This review appeared in The Davis Enterprise on 3/13/07.
Monk Ferris may not exactly be a household name.
“Monk Ferris” is the nom de plume of a writer named Jack Sharkey, who started his career as a copy writer for Sears Roebuck, went on to write novels, science fiction, humor articles, and mysteries, and ultimately began writing stage plays. Prior to his death in 1992, Sharkey had written some 82 plays under his own name and four other names, one of which was Monk Ferris.
As “Mike Johnson” Sharkey wrote stage thrillers; as “Monk Ferris” he wrote comedies.
“Let’s Murder Marsha,” written in 1984 and currently running at the Winters Community Theater, under the direction of Trent Beeby, seems to be a blend of stage thriller and comedy which spoofs the world of campy murder mystery novels.
The script is never going to win any writing awards. There are lots of inconsistencies, lots of things that happen just because they need to get characters off stage for a few minutes (how many of you take your guests into the dining room “to show them where they are going to eat”?), and it seems to fizzle out in the overly long second act, but none of that mattered to the audience, which laughed appreciatively at the funny one-liners and the ludicrous situations and seemed to be having a great time.
Marsha Gilmore (Joanie Bryant) is the wife of wealthy stockbroker Tobias (Greg Lanzaro). Marsha’s secret passion is “sleazy slasher novels,” which she hides because her husband disapproves of their content. As the play opens, she is concerned because she has lost her current novel, “The Creeping Slasher,” which is overdue at the library. She enlists the aid of her maid, Bianca (Janette Dahn) and there follows a series of comings and goings and misheard conversations worthy of a French bedroom farce, which all lead to Marsha coming to the conclusion that her husband is plotting to kill her, with the assistance of his new girlfriend.
In truth, Tobias has purchased a sea plane as a birthday gift for his wife (though it is impossible to imagine the air-headed Marsha as the pilot of a plane. That is only one of the points where the audience is asked to suspend disbelief!). To assist him in the surprise, Tobias has hired interior decorator Persis Devore (Jenell Novello), to help with the design of the plane’s interior (we also aren’t sure how Tobias can be choosing upholstery the night before he is to give the plane to his wife...but let that pass too).
The cast seems unsure of whether Devore is pronounced with a silent e at the end or not and I was convinced that once she had been invited to stay for dinner, as a cover-up for the real reason why she was in the apartment, that she would be required to eat with her leather coat on, as nobody ever seemed to ask her to remove it.
The maid suggests that Marsha enlist the aid of a neighbor, Virgil Baxter (Jim Hewlett), a pharmacist who has his own secrets, with the murder of her husband, which she feels is her only defense against her own untimely demise. Baxter agrees to concoct some sort of odorless, tasteless poison which will leave no clues for police following the poisoning of Tobias and his assumed mistress.
Again there are more comings, goings, prop switches and the entrance of Marsha’s mother, Lynette Thoren (Germaine Hupe) to further confuse things.
Over the course of the evening, the cast attempts to eat dinner several times, never all at the same time (and all off stage). I lost track of whether the soup was supposed to be hot or cold, actually.
Conveniently, after Bianca accidentally drinks the poison (or so everyone thinks), her boyfriend shows up. Ben Quade (Ben Moroski) just happens to be driving a police ambulance in which he can carry whichever people need to be transported, whether for medical attention or arrest.
It’s all very silly, makes no sense whatsoever, and yet many in the audience were still chuckling as they filed out of the auditorium.
And isn’t that what theater is all about? Leaving them all entertained?
Kudos to the costume crew, which is listed as “the cast, JoAnn May, and Trent Beeby.” It was fun to see how all the colors blended with each other and with the walls and furniture of the apartment, without being obvious about it.
Showing posts with label Theatre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theatre. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
What a difference a theater makes.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is the first production to audition, rehearse and perform in the Davis Musical Theater Company’s new Hoblit Performing Arts Center, at 607 Pena Drive. Though the theater is still not completely “finished,” and though the smell of paint still permeates the nostrils, there is already a sense that production values for DMTC are on the rise.
