By ROBERT TRUSSELL
The Kansas City Star

I’m a sucker for wild theatrical imaginations, and at the moment nobody in town has a wilder imagination than director Kyle Hatley.

Hatley, the associate artistic director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre, is someone to watch closely. Whether directing his idiosyncratic original plays for the Kansas City Fringe Festival or staging renegade revivals, Hatley sees possibilities in classic material that few other directors would.

Kyle Hatley (Kansas City Star)

Now he turns his attention to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel,” their dreamy, atmospheric, surrealistic adaptation of Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar’s “Liliom.” The R&H version shifts the action from Budapest to coastal Maine, with seafarers, fishermen and young women scraping by as mill workers. It’s a world of fleeting corporeal pleasures and small dreams.

Hatley doesn’t tinker with the writing or the music, but he certainly has his way with the show. This is experimental theater in the best sense. Not everything he attempts in this stripped-down version works, but when it clicks, we see the show in a whole new light. He’s made it even more surrealistic.

Staging it in the upstairs space at the Living Room, Hatley forgoes elaborate costuming and employs only limited theatrical lighting. A few chairs and tables are the only furniture, and the props don’t consist of much more than a couple of knives, a gun or two, a few buckets and plenty of cigarettes and beer cans.

The score is performed by pianist and musical director Eryn Preston, accompanied by guitarist Sean Hogge, who uses his electrified instrument to create surprising, nuanced colors. The most dramatic lighting effects come from multiple suspended naked lightbulbs with pull chains, which the actors use in creative ways throughout the show.

“Carousel” is really an ill-fated love story between carnival barker Billy Bigelow, played by Rusty Sneary, and mill-worker Julie Jordan, brought to life here by Molly Denninghoff. They meet and fall in love, but the circumstances cost him his job at the local carousel (Natalie Liccardello is memorably intense as Mrs. Mullin, the jealous carousel owner). Unemployed, he takes out his anger and frustration by slapping Julie around now and then and is finally talked into an ill-fated robbery attempt by his pal Jigger (Nick Uthoff) after he learns that Julie is pregnant.

Denninghoff is a fine singer and Sneary isn’t, but he anchors the show. Charming, brutish, infantile and grimly philosophical, Sneary plays Billy with gritty realism. The first time we hear his singing voice is in “If I Love You,” Billy’s haunting duet with Julie, and Sneary’s rough-around-the-edges vocals are perfectly consistent with his portrayal.

Ultimately Billy takes his own life in a botched robbery attempt and is transported to a strange version of the afterlife, where he meets the Starkeeper, a sort of heavenly bureaucrat played by Hatley. Billy exercises the option of returning to Earth for one day, where he sees his now 15-year-old daughter, Louise (the charismatic Daria LeGrand), who has inherited Billy’s short temper and her mother’s grace.

Billy reveals himself to Louise, pretending to be a friend of her father’s, and what begins as a joyful experience for Billy turns ugly when, out of frustration, he slaps her and then disappears from her view. That leads to the script’s most inexplicable and troublesome line when Julie tells her daughter that, yes, it is possible to be hit without it hurting at all. What appears to be an apology for domestic violence is a tough sell, to put it mildly.

Denninghoff plays Julie with a philosophical resignation, dealing with the world no matter how rough the road may be. As her cousin Nettie, Katie Gilchrist makes good use of her earthy presence, and she stops time with one of the show’s most famous songs. When Gilchrist dives into “You’ll Never Walk Alone” over the bleeding Billy and the grieving Julie, her throaty delivery and powerful vibrato — not to mention her emotional intensity — make this much-abused standard sound new again.

Uthoff’s effective turn as Jigger is a combination of boy-next-door and menacing brute. Sarah Goeke delivers a nice comic performance as Carrie, Julie’s impulsive friend, while Matthew McAndrews is her match as Mr. Snow, Carrie’s prim and proper husband-to- be. In smaller roles, Charles Fugate registers a vivid performance in brief strokes as Mr. Bascombe, while the vaunted Gary Neal Johnson appears at the very end of the piece as Dr. Seldon.

This is a gutsy rendition of a flawed classic, but it does what theater is supposed to do: It moves you and plants indelible images in your mind’s eye.

Read more theater news at kansascity.com.

© 2011 Kansas City Star and wire service sources

When

All time family favourite The Sound of Music arrives at Leeds Grand Theatre in style with a new cast, headed by Jason Donovan as Captain Von Trapp and local girl Verity Rushworth in the the role of Maria. I am happy to say this tour, which has been running since July 2009, is looking as fresh and vibrant as ever.

It is a quality affair in every sense and clearly no expense has been spared. Robert Jones’ lavish sets are impressive throughout and noticeably enhanced since the previous tour of this production. The lighting design throughout is also superb, designer Mark Henderson particularly excels with his work in the closing scenes of both acts, creating some very striking images. The large stage at Grand at no time looks empty, filled with an ample cast of generally excellent performers.

