The show begins with George and Helene packing up their youngest son Keith and sending him off to college.  The front door closes and, phew, finally, after too many years, they have the house to themselves.  They can run around naked, if they want to.  They no longer have three sons in the home to invade their privacy and demand their attention.

That is, until they decide to get cozy on the floor in front of the fireplace.  As they snuggle, their son Michael sneaks in through the back door and up the stairs to his room.  It doesn’t take long for their other son, Elliott, to follow.  Oh, and then there’s the college freshman Keith just met the day before, Janie, who moves in to use his room, which he promised would be okay.

The laughs are centered around the frustrations of finally being free in your own home, but having it invaded again by the sons you finally got out of the nest.  Despite being a comedy, it’s actually short on laughs (until the first half of the second act), but when the laughs come, they’re good ones.

The show is okay, not great.  What actually makes it worth seeing is the cast.  There’s usually a few weaker cast members in Circa’s shows, but not this one.  Every actor is solid, funny and enjoyable.  There are no weakest links here, goodbye.

Brad Hauskins, a Circa regular, plays the father.  While I enjoy his usually dry, sarcastic humor, this performance is a lighter style of comedy and quite good.

Vrenda Lee, fresh off of Smoke on the Mountain, once again plays the play’s mother.  This time, she’s able to stand out, with such humor carried through her non-verbals.  And such great 80’s style hair!

Tristan Layne Tapscott is Keith.  Tapscott was hilarious in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and is just as good here.

Michael Butler, who is usually serving you your drinks for dinner as a Bootlegger, really gets to let his brand of humor free in a role well-suited for his style.

Eddie Staver III, who I am not ashamed to say, once again, is my favorite Quad Cities actor, offers a surprisingly slimey portrayal of Elliott, the womanizing son.  It’s a far cry from his portrayals of classic characters with the Prenzie Players, but still impressive.

And then there’s Ashley Catherine Schmitt, the bubbly, gum-chewing, sky-high bangs freshman Janie.  Schmitt has such energy and sparkle, you can’t help but like her, which adds to the laughs she brings to the show.

Also worth mentioning, the set and the costumes.  When we first sat down, I did not like the set, wondering who picked the atrocious style.  Then, when Hauskins and Lee walked on stage in their 80’s style clothing, it clicked and I found the set fantastic.  It’s perfect and, with the spot on costumes, leaves no doubt what decade this show takes place in.

Empty Nest runs through July 19th at Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse in Rock Island.

Posted: June 12th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: none

The Green Room is perhaps the most intimate theater space in the Quad Cities.  It’s the closeness of the audience to the performers that heightens the intimacy of “john & jen”, a play with two actors, but three characters.

“john & jen” is mainly the story of Jen.  We travel with her through her life, from the time her brother is born to the moment her son is off to college.

The first act is Jen’s life with John, her brother.  With an abusive father, Jen promises to stay with John, always, to prevent John from becoming the man he adores, their father.  But, Jen can’t stay with him forever.  She leaves for college and the siblings continue on down very different political paths.  John’s leads him to his death in Vietnam.

The second act is Jen’s life with John, her son, named after her brother.  With this John, she’s determined not to leave him, to protect him from the pain she knew and the path that lead to her brother’s death.  But, the best laid plans of mice and Jen often go awry.

The story is meant to be a story of loss, or so the Internet tells me.  I didn’t find it nearly so poignant.  There are moments of loss, which did move me, but the show seems so much more about the interactions of John and Jen and John than it does about their losses, or, Jen’s specifically.  Yes, she sits with her photo album and remembers, but the impact of her loss isn’t conveyed to the audience as deeply as it could be.  The director is correct to describe the show in the director’s notes as more about Jen’s “journey to overcome the emotional trauma she has suffered”.  It still isn’t quite that poignant, but there is that underlying theme.

While this is a book musical, with dialogue in between songs, it’s barely so.  The story lies almost entirely in the string of songs performed by John and Jen.  Thankfully, they vary in style and emotion, adding interest and surprise, rather than feeling like one long song.

As I said, I didn’t find the show as poignant as I think it was meant to be.  Instead, I would call it cute.  And, it’s cute because of Ryan Westwood’s performance.  Both actors in the show are called upon to portray their characters at difference ages.  Ryan excels at presenting the uninhibited and unjaded excitement of youth.  He is cute at the age of five, seven, eleven and twelve, if I remember the ages correctly.  And, he’s able to remove just enough exhuberance at each higher age to make that age believable.  And his talk show host!  Well, I’ll leave that for you to see.  This show may be centered moreso around Jen, but it’s Westwood who owns the stage, captivating the audience with his exceptional performance as both John and John.

