"West Side Story" a nostalgic classic at the Bushnell

HARTFORD — As times change, it’s amazing how they stay the same. “West Side Story,” playing at the Bushnell through Sunday, was originally produced on Broadway in 1957, and deals with conflicts between races that are still an issue today.

by Kory Loucks


This musical, with fantastic songs by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, are classic, including “Maria,” “I Feel Pretty,” “America,” “One Hand, One Heart,” and “Tonight.”

Interestingly, when the idea for the musical was first conceived, Jerome Robbins, who created the original choreography and directed the original production, had envisioned the trouble being between Jews and Catholics during Passover in the Lower East Side of New York City.

It wasn’t until the recently deceased Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book for the show, came up with the idea of having the conflict be between the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks, and White gang, the Jets, that the show took shape and became the classic musical that it is today.

The story is a modern-day version of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” where a white boy, Tony, and a Puerto Rican girl, Maria, meet at a dance and fall in love, complete with a balcony (here a fire escape), but become star-crossed lovers when their worlds collide.

Kyle Harris plays the love-struck Tony with passion and a fine clear voice, although sometimes, particularly in the beginning, he swallowed the higher notes.

Ali Ewoldt is excellent as the youthful Maria, and possesses a gorgeous strong sound. Ewoldt and Harris’s duet “Tonight” is gorgeous.

Michelle Aravena plays the sassy Anita, the Hispanic gal who’s in love with Maria’s brother, the macho Bernardo, played by the sexy German Santiago.

Here, the Puerto Ricans seem to have the stronger sense of family and dignity, while the white boys come across as nasty punks who attempt a gang rape.

I wasn’t sure by the costumes what era we were in. The Hispanic gals all wore brightly colored dresses with full skirts, clearly reminiscent of the 1950s, but the white boys were dressed in clothes that could pass for today, with jeans and button-down shirts. It was a little confusing. I say pick an era and stick with it. Costume design by David C. Woolard.

The choreography, reproduced by Joey McKneely, is clearly in line with the original ballet style of Robbins that works so well with the music. It reminds me of Martha Graham’s modern dance ballet “Appalachian Spring,” with the angular lines, twirls, and swirling movements.

The problem with this style then and now is, ballet is all about romance and feels incompatible with brawling rough and tumble action.

The fight scenes also lacked a feeling of authenticity and felt very stylized, which is fine, but it seems that they appeared authentic at times and stylized at others, which was confusing.

The sets by James Youmans, with wrought iron balconies, fire escapes, and bridge girders, were true to the New York City location and added a sense of place.

The lighting, designed by Howell Binkley was serviceable, but the spotlights on the stars were wobbly and unsure. Here’s hoping the spotlight operators get their cues down before the show closes Sunday.

There’s a lot of sexual innuendo and some violent sexual scenes that might be a bit much for the very young.

Stage review

3 1/2 stars

"West Side Story"

Theater: The William H. Mortensen Hall at the Bushnell Memorial Center.

Location: 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford.

Production: Book by Arthur Laurents. Music by Leonard Bernstein. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Directed by David Saint. Choreography originally by Jerome Robbins, reproduced by Joey McKneely. Musical supervision by Patrick Vaccariello. Scenic design by James Youmans. Costume design by David C. Woolard. Lighting design by Howell Binkley. Sound design by Dan Moses Schreier. Music direction by John O’Neill.

Running time: 2½ hours including a 15-minute intermission.

Show times: Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Matinee performances Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., through Sunday, May 29.

Tickets: From $89 to $381. Call 860-987-5900 or visit the Bushnell website at www.bushnell.org

Actor.................CHARACTER
Ali Ewoldt .............................................… Maria
Kyle Harris ..............................................… Tony
Michelle Aravena …................................. Anita
Joseph J. Simeone .................................… Riff
German Santiago .........................… Bernardo
John O’Creagh ........................................… Doc
Mike Broland .....................................… Krupke

4 stars Excellent; 3 stars Good; 2 stars Fair; 1 star Poor

1/2 star designates half-rating higher

Photo: Kyle Harris and Ali Ewoldt as Tony and Maria in "West Side Story" at the Bushnell through Sunday.

credit: Joan Marcus

“Ragtime” a nostalgic trip in time at the Broad Brook Opera House

by Kory Loucks

EAST WINDSOR-What a difference a century makes. The Broad Brook Opera House production of “Ragtime” is a musical journey of plangent nostalgia to the early 1900s when Henry Ford’s Model T was transforming the landscape, and immigrants, blacks, and the white bourgeoisie were clashing and melding in that great melting pot known as America.
This show features 25 performers lead with strong direction by Sharon FitzHenry, who also did the limited choreography for the show.
Based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel by the same name, this musical looks at the three different groups represented by a rich white family from New Rochelle, blacks from Harlem, a immigrants among many others, including the rich and famous of the day.
They all have their travails, and their problems intermingle. Mother, played with heart by Sue Dziura, has an wandering husband (J.J. Martin) who leaves her home alone. She finds an abandoned black baby, belonging to Sarah, a woman whose lover, Coalhouse, treated her badly.
Mother takes Sarah and the child into her home. Complications ensue when the contrite and determined Coalhouse, a musician in Harlem, tries to woo her back again.
Chae-vonne Munroe plays Sarah and Jerrial Young is Coalhouse, and the two who sing many songs together, are magical. Their voices are plaintive, and soulful.
Meantime, a new Latavian immigrant, Tateh, played by Luis Manzi, along with his little girl, played by the pixie Maeve Jordan, come to the new world with great hopes, only to live in abject poverty. Manzi has an good solid voice, and a fine accent.
Recognizable famous names are mixed into the group, including JP Morgan (David Climo, who also plays Admiral Perry), Henry Ford (Matthew Falkowski Sr.), Booker T. Washingon (Joshua Thompson), and Houdini (Andrew Small).
In addition are two who were well-known in their day, include the anarchist and political activist Emma Newirth (a terrific Jayne Newirth), the infamous vaudeville star Evelyn Nesbitt (the petulant Sara Steiner).
It’s a shame not to mention each and every actor, because they are all very good. When this show first ran on Broadway in 1998, the compliant was that the set overwhelmed the show. Here, the simple set, by FitzHenry, of an abstract American Flag, is the perfect backdrop for the show.
I love how FitzHenry uses simple chairs to depict scenes, such as in the Lawrence, Mass. mill where Tateh and his daughter work long hours for little pay.
The period costumes, by costume designer Moonyean Field, deserves special mention, because they are numerous, detailed, and beautiful, and they add a lot to the authentic feeling of this musical.
There is some strong, racist language, which is disturbing, but appropriate for this show. It’s not all good times and happy songs, but a depiction of a time and place that feels true to our shared heritage.

More than once during this show I had a visceral reaction of pleasurable chills from the impact of the powerful and moving music, notably during “New Music” sung by Mother, Father, Younger Brother, Coalhouse, and Sarah.

It’s an important story of intolerance, understanding, growth, and success, that speaks to our common and unique experience as Americans. I highly recommend “Ragtime,” playing through Sunday.