Heading up the cast is Verity Rushworth, who took over the role from Connie Fisher in February of this year. Rushworth is very well cast; she is charming, funny and sings well throughout. Her solid performance and direction throughout is heavily inspired by Julie Andrews’ iconic turn, but this is no bad thing.

Unfortunately, Jason Donovan, who I have much respect for as a theatrical performer, falls somewhat short in the role of Von Trapp. Donovan sorely lacks the physical stature and natural refinement required for the role. Whilst not lacking in effort, he often overcompensates for his shortcomings by forcing the delivery of his lines, leading to a rather wooden delivery. His singing also fell a little flat, struggling with his lower range throughout. Donovan does have a couple of nice moments, however, such as his emotional reunion with his children, which was very moving. But, overall, his performance fell short of the mark.

The excellent Marilyn Hill Smith as The Mother Abbess brings the house down (twice!) with her spectacular rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”. The supporting cast are all of a high standard and special mention must go to the model professional child actors who won the audience over from the moment they stepped on stage. Do-Re-Mi was particularly impressive.

As a fan of the original Rodgers and Hammerstein score, it would have to be a very poor production for me to be disappointed, however, I am pleased to report (the two under-par new songs aside) that this production is a faithful and wholly enjoyable experience and a tour which will be around for a long time to come.

- Rebecca the Guest Writer
Chewingthescenery.com

Titusville Playhouse, Inc. announces auditions for:
The Sound of Music, by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Directed by Steven J. Heron

AUDITION TIMES:
Children ages 5 – 14:  June 5, 2011 at 1 pm at TPI
Adults ages 15 – 110:  June 6 & 7 at 6:30 pm at TPI

Casting: will consist of all ages, ethnicities, shapes and sizes.  This will be a large ensemble production. For additional audition information and casting breakdown, visit  www.tpisom.homestead.com

Performances: July 29 to Aug. 14.

The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical.  Suggested by the story of the Trapp Family Singers, this classic story offers romance, drama, and provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in the theatre.

The Titusville Playhouse, Inc. at the Historic Emma Parrish Theatre
301 Julia Street, Titusville, Fl. 32796
Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Phone Number: 321-268-1125 and 268-3711 www.TitusvillePlayhouse.com

Me as Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!

Even more, I love playing to an audience. We can tell pretty quickly whether an audience is enjoying the show, and whether or not they “get” it. And the more they get it, the more we enjoy it. And the more we enjoy it, the more energy we put into it. It’s a virtuous circle, as Mars would say.

Oklahoma! is full of jokes, many of which go by quickly and are easily missed, but occasionally there’s an audience that doesn’t miss a one.

Friday night there was a man sitting in house right who didn’t miss a joke. None of the visual gags, none of the tossed-off remarks, not even a subtle change in facial expression. Not one! He had a lovely laugh too, that rang out in joyous bell-tones, and it was infective.

As the show went on, I found myself playing to him, very subtly tweaking my performance, just to hear him laugh. And he did, every time.

During intermission, a young man who attends my church mentioned there was a family from the church in the audience. “You can hear Jim laughing,” he said.

I usually try to avoid seeing individual members of the audience. If I can blur my focus so that my world ends at the edge of the stage, I can make it feel real. But if I recognize friends in the audience, I can become self-conscious, and then the fictional world I’m trying to create gets a little fuzzy. But the next time I went onstage, I made a point of looking over at house right. And sure enough, my friend Jim sat in the seat from which the lovely, joyful laughter had come all evening.

He and his wife came backstage after the show and gave me two of the warmest, nicest hugs I’ve ever gotten. I started to tell him about his laughter and the power it had over me, but I’d barely started telling him about the wonderful laugh from house right when three other cast members, overhearing me, crowded around.

“That was YOU?!” they said to my friend. “We loved hearing you laugh! We listened for it.”

Someone else grabbed my attention then, and when I turned back, my friends had gone. I didn’t have the chance to finish my thought, so I’m finishing it here.

If you ever think you only watch a live performance, remember Jim’s laugh, and think again. You can watch a movie or a television show. But with a live performance, it’s very much interactive.

We need you there. We want you there. We love knowing you are there, and we want to make you laugh and cry and smile and ponder. You, the audience, are the single piece that must be in place for it to be a live performance.

And once in a great while, magic happens with a live audience, and then you’re right there onstage with us.

Thanks, Jim. Thanks for making magic with us Friday night.

(And MAN! Am I going to miss you guys!)

On Monday night at Vitello’s, Sue Raney gave an unofficial seminar in the art of song. A seminar, that is, that illustrated by example, not by textbooks. And the key word was “art.” Because Raney’s remarkable vocal skills were completely at the service of her creatively illuminating interpretations of material from the Great American Songbook — and beyond.