For one thing, there are marvelous new programs, designed by Heather Sheridan and Dannette Vasser, with real photos and cast bios included, something I’ve been asking for for years.
For another thing, the set (designed by Director Michael Miiller) looks like something built for the theater, not something built to be moved in and out quickly in the last week before opening. There is a strong, sturdy back wall, with 12 inset stained glass windows, representing the 12 Tribes of Israel, and a large double door through which central characters make their appearance, as from a dream, on a cloud of smoke. And there is a marvelous kalaidoscope of colorful geometric shapes on the stage floor. Before the first notes of the overture float up from the new orchestra pit, the audience has a lovely visual to take in.
“Joseph” was never intended to become the runaway hit that it has become. It was a 20 minute throw-away piece, written in 1968 to be performed by a London school group. It was not until 1973 that it was expanded into a full West End production and has now broken box office records around the world. The Guinness Book of World Records lists “Joseph” as the longest running touring musical production.
This is a show which can easily be a full blown musical with all sorts of special effects, or something a bit more modest to suit the constraints of a community theater such as the Davis Musical Theater Company.
As the title suggests, this is the story of Joseph (Ryan Adame), favorite son of Jacob (Rich Kulmann) and his wife (Julie Kulmann) and the jealousy of his 12 brothers, which lead them to sell their brother into slavery and convince their father that he had been killed, only to have Joseph become, by a series of curious circumstances, the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. It is all told in a manner that was designed to entertain children. Bible stories lite.
“Joseph” cannot succeed without a strong narrator, who becomes both story-teller in the here and now and participant in the “back then” parts of the show. Andrea Eve Thorpe, last season’s Evita, handles the job masterfully and director Miiller has given her fun things to do. She looks beautiful, interacts delightfully with the children, and has that spark that makes you keep watching. It doesn’t hurt that she sings well too!
Ryan Adame as Joseph seemed to be having difficulty in spots getting the right key at the start of some of his songs, but he managed to get back on track handled the role well.
There is a small, but enthusiastic children’s chorus: Andrew Lampinen, Cass Olson, Lisa Parente, Rachel Pinto, Sara Pinto, Kaylynn Rothleder, Rebecca Rudy, Meghan Vanderford and the cute-as-a-button Linnea Lampinen, the youngest of the group.
Robert Coverdell, as brother Isaacher, does a wonderful rendition of the western hit, One More Angel in Heaven and has a striking on-stage presence, even when part of the ensemble.
Mike Jones was a commanding Pharoah, “The King.” His entrance lacked the pizzazz of the last time DMTC performed this musical, but he still made an impact and really got into his character.
Director Michael Miiller was also the show’s choreographer and created some nice visuals, particularly for the dancing wives, Marisa Casillas, Kris Farhood, Dian Hoel, Helen Spangler and Julia Spangler.
Jeannie Henderson outdid herself with the costumes, which ranged from blue sequined mini-skirts for the Egyptian wives to something so colorful and eclectic that it could have come from the costume shop of the old “Laugh-In” TV show.
As the cast took their bows and patrons began to leave the theater, perhaps a new DMTC tradition was born. Most of the audience gathered around the fence to the orchestra pit and stood there listening to what was almost an impromptu concert. The size of the crowd as they applauded at the conclusion seemed to be a surprise to conductor/keyboardist Eric Daniels.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat works well at the Hoblit Performing Arts Center and is a fun way to use all of the new DMTC toys to their best capacity.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is the first production to audition, rehearse and perform in the Davis Musical Theater Company’s new Hoblit Performing Arts Center, at 607 Pena Drive. Though the theater is still not completely “finished,” and though the smell of paint still permeates the nostrils, there is already a sense that production values for DMTC are on the rise.
For one thing, there are marvelous new programs, designed by Heather Sheridan and Dannette Vasser, with real photos and cast bios included, something I’ve been asking for for years.
