Alter Egos Meet and Mingle

Meteor Shower -- Long Wharf Theatre -- Thru Oct. 23

Arden Myrin and Patrick Breen. Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Deep inside, does the lamb shelter a tiger, does the hummingbird repress an eagle? What might happen if, one day, the lamb and the hummingbird were confronted by their inner tiger and eagle, forced to deal with their alter egos? Such is the premise of Steve Martin’s new comedy, Meteor Shower, which is having its world premiere at Long Wharf Theatre under the direction of the theater’s artistic director Gordon Edelstein. This light comedy, heavy on word play and sexual innuendo, is a diverting parlor game that works its premise for all it’s worth, generating a lot of laughs but somehow leaving one wanting just a bit more, a final moment, perhaps, that comments on the human condition as the century turned rather than relying on a sight gag.

As the lights go up we are introduced to a couple that has “worked out” their marriage by learning to express their feelings and thanking each other for doing so in a hand-holding ritual that is scripted by all of the “How to Save Your Marriage” manuals. There’s Corky (the delightful Arden Myrin), whose head occasionally “explodes,” but otherwise sincerely…oh so sincerely…appreciates her husband’s willingness to express his feelings and admit, contritely, when he has said something that might shatter her tender ego. Then there’s Norm (Patrick Breen), who is, well, “normal,” a true marital mensch who has learned to confess his sins instantaneously. They live in a neat, stylishly appointed home in Ojai, California, compliments of scenic designer Michael Yeargan, that will revolve to allow the couple and their alter egos to alternately spar in the living room and stand out on the patio to observe a meteor shower, a cascade of flaming interstellar visitors that will disrupt Corky and Norm’s “happy” home.

The doorbell rings, and the contented couple welcome Gerald (Josh Stamberg) and Laura (Sophina Brown) into their home – of course, Gerald and Laura have always been lurking in the home, for they are the tiger and the eagle that Norm and Corky have repressed, but now here they are, in the flesh, the exact opposites of the happy couple. Whatever Norm has chosen to bury deep in his psyche Gerald wears as a badge of honor; whatever Corky has hidden from herself Laura flaunts. The dichotomy is enhanced by Jess Goldstein’s costumes: Norm is dressed in what might be called country casual and Corky has apparently taken her couture clues from The Donna Reed Show. Gerald is dressed all in black, all muscle and motor-cycle toughness, and Laura is the ultimate femme fatale, wearing a red dress that makes love to her body. As an aside, it’s seldom that a costume change (perhaps “enhancement” might be the better word) elicits one of the biggest laughs in a show, but Norm’s entrance in the second act required the entire cast to hold on line delivery until the audience members ceased their chuckles and guffaws. Remembering that entrance now, a day later, still engenders laughter.  

 So, the confrontation, which is the sum and substance of the play. Gerald and Laura flaunt their carnal desires in language that Norm and Corky would not think of using. While Norm and Corky speak to each other with controlled politeness, Gerald and Laura tell each other to…well…fuck off! The tame couple is nonplussed by the heat, passion and vulgarity of the man and woman they have invited into their home but, then there’s the meteor shower, which will allow the gods to intervene. A meteor – okay, well a meteorite – lands on the patio and in the resultant smoke and fire eyes are opened and personas are shed, leading to a delightful second act in which the tables are turned and the lamb accepts his inner tiger and the hummingbird embraces the eagle lurking within.

All four actors work wonderfully to bring this transformation to life, chief among them Myrin, whose hummingbird-to-eagle conversion is a joy to watch, especially once her character realizes that the meteorite has opened up a new world for her. Equally engaging is Breen’s seduction of his alter ego as he unmans the man’s man.

Playing characters that are dominant and dominating in the first act, Stamberg and Brown deftly pull in their horns in the second act as Gerald and Laura become somewhat nonplussed by what the meteor shower has wrought. Oddly enough, although set in 1993, there is a strong element of 30s madcap comedy in Meteor Shower -- the classic battle of the sexes complete with zingers and double entendres, albeit the battle is an internal one as repressed psyches come to the fore.

If one were to chart the transformation that occurs during the play, there might be some quibbles with regards to logic, but Edelstein has wisely opted for a fast-paced delivery that does not allow for reflection – you just go with the flow, sit back and enjoy.

Meteor Shower runs through Oct. 23. For tickets or more information call 203-787-4282 or go to www.longwharf.org.

The Rocky Road to Oz

Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz -- Goodspeed Musicals -- Thru Nov. 27

Ruby Rakos as Judy Garland. All photos by Diane Sobolewski

One can become a bit conflicted watching Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, a new musical that recently opened at Goodspeed Musicals. This amalgam of songs from the 30’s, many made famous by Judy Garland, interspersed with original music by David Libby and Tina Marie Casamento Libby (who also “conceived” the show), with a book by Marc Acito, is often tremendously engaging and, at other times, just a bit of a snore.

There are echoes here of other “stage-struck” musicals and films, chief among them “Gypsy, with just a touch of “Little Voice,” for Chasing Rainbows tells the story of Francis Gumm, a little girl with a big voice who would become Judy Garland, a story that picks up when she is little more than a toddler (the “Baby” in the family), then fast-forwards to her at 13 years old and ends with her landing the lead role in MGM’s The Wizard of Oz. There’s a stage mother (though not exactly the Mama Rose dragon), and a doting father who fills young Francis’s days with songs and dreams of glory. And then there’s Francis herself, a conflicted teenager who has some self-confidence issues (many of them dealing with her physical appearance – Louis B. Mayer will refer to her as “the fat one”), yet feels she needs to carry the needs of her entire family on her shoulders.

Thus, we have the evolving story of the Gumm family, and then we have “Judy” evolving. The family story line is, though based on fact, the stuff of soap operas, with a wandering wife and a husband who is a closeted homosexual, and the period songs that Libby has selected to accompany this dramatization aren’t, with some exceptions, exactly toe-tappers. Thankfully, such is not the case with the “Judy” evolution, for here the audience is treated to “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” a riotous rendition of “All Ma’s Children,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, “Swing, Mr. Mendelssohn,” “You Made Me Love You” and, of course, “Over the Rainbow.”

