playhouseonpark.org</i></div></span></i><p></p><p><br /></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-65385202567867106862023-09-21T12:30:00.002-07:002023-10-08T06:55:05.085-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 425, A Review: "Jersey Boys" (Music Theatre of Connecticut)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgSBFOGNUhVKZORVtFMFknFviyzBRhmsnPY_kMM6Y97O9Vxi7r7DWJgCyZJ-ysChWw_qUb5mtEwk-oRVgCCT9NFs6qcCNfOqf4319P4J9qADacvS3mxqL3qACWmDO4lZoGbYFdwW-5APz-i4XZf83MtRuStnqsgO06jBMlQmv8e--LneMlzBh9GoaSCY/s1080/jerseyboys999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgSBFOGNUhVKZORVtFMFknFviyzBRhmsnPY_kMM6Y97O9Vxi7r7DWJgCyZJ-ysChWw_qUb5mtEwk-oRVgCCT9NFs6qcCNfOqf4319P4J9qADacvS3mxqL3qACWmDO4lZoGbYFdwW-5APz-i4XZf83MtRuStnqsgO06jBMlQmv8e--LneMlzBh9GoaSCY/w400-h240/jerseyboys999.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Big Girls Don't Cry"</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Walk Like a Man"</i></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"Oh, What a Night"</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Sherry"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Can't Take My Eyes Off You"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Rag Doll"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Working My Way Back to You"</i></div></i><br />A rock-and-roll fable engineered with jukebox musical potency, precision-drilled period choreography and impeccable performances that pull you in and keep you there, Music Theatre of Connecticut's stylish, invigorating revival of "Jersey Boys" rocks the stage with an all-American thrill and polish that is absolutely triumphant.<br /><br />It sings.<br />It soars.<br />It dances.<br />It spins.<br />It tilts.<br />It unfolds with real and raw dynamic.<br />It remembers yesterday with heyday fondness and spirit.<br />It fires the imagination with illuminated veneer and imagination.<br />It is filled with choice moves and flashy momentum.<br />Its storytelling technique is sweet, sincere, nostalgic and pulse-racing.<br /><br />A big heart drives every single moment with a commitment like no other carried about with an intrigue and bluster that's romanticized with hyperactive passion, heat and pop music energy and education.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEEuiKekhc0m45msbJIhLybit5ObFV0pBCCqeJ50ghkZ2JYULGrwT7e5JCM96Ll_rncyk4khA_ibd0MLuUTMUkk7bfnU_lu5t_ZGpNIaNtwSbGmGCsvvvfBcEmYi-GNGpVfcqLgKWS0nw6-OkqTj9wuNDBgn92yWq8BJEuslFaNQNHhE62RqAOE2qTaw/s2500/jerseyboysmct22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEEuiKekhc0m45msbJIhLybit5ObFV0pBCCqeJ50ghkZ2JYULGrwT7e5JCM96Ll_rncyk4khA_ibd0MLuUTMUkk7bfnU_lu5t_ZGpNIaNtwSbGmGCsvvvfBcEmYi-GNGpVfcqLgKWS0nw6-OkqTj9wuNDBgn92yWq8BJEuslFaNQNHhE62RqAOE2qTaw/w400-h225/jerseyboysmct22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Featuring music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, "Jersey Boys" retells the story of the 1960s rock 'n' roll group The Four Seasons, using a semi-documentary style format, each narrated by a different member of the band, who, for story purposes, offers his own perspective on the ongoing story, its music, its highs and lows, its conflicts, its headlines, its drama, its wobbles, its fantasy and its chartbusting success.<br />The book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice eases comfortably into the Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons vintage scrapbook with slick, connected arrangement that gives way to important rags-to-riches info that rolls happily along with slide, purpose and vibe, never once clouded in preachiness, overkill or showbiz cliche or crackle. It's all pretty much straightforward charge-into-fame storytelling lathered in songs, remembrances and info that brings "Jersey Boys" to its emotional peak, climax and gravitational constant.