Sue Raney

The performance began impressively with a stunning solo rendering of Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is the Ocean” by pianist Alan Broadbent, who would provide the sole accompaniment for Raney’s set. Long term musical companions, the near-symbiotic presence of Broadbent’s extraordinary support was immediately established as the launching pad for Raney’s soaring interpretations.

Her first song was the Burke/Van Heusen classic (most famously sung by Bing Crosby), “Aren’t You Glad You’re You.” Done with buoyant, whimsical charm, it immediately defined one of the many aspects of Raney’s story telling skills. A tender version of Dave Frishberg’s “Listen Here,” followed by a jaunty romp through Burnett & Norton’s pre-WW I “Melancholy Baby,” further revealed the breadth of her vocal art.

As did similarly insightful readings of Sherwin & Maschwitz’s “A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square,” Rodgers & Hart’s “He Was Too Good To Me,” Warren & Gordon’s “You’ll Never Know” and David Raksin’s atmospheric theme from “The Bad and the Beautiful.”

Alan Broadbent

The set hit its peak with stunning anthems to Spring — including Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “It Might As Well Be Spring” and Michel Legrand and the Bergmans’ “You Must Believe In Spring.” In the closing vamps, Raney light-heartedly tossed in quotes from other songs about Spring. And, more subtly, Broadbent slyly used the opening phrase from Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring” as an introduction.

What Raney brought to all this memorable material was a stunning mix of craft and dramatic imagination, engagingly expressed via her warm-toned, far ranging voice — all of it combined in a perfectly balanced, utterly compatible musical blend.

I’m not sure how many singers were in the overflow crowd, but I know there were a few. And I’m willing to wager that they came away from Raney’s casual but mesmerizing seminar with some vital ideas about the enhancement of their own vocal art.

See below for production and subscription details!

Coram Boy
Written by Helen Edmundson
Music by Adrian Sutton
Adapted from the novel by Jamila Gavin
Richard E. Hess, director

Set in 18th- century London, Coram Boy centers around the Coram Hospital for Deserted Children and the lives of those connected to it – from the abandoned children coming of age to the deceitful “Coram men” who take unwanted children (for a fee) to the grave rather than the orphanage as promised to the mothers. Worthy of Dickens in the scope and sweep of its storytelling, the drama, which was nominated for six Tony Awards, chronicles a heartbreaking tale of emotional partings, evil endeavors and family redemption that sheds light on the tragedies of the so-called Age of Enlightenment. All set against the backdrop of the music sung by the children and youth of Coram, including elements of Handel’s Messiah.

Performance Dates: Oct. 26 (preview), Oct. 27–30, 2011
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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Oklahoma!
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Diane Lala, director and choreographer
Roger Grodsky, musical director

One of America’s most beloved musicals, Oklahoma! is the first musical written by the legendary Broadway duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Described as “Always new and gleaming… a hymn to the magic of the land, the humor and humanity of people and the simple potency of love,” by the New York Post, this award-winning show interweaves story, song and dance into a beautiful telling of the pioneering men and women of Oklahoma Territory finding love and community at the turn of the 20th century.

Performance Dates: Nov. 17–20, 2011
Location: Corbett Auditorium

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Don Giovanni
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte
Nicholas Muni, director

A staple of the operatic repertoire, Mozart’s Don Giovanni comically depicts a philandering, womanizing man through his many conquests and eventually to the repercussions of his selfish actions. The mix of comedy and solemnity in this classic opera, inspired by the Spanish legend of Don Juan, has led to its classification by many as the greatest opera ever composed. Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Performance Dates: Feb. 9–12, 2012
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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Into the Woods
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Aubrey Berg, director
Steven Goers, musical director
Diane Lala, choreographer

Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods combines characters from “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk” and other classic fairy tales in a story of adventure, deceit, misfortune and greed. The Tony Award-winning Into the Woods follows the journey of a Baker and his Wife on their quest to reverse a curse put on them by the Witch next door, forcing them to face the consequences of their actions. As the fairy tale characters work to fulfill their greatest wishes, they learn a heartwarming moral of the importance of family and community. This production celebrates the Twentieth Anniversary of the establishment of the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre at CCM.

Performance Dates: Feb. 23–26, March 1–4, 2012
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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Arcadia
Written by Tom Stoppard
Diane Kvapil, director

Tom Stoppard’s comedic masterpiece Arcadia takes a witty, intellectual look between past and present ideals and between contradiction and coexistence. Set in an English country house both in 1809 and modern day, Arcadia follows two interconnected stories more than 200 years apart. In the early 19th century a teenage girl and her tutor question the world around them in their quest for knowledge while the present-day scholars and residents search for clues from the residents who lived before them, revealing common thoughts of love and life that transcend the centuries.