The “Gumm” story provides the frame – and justification – for the “Judy” story and, of course, it’s Judy the audience has come to see, and the audience won’t be disappointed, for Ruby Rakos, who plays the more mature Judy (starting at 13 years old) does a marvelous job in capturing the “star quality” the propelled Garland to show business fame. Rakos bears a more than passing resemblance to Garland, and her voice, well, it’s “big,” capable of knocking out the hottest swing number, but also subtle enough to capture the essence of the more intimate ballads. Yet Garland was beset throughout her career (which was altogether too brief – she died at age 47) by a haunting insecurity, and this Rakos is also able to portray with an understanding tenderness that, for those who watched Garland go through her many transitions (and battle with, among other things, weight – do you remember her in Judgment at Nuremberg?) certainly evokes some bittersweet memories.

 

Michael Wartella and Ruby Rakos

 

As is to be expected from Goodspeed, the supporting cast is excellent, chief among them Michael Wartella, who transforms the wise-cracking Joe Yule into the irrepressible Mickey Rooney, and in the process dances up a storm. Then there’s Sally Wilfert as Judy’s mother, Ethel Gumm, and Kevin Earley as her conflicted father Frank. Yes, they both play second fiddle to Rakos’s Judy (as was true in real life), and are deeply involved in the soap opera goings-on, but they both manage to create believable characters, with Earley most effective as he attempts to both shield and yet prepare his youngest daughter for stardom, and his “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” is haunting on multiple levels.

 

Karen Mason and Michael McCormick

 

Kudos also to Michael McCormick as the studio boss L. B. Mayer (just the right amount of bullying bluster) and the lithe Karen Mason as Mayer’s secretary, Kay Koverman and the acting teacher, Ma Lawlor. She’s an actor who proves that you can take supporting roles and turn them into audience-pleasing star turns. Also worthy of mention are Andrea Laxton and Lucy Horton, who play Judy’s older sisters, and, along with Wilfert and Earley, end the first act with an engaging “Everybody Sing.” Finally, there’s little Ella Briggs, who plays the very young Frances. She’s a pro when it comes to stealing scenes (and belting out songs), which reinforces W. C. Fields’ dictum: "Never work with children or animals."

 

Ella Briggs and Kevin Earley

 

Though Chasing Rainbows’ book is a bit scatter-shot, there’s no denying that when “Judy” is on stage the audience is riveted. One might have asked for a bit more spectacle and “screen magic” in the closing number (video projections now being commonplace in productions – look what Hartford Stage did last year with Anastasia), there’s no denying that the magic that was Judy Garland still captivates, and it’s to Rakos’ credit that the magic lives on.

Chasing Rainbows runs through Nov. 27. For tickets or more information call 860.873.8668 or visit: www.goodspeed.org.

An Intimate, Intense "Gypsy"

Gypsy -- Music Theatre of Connecticut -- Thru Sept. 25

Kirsti Carnahan and Kate Simone. All photos by Joe Landry

Kevin Connors, Music Theatre of Connecticut’s co-founder and executive artistic director, has proven time and again that big is not always better. Several years ago, when MTC was still in its old (and more restricted) digs, he staged a gripping Cabaret just mere feet from the audience. Now relocated in Norwalk with a bit more space to work with, Connors again reveals that size, at least in the case of stage space, does not matter, for he has turned Gypsy into an intense character study, albeit with music, that heightens the conflict inherent in the show and showcases some pretty impressive performances.

Anyone familiar with American musical theater knows the Gypsy story-line. Suffice it to say that it’s the ultimate stage-mother show, a fable about a mother driven to have her children succeed in show business (all the while repressing her own desire to be a star). Bridging several decades, the show also chronicles the decline of vaudeville, a fate that Mama Rose eventually accepts, but it does not staunch her passions and drive. Eventually, her two daughters would succeed, with Baby June becoming an actress (June Havoc) and Louise the queen of burlesque (Gypsy Rose Lee).

Of course, any theatrical production is a collaborative effort, and although Connors is to be applauded for his staging and directing, as is Becky Timms for her choreography, neither one could have done it alone – and they are not alone in this enterprise, for Connors has been blessed with an exceedingly talented group of performers.

Although the show’s title is Gypsy, this is really Mama Rose’s story, and you couldn’t ask for a more visceral, multi-layered performance of the driven matron than what Kirsti Carnahan provides. No, she’s not a “belter” a la Ethel Merman, who originated the role, but given the confines of MTC, “belting” out a song is not necessary. Rather, she, under Connor’s guidance, gives a gripping performance as a woman driven, and since the audience is so close she doesn’t have to telegraph her character’s emotions – and there are emotions aplenty. It’s a complete performance, so much so that Rose’s signature songs are, if not superfluous, at least secondary to the marvelous character Carnahan creates. This is no more in evidence than in the show’s finale, “Rose’s Turn.” It is haunting, frightening, tender and totally gripping. I’ve seen many Gypsy productions, but I don’t think I’ve ever been as riveted as I was when Carnahan revealed a soul in dire distress, questioning all Mama Rose had done and all she had forsaken, giving us a woman on the brink of despair. Her double-take, hands fluttering, as she comes out of her fantasy to realize Gypsy has been watching her is a little piece of acting perfection.

Carnahan’s performance is enough to carry the show, but she doesn’t have to, for she is surrounded by some equally talented actors. Chief among them is Kate Simone as Louise, the second-fiddle to her younger sister who morphs into a burlesque star. The role requires that Louise, initially shy and, as she believes, under-talented, rise to confront her mother and demand that Mama Rose take a hard look at herself. Simone hits all the right notes, and her confrontation with Rose late in the second act is pitch-perfect, and she is exceptionally engaging (watch her eyes!) during the rehearsal of “Madame Rose’s Toreadobales,” a lame rehash of the same routine Rose has been pushing for years.

 

Joe Grandy, Carissa Massaro and Chris McNiff

 

Equally on the mark is Carissa Massaro’s Baby June, for Massaro must play the part of a winsome, overly-cute child while she is actually a young woman who loathes what she is being forced to do at the behest of her mother. Her duet with Simone, “If Momma Was Married,” lets her convey all of this revulsion through song, something she does quite well.

Then there’s the much-put-upon Herbie, Mama Rose’s love interest, played by Paul Binotto (who does double-duty as “Uncle Jocko” early in the show). He must be the hand that attempts to gentle Rose’s raging ambition, and he does so with a great deal of panache, absorbing the energy that surges from Carnahan’s Mama Rose until his character has had enough and he breaks with Rose in a touching scene. His last line is filled with pain and loss.