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Jersey Boys" at Musical Theatre of Connecticut, director Kevin Connors ("Ragtime," "Falsettoland," "Cabaret," "Gypsy," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof") is very much in his element shaping, molding and implementing the "Jersey Boys" terrain. Well versed in the mechanics, structure and presentation of musical theatre, he crafts a buoyant, multi-octave entertainment, offset by swagger, skill, trickle, presence and fantastic song involvement.<br />Directorially, Connors kickstarts the musical with an effective, one-on-one immersion that thrusts his audience into the emotional sweep of the two-act narrative. This directorial kinship prompts an immediacy and energy that teems with life and incident, narrative emphasis and clarity and charmingly done channeling and impact. No lulls. No pauses. No halts. No interruptions. Just gliding theatricality overflowing with details, diagnosis, wonder and maximum musicality.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCVWFyvZbKtu_UuIpj_XhjsO_jkrr9qgUD_dbENxDQKpjAL22A_gR7SpRpzN-jrDzUqLv-xDyDkuFHS9vnDPdMvDVypgbVYV7XHmciIHGPf_wdgm8JfLYKUOyA2KTYNR-Z1LJ1ayGVkYYVk3trB98JiJoDf09BpNg1l0Mx_jnf6xoji4IIHtXANSu1g0/s2500/jerseyboysmct66.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCVWFyvZbKtu_UuIpj_XhjsO_jkrr9qgUD_dbENxDQKpjAL22A_gR7SpRpzN-jrDzUqLv-xDyDkuFHS9vnDPdMvDVypgbVYV7XHmciIHGPf_wdgm8JfLYKUOyA2KTYNR-Z1LJ1ayGVkYYVk3trB98JiJoDf09BpNg1l0Mx_jnf6xoji4IIHtXANSu1g0/w400-h225/jerseyboysmct66.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />As with other productions he has staged at MTC including "Cabaret," "Falsettoland" and "Ragtime," "Jersey Boys" benefits from the venue's three-quarter staging set up which in terms of execution, brings the actor into closer proximity with the audience and heightens the production's realness, emotion and story arc evolution. Here, Connors fleshes out the "Jersey Boys" story with a contained trueness and in-your-face determination that heightens the musical's emotional impact, legacy and coup d' theatre specificity, exploration and articulation. This intimacy also allows the audience to completely absorb the collective journey of The Four Seasons matched by a depth of feeling that digs deep into the heart and soul of its characters with an important closeness not found in typical proscenium stagings of "Jersey Boys." Actors entering and exiting the stage from five or six different locations furthers that creative process, thus, complementing the nonstop, adrenaline-pumping thrill and spill of the entire production.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cdojNojzHFUuH8cocW5HrPPm5CUKTfAl1CDduKEUJvNeW954zyhEiIwoui_dv5IxbP54gnVdzO6FacResFTZXGX-bzwwT1fIXGESPhigzDNAFZDRiJp5hD4Te1TS6AHq9Gib6nb6claL6wS1paCdDHjodf0Yv5LI7tXtc-fHJ8EOgqFapZyDCC_-OCI/s750/jerseyboysmct33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cdojNojzHFUuH8cocW5HrPPm5CUKTfAl1CDduKEUJvNeW954zyhEiIwoui_dv5IxbP54gnVdzO6FacResFTZXGX-bzwwT1fIXGESPhigzDNAFZDRiJp5hD4Te1TS6AHq9Gib6nb6claL6wS1paCdDHjodf0Yv5LI7tXtc-fHJ8EOgqFapZyDCC_-OCI/w400-h225/jerseyboysmct33.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Musically, "Jersey Boys" is absolute, sheer joy infused with good fortune and a musical score that goes the distance in terms of drama, humor, backstage storytelling, nostalgia and catchy, pop-infested song hits from yesteryear.