4 stars
(4 stars, excellent; 3 stars, good, 2 stars, fair, 1 star, poor)
Theater: Opera House Players
Location: 107 Main Street, Broad Brook
Production: Music by Stephen Flaherty. Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Book by Terrance McNally. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel “Ragtime.” Direction, choreography, scene design, and painting by Sharon FitzHenry. Musical direction by Bill Martin. Stage manager Paul Leone. Costumes by Moonyean Field.
Running time: 3 hours including a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday.
Tickets: $21, $17 for seniors over 60 and students under 12. Call 860-292-6068 or visit their website at www.operahouseplayers.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Jerrial Young … Coalhouse
Chae-vonne Munroe … Sarah
Luis Manzi … Tateh
Sue Dziura … Mother
J.J. Martin … Father
Sara Steiner … Evelyn Nesbitt
Jayne Newirth … Emma Goldman
Andrew Small … Houdini
Jonathan Simmons … Young Brother
Joshua Thompson … Booker T. Washington
Matthew “Sparky” Falkowski … Little Boy
Maeve Jordan … Little Girl
Moonyean Field … Grandmother
Reva Kleppel … Brigit
Khara Hoyer … Kathleen, Sob sister
Matthew Falkowski Sr. … Henry Ford
David Climo … JP Morgan, Admiral Perry
Stephanie Foster … Sarah’s friend
Erica Romeo … Sarah’s friend, Sob Sister
Anthony Coleman … Coalhouse’s friend, Conductor
Issa Best … Coalhouse’s friend, Hensen
Jessica Serra … Sob Sister
Mike May … Police
Jonathan Trecker … Conklin
Kason Sheffield … Young Coalhouse

Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” an ambitious drama at the Valley Repertory Company

ENFIELD-The Valley Repertory Company gets an “A” for effort for taking on the challenge of producing Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy “Romeo and Juliet.”

Some might call it brave, others foolhardy to take on the bard, but thanks to a talented cast and strong direction by Jeffrey Flood, they pulled it off.

Few plays showcase a director’s choice more than Shakespeare’s, because there are literally as many ways to produce them as there are directors.

In this production, Flood sets the play in present-day Verona, somewhere in the United States. It turns out to be an excellent choice. A feud exists between two families-Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo (a quixotic Logan Lopez) meets and falls in love with Juliet (an earnest Amanda Marschall). He’s a Monagues, she a Capulet. Trouble ensues.

Previously, Juliet’s father, (Christopher Duzak) wants her to marry the wealthy Paris (Ryan Coe). She’s all for it until Romeo enters the picture. Her mother (the dependable Nicole R. Giguere) and nurse (the delightful Elizabeth C. Reynolds) give her advice.

Meanwhile, Romeo’s buddy, the fiery Mercutio (played with sly streetsmarts by Emily Engel) gets into a fight and is killed by Juliet’s cousin, the angry Tybalt (a strong Dallas Hosmer.) Then Tybalt attacks Romeo and is killed by him.

Juliet and Romeo go to the Friar Lawrence (Aaron F. Schwartz) who marries them, then later, when Romeo is banished for killing Tybalt, he comes up with a scheme for Juliet to avoid marrying Paris.

The Friar gives her a potion that makes her appear dead for 48 hours. Then he arranges for the banished Romeo to learn about the plan, come to the burial chamber and take his bride away.

As most know in this most famous of plays, things don’t end so well for our “star-crossed lovers.” Romeo never learns of the friar's scheme, but only hears that Juliet is dead. He finds her there and, after killing Paris who attacks him, he takes poison and dies. She, awaking moments later, finds him dead and kills herself.

The brawling fight scenes, under fight choreographer Charles Schoenfeld, are some of the best and most believable ones that I have seen on any stage.

Other standouts are the modern day details, like the iPods Mercutio and others listen to at times. The costumes, by Denise Clapsaddle, are seemingly easy, since they are the clothes people wear today, but they are many and they all work to give the show a solid base.

The set is a simple design, complete with the famous balcony, and they work. I like the three large triangular blocks that are moved to different positions to represent different scenes, but they were a little ungainly. Perhaps if the large panels were made of canvas instead of wood, the hardworking backstage crew could have more easily manipulated them.

The challenge and the delight of a Shakespeare play is the glorious, almost miraculous language. Here, most of the time, the lines were intelligible. My recommendation if you can’t understand every word is not to fret. There’s a lot of language here and it will all become clear as the play soldiers on.

Although “Romeo and Juliet” is undoubtedly a tragedy, there is humor in it too, such as when the Nurse returns to share news with Juliet about Romeo, but complains that she is out of breath. Juliet responds with exasperation, “How art thou out of breath when thou hast breath to say to me that thou art out of breath?”

Many mistakenly judge Shakespeare’s plays as being reserved and intellectual, but he was really the playwright of the people. There are many bawdy, off-color, sexually suggestive moments that are exploited to the hilt in this show, which is true to the earthy humor of Shakespeare.

Thanks too to the fantastic program, which gives names and even times to each of the multiple scenes, and even has photos of the cast and crew along with their biographies.

With Shakespeare, though, it all comes down to the language. And in Romeo and Juliet, some of the most famous lines ever written are brought to life. As when Romeo says, “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon.” And to Romeo, Juliet’s “Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”

And then Juliet again, when she says to Romeo, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

But in the end, the Prince (a fine Becky Beth Benedict) couldn’t say it better, when she says, “For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

Come and revel in a night of Shakespeare at the Valley Repertory Company’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” playing through Saturday.

3 1/2 Stars

(4 stars is excellent; 3 stars, good; 2 stars, fair; 1 star, poor)

Theater: Valley Repertory Company

Location: 100 High Street, Enfield

Production: Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Jeffrey Flood. Produced by Janine Flood. Stage Manager Peter Scibak. Set and lighting design by Marin McNeill. Costume design by Denise Clapsaddle. Fight choreography by Charles Schoenfeld. Dance choreography by Yvonne Lacombe.

Running time: 3 hours including one 15-minute intermission

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through May 21.

Tickets: $8 - $12. Call 860-749-4665 or visit their website at http://www.valleyrep.com/

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Logan Lopez … Romeo

Amanda Marschall … Juliet

Emily Engel … Mercutio

Dallas Hosmer … Tybalt

Aaron Gilberto … Benvolio

Elizabeth C. Reynolds … Nurse

Becky Beth Benedict … Escalus Prince

Aaron L. Schwartz … Friar Lawrence

Christopher Duzak … Capulet

Nicole R. Giguere … Capulet’s wife

Ryan Coe … Paris

David Basile … Montague

Aslynn Brown … Montague’s wife, Apothecary

Jennifer Rawlings … Balthasar

Aaron Muhlmeyer … Sampson, guest, 2nd Watch

Dan Graef … Gregory, guest, 3rd watch

Jeff Lange … Citizen, DJ, Friar John

Anthony Piccione … Peter, citizen

Tori Vonkaenel … Citizen, guest, Paris’ Page

Mike Strevel … Abram, Chief Watch

Top photo: Tybalt (Dallas Hosmer) fighting Romeo (Logan Lopez) as Benvolio (Aaron Gilberto) and Sampson (Aaron Mulmeyer) look on.

photo to left:Logan Lopez as Romeo

photo to right:Logan Lopez and Amanda Marschall as Romeo and Juliet

photo credit: Lesley Arak of Lesley Arak Photography

“My One and Only” a tap dancing extravaganza at Goodspeed

EAST HADDAM — “My One and Only” at the Goodspeed Opera House brings the art of tap dancing to a whole new level.

If you can sit through the entire performance without starting to tap your feet yourself, you might want to make sure you’re still breathing. The dancing is infectious, with fabulous choreography by Kelli Barclay.

This stellar, gifted, and energetic cast is lead by the superlative Tony Yazbeck as the country bumpkin flyboy Captain Billy Buck Chandler.

He is trying to become as famous as Columbus, only in reverse, by being the first man to fly from the U.S. to Paris. Set in 1927, but actually created in 1983, there is some raunchy language that isn’t horrible, but feels a little gratuitous in this vaudevillian style show.