As anyone familiar with Gypsy knows, Tulsa, here played by Joe Grandy, has a signature scene with Louise as he tells her, through dance, of his dreams for a dance routine that will allow him to break away from Mama Rose’s control. His “All I Need is the Girl” number covers MTC’s entire stage as he tap-dances his hopes and desires.

 

Marca Leigh, Jodi Stevens, Jeri Kansas and
Kate Simone.

 

What is most revealing in this scaled-down production is the iconic scene near the end of the second act when the three strippers, Tessie Tura (Jeri Kansas), Electra (Marca Leigh) and Mazeppa (Jodi Stevens) give Louise some advice about the fine art of stripping. Again, having seen quite a few productions of this show, I was amazed at the finely honed, comedic turns each of these actors gives to her role. What could have been a “Yeah, yeah, seen that before” moment seemed fresh and vibrantly alive – and totally enjoyable.

MTC’s production is truly a Gypsy re-envisioned, downscaled to fit the confines of the stage but still larger than life. If there is one misstep, and this is a very minor quibble, it is during Rose’s final number when she fantasizes about what she might have accomplished on her own. As she wraps up her number the curtains part to reveal a drop-down sign that is supposed to emblazon Rose’s name – instead, you have to look close to figure out what the hell that thing is hanging above Rose’s head. Surely something could have been done to “glitz it up” a bit.

Even for those who think they “know” Gypsy, MTC’s production is well worth a look-see, if for no other reason than to shiver and shake as Rose’s single-minded ambition and almost maniacal determination washes over you. It’s an intense theatrical experience that you don’t want to miss.

Gypsy runs through September 25. For further information or ticket reservations call the box office at 203.454.3883 or visit: www.musictheatreofct.com.

A Heavenly "Shop of Horrors"

Little Shop of Horrors -- Playhouse on Park -- Thru Oct. 16

Steven Mooney and Audrey II. All photos by
Meredith Atkinson save where noted

There’s nothing horrible about the “Little Shop of Horrors” up at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford. In fact, it’s a delight from start to finish, a sprightly musical comedy (albeit dark comedy) with a terrific cast that generates enough energy to light up most of Park Road.

Directed and choreographed by Susan Haefner with a deft touch for timing and creative blocking, the show moves along at a quick pace, the tone for which is set before the curtain as the three waifs, Crystal (Cherise Clarke), Chiffon (Brandi Porter) and Ronette (Famecia Ward) work the audience, introducing their characters and giving out hugs. Their activity seamlessly segues into the opening number, “Little Shop of Horrors,” and the following “Skid Row,” which introduces Mr. Mushnik (Damian Buzzerio), owner of the Skid Row Florist Shop, and his two employees, the nerdish Seymour (Steven Mooney) and the much-abused Audrey (the delightful Emily Kron).

          Cherise Clarke as Crystal, Famecia Ward as
          Ronnette, Brandi Porter as Chiffon, and
Emily Kron as Audrey.

 

With zero sales, Mushnik decides to close the shop’s doors, only to have Seymour reveal that he has been nurturing a rather strange plant that he has named Audrey II (voiced by Rasheem Ford and manipulated by Susan Slotoroff). Immediately, things take a turn for the better, once Seymour realizes that what Audrey II craves is human blood (“Grow for Me”). However, the plant’s hunger soon becomes insatiable as it cries out to be fed. What is Seymour to do? Well, Audrey is currently dating a “pseudo-sadist,” a dentist named Orin Scrivello (Aidan Eastwood -- DDS!!!). Orin manages to asphyxiate himself in a delightfully dark comic scene and is promptly turned into plant food. As things get better for the florist shop and for Seymour, the plant’s needs grow and grow until it is finally revealed the vegetation’s goal is total world domination. The ultimate lesson is offered in the final number: “Don’t Feed the Plants.”

  Famecia Ward as Ronnette, Rasheem Ford as Audrey I
          (voice), Steven Mooney as Seymour, Emily Kron as Audrey,
       and Aidan Eastwood as Orin Scrivello, DDS (photo: Rich Wagner)

 

You can’t help but smile as this tale of faux-menace unfolds, for the entire cast has bought into the absurd premise and knows how to play up the weird humor that suffuses the book and lyrics penned by Howard Ashman, and it doesn’t hurt that the music was composed by Alan Menken. Clarke, Porter and Ward are sassy and sharp, and their voices mesh beautifully as they strut, pose and preen, creating a Skid Row Greek chorus. There are also entertaining set pieces and signature numbers, all of which are brought off with aplomb and a great deal of style. Buzzerio brings a touch of Fagin (a la the musical “Oliver”) to his portrayal of the florist shop’s owner, and his duet with Mooney, “Mushnik and Son,” deftly choreographed by Haefner, was totally engaging.

Damian Buzzerio

 

Mooney gives the audience just the right touch of the bedraggled soul who grasps at his one chance for success, an opportunity that merely requires that he feed the plant. As his character “blossoms,” Mooney shows he has a strong bent for physical comedy and knows how to deliver a song.

Eastwood has, perhaps, the greatest challenge, for not only must he portray the sadistic dentist, he must also take on several additional roles, including that of a female rep for Life Magazine and, as the program indicates, “Everyone Else.” He pulls all of this off with costume quick-changes and variations in swagger and delivery that nicely delineate each of the characters.

And then there’s Kron, who is faced with making the role that has the strongest “copyright,” since it was created by Ellen Green in the original production and the subsequent film, her own. This she does with a great deal of comic flair and sensitivity, and her rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green,” a classic “I Want” number, is heartbreakingly poignant, as is her cri de coeur in the “Suddenly, Seymour” duet with Mooney.   

Given the relative intimacy of the Playhouse on Park thrust stage configuration, much of what happens is mere feet from the front row of the audience, which Haefner takes advantage of, often bringing her actors forward so that the emotions their characters are feeling and expressing wash over the audience and the kinetic energy generated by this talented cast, enhanced by an emotive lighting scheme by Christopher Bell, crackles, snaps and reaches the last seat in the farthest row undiminished and undiluted.

Playhouse on Park’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” is what I might term “happy theater,” for you can sense that the cast is happy to be doing what they are doing and you can’t deny that the audience left the theater humming a tune and, well, happy – a win-win proposition.

“Little Shop of Horrors” runs through Oct. 16. For tickets or more information call 860-523-5900, X10, or go to www.playhouseonpark.org

The Storyteller's Art

If you think of an Irish storyteller, a seanchi, the first image that might come to mind is that of a grizzled man wearing a cloth cap sitting in a pub, a pipe in one hand and a pint in the other, regaling the lads with stories of banshees. What you probably wouldn’t imagine is a lithe and lovely, raven-haired lass with a pixie haircut and a twinkle in her blue eyes, but that is Helena Byrne and she is, indeed, a seanchi.