Sarah Ulloa handles the role of Jen.  I’ve enjoyed seeing Ulloa on stage at least twice before, as she seems to have so much fun.  So, I was surprised to see her hold back a bit in this role.  She has a fantastic, powerhouse of a voice.  Her strong vocals carry her through this show.  But, she’s stronger on singing than on acting.  Her age differences for Jen are fairly undistinguishable.  And, often, her movements seem staged.  She’s moving through her blocking, looking this way or stepping that way, because it’s her blocking.  Rather than being a spontaneous movement, she moves because she’s supposed to move.  It’s actually subtle and not a huge distraction, but it was something that caught my attention.  And, it shouldn’t be what defines Ulloa’s performance.  Again, her vocals are excellent.  With a truer feeling and motivation behind them, Ulloa would be truly exceptional.

“john & jen” is Tyson Wm. Danner’s first directing experience.  And I have to say, he does a find job of it on his inaugural effort.  There’s attention given to lighting, which adds wells to the drama unfolding on stage.  Particularly, placing Westwood behind a draping of fabric with a light on him to make him appear through it is quite effective.  I’m not sure red is the best choice for the light, but the effect is solid.  And, Tyson uses props and set pieces!  The set pieces are still minimalistic, but there are set pieces on stage, which truly helps the performers.  As a director, I think Danner could’ve pulled more out of Ulloa’s performance on the acting side.  That’s a directing ability that will only strengthen as Danner continues to sit in the director’s chair for future productions.

“john & jen” runs this weekend only, starting tonight, at The Green Room Theatre in Rock Island.  Performances are tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday at 7:30, with a 2:30 matinee performance on Sunday.  Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling the theater at (309) 786-5660.

Posted: May 29th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: none

In death, a new theater group is born in the Quad Cities. Elegies: A Song Cycle marks the debut production of the new Riverbend Theatre Collective.

Being a song cycle, Elegies does not follow a plot. It’s a series of songs, each in and of itself a little story, with the central theme being death, memories of loved ones dying. Thankfully, most are fond remembrances told after the teller’s gone through the pain of dealing with the death.

Riverbend Theatre Collective’s Elegies is set in a bar, a piano bar, with the audience at the bar’s tables, watching the performers mingle at the bar, drink and tell their stories. It’s fitting, feeling almost like a reunion of old friends gathering to tell of the loved ones they lost.

In my opinion, I expected Elegies to be more poignant. These are stories about death, after all. I found myself moved to tears only twice in the show. And only a couple of lyrics caused me to give pause to ponder the point made. I’m sure there is poignancy galore, but it is not immediately apparent in the first hearing. For me, I think it would take a greater familiarity with the lyrics to begin to fathom the depth of the show’s emotion. Or, full disclosure, perhaps I missed the poignancy because I’ve not experience much death in my life.

Elegies, however, is presented by a fine cast of performers. It’s a small cast of just five (plus the pianist and the bartender). And yet, RTC managed to put together a very diverse cast, vocally and in the way these actors ply their craft.

Bryan Tank’s voice is, arguably, the strongest. A pleasure to listen to, Tank sings with dynamic authority, able to control the strength of his voice to fit the feeling of the song. Tank’s performance, however, is heavier on the singing side than the acting. His may be the most pleasant to hear vocal presentation, but the other actors manage to grasp the sense that they’re telling a story through their songs rather than only singing them well. I was quite impressed with Tank’s performance in “Jekyll & Hyde” a few years ago, so I know he has the acting chops. Perhaps his songs don’t call for it as much and I missed that in the listening. I must say, though, I still very much enjoyed the listening.

Jackie Madunic is, again arguably, the most fun to watch. The moment she opened her mouth and let fourth her first notes, she had my attention. Her solo is five songs into the show, and yet, she’s the first to really tell her song’s story. With inflection, eye contact and body language, she drives home the song’s intention. And, she’s the only performer who managed to bring a tear to my eye, at the end of “14 Dwight Ave., Natick, Mass.” This is my first time enjoying a performance by Madunic and, even before the song is through, I find myself anxious to see her in other roles, to see what else she can do.

Patrick Gimm returns to the stage after a thirty year absence from it. And, I find myself asking, why so long? This man is a crooner. With a smooth, rich quality to his baritone voice, he could’ve sung me to sleep. Not out of boredom, mind you, but out of ease of listening. Like Tank, Gimm, too, could perhaps use a little more direction in the telling of the song’s story. Then again, does it matter? It’s such a calming joy to listen to him, that I almost don’t care what he’s singing about in each song. Hopefully, Gimm doesn’t withhold his talent from us for another thirty years.

If Madunic were not in the picture, err, on the stage, then Dana Joel Nicholson would be the most fun to watch. It may help that he has more of the songs that include humor, which allows him to play them out. “My Dogs”, a song about the dogs he loved, and hated, and their deaths just might be my favorite song from the show. And, Nicholson’s performance certainly contributes to making it my favorite. Like Madunic, he’s a story teller. He’s in touch with the tale told and tells it as a tale teller would. (Yes, I’m proud of that alliteration.)