Performance Dates: Apr. 18 (preview), Apr. 19–22, 2012
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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The Rake’s Progress
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Libretto by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman
Mark Gibson, conductor
Robin Guarino, director

Stravinsky’s intriguing tale of the dangers of idle hearts, hands and minds depicts the decline of Tom Rakewell from a young lover to a patient in an asylum. Tempted by the cunning Nick Shadow, who is in fact the Devil, Tom wastes his inheritance on a series of lavish misadventures, all the while disregarding his girl back home, Anne Trulove. Sung in English with supertitles.

Performance Dates: May 10-13, 2012
Location: Corbett Auditorium

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Subscriptions
The 2011-12 CCM Mainstage Series of drama, musical theatre and opera productions includes subscription packages for six-show, four-show and three-show combinations. Subscription renewal information will be sent to current subscribers this week. Current subscribers have a chance to renew their packages at last year’s prices if they place their orders by May 27, 2011.

New matinee subscriptions are $150 for a full six-show package, $104 for a four-show package and $81 for a three-show package. Evening subscriptions are $162 for a six-show package, $112 for a four-show package and $87 for a three-show package.

Flex Concert Tickets
Subscribers can also purchase flexible ticket packages to CCM’s 2011-12 Mainstage Series of concerts, which will include exciting dance, orchestral, wind, choral, jazz and guest artist events, among others. Programming and ticket package details for the CCM Mainstage Series of concerts will be announced late summer and single ticket sales will begin September 26, 2011.

Performances will be held in Patricia Corbett Theater and Corbett Auditorium on the UC campus.

Additional Information
Titles and dates subject to change—rights pending. To order subscriptions, contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183. For additional information, visit ccm.uc.edu or call the Box Office.

Specific Performance Times

Coram Boy
Performance Dates:

• Wed., Oct. 26, 8 p.m. (preview)
• Thu., Oct. 27, 8 p.m.
• Fri., Oct. 28, 8 p.m.
• Sat., Oct. 29, 2 & 8 p.m.
• Sun., Oct. 30, 2 p.m.

Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

Oklahoma!
Performance Dates:

• Thu., Nov. 17, 8 p.m.
• Fri., Nov. 18, 8 p.m.
• Sat., Nov. 19, 2 & 8 p.m.
• Sun., Nov. 20, 2 p.m.

Location: Corbett Auditorium

Don Giovanni
Performance Dates:

• Thu., Feb. 9, 8 p.m.
• Fri., Feb. 10, 8 p.m.
• Sat., Feb. 11, 2 & 8 p.m.
• Sun., Feb. 12, 2 p.m.

Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

Into the Woods
Performance Dates:

• Thu., Feb. 23, 8 p.m.
• Fri., Feb. 24, 8 p.m.
• Sat., Feb. 25, 2 & 8 p.m.
• Sun., Feb. 26, 2 p.m.
• Thu., March 1, 8 p.m.
• Fri., March 2, 8 p.m.
• Sat., March 3, 2 & 8 p.m.
• Sun., March 4, 2 p.m.

Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

Arcadia
Performance Dates:

• Wed., Apr. 18, 8 p.m. (preview)
• Thu., Apr. 19, 8 p.m.
• Fri., Apr. 20, 8 p.m.
• Sat., Apr. 21, 2 & 8 p.m.
• Sun., Apr. 22, 2 p.m.

Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

The Rake’s Progress
Performance Dates:

• Thu., May 10, 8 p.m.
• Sat., May 12, 8 p.m.
• Sun., May 13, 2 p.m.

Location: Corbett Auditorium

To say that the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein has played a central role in Helena Blackman’s career may be an understatement. She first came to the attention of the musical theatre world when she reached the final of the BBC’s talent search How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and after the show her connection with Rodgers & Hammerstein continued as she was cast in the UK tour of South Pacific. Now she cements her association with the legendary musical theatre writing duo by recording this beautiful selection of some of their best known songs.

The album is entitled The Sound of Rodgers & Hammerstein, but the new sound might be a more appropriate description, because this is Rodgers & Hammerstein as you have never heard it before. In a series of playful arrangements, the tracks preserve the heart of the original songs while putting a refreshing twist on familiar numbers. The album bursts out of the speakers from the very first track with a lively version of ‘I Have Confidence’, setting the tone for a recording that is confident and assured throughout.

The cleverly selected tracks highlight both Blackman’s vocal and acting range, with a blend of tender romance and rip-roaring comedy. ‘Love Look Away’, singled out by Blackman as one of her favourite tracks, sounds as though it is sung straight from the heart and follows the equally beautiful ‘Some Enchanted Evening’. In these more slow-tempo numbers Blackman’s vocals are crystal clear, her voice rising effortless from a gentle whisper to belt out some stunning high notes.