Helena Byrne

 

Byrne recently arrived in the States for a brief tour that brought her to Quinnipiac University at the behest of the university’s Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum, which is currently closed for renovations. Thus, Byrne found herself facing an eager audience, many of them with Irish heritage, at the Rocky Top Student Center on the York Hill Campus.

Before her performance, Byrne sat down to talk about the road that has brought her to Quinnipiac as a seanchi and her love of Irish mythology and folktales. It seems Byrne was bitten early by the “performing bug,” for as she notes on her web site, she has been performing since she was “knee high to a guitar.” She laughed and explained: “As a child I used to put little shows together and force my parents and my brother and sisters to sit down and watch a whole rigmarole, an hour of ‘entertainment.’ I’ve just been performing for as long as I can remember, always singing.”

However, it would take a while for Byrne to become a professional performer. Although she was always active in community events and sang in church, she went off to university to study philosophy and theology, “finding herself,” as it were, while performing “on the side,” but when she graduated she realized where her true love and passion rested and she began to pursue it but, as is the case for most young artists, success was not instantaneous.

“As you know,” she said, “Ireland has plenty of castles, many of them on the West Coast, where I played the ‘Lady of the Castle’ dressed in full gear – dress and head piece and everything – and I and other girls there would serve food to the guests and sing songs and do little dances.”

 

She continued to develop as a singer and an actor, but she became a storyteller by accident. As she explained, “I got a job working for the National Leprechaun Museum in Dublin, which is not one of my proudest moments. My position was storyteller/tour guide – a little bit of everything, basically just a tour guide who would tell a few stories about leprechauns. I realized that I loved the storytelling element, I loved that I could perform but it wasn’t so much acting because you could look into people’s eyes and actually see their reactions.”

The realization that she loved storytelling motivated her to learn more stories and research Irish folklore, and then she landed a job as a resident storyteller at The Brazen Head, a Dublin pub. “That’s essentially where I’ve honed my practice as a storyteller,” she said.

 

 

 

Though she had found one of her true loves, that didn’t mean she had narrowed her horizons. She founded the Break-Away Performance Company, “a production and theater company” that organizes concerts and staged readings with Irish actors of new plays by American and Irish writers as well as “innovative projects that involve using Skype for people to collaborate,” helping to develop an artistic connection between people in Ireland and America.

She also uses Skype for her on-line “story-telling lessons.” This came about after people came up to her and told her that they would love to do what she was doing but they either didn’t know how to develop a story or they would never have the courage to perform. Thus, she created an on-line program that allows her to work individually with students, mostly Americans, forming the “curriculum” based on what the students wants to achieve, be it forming a story or developing a style of storytelling.

When asked what “makes” a good storyteller, Byrne eagerly responded: “First of all, finding a story that suits you, that suits your character and that you feel engaged in yourself. It’s very difficult to tell a story with any great passion if you’re really not connected to the story yourself. Find something that you really enjoy telling and that will come out in your eyes and your physicality. Just being able to create a picture in people’s imaginations, that’s what you’re really doing. You’re not re-enacting a story, you’re not acting out something, you’re the medium between the story and the audience’s imagination.”

Much to Byrne’s surprise, when she posted on Face Book that she was searching for stories, her cousin contacted her and suggested that she speak with her uncle, for it turns out that Byrne’s grandfather had been a storyteller, something she was unaware of. She met with her uncle and, over tea, heard many of the stories her grandfather had told, including one she would share with her audience at Quinnipiac about her grandfather experiencing the passing of a fairy death coach.

 

 

As Byrne explained, in Irish society in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the seanchi was more than just a storyteller. These people would travel from village to village and not only relate stories but also bring news of what was happening in other parts of the country – births and deaths, politics and perhaps a bit of gossip. They were as much oral journalists as storytellers, and the stories they told performed many functions, for the fairies they spoke about were not Disney-fied, fluttering creatures with magic wands in their hands but a race that was integral to life in Ireland, a real presence that was to be both feared and respected. One simply did not want to upset or insult the fairies, for if one did dire consequences would follow.

This would be one of the main points she would make to those at Quinnipiac who had come to hear her. After a brief overview of the Great Famine and the central position of the lowly potato in the diet of the common folk of Ireland, she segued into a discussion of the fairies and belief in the “Other World” that was common in Ireland (when the sun set in this world it would rise in the “other world”). She explained that there were (or perhaps still are) two types of fairies – the “trooping fairies” – those who looked essentially human and would, on Samhain (Halloween) move en masse from summer to winter quarters-- and the solitary fairies, including the leprechaun, the banshee and the pooka.

 

The banshee

 

Emphasizing that belief in these fairies was real, and that such belief gave a somewhat skewed yet psychologically comforting aspect to the life of those who did not feel they were in control of their lives, Byrne told several stories that dealt with one or another aspect of fairy-dom, but, as she had explained earlier in the interview, the true storyteller must find a story that resonates, and although her initial stories were engaging and her background information informative, it wasn’t until, near the end of her performance, that the audience became totally mesmerized, for the last, long story Byrne told was about two hunchbacks, Brian and Art, the former a good-hearted soul and the latter a mean and greedy man -- both would have an encounter with the trooping fairies on Samhain.

In the telling of this story, Byrne shifted into true storytelling mode, and the effect was impressive – it was as if she had become possessed by the story or, as she had explained earlier in the interview, become the medium between the story and the audience. As she wove her tale, you could sense many people of advanced years shedding their age and again becoming wide-eyed children as they listened to what happened to Brian and Art -- they were all there with these two hunchbacks, watching the fairies dance around the fairy tree or standing before the Fairy King as he rendered his judgment on Brian’s and Art’s actions, and issuing a collective sigh of relief and satisfaction as Byrne ended her story and they returned from that dark, fairy-filled night in Ireland to a meeting room in Quinnipiac.