<br />Songs include "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," "Sherry," "My Boyfriend's Back," "Earth Angels," "Rag Doll," "Oh, What a Night," "Dawn (Go Away)," "I'm In the Mood for Love," "My Eyes Adored You," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," "Stay," "Let's Hang On! (To What We've Got)," "Bye Bye Baby," "Fallen Angels" and "Working My Way Back to You."<br />Musical director Tony Bellomy brings expansive warmth and expressive depth to the material, basking in the immediate delight of the already proven music itself, its fruitful collaboration between the onstage performers, its rattle and roar and its many lapses into the time frame when whence it came. As "Jersey Boys" evolves, it resonates naturally, its sounds easeful and gracious, it shows off the brilliance and beauty of The Four Seasons themselves and gives the audience proof that then and now, the quartet's deep musical glow was rife with perfect harmony, rhythm and phrasing.<br />At MCT, Bellomy, doing double duty at the keyboard, brings the two-act musical into the spotlight with the able assist of Michael Blancaflor (percussion), Gary Ruggiero (woodwinds), Christopher McNellis (bass guitar), Max Caserta (guitar) and Stefan Dinkel (trumpet). Creating uniformity across the entire performance, mixed with formidable richness and contrast, the band fuels "Jersey Boys" with insightful translation, crystal clear attention and ideal acoustics that are both vivid and exemplary.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuZSUsBQpBAIMItM_PlSmFRWEpKluRL1OCXJonfBe3KCb2SpYwVY23sVvtExK__tuPqdhlpAZs1qreqQc2ET7WEjtLFi6rXoZT7YEbbUXRkIrSHMR0DLuA9J9_oC339v2vR74FLtC1_5cY4X7p1Ymp-eX9UDa6Va8fllpgXLYFHIh-wNDKDHHN76Yr3I/s640/jerseyboys3434.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuZSUsBQpBAIMItM_PlSmFRWEpKluRL1OCXJonfBe3KCb2SpYwVY23sVvtExK__tuPqdhlpAZs1qreqQc2ET7WEjtLFi6rXoZT7YEbbUXRkIrSHMR0DLuA9J9_oC339v2vR74FLtC1_5cY4X7p1Ymp-eX9UDa6Va8fllpgXLYFHIh-wNDKDHHN76Yr3I/w320-h400/jerseyboys3434.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p>In the lead role of Frankie Valli, Michael Fasano, who has played the part before, gives a megawatt, five-star performance that rocks the MTC stage, pays homage to the Jersey boy himself and tickles the fancy of smiling, drooling, female audience members lucky enough to snag front row seats. Vocally, he projects the Valli sound with confidence, flank and versatility, mastering the singer's recognized balance, pace, rhythm and hypnotic falsetto.<br />As Tommy DeVito, Nathan Cockroft delivers a sexy, powerhouse performance that reflects the troublesome, out-of-control persona of the real-life Tommy. Throughout "Jersey Boys," he exudes a natural confidence and swagger, offset by a vocal, can-do-it-all song style that intuitively recreates The Four Seasons sound, pitch and breathless harmony.<br />Sean McGee brings real charm, challenge, gusto and personality to the part of Bob Gaudio. It's a polished, natural and honest turn, mixed with just the right amount of pop, sizzle and sentiment that keeps his character grounded in the ongoing narrative and "Jersey Boys" rages-to-riches drama. Vocally, he's on tap with an emotional release and high energy musicality that is personal, passionate and completely in sync with the blending harmonies of those around him.<br />Stephen Petrovich brings excited flourish and razor-sharp definition to the role of band member Nick Massi. Vocally and dramatically, he stands tall whenever he's on stage. He also gets one of the best written moments to perform halfway through Act II, which he delivers so magnificently, hearty applause from the audience is completely justified.</p></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcE6HHTmIZN-6ElM-c3ovFegRn1sRzlFOmqAyT6MwwXApVzwPdq52WE-MITjVD_VSP8nx17Cu1sLyktqSvxJvVRnyE5-F1Eus8NyzCsgTiaA_nka7YgU_0cm43S2da0Lg2pyxF_xuOzYolV-2XoTyQYjSkCjuvreF7rLCVvqv8UhYmPgwgmPirfRCMQA/s1804/jerseyboysmct987.