"bare" frank coming of age musical opera makes its Connecticut premiere at the Opera House Players


EAST WINDSOR — In the modern rock opera “bare,” the future of musicals, in the vein of “Rent” and “Spring Awakening,” is alive and well and living at the Broad Brook Opera House.
Music and musicals have a way of expressing what is difficult for words alone to convey.
This Connecticut premiere is set in a present-day Catholic boarding school where teens deal with their burgeoning sexuality, drug abuse, and preferences under the spiritual microscope of confession, guilt, and love, with a twist.
That twist on the usual boy meets girl is that the boy meets the boy and falls in love. I hate to say much more than that, because I don’t want to give it all away, but there is a parallel to Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” a play within a play directed by the no nonsense, straight-talking Sister Chantelle, played with confidence by the saucy Melissa Paul.
She sings the hip Motown tune “911! Emergency!” dream song with backup angels Kyra and Tanya played by Gia Wright and Amanda Marschall, and the direct “God Don’t Make No Trash.”
Peter and Jason, played by Opera House regular Christopher deJongh and newcomer Tomm Knightlee, respectively, are secret lovers who are dealing with their burgeoning sexual awareness and the pressure they feel to fit into their heterosexual society.
The lyrics, by John Hartmere Jr., are sensitive and meaningful, such as when Peter satirically sings in “The Role of a Lifetime,” “You learn to play the straight man, Your lines become routine. Never really saying what you mean. But I know the scene will change, White picket fences, and a dog, … And if you dance like hell, You hope you never touch the ground. ... As we dance around and play pretend. Then once again, reprise our roles.”
Peter has no doubts about his love for Jason, but popular Jason is torn and confused and wants to hid his feelings, which lead to a lot of broken hearts.
Jason has a twin sister, Nadia, who is ostracized and feels society’s harsh judgments because she is heavy.
Both Knightlee and deJongh have strong, lyrical voices that blend nicely in duets such as “Ever After,” “Bare,” and “Queen Mab.”
Nicole Giguere, also a Opera House veteran, gives a lively and powerful performance as the wisecracking, self-depreciating, angry teen Nadia, when she sings the brazen “Plain Jane Fat Ass.” Giguere enunciates each word and can be clearly understood.
Unfortunately at times it is difficult to understand what some of the characters are singing, which is the result of the music either being too loud, or the cordless microphones not being loud enough.
A prime example is when the fine Dallas Hosmer, playing the drug-dealing student Lucas, sings the rap tune “Wonderland.” Even though his words are not intelligible, however, the performance is still compelling and interesting.
Erica Lindblad is convincing as the young attractive girl who sleeps around, but is looking for love and an emotional connection, and she really belts it out when she sings the powerful “All Grown Up.”
Smoothly directed by Philip D. Vetro, the show has subtle and organic choreography by Todd Santa Maria. The set, by Peggy Messerschmidt, is simple but functional, with a few crosses, and a bedroom on the second level behind the orchestra, with a second level behind the main stage.
There is no nudity in “bare,” but plenty of profanity and a simulated sex act, making this play definitely unsuitable for young children, but appropriate for teens.
“bare” is a risky show for community theater, but under the sensitive direction of Vetro they do an admirable job of presenting a soulful, thoughtful, and ultimately beautiful production.

BARE

Theater: Opera House Players
Location: 107 Main Street, Broad Brook
Production: Music by Damon Intrabartolo Lyrics by John Hartmere Jr. Directed by Philip D. Vetro. Musical direction by Angela J. Klimaytis. Choreography by Todd Santa Maria. Fight choreography by Mark Wantroba. Stage managers Becky Beth Benedict and Caitlin Morris. Assistant director James Rhone. Set design by Peggy Messerschmidt. Costumes by Moonyean Field and Solveig Pflueger.
Running time: 2 ½ hours including a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sept. 26.
Tickets: $21, seniors over 60 pay $17. Not recommended for children under 16 years old. Call 860-292-6068 or visit their website at www.operahouseplayers.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Christopher deJongh … Peter
Tomm Knightlee … Jason
Nichole Giguere … Nadia
Erica Lindblad … Ivy
Dallas Hosmer … Lucas
Melissa Paul … Sister Chantelle
Ty Pearson … Matt
Kathi Such … Claire
Joseph J. Martin … Priest
Maria Grove … Diane
Stephen Jewell … Alan
David Addis … Zack
Amanda Marschall … Tanya
Stephanie Layne … Rory
Gia Wright … Kyra
Leah Rosen, Michael Hornig, Aslynn Brown … Students