 

Artistic imagining of the fairy tree

At the end of the evening, Byrne told a brief story about a modern female seanchi who was being interviewed for an article. The interviewer finally asked her if she truly believed in the tales she told, if she believed in the fairies. After considering her answer, the woman said: “I don’t – but they’re there anyway.” Byrne had been asked essentially the same question during the interview and she, too, had paused to consider her answer. Her response was to tell a story: “Irish people have a very funny relation with the fairies because today’s generation will start off being quite dismissive and say, ‘Ah, that’s in the past,’ but you start telling these stories and it reawakens their childhood, because they remember hearing these stories as children. A man in his 30s came up to me at the end of a show and said, ‘I know it’s all kind of rubbish but…my brother has heard the banshee three times.’ So, it’s a very peculiar relationship the Irish have with the fairies these days.”

And, of course, Byrne is Irish.               

A Luminous "La Mancha"

Man of La Mancha -- Ivoryton Playhouse -- Thru Oct. 2

Talia Thiesfield, David Pittsinger and Brian Michael Hoffman
All photos by Anne Hudson

Having been privileged to see the original production of “Man of La Mancha” starring Richard Kiley, it’s difficult to shake those fond memories when I see a revival of this iconic musical. I’m happy to report, however, that what I recently saw out at Ivoryton made me forget the Washington Square production, for the storied Playhouse has boarded a near perfect staging of Dale Wasserman’s musical, one that should please just about everyone and perhaps bring a tear or two to the eye.

Under the perceptive, sensitive direction of David Edwards, with efficient, effective choreography by Todd Underwood, music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, the story of the Knight of the Woeful Countenance comes gloriously to life with at least two star-turn performances.

For those who have been living in a cave for the last five decades, the show posits the Spanish author, Miguel de Cervantes, being thrown into jail to be held until the Inquisition can ask him some pointed questions. His fellow inmates, thieves and cutthroats, decide to put him on trial. To defend himself, Cervantes decides to tell the (abbreviated) story of Don Quixote de la Mancha, enlisting the inmates to play characters in the saga. Initially disdainful of Cervantes’ philosophy and of his character’s misguided nobility, by play’s end, as Cervantes is called to face the Inquisition, the inmates rise and salute the man and his “dream.”

 

David Pittsinger

 

Although the lead role in the musical was originated by Kiley, many an opera veteran has been called upon to portray the somewhat addled Don, often with less than satisfying results, mainly because of a deficiency in acting skills: big voice but awkward, stiff performance. “La Mancha” ain’t “Rigoletto.” Fortunately, Ivoryton tapped David Pittsinger to play the role, the same bass-baritone who played Emile de Becque in last year’s outstanding production of “South Pacific” at Ivoryton. Yes, Pittsinger has a big voice, but he can also act, very subtly at times. Thus, his performance as Quixote/Cervantes is both nuanced and moving, and he absolutely nails (spoiler alert!) the death scene. A formidable figure, Pittsinger ably morphs into a tottering, slightly addled old man who tilts at windmills, and he brings the house to its feet with Quixote’s two signature numbers: “Man of La Mancha” and, of course, “The Impossible Dream.”

 

Talia Thiesfield

 

However, Quixote is nothing without his Dulcinea, and here Ivoryton has struck absolute gold in casting Talia Thiesfield as the kitchen slut who becomes Quixote’s female ideal. Thiesfield gives the audience an earthy, fiery Aldonza who fights against Quixote’s idealization of her as Dulcinea. Captivating throughout the show, she rises to mesmerizing heights with her performance of “Aldonza” late in the second act – it ably stands against Pittsinger’s “Impossible Dream” as a candidate for the ultimate show-stopping moment.

Quixote also needs his Sancho Panza, and although Brian Michael Hoffman lays it on just a bit too thick in the opening moments of the production, he quickly eases into his character and delivers a delightful “A Little Gossip” to try and cheer up his companion.

The production is also graced with a strong supporting cast, with Edwards doing double duty as director and playing the haughty Dr. Sanson Carrasco, and a notable Amy Buckley as Antonia, a young woman who is “only thinking” of her uncle as she connives to have him declared insane.

Subtle lighting by Marcus Abbott and a sturdy, multi-purpose set by Daniel Nischen that utilizes every inch of Ivoryton’s stage add to the enjoyment of a production that absolutely glows from start to finish. Compliments galore to everyone involved, including the seven-person orchestra sequestered beneath the stage, in this wonderful production that packed the house the day I saw it.

“Man of La Mancha” plays through October 2. For tickets or more information call 860-767-7318 or go to www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.

A Forced Farce

What the Butler Saw -- Westport Country Playhouse -- Thru Sept. 10

Chris Ghaffari and Julian Gamble
Photo by Carol Rosegg

Farce and agendas are strange bedfellows. Farce is, by its very nature, silly, a lighthearted romp, but when you also “have something to say,” as the playwright Joe Orton did when he penned What the Butler Saw in the late 60s, you run the risk of working, or writing, at cross purposes. The inclusion of “messages” in farce is not a problem if they deal with eternal verities, but Orton’s concerns – the taking of Freudian psychology to unsupportable conclusions and the repressed nature of British society – now are covered in cobwebs. Thus, we have the “slamming door” elements of farce bearing a burden they shouldn’t be asked to carry. Those not cued into what was on Orton’s mind as he wrote What the Butler Saw may find themselves scratching their heads, mumbling “Really?”

That there is an agenda is manifest in the play’s title, for there is no butler in the play. The title refers to a device called a mutoscope, a precursor of motion pictures. As soon as it was invented (late 19^th century) it was put to pornographic use. Those voyeuristically inclined could, after dropping a coin in a slot, view a succession of pictures. In the case of “What the Butler Saw,” it’s a keyhole view of the lady of the house stripping down to her underwear. Not surprisingly, this particular offering was extremely successful and profitable.

Then there’s the Freudian slant. From Orton’s diary (parts of which are reprinted in the program): “I thought how fashionable madness is at the moment…” Not just madness, however, but the whole concept of repressed desires and the sexuality of children (real and imagined) that lurks in the subconscious of their adult selves.

So, what’s the problem? Well, the characters in a farce, as in all plays, must have believable motivations if the audience is to “buy in.” In the case of Butler, that motivation is suspect right from the start, for the early actions of one of the lead characters serves Orton’s agenda rather than being intrinsic to the character. As the curtain rises, we are in the office of Dr. Prentice (Robert Stanton), a psychiatrist who runs a mental institution (again from Orton’s diary: “…there isn’t a lunatic in sight – just the doctors and nurses.”). A door opens and in walks Geraldine (Sarah Manton), an applicant for a secretarial job. It soon becomes evident that she is woefully under-qualified, so the good doctor’s reaction is to ask her to take off her clothes so he can “examine” her. Surprisingly, Geraldine complies with this odd request…and we are off to the races…and the head-scratching.