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1804" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcE6HHTmIZN-6ElM-c3ovFegRn1sRzlFOmqAyT6MwwXApVzwPdq52WE-MITjVD_VSP8nx17Cu1sLyktqSvxJvVRnyE5-F1Eus8NyzCsgTiaA_nka7YgU_0cm43S2da0Lg2pyxF_xuOzYolV-2XoTyQYjSkCjuvreF7rLCVvqv8UhYmPgwgmPirfRCMQA/w400-h313/jerseyboysmct987.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Emily Solo, cast in the role of Frankie Valli's first wife Mary Delgado, comes to "Jersey Boys" with a confident and ambitious sense of intrigue, charm and allure that makes her the perfect fit for the part of Delgado and the many other roles she is asked to portray throughout the "Jersey Boys" musical. In the role of Lorraine, a Detroit reporter who begins dating Valli after he splits with his first wife Mary, Brianna Bauch plays this part and others with crystal clear refinement, insight, sexiness and rattle. <br />As Francine, Frankie Valli's troubled daughter, Skye Gillespie's commitment to this role and others is chronicled with embraced definition and spark. Jeff Raab's high-amped turn as excited teenager Joe Pesci, who, later in life went on to star in numerous motion pictures including "Goodfellas," "Raging Bull," "Casino" and "My Cousin Vinny," possesses a bring-it-on star quality that makes his every on-stage moment knock and rock with individual certainty, excitement and trigger.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV1Z3i7kT-8QNN9AMRQqQ8xxlhLHoIMQINPJUoFvQuFSpII0q98SzuVFomJ0mMY3g05yUY1FSC1UR-QI0zYFE-aspXux7BgaNJqY6OLTx-clUOsoipFUpEeGRGsmRTQvuRAKXFzw92Si09xFR-1znD4bE4NDkkRPkS0q0WHcw3alBy1J75P6kkF1KSTM/s750/jerseyboysmct88.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV1Z3i7kT-8QNN9AMRQqQ8xxlhLHoIMQINPJUoFvQuFSpII0q98SzuVFomJ0mMY3g05yUY1FSC1UR-QI0zYFE-aspXux7BgaNJqY6OLTx-clUOsoipFUpEeGRGsmRTQvuRAKXFzw92Si09xFR-1znD4bE4NDkkRPkS0q0WHcw3alBy1J75P6kkF1KSTM/w400-h225/jerseyboysmct88.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />As musical theatre, "Jersey Boys" hits all the right notes soundtracked by a parade of hit songs including "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Oh, What a Night" and "Let's Hang On! (To What We've Got)."<br />It's fun. It's emotional. It's clever. It's potent. It's jukebox ready.<br />Director Kevin Connors' take on the actual story of The Four Seasons is top-price creative, backed by a terrific cast of hard-working performers, all of whom bring real emotion and vocal prowess to the "Jersey Boys" story.<br />Katie Goffman's (also billed as assistant director) utterly natural choreography creates an onstage chemistry that is strong, complex, amazing and academically correct. It is melting and fusing with that "Oh, What a Night" feeling that defines and categorizes this welcomed, dedicated and engaging MTC revival of "Jersey Boys."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Photos of "Jersey Boys" courtesy of Alex Mongillo</b></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ID0WCQBeF691Pc47uB3E4DWDVSb4MEmNsIS_UCjoalHf8YDiGk3ShGsySYRycrmB1nSDCP6NiyfArO7Jw_IgTV9RAPE2H2ZuPqkZzhdKWYT_6Sbl-FwsGmVK3ZjmLt2rcDooc4zWyD84AA-SkwawHbcjablBOLFfWsR_SGSOJlv5j-sBpJzFu6j9PnU/s2101/jerseyboysmct506.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2101" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ID0WCQBeF691Pc47uB3E4DWDVSb4MEmNsIS_UCjoalHf8YDiGk3ShGsySYRycrmB1nSDCP6NiyfArO7Jw_IgTV9RAPE2H2ZuPqkZzhdKWYT_6Sbl-FwsGmVK3ZjmLt2rcDooc4zWyD84AA-SkwawHbcjablBOLFfWsR_SGSOJlv5j-sBpJzFu6j9PnU/w400-h268/jerseyboysmct506.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">"Jersey Boys" is being staged at Music Theatre of Connecticut (509 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT), now through October 1, 2023.