Last, but not least, we have the woman behind RTC, Allison Collins-Elfline. She, too, gets it. There’s a certain, simple sultriness to her style. Also fun to watch, she’s got a powerhouse of a voice, with excellent control of it. While there seems to be some question of casting, with some claiming Collins-Elfline intended to cast herself all along (which I don’t believe), the argument is irrelevant, as this woman proves she’s worthy of the role. If she were so-so, or terrible, then I could see a point to questioning the casting of herself in her own show. But, Collins-Elfline is far from so-so. I’m confidant any other director would’ve cast her, too.

I must say Bravo to Robert Elfline, who manages to play the piano non-stop for two hours. In addition to playing without a break for 90 minutes in the show, he also offers background music for the “piano bar” prior to the show as the guests enter. Here’s hoping there’s a hand massage in his contract.

And, Esther Clement manages to pull off a realistic Bartender, even without any lines. The actors manage to use her well, to maintain the illusion of being in an actual bar.

Riverbend Theatre Collective presents “Elegies: A Song Cycle” in conjunction with AIDS Project Quad Cities, with a portion of the proceeds going to APQC.

Elegies runs May 16 and 17 and 22-24 at 8 p.m. and May 18 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling Riverbend Theatre Collective at (309) 757-1387 or purchased at the door.

Posted: May 15th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: 1

As a theater-goer, I go to the theater to escape for a while, losing myself in a story of others’ lives played out before me on a stage.  I don’t want to be aware of my presence, only of the presence of the characters before my eyes.  That’s my preference, but it’s not Prenzie Players’ policy.  As they say, “theater is not a passive experience.”  And, knowing that, I approached the group’s latest production with trepidation, with anxiety.  Despite efforts to approach the show with an open mind as a reviewer, I dreaded the prospect of being pulled into the show and shuffled from room to room.  Yet, I walked away with a bright smile on my face, having enjoyed, yet again, another non-passive Prenzie Players performance.

The production of “Life’s a Dream” is already begun when the audience enters.  Those there to enjoy a night of theater walk into a darkened room with a black floor and a man lying naked in the center of the room.  We’ve entered the tower cell of Prince Sigismund, locked there for most of his life by his father for fear of a prophecy.  It is forecast that Sigismund will be a tyrant, destroying his father to obtain the throne.

After year after year in the tower, with Sigismund now an adult, the king has a change of conscious.  Perhaps this was not the right thing to do, to play God. And so, the king devises a plan.  Sigismund is to be drugged into a sleep, dressed as the prince he is and then allowed to rule as he sees fit.  If Sigismund is a tyrant, then he will be drugged again and returned to his tower cell, where he will be convinced it was all a dream.

Director J.C. Luxton (whom I adored in Taming of the Shrew) labored over the script for months.  Pulling together lines from several different translations of Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s work, Luxton created a script using only the best lines of each version.  The results meanders in and out of rhyme, with a natural flow of some of the most beautiful formation of words I’ve ever heard.  It has the feel of Shakespeare, with the poetic use of words, but is easier for the ears to digest.

As I said, the audience enters into Sigismund’s cell, with him lying naked on the floor, literally.  It was extremely uncomfortable.  I found myself looking for anything else at which to look in order to avoid looking at the naked body just a short distance from my feet.  That discomfort poured into a prayer for the show to begin, and quickly.  Anything to escape this uncomfortable feeling.  And yet, that lack of comfort is perfect.  We are in a prison cell, after all.  This is Sigismund’s life, which can’t be comfortable.  This is not passive by any means and a wise choice by Luxton.

Eddie Staver III portrays Sigismund, a man who’s learned all he knows about life and “human nature” from observing the animals on the hillside through the window in his tower cell.  Taking on the grunts, the animal like movements, Staver strips himself of himself and embodies Sigismund.  His solid performance is enrapturing.  Once his mouth opened and he uttered his first lines, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.  Despite focus intended to be centered elsewhere, I watched Staver, awed by his continual channeling of the character.  Not once did he merely wait for his next line.  He is Sigismund from before the audience enters to the curtain call.  This is only the second performance I’ve seen with him, but Staver is already my favorite Quad Cities actor, hands down.

In fact, the entire cast is impressive.  Somehow, the Prenzie Players consistently manages to bring together the strongest cast of actors available in the Quad Cities.  I am both awed and inspired all the more with each performance I am blessed to experience.

Maggie Woolley offers yet another nuanced and strong performance, this time portraying Rossaura, a traveler with vengeance on her heart.  Woolley expertly offers moments of confusion, where she’s moved from the path of vengeance, distracted by an attraction to others in the play.  Woolley’s Rossaura is in no way a one-note character and truly intriguing.  I enjoyed studying Woolley’s face to catch the subtle and not so subtle changes created from the inside of this actress rather than simply by speaking the lines from the script.

Jeff De Leon provides the comic relief as Bugle, the traveling companion of Rossaura and then a servant.  De Leon’s portrayal is never over the top.  Instead, he offers a nice, natural comic inflection to his delivery and I was delighted by it.