For another thing, the set (designed by Director Michael Miiller) looks like something built for the theater, not something built to be moved in and out quickly in the last week before opening. There is a strong, sturdy back wall, with 12 inset stained glass windows, representing the 12 Tribes of Israel, and a large double door through which central characters make their appearance, as from a dream, on a cloud of smoke. And there is a marvelous kalaidoscope of colorful geometric shapes on the stage floor. Before the first notes of the overture float up from the new orchestra pit, the audience has a lovely visual to take in.
“Joseph” was never intended to become the runaway hit that it has become. It was a 20 minute throw-away piece, written in 1968 to be performed by a London school group. It was not until 1973 that it was expanded into a full West End production and has now broken box office records around the world. The Guinness Book of World Records lists “Joseph” as the longest running touring musical production.
This is a show which can easily be a full blown musical with all sorts of special effects, or something a bit more modest to suit the constraints of a community theater such as the Davis Musical Theater Company.
As the title suggests, this is the story of Joseph (Ryan Adame), favorite son of Jacob (Rich Kulmann) and his wife (Julie Kulmann) and the jealousy of his 12 brothers, which lead them to sell their brother into slavery and convince their father that he had been killed, only to have Joseph become, by a series of curious circumstances, the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. It is all told in a manner that was designed to entertain children. Bible stories lite.
“Joseph” cannot succeed without a strong narrator, who becomes both story-teller in the here and now and participant in the “back then” parts of the show. Andrea Eve Thorpe, last season’s Evita, handles the job masterfully and director Miiller has given her fun things to do. She looks beautiful, interacts delightfully with the children, and has that spark that makes you keep watching. It doesn’t hurt that she sings well too!
Ryan Adame as Joseph seemed to be having difficulty in spots getting the right key at the start of some of his songs, but he managed to get back on track handled the role well.
There is a small, but enthusiastic children’s chorus: Andrew Lampinen, Cass Olson, Lisa Parente, Rachel Pinto, Sara Pinto, Kaylynn Rothleder, Rebecca Rudy, Meghan Vanderford and the cute-as-a-button Linnea Lampinen, the youngest of the group.
Robert Coverdell, as brother Isaacher, does a wonderful rendition of the western hit, One More Angel in Heaven and has a striking on-stage presence, even when part of the ensemble.
Mike Jones was a commanding Pharoah, “The King.” His entrance lacked the pizzazz of the last time DMTC performed this musical, but he still made an impact and really got into his character.
Director Michael Miiller was also the show’s choreographer and created some nice visuals, particularly for the dancing wives, Marisa Casillas, Kris Farhood, Dian Hoel, Helen Spangler and Julia Spangler.
Jeannie Henderson outdid herself with the costumes, which ranged from blue sequined mini-skirts for the Egyptian wives to something so colorful and eclectic that it could have come from the costume shop of the old “Laugh-In” TV show.
As the cast took their bows and patrons began to leave the theater, perhaps a new DMTC tradition was born. Most of the audience gathered around the fence to the orchestra pit and stood there listening to what was almost an impromptu concert. The size of the crowd as they applauded at the conclusion seemed to be a surprise to conductor/keyboardist Eric Daniels.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat works well at the Hoblit Performing Arts Center and is a fun way to use all of the new DMTC toys to their best capacity.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Metamorphoses
When Acme Theater company says “limited seating” for its new production, Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses, directed by Emily Henderson, they mean it.
The company has closed off all of the Veterans Memorial theater seating area and 80 chairs are placed around the perimeter of the stage, encircling a pool of water in, on, and around which all the action takes place. It may be the most unusual staging of an Acme show yet, though the pool is essential for this play and gives plenty of opportunity for water fights, boat rides, and floating dead bodies.
There are no credits for “set design” or for “lighting design,” though the set crew is headed by Anthony Pinto and the light crew by Zack Leuchars. The dramatic lighting was essential to creating the mood and was carried out beautifully. The smoke and steam was handled better than I’ve seen in a long time.
The printed program could have used some clarification and because I know that I’m not going to remember everyone who played each part (both because not all the parts are named, and because not all the character names are obvious), I will list the members of his excellent cast alphabetically in case I happen to leave anyone out in the review itself. Each plays several parts (and therein lies the confusion!)