</span></i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">For tickets or more information, call (203) 454-3883.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: musictheatreofct.com </i></div></span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><br />JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3103482531384288228.post-68426784188759904152023-09-18T13:07:00.005-07:002023-09-19T15:37:00.879-07:00From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 424, A Review: "Our Town" (Sharon Playhouse) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN89JfhBw17aIOKUUeUOI1RT7c8MKSGHzaINEQZk13tbCTn9dK-3sE3W6CkwsDSmpKsC4IZnIGTXpWTg8S6bV-ytZd-xhcTt4nGqa-DdeOqJoeK4Ty-R8oXZR79plsfAjGp_2KZvGwR9sZpqIkZqmEa7zjt7pDULzNQKyGDa3bB_iSqAhATOg66LNMBpo/s2048/ourtown444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="2048" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN89JfhBw17aIOKUUeUOI1RT7c8MKSGHzaINEQZk13tbCTn9dK-3sE3W6CkwsDSmpKsC4IZnIGTXpWTg8S6bV-ytZd-xhcTt4nGqa-DdeOqJoeK4Ty-R8oXZR79plsfAjGp_2KZvGwR9sZpqIkZqmEa7zjt7pDULzNQKyGDa3bB_iSqAhATOg66LNMBpo/w400-h210/ourtown444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><b>By James V. Ruocco </b></span></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"This play is called 'Our Town.' The day is May 7, 1901. The time is just before
dawn.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i> A rooster crows.
The sky is beginning to show some streaks of light over in the East there,
behind our mount'in.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Well, I'd better show you how our town lies. Up here is Main Street. Way back
there is the railway station. Polish Town's across the tracks.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Over there is the Congregational Church; across the street's the Presbyterian.
Methodist and Unitarian are over there. Baptist is down in the holla' by the
river. Catholic Church is over beyond the tracks.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's the Town Hall and Post Office combined; jail's in the basement.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's the grocery store and here's Mr. Morgan's drugstore. Most everybody in
town manages to look into those two stores once a day."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Stage Manager) ("Our Town") </i></div></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An American stage classic with a beating heart and lifeline that gives way to small town life with a homespun and atypical perspective, Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" is a gripping, admired, determined work enhanced by perfunctorily etched characters, dialogue and situations that raise a laugh, a remembrance, a connection, an impact and oh yes, lots and lots of tears, the kind that stream steadily down your face and are impossible to hold back no matter how hard you try to make them stop, furiously wipe your cheek or quickly wish them away.<br />Then again, that's the point, isn't it?<br /><br />As theatre, this iconic 1938 stage play taps into everyone's memory with unforgettable warmth, collective simplicity, impassioned intimacy and idyllic observation.<br />It stirs.<br />It moves.<br />It trickles.<br />It engages.<br />It excites.<br />It articulates.<br />It celebrates.<br />It is afresh with spirit, pace, pitch and clarity.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavNAIpnoXJ6NXmK5kJW2r-JTFKJFmiJwBO0x3EDy315k8dPddjkvT0N-KDb1abu3YG6fqOyw8HEENyOaTpRS5hThMAk0B4hax-V3qTPYL8vyZ6RDTuNHgA4IKh29KtvLl_JICQcg6fS71jFgLOnvN_wTjikFkvDUMeftdVWHRefUFHab-mpavQ_gWJFk/s2048/ourtown222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavNAIpnoXJ6NXmK5kJW2r-JTFKJFmiJwBO0x3EDy315k8dPddjkvT0N-KDb1abu3YG6fqOyw8HEENyOaTpRS5hThMAk0B4hax-V3qTPYL8vyZ6RDTuNHgA4IKh29KtvLl_JICQcg6fS71jFgLOnvN_wTjikFkvDUMeftdVWHRefUFHab-mpavQ_gWJFk/w400-h266/ourtown222.