Jeremy Mahr is also impressive as Clothold.  He stands on the stage with authority, confidence.

Again, the entire cast is impressive.  While there are weaker performances, that is not to say there are weak performances.  Any weakness is only relative to the strength of others in the cast.

The lighting is also worth noting.  I must admit, lighting is not something I notice.  So, if I notice it, it’s either really good or distractingly bad.  Here, it’s good.  With limitations, Lighting Master Jennifer Kingry’s conceived the right feel with her lighting.  The dungeon is appropriately dark, oppressive.  The court is bright.  The intermission has the feel of twilight or pre-dawn.  It just always has the right feel to it.

As I said, I prefer a passive theater experience.  Prenzie Players do not allow that, what with scenes taking place in various places off stage before the show, during intermission and even after the show.  And then there’s the shuffling of the audience from one room to another.  Still, only once was I annoyed by it, at the final move from the tower to the King’s court, but only because I felt lazy and just wanted to sit.  One more Prenzie performance and I may be converted, preferring an active theater experience.  Sadly, the Prenzie Players do not return with another production until the Fall.

And so, I urge you to take in this production.  A warning, though.  It is adult in nature.  There is language, nudity and a death scene which even disturbed me (nice work, Denise Yoder).  If you can handle that, then catch “Life’s a Dream” at the Masonic Temple in Rock Island.  The show runs this Friday and Saturday and next Thursday through Sunday.  All performances begin at 8:00 p.m.  For more information, visit the Prenzie Players website.

Posted: May 8th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: none

For the next few months, Circa is not a theater and we are not an audience, but a church congregation enjoying Smoke on the Mountain.

The show is set in the 30’s really has no plot.  It’s a service at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church featuring the singing Sanders family.  Pastor Oglethorpe presides over the evening, in a bumbling sort of way, as the Sanders share testimony and gospel and bluegrass songs.  The show plays like an actual service, rather than a show, with the audience meant to be the congregation.

There are no weak performances in this show, though a few do stand out.

Vaughn M. Irving returns to Circa fresh off of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story as Ritchie Valens.  Irving is now Pastor Oglethorpe, a country baptist preacher who knows his Scripture, but doesn’t wield much authority.  Irving is a delight.

Bob Payne, however, delivers the most real performance of the cast.  He’s not over-playing in order to reach the back of the audience.  He understands the magic of this show is that it’s meant to feel like a real service.  He’s natural, believable.  He even nails that slight sense of superiority without a smugness that I’ve often seen in church musicians.  I didn’t doubt his Burl Sanders for a minute.

Kimberly Furness is the one who gets the most laughs as June Sanders.  She is the most over the top of the performers, but that’s what’s called for in this role.  June doesn’t sing, she signs, as in for the deaf.  But, she’s apparently self-taught, as her signs are rather literal, which brings down the house.  When things get serious, and a tad dull, during the show, she’s in the background or on the side of the stage stirring up deep, loud laughs from the audience.

If Vaughn Irving is the most real, Brad Hauskins is the most sincere in his performance.  He plays Stanley, Burl’s way-faring brother, the black sheep of the righteous family.  Hauskins doesn’t overplay his role, keeping more to the shadows, as would his character.  His performance is just right, which is just perfect.  And, he delivers the most sincere and most truthful testimony of the bunch.

Andrew Crowe is absolutely endearing.  As the nervous and awkward Dennis Sanders, he’s, well, nervous and awkward.  Second only to Furness, Crowe offers several good laughs.

Jenny Stodd plays Dennis’ twin sister, Denise, who is a bit rebellious and flirty.  There’s something about Stodd’s voice, with a slight squeak to it, that always brings a smile to my face.  I enjoyed her as Little Sally in Urinetown at St. Ambrose and I enjoyed her here.  I just hope to enjoy her in a performance that doesn’t involve braided pigtails sometime in the near future. 

Rounding out the family is Vrenda V. Lee as the matron of the family, Vera.  Lee captures that sense of piety in church people (I’ve known) who seem to simply be ignoring the darker sides of life.

I have to stand up and applaud the fact the performers play their own instruments.  My biggest complaint about Circa 21 is the use of pre-recorded accompaniment.  I understand the cost, but so much more enjoy a performance with live musicians.  To have a cast that is also the band is an extra joy.  I get the sense some of the actors learned how to play a little on some instruments just for this performances and pulled it off quite well.  I’m truly impressed.

And, once again, I am amazed by Circa’s set.  They nailed the feel of a country baptist church, with an old feel to it.

I laughed harder than I’ve laughed during a theater performance in quite some time, particularly during the second half of the first act.  Having experienced similar church events, I found the show hilarious, with the inside jokes so enjoyable.  While I found the preaching parts dull and not very poignant and the songs a bit too similar sounding, it didn’t matter because I had so much fun.