Isaac Aldous, Camille Beaumont, Victoria Gimpelevich, Ernie Hernandez, Zack Leuchars, Alexandra n Moreno, Anthony Pinto, Tatiana Ray, Emily Tracy, Josh van Eyken, Celsiana Warwick and Dara Yazdani.
“Metamorphoses” is a 90 minute play which recounts several of the tales of Ovid, the overall message of which, I think, is “don’t go messing around with any gods.”
The show opens with the story of King Midas (Dara Yazdani, who just gets better and better with each production he does) who is granted one wish and foolishly (against the advice of the god Bacchus (Zack Leuchars)) wishes for everything he touches to turn to gold. Of course, he regrets his decision when his young daughter is turned to gold, and he sets off on a quest to find a way to reverse the wish.
In Alcyone & Ceyx, Ceyx (Isaac Aldous) sets out to sea against the pleas of his lover Alcyone (Celsiana Warwick). A sea voyage and a sea battle allow for lots of splashing about in the pool and dead bodies floating on the water. The tale does not exactly have a tragic ending, however, as the lovers are turned into sea birds and fly off to spend all eternity together.
Perhaps the high point of the show is the delightful Phaeton, with Ernie Hernandez as the son of Apollo and a mortal woman. This family has definitely put the “fun” in dysfunctional. Phaeton is meeting with his psychiatrist talking about how hard it is to convince all the other kids that his Dad is really the sun god. He talks Daddy out of the car keys and takes off with his car...with disastrous results. Hernandez is delightful, proving that young gods can be just as petulant and whiney as young humans.
Special note should be made of Anthony Pinto (as “Zeus and others”), who is always outstanding and of Victoria Gimpelevich, who has several of the smaller roles and stands out in each of her scenes (she also wields a mean squeegee).
The final story of Baucis and Philemon, a humble couple with more charity in their hearts than any of their richer neighbors, ends with a beautiful scene of floating of candles on the surface of the pool, and very nicely brings the whole collection full circle.
With Emily Henderson at the helm as director, the transition from Acme founder Dave Burmester to the next generation is well in hand. Henderson could learn a bit about directing for theater in the round. I missed the entire brief tale of Pandora because all the action was directed to the opposite side of the stage and I could barely see the box, much less what was going on, but even some of the local long-term directors in the form have difficulty with theater in the round, so she’s in good company. For the most part, the direction was expertly done, and Acme’s reins are in good hands.
The company has closed off all of the Veterans Memorial theater seating area and 80 chairs are placed around the perimeter of the stage, encircling a pool of water in, on, and around which all the action takes place. It may be the most unusual staging of an Acme show yet, though the pool is essential for this play and gives plenty of opportunity for water fights, boat rides, and floating dead bodies.
There are no credits for “set design” or for “lighting design,” though the set crew is headed by Anthony Pinto and the light crew by Zack Leuchars. The dramatic lighting was essential to creating the mood and was carried out beautifully. The smoke and steam was handled better than I’ve seen in a long time.
The printed program could have used some clarification and because I know that I’m not going to remember everyone who played each part (both because not all the parts are named, and because not all the character names are obvious), I will list the members of his excellent cast alphabetically in case I happen to leave anyone out in the review itself. Each plays several parts (and therein lies the confusion!)
Isaac Aldous, Camille Beaumont, Victoria Gimpelevich, Ernie Hernandez, Zack Leuchars, Alexandra n Moreno, Anthony Pinto, Tatiana Ray, Emily Tracy, Josh van Eyken, Celsiana Warwick and Dara Yazdani.
“Metamorphoses” is a 90 minute play which recounts several of the tales of Ovid, the overall message of which, I think, is “don’t go messing around with any gods.”
The show opens with the story of King Midas (Dara Yazdani, who just gets better and better with each production he does) who is granted one wish and foolishly (against the advice of the god Bacchus (Zack Leuchars)) wishes for everything he touches to turn to gold. Of course, he regrets his decision when his young daughter is turned to gold, and he sets off on a quest to find a way to reverse the wish.