Tommy Tune originally played Chandler in the show on Broadway in 1983 with Twiggy as his co-star.

Chandler falls in love with Edythe Herbert, played with pixie perkiness by Gabrielle Ruiz.

Her manager, the womanizing Prince Nikki (played with a Boris Badenov comic touch by Khris Lewin), says Edythe is the third woman to swim across the English Channel, but the first good-looking one. Ruiz’s character is supposedly from England, but her accent is more the exception than the rule.

Chandler gets sidetracked from his mission of being the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo because of true love.

He tries to learn to become more sophisticated, with the help of Mr. Magix, played by the indomitable talent, Alde Lewis Jr., who played the same role when this show ran on Broadway.

Lewis is remarkable in the old school style of tap. And when Lewis as Mr. Magix and Yazbeck as Chandler go at it in a tap dancing toe-to-toe at the beginning of Act Two, well, it is simply tap dancing heaven.

Also delightful and spirited is Trent Armand Kendall as the holy-roller Rev. J.D. Montgomery, who brings a new meaning to the term “Black Irish” in a delicious cameo as Mrs. O’Malley.

Kirsten Wyatt makes every moment count as the mechanic with a secret, Mickey.

Coming in dead even with the dancing, as far as fabulous is concerned, are the spiffy songs by those inimitable brothers, George and Ira Gershwin.

The musical is a showcase for some of their most memorable tunes, including “He Loves & She Loves,” “Funny Face,” and the whimsical “S’Wonderful.”

As usual, the costumes at the Goodspeed, this time by Robin L. McGee, are as numerous as they are festive and stunningly detailed. There are more top hats, tuxes, tails, vests, spats, and canes than you can shake a feather at, and plenty of 1920s flapper gowns with sparkling fringe, dramatic bathing suits, and even belly dancing outfits.

I still don’t know how they manage some of those split-second costume changes, but the choreography back stage must be as interesting as it is on stage at times.

The youthful ensemble cast tapping again and again in unison is simply irresistible.

This is a show that goes all out and over the top to please, and boy oh boy, do they ever succeed.

And what a treat to have scenes from an old Rudolph Valentino silent movie, that they call “White Baggage of the Casbah,” projected onto the backdrop. A terrific idea that adds even more life to this lively show. Also a clever touch is the flying plane aided by umbrellas that just has to be seen to be believed.

The music, the dancing, the set, the costumes, they all add up to another “s’wonderful” slam-dunk musical treat at the consistently “s’marvelous” Goodspeed Opera House.

Stage review

4 stars

"My One and Only"

Theater: Goodspeed Opera House

Location: 6 Main St., East Haddam.

Production: Music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Book by Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer. Directed by Ray Roderick. Choreography by Kelli Barclay. Set design by James Youmans. Music direction by Michael O’Flaherty. Costume design by Robin L. McGee. Lighting design by Paul Miller. Production design by Michael Clark. Sound by Jay Hilton.

Running time: 2½ hours including one 15-minute intermission.

Show times: Wednesday, Sunday, and selected Thursday matinees at 2 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Saturday matinees at 3 p.m., and selected Sundays at 6:30 p.m. through June 25.

Tickets: $28-$72. Call the box office at 860-873-8668 or visit their website at: www.goodspeed.org.

Actor.................CHARACTER

Tony Yazbeck ..… Capt. Billy Buck Chandler

Gabrielle Ruiz .....................… Edythe Herbert

Trent Armand Kendall ........................ Rev. J.D. Montgomery

Khris Lewin .......… Prince Nicholai, Achmed

Alde Lewis Jr. …............................... Mr. Magix

Kirsten Wyatt ….................................... Mickey

4 stars Excellent ; 3 stars Good; 2 stars Fair; 1 star Poor

photos from Goodspeed Opera House

"Italian American Reconciliation" at Longwharf a lesson in growing up

three stars

(one star is poor, two is fair, three is good, and four is excellent)

Location: 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven

Production: Written by John Patrick Shanley. Directed by Eric Ting. Set design by Scott Bradley. Costume design by Linda Cho. Lighting design by Russell Champa. Sound design by Jill Pickett.

Running time: 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission.

Show Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays at 7 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 3 p.m. through May 22.

Tickets: $60 to $70. For more information call their box office at 203-787-4282, or visit their website at www.longwharf.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

John Procaccino … Aldo Scalicki

Michael Crane … Huey Maximillian Buonfigliano

Stephanie DiMaggio … Teresa

Lisa Birnbaum … Janice

Socorro Santiago … Aunt May

NEW HAVEN-Growing up is hard to do, at any age. That’s the theme in a nutshell of “Italian American Reconciliation” written by John Patrick Shanley, who wrote the screenplay for “Moonstruck” at about the same time as this play in the late 1980s.

More recently Shanley wrote “Doubt, a Parable,” a very different play from this one, and one that I just happened to see earlier this weekend at the Little Theatre of Manchester.

This production at the Longwharf Theatre directed by Eric Ting, moves the 1980s play to the present time, with Aldo Scalicki, played by the affable John Procaccino, reminiscing about an important event in his life over 20 years ago.

As Aldo’s recalls, his best friend, the wiry and hyper Huey Maximillian Buonfigliano, played by Michael Crane, is distressed because he can’t get over his 3-year divorce from his former wife, the sadistic Janice, played by the lovely Lisa Birnbaum.

Buonfigliano has taken up with another gal, the kind and understanding Teresa (Stephanie DiMaggio) but it’s no good. Huey feels that something has been taken from him, and he needs to get back with Janice to regain his confidence.

Being his best bud, Aldo does his best to talk his looney friend out of his hair-brained scheme, but gets nowhere.

“Talking to you is like being alone,” Aldo says, exasperated.

Aldo then decides to help Huey by trying to seduce Janice, even though he’s scared to death of her. Thinking that if he seduces Janice then Huey will forget about her. Weird logic.

And he has good reason to fear her. Janice killed Huey’s dog with a zip gun, and then tried to shoot Huey dead with that same zip gun, but it jammed.

Now Aldo is unmarried and in his 50s looking back on this episode that he has told many times. It is a story that defines him, or at least who he thinks he is, which is tantamount to the same thing. He is a mama’s boy who is afraid to grow up, take a chance, and settle down with a woman.

They are all Italian Americans, except for Teresa’s Aunt May, played by Socorro Santiago, who is Latino, which is slightly confusing, even though Santiago is terrific as the wise and thoughtful May. She has some good insight into life and facing up to fears and moving beyond them that Aldo tries to take to heart.

But, its not clear if he is going to move on, or just repeat this episode in his life as a cautionary tale to remain alone and lonely.

He blames his fears on his relationship with his father, which might be true, but still, his father’s dead, he says, and he recognizes he has to live his own life.

At the end of Act One we finally get to see Janice, but here she appears all in white, stands on a stage that lifts into the air and at the top of the lift, she takes out a gun and points it at Aldo. This was not in the original script, but an addition by Ting, and although it gets a big laugh, it feels out of place from the rest of the play.

The set, by Scott Bradley, is the remnants of the end of a wedding reception, in a Veterans of Foreign War’s hall. The level of detail is extraordinary, and feels just like a real banquet hall.

The play starts out with Aldo sitting in one of the chairs at a table on his own, drinking some wine, while the accordion player (DiMaggio) plays in the background. I’m still not sure if the accordion player is also supposed to be Teresa or not.