I will say, though, that I don’t think this is a show for everyone.  It’s great for church groups, of which there were four filling half the audience the night I attended the performance.  If you’ve experience good, old-fashioned church, this show will likely delight you.  My companion for the evening has very limited church experience and did not like the show at all.  That said, I think it’s perfect for an organized church outing.

 The show runs through May 24th with performances Wednesday through Sunday, more or less.  Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse is located in Rock Island, Illinois.  You can get tickets by calling the theater at (309) 786-7733 or through Circa’s website.

Posted: April 4th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: none

This weekend, Playcrafters Barn Theatre presents a murder most foul.  Okay, not foul.  “Anybody for Murder?” is meant to be murder most funny.

Max is married to Janet, but having an affair with Suzy.  Max and Suzy concoct a plan to kill Janet, collect the insurance and live together in financial bliss.

In comes Mary and George Ticklewell, announcing Janet is due for an inheritance from her recently deceased cousin, which they want a part of, but Mary is only a second cousin.  Identity confusion and deathly comedy ensues.

Playcrafters Barn Theatre is my favorite performance space in the Quad Cities.  I love the layout, with the stage jutting into the audience and the audience sitting on three sides of the action.  It’s such a great space, bringing the audience closer to the performance.

The set, crafted by Jeff Adamson, is truly impressive. These are real walls with a real staircase, not just theater smoke and mirrors.  During slower parts in the stage, I just sat and marveled at the set.

The lighting, too, deserves a mention.  I don’t usually notice lighting, unless it’s active and choreographed.  But, I noticed it here, despite its subltey.  The night scene is realistically lit, but light enough to see the actors, while believing they’re moving around the room with the lights out at night.

The show itself is amusing, but not hilarious.  I’ve never met a murder comedy that’s hilarious, actually.  They’re usually filled with predictable and/or flat humor.  Anybody for Murder? is the same, but, Playcrafters at least offers some fine performances to up the amusement level.

Christopher Tracy is a bit endearing, cute, really likable as Max.  He’s the murderer at the start, but you like him.  Tracy also keeps the show going in the dead spots (no pun intended) with ad libbed comments.  He seems to know about pacing and tries to keep things moving by adding comments here and there.

Pamela Crouch is impressive as the dead Janet.  That may sound like a slam, but it isn’t.  It’s not easy to go completely limp and trust in others to carry you around.  She does quite well at letting all control go.  And, her performance in the Second Act is quite charming.

Jean Lupoli’s Suzy offers the only two moments in the First Act in which I laughed out loud.  She offers a bit of a ditzy likeableness, which keeps you interested in the show.

Ben Hopkins, who plays Edgar, for me was the most enjoyable to watch.  He offers the most natural performance.  I truly enjoyed every moment he was on stage.  He’s sort of a gruff, likeable fellow with a good sense of humor.

Greg Bouljon, however, is made for this kind of humor.  As George, he plays the comedy of the show perfectly.  His style of delivery matches perfectly with what’s called for from the script.

Kathy Heckman  is appropriately cast as Mary, with the right amount of nagging wifeliness and controlling money-hungry, status monger.

The first act was a tad dull, with the audience not laughing as much as I think the script expects.  Part of this may due to pacing, which was a bit off.  Tighter entrances and picking up on cues for lines could correct this.  The second act, however, picks up with the audience offering their first, full on laughter in response to the comedy on stage.

Anybody for Murder? runs this weekend at Playcrafters Barn Theatre in Moline.  Shows start at 7:30 Friday and Saturday night and at 3:00 on Sunday.  Tickets are $10 and can be reserved at the theater’s website or by calling (309) 762-0330.

Posted: March 13th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: 2

This week, I had a chance to catch the Prenzie Players’ The Taming of the Shrew.  And, I have to say, it’s the most fun I’ve ever had with William Shakespeare.

The story is a battle of the sexes, with suitors chasing Bianca, but not allowed to take her hand until her older sister, Katherine, is married.  The problem?  Katherine is a head strong, sharp-tongued woman — an untamed shrew.  In comes Petruchio, who sets upon the task to win Katherine over, shaping her into the model wife.

The Prenzie Players set the show in a bar, with the audience sitting at the bars tables.  The stage is the entire room, with the audience, as bar patrons, watching the play within a play unfold.  The actors walk amongst the tables, interacting with the audience.  In fact, the asides so common to Shakespeare are spoken directly to individuals in the audience, which seems so much more affective.  And, they ad lib.  Ad-libbed Shakespeare?  God save us!  But, it works.

As for the cast, this may be the best collection of truly exceptional actors I’ve ever seen in the Quad Cities.  Few stand out, as almost the entire cast plays at the same level of greatness.  I have to admit, it’s been years since I’ve seen or studied Shakespeare, so it took me all of the first act to get accustomed to the language.  But, that didn’t diminish my enjoyment.  I didn’t always understand what the actors were saying, but they did, speaking in the language of Shakespeare as if it were their native tongue.  Thus, they are able to speak with appropriate inflection and body language, which conveys the meaning even if the words themselves are not understood.