In Alcyone & Ceyx, Ceyx (Isaac Aldous) sets out to sea against the pleas of his lover Alcyone (Celsiana Warwick). A sea voyage and a sea battle allow for lots of splashing about in the pool and dead bodies floating on the water. The tale does not exactly have a tragic ending, however, as the lovers are turned into sea birds and fly off to spend all eternity together.
Perhaps the high point of the show is the delightful Phaeton, with Ernie Hernandez as the son of Apollo and a mortal woman. This family has definitely put the “fun” in dysfunctional. Phaeton is meeting with his psychiatrist talking about how hard it is to convince all the other kids that his Dad is really the sun god. He talks Daddy out of the car keys and takes off with his car...with disastrous results. Hernandez is delightful, proving that young gods can be just as petulant and whiney as young humans.
Special note should be made of Anthony Pinto (as “Zeus and others”), who is always outstanding and of Victoria Gimpelevich, who has several of the smaller roles and stands out in each of her scenes (she also wields a mean squeegee).
The final story of Baucis and Philemon, a humble couple with more charity in their hearts than any of their richer neighbors, ends with a beautiful scene of floating of candles on the surface of the pool, and very nicely brings the whole collection full circle.
With Emily Henderson at the helm as director, the transition from Acme founder Dave Burmester to the next generation is well in hand. Henderson could learn a bit about directing for theater in the round. I missed the entire brief tale of Pandora because all the action was directed to the opposite side of the stage and I could barely see the box, much less what was going on, but even some of the local long-term directors in the form have difficulty with theater in the round, so she’s in good company. For the most part, the direction was expertly done, and Acme’s reins are in good hands.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Christmas Story
It was 25 years ago, in December of 1985, when a group of theater folk in Winters, with $37 to their name, decided to put on a show. This led to the founding of the Winters Community Theater, which, 25 years later, has 131 productions under its belt. More than 900 people have been involved in WCT shows, either on stage or behind the scenes, over the past 25 years. In many cases this may involve several generations of a family..
The Winters Community Theater is never going to make any splash in any big theatrical arena, but you couldn’t find more pride or more sincerity in a group anywhere. From the big smiles and hearty welcomes that patrons receive, to the cheesecake and champagne served on opening night, to the great support that the audiences give to the cast on stage. Opening night audiences seem to be comprised mostly of friends or relatives of the cast. It’s like the Davis Comic Opera Company in its early years, and it’s a real feel good night of theater.
I had never heard of the Winters Community Theater before I became a critic, but in the past five years I have seen many productions, some better than others. I had been warned that the current production, “A Christmas Story” was “a little rough still,” so I was prepared for anything.
To my delight, this production of Jean Shepherd’s delightful Christmas classic is one of the better productions I’ve seen from this company. With 19 characters, played by 12 actors, seven of whom are children, this may be one of the larger shows presented by this company. Director Howard Hupe has made some excellent casting choices.
Mark Dahn, in the role of the adult Ralph was a joy to watch as the play progresses. The adult Ralph acts as the narrator of this story about one special Christmas memory from his childhood, a child of the 1940s. Dahn was fine as the play began, but as his rapport with the audience grew, he relaxed in his part and was delightful to watch.
Brandon Emery was perfect as the 9 year old Ralphie, the boy whose one dream for Christmas was an official, Red Ryder, Carbine-action, 200-Shot, Range Model, Air Rifle. Brandon fantasizes meetings with Red Ryder himself and campaigns to convince his parents to get him the rifle for Christmas, though his mother (Gina Wingard) poo-poo’s the idea with every mother’s perennial excuse, “You’ll put your eye out.”
Wingard flawlessly portrays a wife and mother of the 40s, constantly putting on her apron, cooking dinner for her family, showing she’s really smarter than her husband, while at the same time making her husband feel the head of the household, though it is really she who runs the place.
Trent Beeby is Ralphie’s father. This “Old Man” is straight out of a 50s sitcom, in the best tradition of an Ozzie Nelson, a man who is head of the household, but who still can’t quite get it right most of the time, whether it’s the house furnace, or car problems, or the dogs next door who are out to get him.