Of course, the good doctor’s wife, Mrs. Prentice (Patricia Kalember) walks in on the proceedings, followed by a bell hop, Nicholas (Chris Ghaffari) who has had a recent sexual encounter with the doctor’s wife (and has pictures to prove it – ah, sweet blackmail). Next appears Dr. Rance (Paxton Whitehead), a government official charged with evaluating Prentice’s institute, and finally a police officer, Sergeant Match (Julian Gamble), who is investigating claims that Nicholas has dallied with a group of schoolgirls. What follows is a lot of cross-dressing and Freudian babble, mostly delivered by the incomparable Whitehead, and a wrap-up that is part Dickens, part Shakespeare with a bit of deus ex machina thrown in for good measure and, oh yes, the idea that sex in a closet can save a marriage.

This was all heady, even scandalous, stuff when it first appeared – the rattling of the skeletons (and other items – or people) in the British closet. Five decades on it seems, at best, inane. The production, directed by John Tillinger, does have its moments, most of them compliments of Whitehead, who has the unique ability to be both pompous and befuddled at the same time. The rest of the cast members, many in various states of undress, do their best to make what is going on believable, but it’s an up-hill battle. Kalember, who for much of the evening is dressed as a dominatrix, has to fight against her costuming to be taken seriously, while Manton has to sell that she willingly disrobes for the doctor and then, with equal willingness, goes along with Prentice’s desperate attempts to hide the fact that he tried to seduce her. Why should she?

As the bell boy, Ghaffari has to sell that what he really wants is to become Prentice’s secretary (go figure) or maybe he’s just into blackmail, or…, Gamble is required to be oblivious to what is happening, and Stanton must be the engine that drives this ill-conceived train as it rattles and wobbles down the track.

All in all, Butler probably reads better than it plays, because with a reading you can ponder and savor much of Orton’s jabs at British society and Freudian excessiveness circa 1970 (if you care to), but a play is meant to be staged. Though there was much laughter on opening night, it was not uproarious, and looking around at the audience there were many who were silent, because much of what is happening up on the stage is simply no longer funny, if it ever was.

What the Butler Saw runs through Sept. 10. For tickets or more information call 203-227-4177 or go to www.westportplayhouse.org.

Four Characters in Search of a Plot

Quartet -- Sharon Playhouse -- Thru Aug. 28

  Greg Mullavey (Wilfred), Elizabeth Franz (Jean), 

Joseph Hindy (Reginald), and Patricia McAneny
(Cecily). Photo by Randy O'Rourke

You know how it is when you visit the old folks. They tend to ramble a bit as they weave past achievements and present problems together into a pastiche that has meaning primarily for them. You listen dutifully, for they deserve respect and attention, but there’s no avoiding a certain disconnect. Such is the case with Quartet, which recently opened at the Sharon Playhouse. You understand that what the four characters in the play are talking about is important to them, but you can’t help but wonder why it should be important to you. Perhaps this is because Ronald Harwood, the playwright, wrote a play where what is at stake seems to be little more than the pot in a penny-ante poker game.

The setting for what is essentially a drawing room play (or parlor or salon play) is a music room, pleasingly designed by Michael Schweikardt, in a retirement home for aging artists who have fallen on hard times. As the play opens we meet Reginald (Joseph Hindy), Cecily (a.k.a. “Sissy” – Patricia McAneny) and Wilfred (Greg Mullavey), all former opera singers who are fixated on an upcoming celebration at the home scheduled for Oct. 10, Giuseppe Verdi’s birthday (Sissy refers to him as “Joe Green”). The residents of the home will perform in “Joe’s” honor.

Each of the characters has minor quirks: Reginald is aloof as he seeks to find a satisfactory definition for “art”; Sissy drifts in and out of reality and often welcomes people home from Karachi, though they have not travelled beyond the confines of the home; and Wilfred strives to maintain a faux randiness that his age precludes. Into this mix comes Jean (Elizabeth Franz), a true diva who was once married (very briefly) to Reginald. Her appearance allows the three residents to consider the possibility of them performing the quartet from Verdi’s Rigoletto. Jean will initially have nothing to do with it.

Of course, there are back stories and reveals, but the back stories are not very interesting and the reveals can only elicit polite yawns, for there is nothing truly dark or devastating lurking in the background, thus there is nothing up for grabs. Hence, what director John Simpkins has to work with are four character studies of people who, in the long run, are simply not very interesting.

This is unfortunate, for the cast members have distinguished pedigrees and work hard to bring their characters to life. McAneny is engagingly ditzy as Sissy, Hindy gives us a troubled persona who maintains a façade of intellectuality, Mullavey is a wonderful “dirty old man” and Franz is an ideal diva who clings to her former glory as a drowning sailor might to a life raft. Fine performances all. Thus, the enjoyment to be found in watching Quartet emanates from style and thespian talent rather than content.

Quartet runs through Aug. 28. For tickets call (860) 364-7469 (ext. 201 in the summer/ext. 100 in the winter) or go to http://sharonplayhouse.org/theatre/tickets/

A Bifurcated "Rent"

Rent -- Ivoryton Playhouse -- Thru August 28

There’s something strange going on out at Ivoryton Playhouse. No, it’s not that the venerable establishment is boarding Jonathan Larson’s “Rent,” although the choice is a bit daring for Ivoryton. Rather, it’s that there are actually two shows up there on the stage: with the first act often unintelligible with regards to relationships and exactly what is going on, and the second act a clear, engaging exploration of relationships in extremis.

“Rent” is essentially a sung-through musical, which means there is minimum dialogue. Hence, you absolutely need to hear what is being sung by the various characters to understand what is going on (unless you’ve Googled the musical and are prepared). This seems to be the major problem in the first act – the characters are singing and interacting but, well, you often really can’t understand what they are saying, or singing. Obviously, a big problem, and it’s not one that just one person experienced.

“Rent” is, admittedly, a “loud” musical, but director Jacqueline Hubbard has done a lot to tone down the overall impact – the six-member orchestra is hidden below the stage rather than featured upper stage, as is often the case in productions of this musical (normally with stacks of amps and speakers to blow you out of your seats). Still, there’s a problem, mainly that a lot of the lyrics seem to mesh together into a “mush” of sound. Perhaps it has to do with Tate Burmeister’s sound design, or maybe everything should just be slowed down a beat or two to allow for the sung “dialogue” to register – perhaps this will happen once the production settles in.