The cast truly is incredible, but if I had to pick some standouts, they would be Chris Moore as Petruchio and J.C. Luxton as his servant, Grumio.  While the entire cast speaks with the full knowledge of the meaning of their words, these two are a bit above the rest, making the words their own and performing with authority and confidence.  Truly impressive.

Maggie Woolley as Bianca and Jaci Entwistle as Baptista Minola also offer great performances, crafting full characters out of Shakespeare’s words.

Jake Walker is really amusing to watch as Gremio, offering many laughs through his characterization.

But, my favorite is Eddie Staver III, who plays Christopher Sly, a drunken character for whom the other cast is performing.  He is a part of the audience, pulled into the play at a few points, and never drops his drunkenness.  He’s truly impressive to watch.  For me, his role was too small.  I wanted to see more of him, truly in awe of his ability to maintain his character at all times.

And, I can’t neglect Dustin Oliver, who appears as a woman (wearing a bad wig).  He may have the smallest role in the show, but I smiled every time I looked at him.  From tossing his hair to chastising his husband for not watching the show, everything he did was subtle, not at all over the top, and just made me giggle!

The only cast member I would criticize negatively would be Beth Woolley, whose Katherine is angry… just angry… at least in Act One.  The entire first act, whenever on stage, she stomps around the room and conveys only the emotion of anger or rage, with no nuances nor subtleys.  She has an over-the-top anger, for which I could find no motivation.  I think of the character of Katherine as sharp, witty, toying and haughty.  Here, she’s just angry.  Nothing but angry.  However, Woolley’s performance much improves in the second act.  I breathed a sigh of relief as I finally saw some subltey in her performance.  She conveys several emotions, none of which were over the top.  And, she delivers the longest monologue of the show, so it’s good that’s she more than just a ball of anger.  After seeing her in Act Two, I know Woolley has the ability to offer more than just a one-dimensional character in Act One.  If she matched the multi-dimensions of Act Two Katherine in Act One, she, too, I would list among the impressive.

As I said, this is the most fun I’ve had watching a performance of Shakespeare’s work.  It’s the cast and the direction that make it so.  This isn’t a performance for which a show was selected and then the cast found.  This is a cast that wants to do this show.  Their passion and respect for and love of Shakespeare’s material is very much apparent.  And, that helps the audience.  Even if you don’t understand what’s going on, you’ll still have a great time.

Posted: March 6th, 2008 under Theater.
Comments: 4

This weekend, The Green Room Theatre presents “Eleemosynary”, a show that’s easier to swallow than it’s name is to spell.

The show centers around three generations of the Westbrook family women: Dorothea, the grandmother; Artemis, or Artie, Dorothea’s daughter; and Echo, Artie’s daughter.  Rather than a linear plot presentation, the show makes us privy to what’s in their heads.  As they share their memories from life, we learn what shaped them as a person as well as how they shaped each other, not usually in a good way.

The characters often speak directly to the audience, which makes for an uncomfortable experience, which is brilliant.  These fractured woman are telling us, the audience, the things they should be saying to each other.  I wanted to stand up and scream, “Tell you mother that.  It would repair your relationship.”  That’s quite an emotional connection.

It helps, too, that the space is such that the audience is above the stage, looking down on the actors.  It’s as if we’re on a jury, with these three women pleading their cases before us.  How easy it is to judge these women for their faults.  But, then again, how uncomfortable the positioning made me feel, as the protrayals show me I am not in a position to judge, figuratively.  I am just as fractured by my surroundings, my family as are these women.  It’s a good discomfort, as it adds an element of empathy, strengthening the experience.

Dorothea is a pseudo-eccentric, playing the part to make life easier.  Susan McPeters, who is not new to the Quad Cities stage, comes across very naturally.  There’s no effort for her, here, as she embodies the role.  I adored her Dorothea, wishing she and I could sit down and have a cup of tea while she shared her stories with me.

Artie is a highly intelligent wreck, ruined by Dorothea’s cold response to Artie’s demanding attributes.  Artie, who we’re told likes rules, often breaks them, running away from uncomfortable situations often, one of them being her daughter, Echo.  Angela Elliott, who recently moved to the Quad Cities, is Artemis.  She comes across as the most real or raw, in terms of being in touch with the emotion of her character.  This is especially true when she’s speaking directly to the audience.

And then there’s Echo.  Sweet little Echo, who loves to spell, admires her grandmother, Dorothea, greatly and wants a relationship with her mother, whom she also seems to hate.  This role is adorably played by Abby VenGerpen, a St. Ambrose student.  Right away, I was impressed with her performance.  This young woman knows her craft and plies it expertly on stage.  There’s a point where Dorothea asks Echo, “Don’t you want to fly?”  and Echo says “I do.”  And I believe her. And I believe that she could fly because she believes she can fly.  This simple line, “I do”, is the most believable and, for me, touching line uttered in the entire show.