It starts gradually, with the lights still on the audience, which makes the transition to the world of the play feel a little awkward. Part of the same set becomes Huey’s apartment and then it becomes Janice’s backyard, which takes some stretching of the imagination.

Shanley’s language is funny and insightful. When Aldo gets mad he says, “I feel the pulse in my nose.”

When Aldo decides to seduce Janice, he refers to it as a “military objective. Janice is like taking a hill” but then he goes on to say, “my stomach is against this.”

Some of the humor just doesn’t translate to the page, because it is the context and the delivery that mean everything and the actors all have terrific timing and good instincts.

All the characters mean well and are trying as best they can to get through life with dignity and love.

As May tells Aldo, “Open your heart and forget your fear. Stop this scaredness of women.”

Aldo takes this to heart and tries to share what wisdom he has gained with the audience.

“In the end you are dead,” Aldo says, “In the beginning you are taken care of.” Everything in the middle takes courage.

“The only success is be able to live,” he says. That’s not a bad motto to live by.

Suffield Player’s “South Pacific” filled with youth and joy

Three Stars

(one star is poor, two is fair, three is good, and four is excellent)

Location: Mapleton Hall, 1305 Mapleton Ave. Suffield.

Production: Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Directed by Frank P. Borrelli. Musical director George A. Garber Jr. Produced by Rob Lunde. Stage manager Mary Fernandez-Sierra. Assistant stage manager Chelsea Skawski. Technical direction and lighting design by Jerry Salewski. Costume design by Dawn McKay. Sound by Al LaPlant. Set design by Konrad Rogowski.

Running time: 3 hours, with a 15-minute intermission.

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through May 22.

Tickets: $17, $15 for seniors and students. Call 1-800-289-6148 or visit their website at www.suffieldplayers.org.

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Stephanie Devine … Nellie Forbush

Rich Moran … Emile de Becque

Becky Rodia Schoenfeld … Bloody Mary

Shaun O’Keefe … Luther Billis

Danny Viets … Lt. Joseph Cable

Hal Chernoff … Cmdr. William Harbison

Mark Proulx … Capt. George Brackett

Zachary Gray … Stewpot

Erica Bryan … Liat

Michael Holt … Professor

Amy Rucci … Lead nurse

Andrew Holl … Lt. Buzz Adams

Laura Markis … Ensign Dinah Murphy

Grace Spelman … Ensign Janet MacGregor

Mary Roberge … Nurse

Bradshaw Mattson … Jerome

Kennedy Mattson ... Ngana

Daniel Candella … Henry

Tony Andruss, Daniel Candella, Timothy Glynn, Zachary Gray, Andrew Holl, Michael Holt … Seabees and sailors

SUFFIELD-It might be as corny as Kansas in August at times, but there’s nothing like Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical “South Pacific,” playing at the Suffield Players through May 22.

The solid cast is lead by the perky Stephanie Devine who has a lovely clear voice, in the role of Nellie Forbush, that enthusiastic, wide-eyed optimist from Little Rock, Arkansas.

She falls for sophisticated Frenchman Emile de Becque, played by the capable Rich Moran, who possesses a lovely resonant voice along with a fine French accent.

The show’s plot centers on their love relationship, along with a secondary love interest between a youthful Princeton graduate, Lt. Joseph Cable, and Liat, an Island girl.

Danny Viets plays Lt. Joseph Cable, looking like a young Tom Cruise. He sings one of the most beautiful of all Oscar and Hammerstein’s songs, “Younger Than Springtime.” Viets has some genuine and beautifully authentic moments.

Although she has a small part, Erica Bryan who plays Liat is graceful and elegant, and she has a beautiful voice when she sings.

Set in the South Pacific on a U.S. Naval base on an island, the navy is trying to beat the Japanese. Cable, who is with the Marines, goes on an undercover mission to a key island with de Becque to find out where the Japanese are moving and intercept them.

Others in the excellent cast include Becky Rodia Schoenfeld as the islander Bloody Mary, who sells grass skirts and shrunken heads as souvenirs to the seabees and sailors. Rodia Schoefeld is terrific as the tough-talking entrepreneur who works as a matchmaker between her daughter, Liat, and Cable, singing the beautiful “Happy Talk.”

Also fine is Shaun O’Keefe as Luther Billis, the sailor who is also trying to work some angles and make some extra cash on the side. Billis has a good heart, and O’Keefe has a fine voice and strong stage presence too.

The stage at the Suffield Players is small for musical theater, but set designer Konrad Rogowski does a creative job making a multi-layered set, although the two side stages are a little high. I was a concerned that the actors might take a step too far and fall about 10 feet. They used the space underneath two more entrances, which made sense.

One of the nice things about the smaller theater is that the actors didn’t have to be miked to be heard. That is also credit to the orchestra, lead by Musical Director George A. Garber Jr.

The radio communications are remarkable, sounding authentically like how I would imagine the scratchy fading communications sounded during World War II, with sound by Al LaPlant.

The costumes are all fine and fit the time period of the play, although I think in World War II the women officers and nurses would have been in skirts, not pants.

Directed by Frank P. Borrelli, the actors moved comfortably on stage, but they could have used a choreographer during some of the musical numbers, where the movement feels stilted.

While the story is good, this musical is all about the terrific, timeless songs, in addition to those already mentioned, like, “Honey Bun,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “A Cockeyed Optimist,” “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” and the exquisite mournful melody, “This Nearly Was Mine.”

Come away to your own special island in paradise and see The Suffield Players’ production of “South Pacific.”

“Doubt, a Parable” powerful revelatory drama at Little Theatre of Manchester

Three Stars

(one star is poor, two is fair, three is good, and four is excellent)

Location: Cheney Hall, 177 Hartford Road, Manchester

Production: Written by John Patrick Shanley. Directed by Sara Logan. Stage manager Tom Goodin. Technical direction and lighting design by Glen Aliczi. Set design by David Moske. Sound design by Ron Schallack. Costume design by Marge Patefield.

Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission

Show Times: Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. through May 22

Tickets: $16 - $23. Call the box office at 647-9824, or visit their Web site at www.cheneyhall.org

ACTORS … CHARACTERS

Debi Freund … Sister Aloysius Beaufier

Christopher Berrien … Father Flynn

Clare Fravel … Sister James

Latoya Williams … Mrs. Muller

MANCHESTER-From all accounts, Vatican II was not such a good idea after all. The concept was that the Catholic priests and nuns should have a more nurturing friendly approach to parishioners and their families, rather than remain austere and removed as they generally had in the past.

As shown in “Doubt, a Parable,” playing at the Little Theatre of Manchester, as well as thousands of horror stories from adults who were youths then, the results could sometimes lead to acts of pedophilia that, even worse, would go unchecked and covered up by church authorities for decades.

Not that that kind of perverse abusive behavior didn’t exist before, but the close, familial contact seemed to exacerbate a potentially dangerous and devastating relationship with vulnerable youths.

In this production, written by John Patrick Shanley, Debi Freund plays Sister Aloyisus Beauvier, who is an older experienced nun who is principal of the church’s middle school in the Bronx in 1964.

Freund, a veteran of LTM productions both on and off the set, does a fine job as Sister Aloyisus, representing the old school of church authority, where youths are supposed to be fearful of their elders, and learn in a safe and structured environment.

When a youthful nun, Sister James, played with passion and wide-eyed enthusiasm by Clare Fravel, says she loves to connect with the children, Sister Aloyisus advises against that type of relationship.

“I question your enthusiasm,” she says to Sister James.

Children have enough friends with their peers and don’t need the teachers as friends, Sister Aloyisus continues. In her view, the new approach is not a good one.