And then, magically, the second act begins and the verbal “fog” disappears and everything becomes crystal clear and the pathos inherent in the show comes to the fore. Given the aforementioned challenges, there are a lot of fine performances up there on the stage as the cast presents an updated version of Puccini’s La Boheme, now set on the Lower East Side of Manhattan as the AIDs virus rears its ugly head.

Of special note is Alyssa Gomez’s Mimi, the doomed courtesan (if that’s what she is) who asks Roger (Johnny Newcomb) if he will light her candle as she attempts to make a human connection. Also prominent is Stephanie Genito as Maureen (her performance exudes sensuality), the lady who is sung about by her former lover, Mark (Tim Russell), and current lover, Joanne (Maritza Bostic) in “Tango: Maureen.”

One doesn’t know how long the cast and crew had for technical rehearsals, but there are some lighting problems – when the cast is arranged across the front of the stage (especially in the signature “Seasons of Love” number), those positioned extreme stage right and left are almost in the dark (perhaps they are meant to be), and often the follow spots seem to be chasing the actors rather than anticipating their movements. It’s also not obvious if some of the actors are missing their marks or the specials (instruments meant to illuminate a specific character) are not precisely positioned.

As mentioned, the second act magically comes alive. Unfortunately, on opening night, technology failed to do its job. Some in the audience might have been a bit confused as to why projections were running extreme stage right while the entire cast was gathered stage center for the moving finale. Bad directing choice? No, the computer froze and there was no way to reboot it unless the show was stopped, so the projections kept on running. Thus are the vagaries and vicissitudes of live theater.

Staging Rent is a roll of the dice for Ivoryton, given the theater’s demographics and location. In speaking with Hubbard prior to the opening night performance (after several previews), she said that she has received several e-mail protests, including one from a minister who, she said, hadn’t even seen the show. Thus, kudos to Ivoryton and Hubbard for even considering the musical, and if some first-act problems can be ironed out, the evening will be the engaging, heartfelt experience it is supposed to be. 

Rent runs through August 28. For tickets or more information call 860-767-7318 or go to www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.    

The Visible Hand

The Invisible Hand -- Westport Country Playhouse -- Thru August 6

Rajesh Bose, Fajer Kaisi, Eric Bryant and Jameal Ali
Photo by Carol Rosegg

Power corrupts. Money is the root of all evil. “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” Alas, these are all too familiar concepts, trite but true. Oh, yes, there’s another concept one might want to consider: for a play to work you have to care about what happens to the characters, and although Ayad Akhtar’s The Invisible Hand, which recently opened at the Westport Country Playhouse, certainly deals with the first three concepts, it doesn’t embrace the fourth. Thus, at least one member of the audience was left with a “So what?” feeling at the final curtain.

Set in modern day Pakistan and directed by David Kennedy, this exercise in the plight of an American banker being held hostage offers few dramatic moments and a lot of mini-scenes punctuated by blackouts that become tiresome, if for no other reason than they create the feeling that you are watching snippets of film rather than a play.

Upon entering the theater you are confronted by a blue wall jutting out at an odd angle. What, pray tell, might that be, or signify? Perhaps it has some metaphoric meaning, much as the black monolith does in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Maybe, but what it appears to represent is the fourth wall, i.e., a physical manifestation of the invisible wall that allows the audience to look into the parlor or hotel room or…well, wherever the action of the play is occurring. In this case, it disappears to reveal the room in the building where Citibank executive Nick Bright (Eric Bryant) is being held for ransom, a cool ten million dollars. Actually, his boss was the one who was supposed to be abducted, but Bashir (Fajer Kaisi) made a slight mistake so, well, when handed lemons make lemonade. Imam Saleem (Rajesh Bose) believes that Nick can, in one way or another, come up with the money that will free him. After all, Nick gave Dar (Jameal Ali), his guard, some profitable guidance on how to corner the local market on potatoes.

Yes, Nick represents the great Satan, America, and as a banker he is at the root of most of the world’s problems, initiated, as Akhtar would have it, by the Breton Woods system that made the American dollar king of currency. Yet greed is not bound by race, color or creed, for “Money makes the world go around, the world go around.” So, when Nick, charged with coming up with his ransom, starts to tutor Bashir on the intricacies of banking, stock trading, futures and currency manipulation, and the money starts rolling in, the serpent slides easily into paradise and everyone becomes tainted. So what else is new?

Akhtar has a lot to say about economics, geo-political realities and the uses and abuses of power, but in this case it probably would have been better if he had chosen to write an essay or an Op-Ed piece rather than a play, for then he wouldn’t have been tasked with the pesky necessity of creating engaging, flesh-and-blood characters that generate an emotional response from the audience, something he is perfectly capable of doing given the gripping nature of his Disgraced, which won a Pulitzer Prize and was boarded last season at Long Wharf Theatre.

The Invisible Hand is a problem play, and as such the characters deal with social issues and enter into contentious debates with each other. All well and good, but you never lose sight of the fact that the characters are puppets and that Akhtar is the puppet-master, the all but visible hand in The Invisible Hand.

The Invisible Hand runs through August 6. For tickets or more information call 203-227-4177 or go to www.westportplayhouse.org. 

A Delightful "Midsummer"

Midsummer -- Hartford Theaterworks -- Thru August 21

M. Scott McLean and Rebecca Hart

I didn’t want to leave the theater.

This review should probably end with its first sentence, but one is called upon to say more, so I shall. The subject is Midsummer, a marvelous two-hander that recently opened at Theaterworks up in Hartford, co-written by David Greig and Gordon McIntyre and directed with flair and humor by Tracy Brigden. Billed as “a play with songs,” this magical, quirky exploration of a mismatched couple’s weekend in Edinburgh offers just about everything a playgoer could ask for: humor, a bit of pathos, engaging interaction between its two stars…and a happy ending.

Those who were lucky enough to attend the recent production of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, part of this year’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, will be familiar with Greig’s work. He has a vivid imagination and relies on the actors who will portray his characters to not only set the scene but create entire worlds. Prudencia was a revelation, as is Midsummer. His writing is witty, urbane, yet tinged with romanticism.