What’s interesting, though, is that I thought none of the women portrayed their characters as the script implied they should be portrayed.  Dorothea’s lines and description from the other characters seemed to describe her as a harsh, haughty, cold woman with a sense of great self-importance.  This is not how she’s portrayed.  Instead, McPeters gives her a bright soul and a loving heart, with a bit of a firm hand when handling her daughter, Artie.  As for Artie, the play wants to portray her as a rebel, a woman with aimless direction.  But, Elliott gives Artie a natural flow to life, as a regular woman who just doesn’t deal with problems well.  And Echo, who should perhaps lean much more to the smart and dull side is quite giddy.  But, this misrepresentation of the characters as scripted is the production’s strength.  The actresses portray these ladies more as real women, who you and I might interract with on a daily basis, rather than as characatures.  And that strengthens the emotion of the play and ties us closer to these characters, making for a deeper impact on us, the audience.

Eleemosynary runs this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at The Green Room Theatre in Rock Island.  The address is 1611 2nd Avenue, which is the original location of the former Brew & View movie theater.  Tickets are $15, cash or check only.  For tickets, call (309) 786-5660.

Posted: February 21st, 2008 under Theater.
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I’m not a fan of musical revues and rather indifferent to the music of Buddy Holly.  Musical revues are a dangerous choice to do, as you run the risk of alienating potential audience members who don’t like the music making up the revue.  That would be me, as I’m not really all that attracted to the music of Buddy Holly.  But, with low expectations, I figured I’d enjoy “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” more than I expected.

Buddy starts with a rebellious leader of a band on a country show who just wants to play rock and roll.  After playing a rock and roll song on the air, without permission, he’s fired, but also set up with a recording contract.  And so begins the career of the legendary Buddy Holly.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy “Buddy” more than I expected to enjoy it.  The trouble, however, is not Circa’s production.  It’s the show itself.  “Buddy” is heavy on the performance of Buddy Holly’s songs and light on the story of his life.  I went in knowing very little about Mr. Holly and came out knowing more about his life, but not because of the show.  Everything I learned I learned from my companion for the evening, who filled in all the gaps for me at intermission and after the show.

The show is poorly paced.  This could be Circa’s fault, but it seems the show offers too much opportunity for poor pacing.  The first act is heavy on the recording sessions, with little short scenes depicting an ever increasingly tired band, except for Buddy, working all night.  The scenes are broken up by dips to black, which last too long and slow the pacing of the show down.  It’s hard to enjoy when you’re sitting in black listening to canned music almost more than you’re watching the actors play out that night of Buddy’s life.  This could be fixed with shorter dips to black.  Much shorter.

Act 2 starts promisingly in the pacing department, but ends up more of a mess than Act 1.  The first part of the act is actual scenes with dialogue and story advancement.  We watch as Buddy meets a girl, marries her and then leaves for a tour with her warning him of nightmares she’s having about a fire ball in the sky.  Finally!  I’m learning something and enjoying the show!  Then, it descends into a long string of Buddy Holly songs, with very little in the way of storyline, as the rest of the act plays out in concert style.  My companion said he felt “like a groupie on a boring tour.”

The end of Buddy Holly’s life is also problematic.  We’re right in the middle of a fun song, with the audience dancing and clapping, when the lights dim, the song stops and a voice announces the deaths of Buddy, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.  A spotlight lights each from the top as their deaths are announced.  It could be an emotional, tragic moment, but the crowd is clapping over the front of the voice over, so you miss the first part.  Then, when it’s done, the show goes right back into the upbeat, fun song.  The audience doesn’t have a chance to let the tragedy sink in, let alone acknowledge it.

One more negative, before I focus on the positives.  Much of the cast lacked energy.  The approach to scenes with dialogue seemed to be laid back, with a slowness and an energy-less performance.  It couldn’ve been that I was watching the second performance of the show’s run, so the actors were still warming up to the show.  Still, it brought the energy down.  Way down, in fact.  That’s where the “boring tour” comes in.  I had trouble being excited and having fun because most of the actors on stage seemed to not be having fun.  And those who were trying to perform with energy were pulled down by those without energy.

Okay, enough of the negative.  The major positive of the show is that the actors perform their own instruments.  I prefer live musicians accompanying stage shows to pre-recorded accompaniment.  The live music adds to the energy of a show.  So, Buddy gets major bonus points for actually having the actors perform on their instruments.  And, they do quite well performing and will only get better as the run of the show continues.

Todd Meredith is a likeable Buddy Holly.  He has to carry the show, so he’d better be good.  Unfortunately, he’s the one who’s trying to perform with energy, but it’s held back by the lack of energy of those around him (other than Tristan Layne Tapscott as Jerry, the drummer, who adds some nice humor to the show).  I think Meredith’s performance would be more notable were the energy of the rest of the cast raised so that his could go through the roof.