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />At Sharon Playhouse, the experience of seeing "Our Town" played out with thespian inhabitance and deeply felt poignancy and accompanying honesty, transforms this revival into an epic night (or afternoon) of theatre brilliantly balanced by a vast, energetic five-star dramatization with a narrative neatness and sweep schooled in the art of storytelling that's beautifully acted, performed and directed throughout.<br />This is theatre - real theatre - brimming with poetic depth, rising accomplishment, elated awe, marshalled detail and justified legacy.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Set in the fictional village of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, "Our Town" is divided into three acts - Daily Life, Love and Marriage and Death and Eternity. As shaped by Wilder, it portrays the everyday lives of its citizens from 1901 through 1913 including the childhood friendship and blossoming romance of George Gibbs and Emily Webb which ends in marriage at the conclusion of Act II. <br />With the start of Act III, however, Emily, who has lost her life in childbirth takes her place among the dead in a new part of the hilltop cemetery alongside Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Stimson and Mrs. Soames, among others. Here, she is granted the opportunity to revisit one very special day in her life only to discover upon her return to the past that she never fully appreciated everything that she possessed in life until she finally lost it. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMpuM3SnGZlnJ11nWwX-4xsbq_jKiFwHBSiLSx__pdwD3Y072eDu6sM4VhN6SF5Vedj20eVd4MR6C8vtR3_1q7gAGVN5IdsTjVlkdLQTfo8SQrtRc7NC7sQwy8vBl-_4wYM5a0LASVDWtnknDiE8SrR8tTn_UXf4w8FEUqXyOr2moIhypYdYyBMVWcf0/s2048/ourtown55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMpuM3SnGZlnJ11nWwX-4xsbq_jKiFwHBSiLSx__pdwD3Y072eDu6sM4VhN6SF5Vedj20eVd4MR6C8vtR3_1q7gAGVN5IdsTjVlkdLQTfo8SQrtRc7NC7sQwy8vBl-_4wYM5a0LASVDWtnknDiE8SrR8tTn_UXf4w8FEUqXyOr2moIhypYdYyBMVWcf0/w400-h266/ourtown55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Wilder, as playwright, fills his play with dialogue and eloquent, narrated passages that fuel "Our Town" with wisdoms, opinions, ideas and theories that resonate, transform, divide, embellish and reflect. There's real charm, sincerity and beauty here, set forth by conscientious verbiage and experiences about ordinary life that are universal, individual, confident and important.<br />Theatrically, the three-act play breaks down "the fourth wall of staging" by setting the action inside the actual theater where "Our Town" is being performed orchestrated by the main character of the Stage Manager who directly addresses the audience, narrates the ongoing action, fields questions from strategically placed citizens of Grover's Corners and when necessary, plays various characters in the ongoing story.<br />As dictated by Wilder, the production is performed mostly on a bare stage where chairs, tables, door frames and stairways are minimal. And with few exceptions, the entire cast is instructed to mime their everyday actions without the use of any props. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-phWt8RuYpv9ZYag_VJp6xgwk98utG38INWeP3X_5wBWRqm50iqrkVlaXluCe5YRurvBrWzlxFHQXrr9DcLRQT0eoJhVJg27Y9eL50HY2TL3bMfKVgrCLk33Mn1CdC1Il-tK2bEybj4IBpb2jGTCYacagH8HhsULYsn22Q4MHNJi4vl_bQzckhODC-c/s2048/ourtown443.