For me, however, some of the highlights of the album were the more upbeat tracks in which Blackman’s acting could shine through. The dazzling expressiveness of her voice crafts characters that leap out of the songs, particularly in ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair’, ‘The Gentleman is a Dope’ and my personal favourite ‘I Enjoy Being a Girl’, sung with tongue firmly in cheek. The two duets with Jonathon Ansell and Daniel Boys are also treats; Blackman and Boys singing ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’ from Oklahoma is close to musical theatre perfection.

The concluding number is another Sound of Music favourite, a rousing rendition of ‘Climb Every Mountain’, bringing the album full circle and reminding listeners of where Blackman kick started her career. This entertaining and highly listenable album showcases Blackman’s talent and provides a fresh, modern take on old classics, making it ideal for both lifelong fans and those who are only just discovering the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein.

The Hills are Alive – Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata (US release: 8 Mar 2011)
The Sound of Music lives on! The iconic 1959 musical and 1965 movie’s soundtrack is given an impressive re-imagining using varied styles and genres: rock, Motown, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, folk, and classical. Purists may balk at its bold interpretations, but this die-hard TSOM fan finds them refreshing, playful, and very well executed. And the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization have given their approval, so you know Maria would be proud. ;-) Enjoy!

Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata is an American instrumental quartet led by Peter Kiesewalter, who’s also responsible for the East Village Opera Company. For this release, BRO’s debut, they recruited an impressive line-up of vocalists to accompany them: Jane Siberry, Carole Pope, Everett Bradley, among others.

• Check out this news video by the Associated Press.

How do you write a blog about Maria? How do you catch a thought and write it down? Of all the musicals in this list of ten, this probably has the greatest history for me personally. It ties, aptly enough, into being my erstwhile favourite of the musicals I had seen in this list. (It’s since been eclipsed by The Great Ziegfeld [1931].) Based upon the true story of the Von Trapp singing family who were smuggled out of Austria as the Second World War started, The Sound of Music (1965) has an epic running time of nearly threee hours, but unfolds leisurely without being tiresome. Maria (Julie Andrews) is a young novitiate at a convent in Austria who is sent away to look after a naval captain’s children – possibly because she is so ineffectual as a nun. Once there, she realises that Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) has been dealing with his children as he would a crew on board ship, and introduces fun into their lives predominantly through, yes, music. Slowly she affects not just the cheekily prankster children, but also the austere captain who is clearly lost at sea without his wife, who died.

The film isn’t so much “about” any one thing as it follows the lives of this group of people at this specific time in their lives. Maria at the convent, with the family, with the captain, and finally the inevitable war-beset ending. Throughout this we have the almost-customary well-known numbers. The titular one, for starts, “How do you solve a problem like Maria?”, “Do-Re-Mi”, “Edelweiss”, “So long, farewell”, “I am 16 going on 17″, “Favourite Things”… There is a lot of surrounding action and possibly there are fewer numbers in this than, say My Fair Lady (1964). There is also a curious mix of the older style of “legitimate songs” – that is, the music makes diegetic sense – like “Edelweiss” or “Do, Re, Mi”, and the usual musical “where’s that music coming from anyway?” style, like “How do you solve”. It makes for a richer experience, and a more satisfying musical feast.

The drama is excellent too, perhaps inevitably so as the story is true, however much it has been tweaked by dramatic licence. The threat of the oppression of war looms over the film like an approaching thundercloud on a hot summer’s day. And like that cloud, one is able to acknowledge and ignore until such time as its effects are absolute. At which point waters break forth and we have what is effectively a chase scene. Thank goodness no one cut to the chase, or what music we would have missed.

The best musicals find a balance between the music and the drama. Where the musicals I’ve looked at here have failed is where they miss one or the other – poor story, good songs; or great story, bad songs. It’s that balance that is key, and it is that balance that The Sound of Music achieves so well.

First up is a review of Helena Blackman’s début album ‘The Sound of Rodgers & Hammerstein’, released on February 14th 2011 by Speckulation Entertainment. Blackman, most recently seen as Nellie in a major UK tour of South Pacific, is perhaps best known as a runner up on the BBC’s popular 2006 talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?.

Whilst I am not a fan of the talent show format, I do appreciate it can help to occasionally unearth previously undiscovered talent; and Blackman is one such example. Given the chance to shine with this album, which features twelve of R&H’s most-loved showtunes, Blackman grabs her opportunity with both hands and produces an enjoyable and promising recording début.