So, what is Midsummer about? Well, Helena (Rebecca Hart), a lawyer, and Bob (M. Scott McLean) – that’s “Medium Bob,” for in the criminal netherworld he inhabits he has no prepossessing features – meet quasi-cute in a wine bar. He’s waiting to meet a contact; she’s waiting to meet a lover. Helena is jilted and looks across the room to see Bob, who’s reading Dostoevsky’s “Dead Souls” to make him feel better. She makes an overture. He responds. And so begins a weekend that will be filled with wonderful “adventures” that include bondage, a chase scene, an angst-filled first tryst, botched commitments, a lot of self-analysis and great swaths of glee for the audience as these two superb actors create multiple characters and work the “When Harry Met Sally” formula to perfection.

Midsummer is essentially meta-theater, for from the start there are comments and asides that draw attention to the play as play. Lines are delivered and then interpreted to reveal what is really being said (which allows for the smile-inducing last line of the play). The play wouldn’t work if there wasn’t chemistry between Hart and McLean, but that’s not a problem. These two actors engage each other from the moment they walk onto the stage and their characters’ week-end romance is totally believable.

Greig gives each of the actors several monologues that allow them to show their stuff, the most memorable one being Bob’s intensive discussion with…well, not his conscience. It’s a play on the idea of what, some say, men think with, and it’s hilarious.

Brigden, who directed the play previously at City Theatre in Pittsburgh, shows a deft directorial hand in multiple scenes that effortlessly flow into each other, and she, along with the two actors, shows a sensitive awareness of the importance of nuance and body language. This is enhanced by Andrew Ostrowski’s subtle yet very effective lighting and the eclectic set by Narelle Sissons that resembles the back of a barn where unwanted items have been stored, items that Hart and McLean pull out to create characters that demand the audience involve itself in theater of the mind. A tacky tiara becomes the prop that allows Helena to create the confusion of missing her sister’s wedding, and a single leather glove serves to manifest a criminal kingpin.

Midsummer is a delight from start to finish, a wonderful exercise in creative theater that demands a lot from its audience but, if the demands are met, the satisfaction is palpable. If you love theater, and if you enjoy watching two actors ply their craft with style, flair and depth, then you owe it to yourself to see Midsummer. The evening will stay with you long after the lights go down.

Midsummer runs through August 21. For tickets or more information call 860-527-7838 or go to www.theaterworkshartford.org

Floating Down the "Big River"

Big River -- Sharon Playhouse -- Thru July 31

Joseph Allen and Nicholas Ward. Photo by Randy O'Rourke

How do you respond to an impressively talented cast charged with bringing to life a mediocre musical? Well, I guess you just sit back and enjoy what’s there to be enjoyed. Yes, Big River won numerous Tonys when it opened on Broadway in 1985 (the competition was Grind, Leader of the Pack and Quilters, so…) and has had many revivals, but that doesn’t preclude the fact that it is a patchwork piece with a book by William Hauptman that is mostly monologue, based on Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, and songs by Roger Miller that often do little to move the plot forward and sometimes seem to be inserted just for the hell of it. Up at the Sharon Playhouse, director John Simpkins has done what he can to make this three-wheeled wagon roll along as entertainingly as possible. The audience was appreciative on opening night, the cast was superb, and the social issues were out there for all to see and ponder.

Okay, as you traveled through the American education system you were probably introduced to Twain’s novel, much esteemed and often vilified for, among other things, its use of the “N” word (whether you actually read the novel remains to be seen). So, you know about Huck, a barely “civilized” lad, and Jim, a runaway slave, and their trip down the Mississippi River on a raft (the river being a metaphor for being free from civilization, while what awaits on the shore is human perfidy, racism and skullduggery). It’s essentially a coming of age story, with Huck opting to defy social mores and “go to Hell” to help Jim.

The novel was written in the first person – hence the monologue form used by Hauptman. Yes, Huck tells his story, but often what might be dramatized is simply described, which leads to the musical often floating into some backwaters. Then there are the songs. The rousing “Do You Wanna Go to Heaven?” utilizes the entire cast in the opening number, and it’s a real foot-stomper, backed by a nine-piece orchestra that sounds bigger than it is. It frames Huck’s dilemma: does he accept being “civilized” or revolt? All well and good, as are the wonderful “Royal Nonesuch” number, the haunting “River in the Rain” and the risible “Guv-ment,” all of which develop character and move the plot along, but then there are the throw-aways: “Hand for the Hog,” “Arkansas,” and the totally show-stopping (the phrase used in the pejorative sense) “You Oughta Be Here with Me.”

So, the musical is flawed, but the cast is excellent. Joseph Allen, as Huck, is sprightly and ingenuous, and tells his story with just the right amount of pluck. Playing against him, Nicholas Ward, with his marvelous bass voice, is a sensitive, world-wise Jim. Yes, he plays a slave, but the essence of the musical, and the novel, is that Huck comes to realize that Jim is not property to be bought or sold but a human being, a man, and Ward ably allows for this transformation in Huck’s thinking.

Doing double duty, Travis Mitchell plays Pap, Huck’s father, with just the right amount of inebriated evil (the cabin scene is both disturbing and frightening) and the King, the purported lost son of Louis XIV, a huckster in cahoots with the Duke, Thomas Cannizzaro, who nails the fractured Hamlet soliloquy. The two cavorting in “The Royal Nonesuch” is a delight. The agile Alex Dorf creates a believable Tom Sawyer, though he might pull back a bit on the “corn-pone” delivery of lines, and Carrie Lyn Brandon is delightful as the grieving Mary Jane Wilkes. All are supported by a talented cast that brings to life the story of Huck and Jim and their journey towards friendship and understanding.

The staging, by and large, captures the feel of the period, as does the costuming by Michelle Eden Humphrey. There is, however, one head-scratcher, and that’s the use by scenic designer Josh Smith of trees (really branches) on rolling platforms to signify the land bordering the Mississippi. Each is rolled about by a cast member and is awkwardly worked into several scenes, more a distraction than anything else…and totally unnecessary. One might also have expected some projections to enhance the feel of the raft floating down the river, but perhaps it just wasn’t in the budget.

All in all, Big River is a case of a cast overcoming the limitations of the material it has to work with to deliver an enjoyable if not gripping evening of musical theater. If you don’t question some of the decisions made – like dance hall girls in full regalia suddenly appearing in a backwater Arkansas town -- and don’t mind that many of the songs, as tuneful as they are, simply don’t make much sense -- then you’ll have a good time in the lovely northwest corner of Connecticut.

Big River runs through July 31. For tickets call (860) 364-7469 (ext. 201 in the summer/ext. 100 in the winter) or go to http://sharonplayhouse.org/theatre/tickets/