Ralphie’s younger brother, Randy (Loren Tolley) is cute as a button, with terrific facial expressions. and a comfortable stage presence. When Mother wraps him up in many layers to go out and play in the snow, he looks like a character out of SouthPark.
Ralphie’s best friends, Flick (Tommy Halbach) and Schwartz (Andrew Gonzales) may have been a bit stilted in their line delivery, but it more came across as the way that a group of 9 year olds might have interacted with each other. Halbach is particularly funny in the tongue-on-the-light pole scene.
Lauren Hupe is Esther Jane, with a huge crush on Ralphie. Lauren and her sister (I assume), Elaina, are third generation Winters Theater actors, doing a good job of carrying on the family tradition.
Helen (Olivia Orosco) is another classmate, having the opportunity to perform on stage with her father, Rodney Orosco, a Big Elf in the Santa scene.
Cori Beeby’s height makes her an imposing bully to the shorter boys, though with her hair tucked under her hat, she easily passes for a boy.
Jim Hewlett plays several roles: Santa Claus, The Cowboy, the Tree Lot Owner, the Delivery Man and the Neighbor. He is best as the cowboy in the conversations with Ralphie.
Additional children in the cast are Elaina Hupe, William Halbach (another third-generation actor) and Trichelle Leslie. Ralphie’s teacher is Joann May.
Howard Hupe has directed this delightful Christmas pastiche. It’s a bright, witty script and the cast delivers it well. It’s worth the trip out to Winters to get your holiday season started with an classic story told lovingly by this dedicated group of thespians.
The Winters Community Theater is never going to make any splash in any big theatrical arena, but you couldn’t find more pride or more sincerity in a group anywhere. From the big smiles and hearty welcomes that patrons receive, to the cheesecake and champagne served on opening night, to the great support that the audiences give to the cast on stage. Opening night audiences seem to be comprised mostly of friends or relatives of the cast. It’s like the Davis Comic Opera Company in its early years, and it’s a real feel good night of theater.
I had never heard of the Winters Community Theater before I became a critic, but in the past five years I have seen many productions, some better than others. I had been warned that the current production, “A Christmas Story” was “a little rough still,” so I was prepared for anything.
To my delight, this production of Jean Shepherd’s delightful Christmas classic is one of the better productions I’ve seen from this company. With 19 characters, played by 12 actors, seven of whom are children, this may be one of the larger shows presented by this company. Director Howard Hupe has made some excellent casting choices.
Mark Dahn, in the role of the adult Ralph was a joy to watch as the play progresses. The adult Ralph acts as the narrator of this story about one special Christmas memory from his childhood, a child of the 1940s. Dahn was fine as the play began, but as his rapport with the audience grew, he relaxed in his part and was delightful to watch.
Brandon Emery was perfect as the 9 year old Ralphie, the boy whose one dream for Christmas was an official, Red Ryder, Carbine-action, 200-Shot, Range Model, Air Rifle. Brandon fantasizes meetings with Red Ryder himself and campaigns to convince his parents to get him the rifle for Christmas, though his mother (Gina Wingard) poo-poo’s the idea with every mother’s perennial excuse, “You’ll put your eye out.”
Wingard flawlessly portrays a wife and mother of the 40s, constantly putting on her apron, cooking dinner for her family, showing she’s really smarter than her husband, while at the same time making her husband feel the head of the household, though it is really she who runs the place.
Trent Beeby is Ralphie’s father. This “Old Man” is straight out of a 50s sitcom, in the best tradition of an Ozzie Nelson, a man who is head of the household, but who still can’t quite get it right most of the time, whether it’s the house furnace, or car problems, or the dogs next door who are out to get him.
Ralphie’s younger brother, Randy (Loren Tolley) is cute as a button, with terrific facial expressions. and a comfortable stage presence. When Mother wraps him up in many layers to go out and play in the snow, he looks like a character out of SouthPark.
Ralphie’s best friends, Flick (Tommy Halbach) and Schwartz (Andrew Gonzales) may have been a bit stilted in their line delivery, but it more came across as the way that a group of 9 year olds might have interacted with each other. Halbach is particularly funny in the tongue-on-the-light pole scene.