Supported by a sumptuous 28 piece orchestra – unusually large for a recording such as this – Blackman’s voice is the definition of clarity and versatility. Singing in character throughout, Blackman is able to sing delicate ballads such as ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ (South Pacific) and ‘If I Loved You’ (Carousel) beautifully. Happily, she also possesses the ability to switch on the Broadway Baby quality for numbers such as ‘I Enjoy Being a Girl’ (Flower Drum Song) and ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair’ (South Pacific), the latter song especially making me regret missing her performance as Nellie in the aforementioned South Pacific tour.

Blackman’s strength is in the telling of a story; she excels at character performance and her decision to keep each song’s roots firmly in context is a wise one. Thankfully, there are no Michael Ball-esque liberties taken here, we are just given pure and uncomplicated musical theatre, mixed and produced to a very high standard.

The arrangements by Simon Hale, Michael Bruce, Tom Kelly and Chris Walker respectively are more or less faithful to the original scores and generally flattering to Blackman’s singing range and style. Blackman is occasionally caught out of her depth when trying to hit high and hard belt notes; specifically in the finales of ‘I Have Confidence’ and ‘Climb Every Mountain’ (The Sound of Music). That being said, I do still favour her renditions over those by Maria rival and winner Connie Fisher.

Blackman is joined by Jonathan Ansell for ‘I Have Dreamed (The King and I) and the impressive Daniel Boys for ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’ (Oklahoma!), the latter role suiting Blackman’s delicate and pretty voice particularly well. It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to picture her in the role of Laurey, or any of the others recorded by Blackman on this CD (except maybe Mother Superior!) and I am sure that Blackman has a long and successful career in musical theatre ahead of her.

- Harry Zing
Chewingthescenery.com

The DSO Friday announced that the pops concerts An Evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein scheduled for January 13th thru 16th have been cancelled.  Other January concerts remain scheduled, but could be cancelled if there is no new agreement reached with musicians who went on strike October 4th.  No new talks are planned, according to a statement from the orchestra.   

The DSO Board of Directors will be evaluating “the merit of suspending the remainder of the 2010-11 season, as well as indefinitely deferring the announcement of the 2011-12 season, until a settlement can be achieved” at their Executive Committee meeting later this month.  

The D-S-O claims musicians rejected their last offer of 133-thousand dollars for average player compensation and refuse to go back to the bargaining table, something musicians’ spokesman Hayden McKay says is not true.  He also says their offer included salary, healthcare, pension, and other benefits.  He says the average salary would really be in the low 70-thousand dollar range.

McKay, who’s been with the orchestra for 27 years, says, “Unfortunately, more concerts are cancelled.  That’s perhaps the most painful part of this whole experience is that the music lovers of Detroit are being deprived of the orchestra when not on the stage of Orchestra Hall. Unfortunately, at the same time they cancelled the concerts, management put out a lot of misinformation about where the negotiations stand.”

McKay says they are willing to negotiate…that they’d like to talk about the Granholm-Levin proposal….a compromise management rejected.

The cancellations allow thousands of ticket holders to exchange tickets or request refunds.  People needing information on concerts can call the DSO hotline at (313) 576-5123 or the Box Office at (313) 576-5111.

 Meantime, musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have scheduled two concerts  this month highlighting Rodgers & Hammerstein. 

The first concert is scheduled for Saturday, January 15th at 8:30 pm, at St. Patrick Catholic Church next to Orchestra Hall.  The second concert, Beethoven, is scheduled for January 22nd at 8:30 pm, at Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe. 

Tickets are $20 for general admission, $35 for preferred seating, and $50 for premium seating.

And yet …

There we were, going to see a performance of “Burn the Floor,” a spirited ballroom-dancing revue starring some of our favorite hoofers from “So You Think You Can Dance.” The show was being put on in our town’s old orchestra hall, one of those 19^th-century jewel boxes that, these days, spend less time with orchestras within their restored walls (our town’s orchestra has moved down the street to the new symphony space) and more time playing host to touring acts and troupes, and smaller-scale arts efforts.

They seem, on the face of them, fuddy-duddy and unnecessary ornate temples dedicated to the white Western world’s conception of culture. That being said, going there, being there, one could clearly feel something … special about it that the newer theaters just don’t have. There was a formal processional entry – from the sidewalk up a few steps to the set-back brick and gaslight-flickered façade; through large doors into a narrow decompression foyer, the first layer of leaving the real world behind; then on into a large, high-ceilinged lobby, with staircases shooting off and up, and, just ahead, ticket-takers for those lucky enough to have floor and lower box seats (and whom, tonight, would include us); then, beyond, a spacious hallway that semi-circles the row of entrance doors leading to the performance area – each ring of ingress drawing us into, even making us complicit with, the make-believe to come.