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-phWt8RuYpv9ZYag_VJp6xgwk98utG38INWeP3X_5wBWRqm50iqrkVlaXluCe5YRurvBrWzlxFHQXrr9DcLRQT0eoJhVJg27Y9eL50HY2TL3bMfKVgrCLk33Mn1CdC1Il-tK2bEybj4IBpb2jGTCYacagH8HhsULYsn22Q4MHNJi4vl_bQzckhODC-c/w400-h266/ourtown443.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Staging "Our Town," director Andrus Nichols thrusts Wilder's loving, committed portrait of ordinary people into the limelight with guided, assured, homespun tenderness, lilt and imagination. Directorially, she taps into the play's collective Americana and remembrance with brush strokes, colors, beats and rhythms that lend themselves nicely to the ongoing story, its wisdom, its beauty, its virtues, its irony, its simpleness and its unblemished reality. <br />There is poetry and motion behind the mathematics of her staging, embellished by ideas, humor, drama, nostalgia and flights of fancy that challenge the brain, warm the heart and deftly address the high level of intelligence prevalent in Wilder's writing.<br />With the entire cast in top form, Andrus spans the Grover's Corners timeline, measure by measure, scene by scene and act by act with a lofty proudness and natural warmth that solidifies its bona fide greatness, its profound questions about the meaning of life itself, its classism, its romanticism, its history, its scope and its intellectual analysis and position.<br />As "Our Town" evolves, the everyday life of the characters and the bonds that exist between every single one of them are blocked, staged and performed with the simplicity, drive and intervening pantomime of Wilder's conceit. It's a brilliantly realized and energetic process that Andrus recreates within the parameters of time and space aided by expertly time sound cues, lighting effects and scene changes, many of which are arranged and verbally addressed by the Stage Manager. <br />The climatic third act, played out against the backdrop of a hilltop cemetery, is pure genius. Here, Andrus interprets Wilder's finality of human life with particularly touching, tearful regard that not only cements the last fated moments of the deceased onstage characters but those who must continue living life without them. <br />It's chilling. It's poignant. It's urgent. It's raw. It's real. It's imbued with a piercing significance and immediacy that is completely unforgettable.<br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFmpkTs7-RZMijY8FkCOuDse-vlbsAqxsuf-W7wBd6DDzcOExj7eimxd9UUQPOAlH1R7wyi9dwcZWb_2RExgNy5n2dxp0Mil77Xl37daBwu4iHv_3mA7VKZADxKc45KGyxIBgtdErtS2S34LAgot71fK-a6AxzpRBzg0eeiGKBQw052VpxM_eANsz5VI/s1080/ourtown11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFmpkTs7-RZMijY8FkCOuDse-vlbsAqxsuf-W7wBd6DDzcOExj7eimxd9UUQPOAlH1R7wyi9dwcZWb_2RExgNy5n2dxp0Mil77Xl37daBwu4iHv_3mA7VKZADxKc45KGyxIBgtdErtS2S34LAgot71fK-a6AxzpRBzg0eeiGKBQw052VpxM_eANsz5VI/s320/ourtown11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the role of the Stage Manager, the narrator who introduces her audience to the small-town life and populace of Grover's Corners, Jane Kaczmarek invests her dialogue and commentary with a confident, observant, idyllic style and rhythm that trusts "Our Town" into orbit.<br />She's natural. She's personable. She's real. She's honest. She's charming. She's intimate. She's spontaneous. She's instinctive. She's direct. She's good-natured. She's passionate. She's inventive.<br />It's a fully appreciated turn - American classic with wonderful, universal appeal - that holds true to Wilder's original concept and intent, mixed with perfectly timed conjecture, vision, announcement and lecture that the actress grounds and implements with feeling, dash, insight and thoughtfulness. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6V-qH2EKn1evn56bFQXi1eiQqeZqBFHzdsci73QuYCSGHXza9k5lOYlU4y8d36tub4DfumWgy66lNIPY3azLebu1mQQwOjkgSqVxLV1z8t0MONBvomZGseb_FMjebqlAHWg6RNNorn4vjjPMVndBpC45GzeRi2-oC5NrcSc6dxkE4frRFoJ8TOjCdIkI/s2048/ourtown332.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6V-qH2EKn1evn56bFQXi1eiQqeZqBFHzdsci73QuYCSGHXza9k5lOYlU4y8d36tub4DfumWgy66lNIPY3azLebu1mQQwOjkgSqVxLV1z8t0MONBvomZGseb_FMjebqlAHWg6RNNorn4vjjPMVndBpC45GzeRi2-oC5NrcSc6dxkE4frRFoJ8TOjCdIkI/w400-h266/ourtown332.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Samantha Steinmetz, in the role of Emily Webb, offers an exquisite, spellbinding dramatic turn, delivering the play's accompanying action, essence and illusion with open heart, open mind and intuitive, nostalgic menagerie. It's a performance that is affectionately portrayed and acted with beautifully modulated shifts of character and changing moods, leading up to an Act III graveyard denouement that Wilder, if he were alive today, would applaud with great engouement and pride.<br />As George Gibbs, Eric Bryant captures the spirit and feel of his important, simply crafted character with unwavering skill, charm, charisma and vulnerability. It's an intimate, tender-hearted performance that the actor skillfully weaves with an in-the-moment testimony and tilt, drawing you into a story that ends in tragedy with the death of his beloved Emily.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Other fine performances are delivered by Marinell Madden-Crippen (Mrs. Gibbs), Deron Bayer (Doc Gibbs), Dawn Stern (Mrs. Webb), Lori Evans (Mrs. Soames), Carter McCabe (Si Crowell), Katherine Almquist (Professor Willard), Michael Kevin Baldwin (Simon Stimson), Dick Terhune (Editor Webb) and Kennadi Mitchell (Rebecca Gibbs). Every one of them move through "Our Town" with a non-stop ease, confidence and trueness completely in sync with the concept, staging, drama and commitment set forth in the "Our Town" play script.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the most important, beautifully staged productions of the 2023 regional theatre season, "Our Town," at Sharon Playhouse, pays homage to playwright Thornton Wilder with keyhole, immersive bravura, insight and inspiration.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It is idealistic. It is relevant. It is timely. It is complex. It is hypnotic.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It invites you to think about life and how you choose to live it. Its bruising seriousness is testament to the power of its storytelling. It triumphs with extraordinary accomplishment. It's an impressive, sprawling piece of work that lingers in memory long after it has ended and has been performed.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUi1RHSkNjxjgqm-IvmTNY_LSJyyD3qmGQ-Q_BXlYrKDsdMm2ppDUVCZd6OwgrC_T-aLRsmkY6gjltChuEvJZaVttYrexz42PuAYsy8JRmaV4YP0Up_iJxQoTAswGi0rfEnEYx-SVMPXvg_YOYf8HCebjq3-8gTxtO1A28uTp7VEcWFaSczZ1e3iP0hsw/s2048/ourtown38.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUi1RHSkNjxjgqm-IvmTNY_LSJyyD3qmGQ-Q_BXlYrKDsdMm2ppDUVCZd6OwgrC_T-aLRsmkY6gjltChuEvJZaVttYrexz42PuAYsy8JRmaV4YP0Up_iJxQoTAswGi0rfEnEYx-SVMPXvg_YOYf8HCebjq3-8gTxtO1A28uTp7VEcWFaSczZ1e3iP0hsw/w400-h266/ourtown38.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">"Our Town" is being staged at Sharon Playhouse (49 Amenia Road, Sharon, CT), now through September 24, 2024.</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For tickets or more information, call (860) 364-7469</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>website: sharonplayhouse.org </i></div></i></span><p></p>JimRuoccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356967005192241009noreply@blogger.com0