Lauren Hupe is Esther Jane, with a huge crush on Ralphie. Lauren and her sister (I assume), Elaina, are third generation Winters Theater actors, doing a good job of carrying on the family tradition.
Helen (Olivia Orosco) is another classmate, having the opportunity to perform on stage with her father, Rodney Orosco, a Big Elf in the Santa scene.
Cori Beeby’s height makes her an imposing bully to the shorter boys, though with her hair tucked under her hat, she easily passes for a boy.
Jim Hewlett plays several roles: Santa Claus, The Cowboy, the Tree Lot Owner, the Delivery Man and the Neighbor. He is best as the cowboy in the conversations with Ralphie.
Additional children in the cast are Elaina Hupe, William Halbach (another third-generation actor) and Trichelle Leslie. Ralphie’s teacher is Joann May.
Howard Hupe has directed this delightful Christmas pastiche. It’s a bright, witty script and the cast delivers it well. It’s worth the trip out to Winters to get your holiday season started with an classic story told lovingly by this dedicated group of thespians.
Friday, December 02, 2005
A Christmas Carol
What better way to usher in the Christmas season than with a production of “A Christmas Carol” or two? If you’re only going to see one version of “A Christmas Carol” this year, it should definitely be the production currently entertaining audiences at the Sacramento Theater Company, directed by Philip Charles Sneed, through December 24.
This musical adaption of the Charles Dickens’ classic was written by Richard Helleson and then-STC resident composer, David de Berry and orchestral “reconstruction” by Gregg Coffin. With a cast of 39, this is a holiday extravaganza certain to add a sprig of holly to the hardest of hearts.
This play is structured so that narration, straight out of the pages of the original, overlaps with the action, and the narration is delivered by actors who also move the set pieces around the stage as they verbally set up the next scene. The music is not intrusive, but adds just the right touch at just the right moment. The accompaniment is pre-recorded.
The utilitarian set designed by UCD graduate John Klonowski (with complementary lighting by designer Victor En Yu Tan) is gloomy, as befits a ghost story. There is just the right touch of fog to make it look spooky without engulfing the actors, which happened last year.
New to the Sacramento Theater Company is Richard Farrell in the role of everybody’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge. Farrell is fresh from eight seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and gives Scrooge just the right touch--just enough grit and growl without being over the top. His transformation at the conclusion of the story is delightful.
As Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s long-dead partner, David Silberman is a marvelously ghastly ghost, rattling his chains and issuing dire warnings to his old friend, as he tells Ebenezer that he will be visited by three ghosts who will try to help him see the mistakes he has made throughout his life.
(Aside: Marley says they will come every night for 3 nights at 1 a.m....however, it appears that they all come in one night, since the action begins on Christmas Eve and ends Christmas morning. However, I quibble.)
Suzanne Irving, another member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, appears as the Ghost of Christmas Past, an ethereal looking wisp of a thing to guide Scrooge through the happier moments of his early life, as a child in boarding school (played by either Aubrey Harwell or Dylan Sneed). As Ebenezer watches his young sister Fan (Paige Silvester, repeating the role she played a year ago) singing “Home at Christmastide,” there is a brief softening of his heart as he remembers the young beggar child (Rebecca Scott) whom he shunned the day before. (Scott has a wonderfully strong voice as she opens the show with “Advent Carol.”)
Scrooge visits himself as a young apprentice (Matt Moore) to the ebullient Fezziwig (J.T. Holmstrom, who appears later as the Ghost of Christmas Present), and as the young man whose burgeoning love of money forces a break-up with his beloved Belle (Maggie Roesser, who later also plays Martha Cratchit).
Davis audiences will recognize Ebenezer, the young man, as Andrew Conard, who has delighted Acme Theater audiences for several years.
Holmstrom returns as the jovial Ghost of Christmas Present and accompanies Ebenezer to the home of his nephew (Michael Claudio), a man of modest means but whose heart seems full of love for every, even his miserly uncle.