“Every easy choice today will have their consequences tomorrow,” Sister Aloyisus says, and encourages her to teach her beloved history classes “without pouring sugar all over it.”

Father Flynn, played by Christopher Berrien, also embraces the friendly, easy-going approach to his parishioners and the youths in the school, but his motives are less certain.

Father Flynn gives sermons and stories about faith, intolerance, and hope that are stirring, sometimes funny, and inspiring. He is charming and energetic, and Sister Aloyisus has significant doubts about him.

Those doubts are based on fleeting observations of his interactions with the boys, and past experience. She also has a male dominated hierarchy, with a particularly weak Monsignor, so she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Flynn befriends the first black student to attend the parochial school, Donald Mueller, but Sister James notices that after visiting with Flynn in the rectory, he returns to class with alcohol on his breath.

She reports this observation to Sister Aloyisus, who concocts a premise to interview the priest with Sister James in attendance.

What proceeds is a fascinating and interesting cat-and-mouse game between Aloyisus and Flynn. With little more than her intuition, she tries to get Flynn to confess to something he says he is unjustly accused of.

Sister Aloyisus also interviews Mrs. Mueller, the mother of Donald Mueller, to see if there is anything that she can add to the case she is trying to build against Flynn.

Latoya Williams plays Mrs. Mueller, with a naturalism and calm dignity that quietly almost steals the show. With an abusive husband and a sensitive son, she proves a fierce and determined defender of her child, Mrs. Mueller’s views and attitudes are unexpected and heartfelt.

The simple set, of a park bench, a door and office, function perfectly for this play, although the door and windowsills were painted in a non-solid color, which looked like it was a shabby-chic décor rather than a respectible well maintained school. Set design by David Moske.

The costumes, designed by Marge Field, are solid and faithful to the time period. The matching blue pillbox hat for Mrs. Mueller is a nice touch.

This beautifully written play, well directed by Sara Logan, looks at the ways people choose to live their lives, and the consequences of those choices.

photos by Jessica Hill/Journal Inquirer

Take a walk on the High Line, a new park in NYC’s Chelsea section

NEW YORK — Smiling, relaxed, happy people are not the type of folks one usually thinks of when one thinks of New York City inhabitants.

But along the new High Line Park, 30 feet above the ground, locals as well as visitors in the vibrant Chelsea section revel in this world removed from the hubbub of the city below.

The High Line was a freight line originally built in the 1930s to move dangerous freight trains off of the street level, according to its website. It carried meat to the Meatpacking District, as well as other items, and was in operation until 1980.

This lovely new park might not have existed at all if it weren’t for some forward-thinking individuals. The rail lines were slated for demolition, when in 1999 “Friends of the High Line” a nonprofit group was formed by local residents Joshua David and Robert Hammond to preserve the historic site.

The city of New York works in conjunction with the “Friends of the High Line” to maintain and preserve the structure.

The first section of the park, from Gansevoort Street to 20th Street, opened in 2009 and is open year round, with extended summer hours from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Park a “must see”

Sarah and Alex Berry of Leeds, England, were sitting on a park bench enjoying the spring sunshine at the High Line Park on a recent Friday.

The couple were in New York City on their honeymoon, and had heard about the High Line Park from some friends who told them it was a “must see.”

“Being here is the only place in the city that literally lifts you up,” Alex Berry said. On the streets of New York, everyone seems so serious and in a hurry to get somewhere, he said, but on the High Line “no one looks very serious.”

It’s true. People were casually meandering about, taking photos of the early spring tulips and daffodils blooming and cherry and dogwood trees blossoming among the old rail line, eating cupcakes, talking, and laughing.

Sarah Berry commented on the buildings surrounding the park, saying that they aren’t as tall as the skyscrapers in mid-town, and are far more architecturally interesting.

World renown architect Frank Gehry’s amazing white curved building, the IAC headquarters, can be seen from one vantage point and the Empire State Building can be seen from another, thanks to the smaller buildings along with the heightened views from the park.

Chad Helmer and Ashley Robinson, who live in the city, were also sitting on a bench chatting on a recent Friday afternoon, soaking up some rays.

“It’s really cool what they did,” Helmer said. “I come here to relax. It’s a great place to get some sun.”

Robinson said she is a teacher and some of her fellow teachers use the park as a learning opportunity. They bring their students here on field trips to identify the plants growing in the park.

Art installations abound

This being New York, there are free art installations at various spots along the path. One is a viewing station by artist Richard Galpin that distorts the optical perspective when viewed through a metal cube, which emphasizes geometric forms, with nods to early 20th century Cubism and Futurism.

Another art installation, by Stephen Vitiello, is in the 14th Street passage. In this partially enclosed, acoustically resonant space, one of 59 city sounds goes off each minute. Sounds include the Aquaduct Race Track gate opening, and the Coney Island Dreamland Bell. Then at the top of each hour they all go off contemporaneously in a blare of sound that is oddly harmonic and unexpected.

A flat, long water feature traveling over concrete adds a lovely trickling ambiance and peaceful sound farther south along the High Line Park, with a stunning western view at the Hudson River and the setting sun.

Another viewing stage with benches situated like an auditorium is also a fun place to sit and watch the world go by. It has a glassed off partition, allowing people to stop, sit, and enjoy the hustle and bustle of traffic along 10th Avenue.

Climbing the metal staircases to get to the park is an aerobic workout all by itself, but they also have handicap-accessible elevators at the 14th and 16th Street entrances. Once at the park, the walk is relatively straight and flat.

There are tables and chairs in addition to the permanent benches in the park, and vendors and artisans sell their wears in booths along the way too.

Because of the delicate nature of the plants, no dogs, skates, skateboards, recreational scooters, or bicycles are allowed in the park.

At the southern end of the park New York City residents Jeanette Herrera and Manny Largo said they enjoyed being there because of the quiet and the view. Largo said especially at night it is lovely, and you can even see a few stars in the sky.

“The night view is really nice,” Largo said, adding that they sometimes offer in stargazing programs at the park.

The park is free and open daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., closing at 8 p.m. in the winter.

The second section beyond of 20th Street is scheduled to open any day now and will extend the park to 30th Street, with a third and final section to the Clinton section of town to follow. When completed it will be about 1 ½ miles long.

For more information, visit its website: www.thehighline.org

A social time at “Social Eatz” restaurant in New York City

The creation of “Top Chef” contestant and Connecticut native Angelo Sosa, “Social Eatz” is a new restaurant in New York City, with a healthy selection of Korean fusion casual meals.

Located at 232 53rd St., between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, this hip establishment offers exotic-sounding dishes that are a bit toned-down in flavor.

The laminated menus must make cleaning up a breeze, but the font on the menus should be much bigger and easier to read. The intimate space has the look of a chain restaurant, which might just be their long-term goal. I can see this type of restaurant, with the brown and gold color scheme and the easy-to-clean laminated tabletops, being marketed in malls across America.

We began our meals with two of their signature cocktails, including a Ginger Carrot Fizz with Stolichnaya orange-flavored vodka mixed with carrot juice, a touch of Canton liqueur, yuzu juice, and ginger beer for $11. We also tried the Coconut Curry Daiquiri with 8-year-old Bacardi rum, splashed with coconut water and fresh lime juice, then spiced with a spoonful of curry syrup ($12). They tasted a little light on alcohol and too sweet, and the curry flavor in the second drink was undetectable.

For New York City, or anywhere else, the prices were pretty reasonable, although the smoked rib appetizer for $9 seemed a little steep. The ribs were remarkably tender, whose pineapple barbecue sauce was a touch on the sweet side. The sauce was laced with laced with gochujang, an aged Korean pepper sauce, but again, it could have been more pronounced.