Then into the theater proper, all red velvet and gold filigree, bedecked tiers forming a wall of opulence, or, perhaps, obeisance: dressing up for a visit from the gods – an audience in both senses of the word. While seemingly stylistic and interior-decorating overkill for the task at hand (except where acoustical functionality was the driving force), there is, deeper, a sense of placeness that enunciates clearly that this is exactly what a space of this sort should be – in the same way that circus is best seen in a tent, or baseball in a human-scale stadium with grass on the field. And when the curtain rises – and, yes, there is a curtain, not merely a bank of lights turned on, as well as a massive proscenium that is happy to provide a fourth wall – we know that this is a place of art and wonder and imaginativeness.

Some places can be anything, and many new theaters are like that; other places are one thing, but perfectly so. Each has its role, and its magic, and even its contrapuntal possibilities: a full-costumed opera on a bare thrust stage, a Beckett play in a Victorian- or Edwardian-era hall – playing against type, and placeness, creating a new place with hybrid life.

There is not just one way of doing things, but there are ways that we, as participant-observers, know are just right, and tell us that we belong. Maybe anything called a theater does that. Maybe anything – whether black box or jewel box – that draws us to it, and draws our minds and hearts for us to see, has a placeness supreme.

Win:  A Pair of VIP Tickets to South Pacific and Dinner at the Fountain on Locust
Contest Ends:  October 31st, 2010

“Simply Wonderful! Beguiling Theatrical Magic!” hails the New York Post for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific.

A stunning reinvention produced by Lincoln Center Theater, South Pacific swept the 2008 Tony Awards®, winning seven honors including Best Musical Revival and Best Director for Bartlett Sher. The breathtaking new production features a cast of 34 and a full orchestra of 26 members – the largest orchestra of any touring Broadway production.

KMOX VIPs are invited to grab their favorite dame and enjoy a night out on the town.  One lucky listener will win an enchanted evening including a pair of VIP tickets to South Pacific at the Fabulous Fox Theatre and dinner at the Fountain on Locust before the show.  Visit KMOX VIP Rewards now to register for your chance to win.

For more information, visit fabulousfox.com.

Keep in mind that I only entered the starting date for some productions, and there may be more performances.

For more information, please visit the following websites for each individual theatre company. Remember that many of the companies listed below can also be located on Facebook and Twitter.

Centerville High School Theatre

Sinclair Community College Theatre

Dayton Theatre Guild

Wright State Theatre & Dance

University of Dayton Theatre

Playhouse South

Cedarville University Theatre

La Comedia Dinner Theatre

The Seed Theatre Project

Human Race Theatre Company

Springfield Arts Council

Springfield Stageworks

Beavercreek Community Theatre

Dayton Playhouse

Don’t forget to support the various Children’s Theatre programs in the area, as well.

For outstanding high school theatre productions, be sure to check out Centerville High School’s theatre program – one of the finest student production companies in Ohio!