At the home of his long-suffering clerk, Bob Cratchit (Allen Pontes) and his wife (another role for Suzanne Irving) Ebenezer has another tug at his heartstrings as he watches the crippled Tiny Tim (Christian Salmon). Others in the Cratchit family are Corey Porter as Peter, Alena Rose as Belinda, Aubrey Harwell as Edward, and Roesser as Martha.
The funereal Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Thomas J. Engstrom) doesn’t say much, but makes a lasting impression.
Charles Dickens described the holidays as “a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”
As we move forward through this holiday season may we, like Scrooge, take those words to heart and be a little more kind, a little more forgiving, and a little more loving toward those around us.
Sacramento Theater Company’s “Christmas Carol” should be on everyone’s list of things to do to enhance their holiday spirit.
This musical adaption of the Charles Dickens’ classic was written by Richard Helleson and then-STC resident composer, David de Berry and orchestral “reconstruction” by Gregg Coffin. With a cast of 39, this is a holiday extravaganza certain to add a sprig of holly to the hardest of hearts.
This play is structured so that narration, straight out of the pages of the original, overlaps with the action, and the narration is delivered by actors who also move the set pieces around the stage as they verbally set up the next scene. The music is not intrusive, but adds just the right touch at just the right moment. The accompaniment is pre-recorded.
The utilitarian set designed by UCD graduate John Klonowski (with complementary lighting by designer Victor En Yu Tan) is gloomy, as befits a ghost story. There is just the right touch of fog to make it look spooky without engulfing the actors, which happened last year.
New to the Sacramento Theater Company is Richard Farrell in the role of everybody’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge. Farrell is fresh from eight seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and gives Scrooge just the right touch--just enough grit and growl without being over the top. His transformation at the conclusion of the story is delightful.
As Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s long-dead partner, David Silberman is a marvelously ghastly ghost, rattling his chains and issuing dire warnings to his old friend, as he tells Ebenezer that he will be visited by three ghosts who will try to help him see the mistakes he has made throughout his life.
(Aside: Marley says they will come every night for 3 nights at 1 a.m....however, it appears that they all come in one night, since the action begins on Christmas Eve and ends Christmas morning. However, I quibble.)
Suzanne Irving, another member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, appears as the Ghost of Christmas Past, an ethereal looking wisp of a thing to guide Scrooge through the happier moments of his early life, as a child in boarding school (played by either Aubrey Harwell or Dylan Sneed). As Ebenezer watches his young sister Fan (Paige Silvester, repeating the role she played a year ago) singing “Home at Christmastide,” there is a brief softening of his heart as he remembers the young beggar child (Rebecca Scott) whom he shunned the day before. (Scott has a wonderfully strong voice as she opens the show with “Advent Carol.”)
Scrooge visits himself as a young apprentice (Matt Moore) to the ebullient Fezziwig (J.T. Holmstrom, who appears later as the Ghost of Christmas Present), and as the young man whose burgeoning love of money forces a break-up with his beloved Belle (Maggie Roesser, who later also plays Martha Cratchit).
Davis audiences will recognize Ebenezer, the young man, as Andrew Conard, who has delighted Acme Theater audiences for several years.
Holmstrom returns as the jovial Ghost of Christmas Present and accompanies Ebenezer to the home of his nephew (Michael Claudio), a man of modest means but whose heart seems full of love for every, even his miserly uncle.
At the home of his long-suffering clerk, Bob Cratchit (Allen Pontes) and his wife (another role for Suzanne Irving) Ebenezer has another tug at his heartstrings as he watches the crippled Tiny Tim (Christian Salmon). Others in the Cratchit family are Corey Porter as Peter, Alena Rose as Belinda, Aubrey Harwell as Edward, and Roesser as Martha.
The funereal Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Thomas J. Engstrom) doesn’t say much, but makes a lasting impression.
Charles Dickens described the holidays as “a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”
As we move forward through this holiday season may we, like Scrooge, take those words to heart and be a little more kind, a little more forgiving, and a little more loving toward those around us.
Sacramento Theater Company’s “Christmas Carol” should be on everyone’s list of things to do to enhance their holiday spirit.
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