Our accommodating and helpful waiter have us heated towels after the messy ribs, which were welcome indeed.

We had the Bulgogi Burger, ($11), which is a Korean version of an American favorite. Bulgogi literally means fire meat in Korean, and in this burger, the ground beef is charred, (hence the name) but deliciously pink and moist inside. The burger was topped with a succulent sauce made of soy, sugar, scallion, garlic, and sesame oil then garnished with cooled cucumber kimchee, kewpee, and a Japanese mayonnaise. The result was juicy, but a bit bland.

The Kung Pow Chicken sandwich ($9) is made with organic chicken, soy-sesame marinated, then iron-seared with Thai chili, and finished with smooth roasted peanut spread. Chicken in sandwiches tends to be dried out and cardboard-like, but this chicken was perfectly flavorful and noticeably tender. There was too little of Thai chili, however, and I couldn’t taste the peanut flavor at all.

Our waiter recommended the Chili Kissed Tilapia taco, and it was the best meal of the night, and certainly the best value at $8. The light, white fish was brushed with Thai chili, and sautéed and garnished with fresh green tomato salsa and avocado, with two portions served on two flour tortillas. The portions of fish were large, and the salsa was crunch and full of flavor. The avocado was creamy and noticeable, but not overwhelming.

We had a side of Curried Cream Spinach, with blanched spinach melded with a creamy, cheesy, curry sauce that was served piping hot with lots of creamy cheese, but not so much curry.

The burger and the chicken came with as side of the Southeast Asian pickles. They were a colorful combination of thinly sliced cucumbers, cauliflower, and radishes marinated with turmeric and dill then pickled in a brine of Japanese vinegar and Asian spices. They were fresh, crunchy, with just the right amount of spice and heat.

The desserts were scruptuous, at $6 each, including the Double-rich Chocolate Brownies warmed and glazed with a sweet toffee topping, that was soft and fudgy. The brownie went well with the sweet Shik Hae, a warm Korean rice punch, served in a shot glass.

The best part of the meal was hands down the yummy, warm Yuzu Cream Puffs. Tasting more like donut holes, the four airy cakelike puffs were filled with a sweet, creamy yuzu curd made from the tart Japanese citrus fruit that tasted like key lime pie. They were out of this world.

The 20-something crowd on a recent Friday night dominated the restaurant and there was a line out the door by the time we left. The hypnotic club music was on the loud side, but the diners seemed to feel right a home. All in all, the restaurant is perfect for palates that like the idea of exotic foods, but in reality prefer the blander, safer American flavors.

(photos by Jessica Hill)

“Urinetown the Musical” at CRT goes with the flow

Four Stars

4 stars Excellent 3 stars Good 2 stars Fair 1 star Poor

Location: Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, Jorgensen Road, Storrs.

Production: Music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann. Book and lyrics by Greg Kotis. Directed by Paul Mullins. Choreography by Gerry McIntyre. Music direction by Ken Clark. Scenic design by Marija Plavsic. Costume design by Maureen FitzGerald. Lighting design by Calvin Anderson. Sound design by Jack Nardi. Puppet design by Miron Gusso. Projection designer Michelle Ashley Mann.

Running time: About 2 hours and 10 minutes including a 15-minute intermission.

Show Times: Wednesday April 27 and Thursday April 28 at 7:30 p.m., Friday April 29 and Saturday and April 30 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. There are no shows Easter weekend.

Tickets: Range in price from $6 to $35. Call 860-486-4266 of visit their website at http://www.crt.uconn.edu.

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Andrea McArdle … Penelope Pennywise

Ken Clark … Bobby Strong

Robert Thompson Jr. … Officer Lockstock

Alexandra Perlwitz … Little Sally

Alison Barton … Hope Cladwell

Bob Walton … Caldwell B. Cladwell

Ryan Guess … Mr. McQueen

Brian Patrick Williams … Sen. Fipp

Phil Korth … Old Man Strong/The Kid

James MK Turner … Hot Blades Harry

Mischa Goodman … Little Becky Two Shoes

Jack Fellows … Tiny Tom

Brooks Brantly … Robby the Stockfish/Ezekiel

Arron Lloyd … Billy Boy Bill

Krystal Sobaskie … Hidalgo Jane

Molly Martinez … Soupy Sue/Cassandra

Gretchen Goode … Josephine Strong

Kevin Coubal … Officer Barrel

Christina Greer ... Mrs. Millenium

Philip AJ Smithey … Dr. Billeaux

Seth Koproski … Ricky Billions/Sammy the Cheat

Laura A. Zabbo …Cladwell’s secretary, Vanessa

STORRS-“Urinetown the Musical” performed by the Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut is difficult to pin down, but enjoyable to experience.

It states right off the bat it is a musical, complete with the show’s narrator, police officer Lockstock, played by Robert Thompson Jr.

The show is set in a fictional future town, where everyone has to pay to use public facilities due to a 20-year drought, it pits the extremely rich few against the very poor masses.

Sometimes characters who state that they are in a play bust up the suspension of disbelief and take away some of the fun of the show, but here, Mark Hollman, who did the music and together with Greg Kotis, who wrote the book, wrote the lyrics, it really works. This show sings.

As is usual with CRT, they have their cast of graduate students along with some undergraduates, and bring in a few professional actors. In this production they have Andrea McArdle of “Annie” fame playing the character Penelope Pennywise. Musicals are clearly her milieu, and here she brings a real star presence to the show as the gal who oversees one of the town’s restrooms and has a secret too.

Her assistant Bobby Strong, is played by professional actor Ken Clark, who does a good turn as the man trying to follow his heart. On retrospect though, that youthful character could easily have been played by one of the school’s very talented students.

Bob Walton does a fun and credible turn as the corporate greedy man, Caldwell B. Cladwell, who heads up Urine Good Company, which holds a monopoly on all the pay toilets in the city. He tears it up with the hilarious “Don’t be the Bunny” song. "Good bye bunny-boo, hello rabbit stew," he sings.

Alexandra Perlwitz plays Little Sally with just the right amount of doe-eyed wonder and discernment that makes her sweet and funny.

I particularly love Alison Barton as Cladwell’s innocent daughter, Hope, whose canorous voice is lovely to hear, particularly when she sings the gospel tune “I See a River.”

The music in this show is really top-notch and would satisfy anyone who loves musical theater. There are also nods to other great musicals, including Bertolt Brecht’s “The Threepenny Opera,” “Les Miserable,” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”

The set, which changes from outside one of the many dirty public rest rooms to the corporate headquarters, has a second level of ramps and stairs that are well used, thanks to fine direction by Paul Mullins and precise and energetic choreography by Gerry McIntyre. Set design by Marija Plavsic.

The playful and art deco asymmetrical costumes fit the somber mood of the show, by Maureen FitzGerald. The lighting also worked well (designed by Calvin Anderson), and is amusing when the spots highlighted Cladwell and Pennywise, along with the telling music, with musical direction by Ken Clark.

All and all, it’s a delightful and entertaining show that will likely put a smile on your face, despite or perhaps because of its unique theme.

( Photo by Gerry Goodstein)

Kidcity Children's Museum in Middletown a labyrinth of imagination

Step into a world where children guide adults through labyrinths of the imagination and playfulness at Kidcity Children’s Museum in Middletown.

“Any age that enjoys pretend play is going to have a good time here,” museum founder Jennifer Alexander says.

Alexander opened Kidcity in 1998 with an eye on helping revitalize downtown Middletown and making the museum a destination location.

Today, with more than 100,000 people a year visiting Kidcity, and 90 percent of them coming from out of town, it appears that her grand plan is working.

Since children naturally play no matter where they are, Alexander said, this museum is designed to encourage parents to connect with their children.

“It’s a special intimate time,” Alexander said. “The kids lead the grownups.”

There are a myriad of theme rooms of various shapes and sizes in the two-building complex.

One of the newer exhibits that took 18 months to complete is the “Space Age Roadtrip,” with a bubble family car, “Rocko’s Used Spacecraft,” the dark and spooky “Kaleidoscope Motel,” along with interactive “O’Ryan’s Tool Belt and Rocket Repair,” and “Alien Annie’s Howdy-ville.”

Here, children get to experiment with scientific phenomena such as gravity and physics, just by doing, Alexander said.

What children really enjoy is mimicking activities they see adults do, she said, such as sitting behind a wheel of a car and pretending to drive, or serving pretend food to their parents at a make-believe diner modeled after Middletown’s O’Rourke’s Diner.

Alexander, with children of her own, said the museum’s secret ingredient is the artwork.

She hired local artisans, including Scott Kessel and Matt Niland, to bring the whimsical, detailed, and extremely durable and safe exhibits to life.

“We design our exhibits by remembering how we liked to play when we were kids and by watching our own children,” Alexander said. “It’s about suspension of disbelief and it’s about play.”

From the beaming smiles on the faces of all the children and adults at the facility on a recent visit, it seems the museum is a resounding success.

“Our mission is really about the adult-child relationship,” Alexander said.

Lindsay Hillemeir, 4, of Farmington, loved the “Musical Planet” room, a playscape of seesaws, slides, and monkey bars that also is a tribute to world music.

She also enjoyed the industrious activity at “The Fishery” — a fish-processing plant where colorful rubber fish with magnetic mouths are “processed” by children through intricate conveyor belt systems.

“This is a fun place,” Lindsay said to her mother, Tina Hillemeir, who agreed, adding that what she really appreciates about the museum is that it is “unplugged,” with no video games in sight.

There isn’t a video game or computer game in the whole museum, and that is by design, Alexander said. It’s all about interacting with others and moving, rather than being isolated and alone.

Tina Hillemeir also said she appreciated the family restrooms, which are equipped with changing stations, extra diapers, and even extra clothes for those occasional accidents that children sometimes have.

Vandana Basu of Groton said her family has passes for several children’s museums in New England, but Kidcity is by far their favorite.

Nicole Rucki drove an hour from Massachusetts with her children, Olivia, 4, and Lauren, 2, along with her mother, Nancy Santos, to visit the museum for the first time.

“My daughter Olivia said that she didn’t want to ever leave,” Rucki said.

“They should have one like this for all towns,” Santos said, remarking about the interactive and artistic nature of the museum.

Kidcity Children’s Museum is open Sunday through Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and children, free for infants under 12 months.

On the third Thursday of each month Kidcity offers free admission from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit its website at:

www.kidcitymuseum.com

‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ a delicious concoction

SOMERS — There’s nothing like a little elderberry wine to make an evening complete, especially when it starts with dinner at the Joanna’s Café and Banquet facilities and ends with “Arsenic and Old Lace” by the Village Players, who are celebrating their 40th year.

Their spring production of a story born in Windsor is a perennial favorite in Connecticut, and for good reason.

It has a couple of zany and lovable old aunts, Abby and Martha, who live in an old cavernous home where they perform what they consider acts of charity — they poison lonely old men with wine laced with a lethal dose of arsenic..

Wendy Peterson and Shirley E. Warner play Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha with good cheer.

As the play opens in 1940s Brooklyn, Abby has just performed one of her acts of charity on a gentleman whom she couldn’t get into the basement by herself before visitors arrive.

She stashes the “Methodist” in a window seat until later when her nephew, Teddy Brewster, can take him down to the unfinished basement and give him a proper burial.

John Lepore plays the deluded Teddy who is convinced that he is President Theodore Roosevelt. When asked why the aunts don’t disabuse Teddy of his delusion, they say that they tried once but he hid under the bed and wouldn’t come out.

Better to have him think he is somebody he isn’t, than be nobody at all, they say. Crazy logic, but then, it’s a pretty crazy household.

Teddy digs locks in the basement floor, which doubles as the Panama Canal, and where he buries the “yellow fever victims.”

Their other nephew, Mortimer Brewster, played by Doug Stoyer, is a newspaperman with the odious job of being a theater critic, much to his own disgust.

Playwright Joseph Kesselring pokes some fun here at theater critics, when Aunt Abby says to Rev. Dr. Harper (John McKone) that Mortimer hates the theater, but assures his aunts that the theater will be finished “in a year or two.”

Kesselring based his play on the real-life serial murderer, Amy Archer-Gilligan, who ran a boarding house for the elderly right here in Connecticut, in Windsor, in the early 1900s, allegedly poisoning 60 old men who lived there. She was eventually convicted of one count of murder.

Moritmer’s other brother, the criminal psychopath Jonathan Brewster, (played with menace by Al Mulvey) slinks into the household of his youth with his accomplice, the plastic surgeon Dr. Einstein, a sympathetic David Crowell.

The two decide to set up shop at the old homestead and bring a dead body along with them, just for good measure.

Lots of mayhem ensues when Mortimer finds out about his aunts’ appalling “charity” and has to deal with his maniac older brother to boot.

Mortimer tells his aunts that their behavior has “turned into a very bad habit.”

Mortimer also just got engaged to the girl next door, Elaine Harper (Regina Erpenbeck), and then decides he can’t marry her because he doesn’t want to perpetuate the crazy Brewster genes.

Various characters add to the commotion, including police officers O’Hara (Tim Lavery) and Klein (Tyler J. Anderson), Lt. Rooney (Justin Martin), and another unsuspecting gentleman, Mr. Gibbs, played by Malcolm Chadbourne.

The black-and-white period costumes worked well, and I really like the black-and-white motif of the single set of the Brewster household. Costumes by Michelle Tyler and set design and décor by Franc Aguas.

Director Gus Rousseau keeps the pace of this play on the move, but there are occasional pauses between the actors’ lines that feel unnatural.

I like Rousseau’s extra touches too, such as when Dr. Einstein takes a body from the living room and we hear him tumbling down the stairs into an unseen basement.

Written in 1939, this play continues to endure through the generations, making mincemeat of Mortimer’s prediction that the theater will go away in a couple of years.

It’s a strange and wacky world of murder and affection that make “Arsenic and Old Lace” a fun and entertaining night at the dinner theater.

Stage review

3 stars

Arsenic and Od Lace

Theater: The Village Players.

Location: Joanne’s Café and Banquet House, 145 Main St., Somers.

Production: Written by Joseph Kesselring. Directed by Gus Rousseau. Produced by Diane Preble. Associate producer Betty Domer. Technical director Justin Martin. Set design by Franc Aguas. Lighting and sound by Ben Bugden. Stage manager Sherry Samborski. Props and stage manager Sue Moak. Costumes by Michelle Tyler.

Running time: 2 hours plus one intermission.

Show times: Friday and Saturday, through April 16. Social hour starting at 6 p.m. Dinner at 7 p.m. Show at 8:15 p.m.

Tickets: $35, including dinner, with cash bar. Call 860-749-0245 for reservations. Visit their website atwww.somersvillageplayers.org

Actor.................CHARACTER
Wendy Peterson …................. Abby Brewster
Shirley E. Warner …............ Martha Brewster
John Lepore .......................… Teddy Brewster
Doug Stoyer ................… Mortimer Brewster
Al Mulvey .....................… Jonathan Brewster
David Crowell …............................ Dr. Einstein
Regina Erpenbeck …................ Elaine Harper
Tim Lavery ............................… Officer O’Hara
Tyler J. Anderson ....................… Officer Klein
Justin Martin …............................... Lt. Rooney
John McKone .....................… Rev. Dr. Harper
Mr. Witherspoon
Malcolm Chadbourne ................… Mr. Gibbs

4 stars Excellent 3 stars Good 2 stars Fair 1 star Poor

Comedy of Errors’ at Playhouse
on Park is daffy triage theater

WEST HARTFORD — Mistaken identities, two sets of separated twins, a cheating husband, a condemned merchant, and many other characters all played by four actors, create a wild and wonderful world of farcical fantasy at the Playhouse on Park in William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors.”

Directed by Will Ditterline, these four terrific actors lead by Brad Del-

planche as Dromio, along with Brendan Norton as Antipholus, Jesse Graham as Adriana, and Vanessa Morosco as her sister, Luciana, play all the other characters as well. They make this infrequently performed play buzz with energy and sing with joy.

Set in Ancient Greece, the plot is explained by Delplanche as Egeon, a Syracusan merchant and the father of Antipholus, along with an exceedingly helpful Powerpoint presentation.

Delphanche has the precise comic timing and expressions reminiscent of actor Nathan Lane.

Egeon and his wife were separated at sea, he explains, each with one of their infant twin boys, and each with one of the twin servant boys. They grow up apart until his son, Antipholus of Syracuse, and the servant boy, Dromio of Syracuse, go in search of the other two.

That’s where the comedy ensues, when Antipholus of Syracuse is mistaken for his twin in Ephesus, and the servants are mistaken for each other. But explaining the story line doesn’t explain half of the goings on in this wacky and wild production.

There is an inner ring of audience members who sit around the intimate stage with some being recruited to hold onto the myriad of hats, scarves, ties, and other accouterments that delineate one character from the other.

Although they aren’t required to speak, the inner circle audience members all get swept up in the spirit of the action, as does the rest of the audience.

And what’s not to love? Often the complaint about Shakespeare, and not altogether undeserved, is that the language is so different than the way we speak today, it’s difficult to follow. But all these actors invest their physical actions and expressive motions that bring the meaning of those words to life.

They differentiate their characters by speaking with southern accents for the Syracusans and Italian Mafioso accents for those from the land of Ephesus. Personally, I would prefer the Syracusans to have English accents, since that is the accent we expect to hear when we think of Shakespeare. Then when the Italian kicks in, it would sound that much funnier.

This troupe of four really gets the physicality and sexual innuendo of Shakespeare at his bawdy best and they play it to the hilt, with slow motion kung-fu fighting that is accompanied (as the show is throughout) with sound effects that would have made the Three Stooges darned proud.

Pratfalls, slapstick comedy, kicks to the groin, slaps to the face, and all around running, jumping, and seemingly endless energy and character changes on the fly, make this a feat of daring triage theater.



Stage review

4 stars

the comedy of errors

Theater: Playhouse on Park

Location: Wallace244 Park Road, West Hartford.

Production: Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Will Ditterline. Costume design by Katie Chihaby. Lighting design by Tim Hache. Production stage manager Ryan Bell. Property master Dawn Loveland.

Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.

Show times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. through April 17.

Tickets: $20 to $32.50. Call the box office at 860-523-5900 ext. 10, or visit the website: www.playhouseonpark.org.

Actor.................CHARACTER

Brad Delplanche …......... Dromio and others

Vanessa Morosco ......… Luciana and others

Jesse Graham …............. Adriana and others

Brendan Norton ….... Antipholus and others

4 stars Excellent 3 stars Good 2 stars Fair 1 star Poor

Whimsical, heartwarming ‘The Irish - and How They Got That Way’ at the Ivoryton Playhouse

3 Stars

(4 stars is excellent, 3 stars is good, 2 stars is fair, and 1 star is poor)

Location: Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton, CT

Production: By Frank McCourt. Directed by Jacqueline Hubbard. Music direction by John De Nicola. Scenic design by William Russell Stark. Stage manager T.Rick Jones. Lighting design by Doug Harry. Costume design by Vickie Blake.

Running time: 2 hours including 15-minute intermission.

Show Times: Wednesday and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. through Apr. 3.

Tickets: $40 for adults, $35 for seniors, $20 for students, and $15 for children 12 and under. Call the box office at 860-767-7318, or visit their website atwww.ivorytonplayhouse.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Morgan Crowley … Himself

Annie Kerins … Herself

Michael McDermott … Himself

Kathleen Mulready … Herself

IVORYTON — What could be more fitting around St. Patrick’s Day than an evening of Irish songs and stories presented with whimsy and enthusiasm to spare in Frank McCourt’s “The Irish … And How They Got That Way” at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

Kicking off their 100th season, the youthful cast sings many old Irish tunes, including “The Rose of Tralee” and “Danny Boy,” sung by the fine Morgan Crowley. They also talk about the history of the Irish people, from around the time of the great potato famine onward.

McCourt is best known for his award-winning book, “Angela’s Ashes,” about the unspeakable poverty and privation of his childhood in Ireland. In this musical show, there are plenty of amusing tales, but just as many horror stories about the famine that wiped out a quarter of the Irish population in the 1840s, as well as the callous response by some of the English to their plight.

As one actor said, quoting Irish writer John Mitchell, “The Almighty, indeed, sent the potato blight, but the English created the famine.”

There are many stories of generosity too from all over the world, particularly North America, followed by a reactionary dislike of the Irish when hundreds of thousands, many of whom were illiterate and poor, emigrated to the United States, which prompted the song “No Irish Need Apply.”

The list of famous Irish is seemingly endless, and includes George M. Cohan who wrote many beloved songs that were sung during the performance, including “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Give My Regards To Broadway,” “Over There,” and “It’s A Grand Old Flag.”

People like John F. Kennedy, Kate Smith, William Butler Yeats, Oscar Wilde, Eugene O’Neill, George Bernard Shaw, Georgia O’Keeffe, James Joyce, Mickey Rooney, Bing Crosby, and even Walt Disney, are a few of the many Irish folk named, and the list could probably have gone on, until one of the performers said self-mockingly, “Stop, or we’ll sound like we’re bragging.”

However, poking fun at English cuisine, as they do in this show, strikes me as a bit of “the pot calling the kettle black,” since the Irish aren’t traditionally known for their haute cuisine either.

McCourt observes, “It isn’t easy being Irish,” and doesn’t hold back about the high levels of alcoholism among them, also noting that, although they had a “special gift” for politics, the Irish were also involved in their fair share of political graft and corruption.

Crowley and the three other performers, Michael McDermott, Kathleen Mulready, and Annie Kerins, work well together, being serious when called for, as well as kicking up their heels, having a ball, and giving us an Irish history lesson to boot.

The single set of panels by William Russell Stark works well too, and the slide show of photos projected onto the center panel adds much to the story, directed by Jacqueline Hubbard.

Sadly, McCourt died in 2009, but his brother, Malachy McCourt, was on hand at the performance Friday, and gave one of his own at the end, regaling the audience with stories of his life and the Irish that rivaled the scripted show and brought the audience to tears of laughter.

Extend the St. Patrick’s Day celebration by seeing this delightful show, playing through April 3.

Photo: Morgan Crowley

Photo credit: Anne Hudson