The standouts, however, are Teddric Alexander Matthews and Aurianna Angelique as the Apollo Singers.  They kick off the scene at the Apollo theater with more energy than the rest of the show combined.  (Well, the concert ending the show is pretty high energy.  But, I’m talking performance more than just the music.)  Finally, I was into the show, ready to jump out of my seat.  They were exciting and giving their all.  I wished, for a moment, we were watching “Apollo: The Apollo Singers Story” just so we could see more of them!  These two are above and beyond the rest of the cast in what they offer the audience on stage.

Vaughn Irving also does a fine job as Ritchie Valens.  He has high energy and “La Bamba” was one of my favorite numbers.

Linda Boelsche is also worth mentioning.  As Vi Petty, she offers a character more than anyone else on stage.  She has very nice delivery and, along with Jerry the Drummer, some of the funniest moments on stage.

Once the show hits the final concert of Buddy Holly’s life in the second act, the energy really ramps up, bring the audience to its feet, at a couple of points.  (I know, I’m using the word energy a lot.  But, energy is the key to making this performance fun.  I keep mentioning it because that’s what this show is missing, for the most part.)  The actors seem to most enjoy themselves while performing, with all of them on stage singing, dancing and actually playing their instruments.  How can you not have energy here?

I, personally, did not enjoy “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” all that much.  But, I think that’s due to my expectations.  I wanted to learn something about Buddy Holly.  The show didn’t offer that.  It’s more of a chance to perform his songs than it is the story of his life.  For me, it’s too heavy on the songs when I want the story.  That’s not to say it’s bad, though, and that you should avoid it.  That’s just my opinion based on my personal taste.  I think anyone who likes the music of Buddy Holly will have a great time at the show.  Just expect to hear more songs than to learn anything about the legendary performer.  Study up on his life before the show, if you don’t know about it already, and you may enjoy the performance even more.

“Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” runs through March 22 at Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse in Rock Island.

Posted: January 24th, 2008 under Theater.
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Circa 21’s current on stage offering is Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, a holiday musical based on the movie of the same name.  As in the movie, two former soldiers make a name for themselves in show business as a song and dance team.  Phil’s effort to set Bob up with a mate leads them to Vermont, where they’re putting on a holiday show with the Haynes sisters.  The show is also a chance for the boys to encourage their former General, who now runs the Inn in which they’re putting on the show.

To be frank, I didn’t expect to be wowed at Circa.  I vaguely remember the movie and how I didn’t think it was all that interesting.  However, I very much enjoyed Circa 21’s production.  The show itself may lack enough conflict to keep you captivated to the end, but Circa managed to make an enjoyable experience of it, with some smile-inducing performances.

I was most impressed with Autumn O’Ryan, who plays Martha Watson, a former performer herself and now the woman actually running the General’s Columbia Inn.  O’Ryan is feisty, with an attention grabbing stage presence.  I wanted more lines for her.  The couple at the table next to me were tickled pink by her, with the wife stating “There she is!” every time O’Ryan walked on stage.

Kent Lewis, who plays Bob Wallace, is the only actor that didn’t seem to be acting.  While the rest of the cast portrayed their characters at stage level, with appropriately exaggerated facial expressions, enunciation and inflection in order to be picked up by audience members in the back of the room, Lewis offered a smooth portayal of the lead character.  And that’s the word that kept coming to mind, smooth.  Not that he’s a smooth dealer, but his presence and delivery has a smoothness to it, which is natural and inviting.  I wanted to watch him on stage because I liked his Bob.  However, my companion for the evening pointed out he didn’t offer a lot of variation in emotions, moving from his love interest telling him off and walking out at one moment to being full on smiles and performance ready in the very next.  While I would agree Lewis offered limited variation, I don’t think it detracted from his performance.  He was so natural and likeable, drawing you in to enjoy Bob’s experiences along with him.

While I found Gabriel Beck’s Phil Davis and Erin Dickerson’s Judy Haynes a bit too over the top, I enjoyed them together.  They made for the perfect pair, matching each others levels.  And, while I don’t usually like dance numbers with only two people, I was captivated by their dance during “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.”

Megan Rosenblatt often drew my attention away from the main action.  As Rhoda, she was never out of character while on stage.  It’s not that she pulled focus, but that I happened to notice how she was “on” every moment she was on stage and then couldn’t help but watch her.  In fact, I preferred her while she was in the background to when she actually delivered lines, which were delivered well, but often too loud, distorting the sound and making it difficult to understand her exact words.  This isn’t to say she was bad.  She was one of the most enjoyable supporting cast members.

Don Hepner’s Ezekiel would be another.  His moments on stage brought many laughs in the audience.

The set is also remarkable.  There’s nice use of floating pieces (stages, boxes, etc.).  There’s also a remarkable barn that’s worth noticing rather than just accepting as a background.

Overall, I really enjoyed the show.  I laughed out loud frequently and left with a smile.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas runs through January 5th at Circa 21 in Rock Island.

Posted: December 6th, 2007 under Theater.
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