09/08/2010	Dirty Rotten Scoundrels	LaComedia
09/17/2010	The Spitfire Grill	Beavercreek Community Theatre
09/23/2010	August: Osage County	Wright State University & Human Race Theatre Company
09/28/2010	Blue Man Group	Victoria Theatre Association
09/30/2010	The Importance of Being Earnest	Cedarville University
10/02/2010	Forever Plaid	Springfield Arts Council
10/08/2010	Die Mommie Die!	Dayton Playhouse
10/15/2010	Once On This Island	Sinclair Community College
10/15/2010	Moon Over Buffalo	Playhouse South
10/21/2010	The 39 Steps	Human Race Theatre Company
10/22/2010	The Diviners	University of Dayton
10/22/2010	The Sugar Witch	Dayton Theatre Guild
10/28/2010	Anything Goes	Wright State University
11/02/2010	Spring Awakening	Victoria Theatre Association
11/04/2010	White Christmas	LaComedia
11/05/2010	Grey Gardens The Musical	Seed Threatre Project
11/10/2010	Drumline Live	Victoria Theatre Association
11/12/2010	All Shook Up	Centerville High School
11/12/2010	Wit	Dayton Playhouse
11/12/2010	Dark Lights of Broadway	Playhouse South
11/13/2010	An Evening With Sutton Foster	Springfield Arts Council
11/26/2010	Precious Heart	Dayton Theatre Guild
12/02/2010	8-Track Sounds of the 70’s	Human Race Theatre Company
12/03/2010	A Christmas Carol	Beavercreek Community Theatre
12/07/2010	The Wonder Bread Years	Victoria Theatre Association
12/17/2010	Christmas Belles	Dayton Playhouse
01/07/2011	Ravenscroft	Dayton Theatre Guild
01/20/2011	Jeckyll & Hyde	Wright State University
01/21/2011	Betty Buckley’s Broadway	Springfield Arts Council
01/21/2011	I Hate Hamlet	Playhouse South
01/27/2011	Diary Of Anne Frank	Centerville High School
01/27/2011	Twelfth Night	Human Race Theatre Company
01/28/2011	The Octette Bridge Club	Beavercreek Community Theatre
01/28/2011	The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee	Dayton Playhouse
02/01/2011	9 to 5: The Musical	Victoria Theatre Association
02/02/2011	Fiddler On The Roof	Springfield Arts Council
02/04/2011	True West	University of Dayton
02/10/2011	The Last 5 Years	Springfield Stageworks
02/11/2011	Fat Pig	Dayton Theatre Guild
02/11/2011	Almost, Maine	Seed Threatre Project
02/17/2011	Picnic	Wright State University
02/18/2011	The Foreigner	Sinclair Community College
03/03/2011	Seven Brides for Seven Brothers	LaComedia
03/04/2011	The Wizard of Oz	Springfield Arts Council
03/04/2011	Little Women	Wright State University
03/04/2011	Golda’s Balcony	Dayton Theatre Guild
03/11/2011	Mid-Life The Crisis Musical	Beavercreek Community Theatre
03/11/2011	Beyond Therapy	Dayton Playhouse
03/25/2011	Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat	Playhouse South
03/28/2011	The Drowsy Chaperone	Victoria Theatre Association
04/01/2011	Smoke On The Mountain	University of Dayton
04/01/2011	Bill W. & Dr. Bob	Dayton Playhouse
04/01/2011	The Boys Next Door	Dayton Theatre Guild
04/05/2011	All Shook Up	Victoria Theatre
04/14/2011	Permanent Collection	Human Race Theatre Company
04/15/2011	An Enemy of the People	Seed Threatre Project
04/21/2011	Titus Andronicus	Springfield Stageworks
04/22/2011	Blackbird	Dayton Theatre Guild
04/28/2011	Hairspray	LaComedia
04/29/2011	Hello, Dolly!	Centerville High School
05/06/2011	A Piece of Heart	Playhouse South
05/12/2011	42nd Street	Wright State University
05/13/2011	The Women of Lockerbie	Sinclair Community College
05/13/2011	La Cage aux Folles	Dayton Playhouse
05/13/2011	Mauritius	Dayton Theatre Guild
05/19/2011	Monty Python’s Spamalot	Springfield Arts Council
05/26/2011	right next to me	Human Race Theatre Company
06/03/2011	Barnaby Rudge	Wright State University
06/10/2011	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Beavercreek Community Theatre
06/10/2011	Anyone Can Whistle	Seed Threatre Project
06/14/2011	Disney’s The Lion King	Victoria Theatre Association

]]> http://bradstephens.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/the-sound-of-music-opens/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:00:20 +0000 Brad Stephens http://bradstephens.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/the-sound-of-music-opens/ I make my Casa Mañana premier tomorrow night in the ensemble of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.  I am having a fantastic time working with some of the most amazing and talented actors and singers.  Jacquelyn Piro Donvan and Steve Blanchard are two of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet.  If you can make it out to the show, you’re in for a real treat.

Here is a recent posting on Playbill.com:

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan and Steve Blanchard to Hear The Sound of Music in Texas

By Adam Hetrick • August 25, 2010

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan and Steve Blanchard will co-star in the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music, which will open the 2010-2011 season at Casa Mañana Sept. 11.

Donovan (Les Miserables) will star as Maria opposite Blanchard (Beauty and the Beast) as Captain Von Trapp in the beloved musical set during the dawn of WWII in Austria. Alan Coats will direct the production that will run through Sept. 19.

The cast will also feature Dennis Yslas as Max Detweiler, Brian Mathis as Herr Zeller, Christopher Deaton as von Schreiber, Deborah Brown as Frau Schmidt, Diana Sheehan Elsa Schraeder, Doug LoPachin as Franz, Mary McElree as Liesl, Cooper Rodgers as Friedrich, Caitlin Daniels as Louisa, Bobby Rochelle as Curt, Brooke Verbois as Brigitta, Lauren Magee as Marta, Cosette Cook as Gretl and Tyce Green as Rolf.

The ensemble will include Nancy Lamb, Theresa Thompson, Lorena Provencio, Jenny Tucker, Megan Blackmon, Emily Ford, Becky Turner, Sarah Franz, Sarah Comley, Tesia Kwarteng, Jason Kennedy, Brad Stephens, Jeff MacMullen and Justin Rapp.

The Sound of Music, the 1960 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, with a book penned by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The 1965 film adaptation earned five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

For tickets phone (817) 332-2272 or visit CasaMañana.

Full disclosure:  Kelli O’Hara and I are both alums of Oklahoma City University!

You saw it here at The 5th last year, now experience it again on Wednesday, August 18 at 8:00 pm for a Live From Lincoln Center (PBS) broadcast, hosted by Alan Alda, of Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific, one of the landmark accomplishments in the history of American musical theater. Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot will reprise their acclaimed portrayals of Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque.