Mary Poppins - Summer Theatre of New Canaan

The Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s staging of Mary Poppins is their best production in years.  Every aspect of the show comes together to form a charming, entertaining theatrical experience.  At the matinee I attended, the audience was teeming with hardcore critics - young children - who were attentive and entranced throughout the production.

Emily Grace Tucker as the title character in Mary Poppins.

Mary Poppins is one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history (ranked #22) and based on the 1964 Disney film that starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.  The show, with a book by Julian Fellowes, of Downton Abbey fame, closely follows the movie, with only a few changes that eliminate potential technical difficulties.  For example, there is no floating revelry at the top of a ceiling or jaunty excursion into Bert’s sidewalk drawings.  However, there is no shortage of fun and frolicking.  Mary Poppins does fly, ramrod straight, umbrella in hand.  The song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” now takes place at a buoyant, whimsical Mat Hatter type tea party.

 

The cast of Mary Poppins.

 

For audience members not familiar with the plot – is that possible – the story unfolds in 1910 London.  The young, rambunctious Jane and Michael Banks drive their nannies crazy and are a constant concern for their parents Winifred and George.  After another nanny resigns in a huff, Mary Poppins suddenly appears, answering the children’s plea for a playful, humane governess.  Through her unorthodox methods,  eccentric acquaintances, and unpredictable flights of fancy, Mary brings the family together importance of family.

 

Emily Grace Tucker as Mary Poppins and Stephen Petrovich as Bert in Mary Poppins.

Director Melody Meitrott Libonati, working with a first-rate cast, weaves a spell of exuberant enchantment.  She adeptly incorporates Choreographer Doug Shankman’s high-stepping and spirited dance routines into the production.  Most notable is the frisky “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” number and the lively chimney sweep shimmies of “Step in Time.”  The “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” scene is enhanced by Lauren Nicole Sherwood’s imaginative, witty costume designs and wigs.  Ms. Libonati quickly moves the scenes laden more with exposition into the thrilling, child-friendly moments.  She skillfully integrates Daniel DeGeorges’ scenic design of brightly colored painted curtains and movable set pieces.

 

The score is populated by iconic songs from the pens of Disney stalwarts Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.  They include "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Jolly Holiday," "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Feed the Birds," and "Step in Time."  Composer George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe have written additional songs that help expand a character’s persona (“Practically Perfect”) and insert a bit of menace into the show (“Temper, Temper” and "Brimstone and Treacle").

 

Stephen Petrovich as Bert and members of the cast of Mary Poppins.

 

The cast is led by Emily Grace Tucker as the unflappable, practically perfect Mary Poppins.  The actress commands attention as she leads her charges and brings joy and merriment to everyone she connects with.  Ms. Tucker, who possesses a beautiful singing voice, also brings poise and charm to the role.  Stephen Petrovich is an ideal Bert.  Lanky and elastic, he has a perpetual smile across his face as he sings and dances up a storm.  Janelle A. Robinson brings both a lighthearted gaiety and a strong-willed toughness to the roles of Mrs. Corry and the feared Miss Andrews.  Sean Hannon (Mr. Banks) and Jazmin Gorsline (Mrs. Banks) provide seasoned adult sensibilities to the production.

 

 

Mary Poppins, an ideal introduction, for young and old alike, playing at the Summer Theatre of New Canaan through July 28.  Click here for dates, times and ticket information.

The Prom - Playhouse on Park

Playhouse on Park has presented a successful string of summer musicals the past few years.  In 2023, there was a well-received production of Bandstand, which received numerous Connecticut Critics Circle (CCC) Award nominations, including Best Musical.  The summer before that was a buoyant, jubilant staging of Pippin.  The theater’s current offering, the crowd-pleasing musical, The Prom, continues their streak of appealing and captivating summer shows. 

The cast of The Prom at Playhouse at Park.  Photo by Amanda Forker.

The Prom is fun, joyous and even delivers a message of tolerance and understanding.  The story, based on a true event, centers on Emma, a lesbian high school student in smalltown Indiana, who just wants to attend her year ending prom with her girlfriend.  The local PTA, however, does not approve and promptly cancels the event for everyone.  Enter Dee Dee Allen and Barry Glickman, two narcissistic Broadway performers; Trent Oliver, an out-of-work actor; and Angie Dickinson, a lifelong chorus woman.  Seeking a cause to elevate their likability quotient, they zero in on Emma and her plight.  Arriving in mid-America, they cause more mayhem and turmoil as they attempt to “rescue” Emma from her disconsolate situation.  In the end, after much angst and soul-searching, there is happiness and an amenable resolution for all.

 

The book by Bob Martin (Tony Award winner for The Drowsy Chaperone and Chad Beguelin) is very funny with a number of musical theater references and asides to delight Broadway musical aficionados.  They have crafted characters which, in the beginning, appear stereotypical, but by the show’s end have grown to become fully developed, sympathetic and even kind people.

Zachary Kropp and members of the cast of The Prom at Playhouse at Park.  Photo by Amanda Forker.

 

The music and lyrics by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, who also wrote the scores for Elf and The Wedding Singer, are tuneful, and provide the impetus for a bevy of Mintz’s choreographic flourishes.  Songs are upbeat (“You Happened,” “Tonight Belongs to You,” and “Barry is Going to Prom”), full of heartfelt emotion (“Unruly Heart” and “Just Breathe”) and contain a dash of sass (“The Lady’s Improving” and “Zazz.”)

 

While I have few qualms with the production, I was disappointed with a few aspects of the show.  The Prom is a dance heavy musical.  Director/choreographer Robert Mintz stacks the show with both rousing production numbers and refined, muted moments.  However, the ensemble members, the players that fill out the big dance routines, only numbers four, which makes the scenes appear thin.  There needed to be at least two, preferably four, more actors to maximize the impact and enjoyment of the choreography.  In addition, Playhouse on Park productions have been notable for their innovative and creative scenic designs.  For The Prom, the sets by Erin Kiernan are sometimes lamentably sparse.

 

Lucy D'Addario and Carolyn Burke in The Prom at Playhouse on Park.  Photo by Amanda Forker.

As Director, Robert Mintz moves the production swiftly through its paces.  His guidance is most keen when the stage is full of assorted cast members.  The tempo is less pronounced when there are only one or two characters populating the space.  He is helped tremendously by the three central performances of the show.  Susan Haefner, a 2022 recipient of the CCC Outstanding Actress in a Musical Award, and Benjamin Howes are uproarious as the self-absorbed Dee Dee Allen and Barry Glickman.  While consistently uproarious in their portrayals of the down-and-out Broadway veterans, they also convincingly layer their portrayals with pathos and honesty.  Lucy D’Addario, a recent Hartt School graduate, gives Emma the innocence and perturbed persona necessary for the role, but the young actress also leavens her character with resolve and fortitude.

 

Other notable actors/actresses are Zachary Kropp, as the ever upbeat Trent Oliver, Juilliard graduate and colleague of Dee Dee and Barry.  Carolyn Burke, who portrays Angie Dickinson, the actress forever stuck in the chorus of the musical Chicago.  Kendyl Grace Davis, who plays Alyssa Greene, Emma’s secret love interest. Cole Campbell, the rational school principal Mr. Hawkins and Jordan Bunshaft, whose role as Sheldon, PR man to the would-be stars, adds a comic spark to the production.

 

The Prom, an entertaining and exuberant summer musical, playing at Playhouse on Park through August 18.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

 

Mystic Pizza - Ivoryton Playhouse

The Connecticut premiere of the musical Mystic Pizza, based on the 1988 film that was the career breakthrough for the actress Julia Roberts, is a conventional, slightly diverting theatrical rendering.  It plays through July 28 at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

 

The show perks up only when the focus falls on the three actresses – Alyssa Giannetti (Daisy), Carina Hernandez (Kat), and Ariella Kvashny (Jo) – who portray the young women at the center of the story.  They each possess an engaging persona, full of charm, exuberance, and spunk.

 

Mystic Pizza is a hybrid jukebox musical.  Originally, the score was to be penned by singer Melissa Ethridge.  Now, the songs shoe-horned into the production are well-known 70’s and 80’s tunes.  They include “All I Need Is a Miracle,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Manic Monday,” “True Colors,” and “The Power of Love.”  As an aside, this is the third musical that incorporates the hit Huey Lewis and The News Song.  The other two are the recent Broadway musical, The Heart of Rock and Roll, and the current hit show, Back to the Future – the Musical.

 

Sandy Rustin’s book for Mystic Pizza is simple and straightforward with threads following each of the smalltown young ladies as they seek love and fulfillment.  It is a coming-of-age story piloted by three strong, determined women.  Kat, a brainiac heading for her Freshman year at Yale University, has a dalliance with an older man; Jo, infatuated with her long-time fiancée, can’t seem to say yes and marry him; and Daisy, the self-assured townie, who hooks up with a bored rich law school dropout.  We follow their trials and tribulations, separately and together, on the road to love and redemption.  For added drama, there is a plot point of whether the beloved pizza parlor will be sold to developers.

 

The musical, directed and choreographed by Brian J. Feehan, has more of a languid feel and less of the rom-com spirit it should employ.  Cully Long’s Scenic Design, a knotty wood dock and walkway strewn with buoys and netting, forms the back of the stage.  It, along with the costumes designed by Elizabeth Saylor - a 1980’s and nautical look, brings forth the atmosphere of the seaside town.  The musical sequences, while full of classic ballads and rockers, feel underperformed and missing a dash of spiritedness.  Besides the all-out Act I and II closing dance numbers, the choreography is slight and workaday.

 

In addition to the three aforementioned women, Leenya Rideout gives a humorous, worldly performance as Leona Silvia, owner of the pizza joint.  Bill Montijo provides a believable, overly patient portrayal of Will Clark, Jo’s long frustrated beau.  Michael Ferraro is fine as the older suitor, Tim Travers, while Isaac Kueber gives an acceptable, less nuanced performance as Charles Gordon Windsor, Jr., Daisy’s wealthy paramour.

 

Mystic Pizza, playing at the Ivoryton Playhouse through July 28.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

CT Critics Give “A View From the Bridge” and “Summer Stock” Top Honors at 32nd Awards Ceremony

A innovative production of Arthur Miller’s “A View From the Bridge” at Long Wharf Theatre and a high-spirited, buoyant production of “Summer Stock” at Goodspeed Musicals took top honors at the 32nd annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards (ctcritics.org) held on Monday, June 24.

 

The event, which celebrates the work from the state’s professional theaters during the 2023 – 2024 season, was held at the Iseman Theater, part of Yale Repertory Theatre, in downtown New Haven.

 

Connecticut Critics Circle President Stuart Brown opening the Awards Ceremony.  Photo by Meredith Longo

This year the awards were spread out to many productions throughout the state, with Goodspeed Musicals’ “Summer Stock” and “Private Jones” earning the most honors.  In addition to Best Musical, “Summer Stock” took the awards for Best Choreography (Donna Feore) and Best Actor in a Musical (Corbin Bleu).  Their production of “Private Jones” received Best Director of a Musical (Marshall Pailet) and Best Sound (Jay Hilton).  The Long Wharf Theatre’s staging of “A View From the Bridge” received the award for Best Director of a Play (James Dean Palmer) and Best Set Design (You-Shin Chen).

 

The awards for outstanding actress in a musical went to Andrea Fleming for Ivoryton Playhouse’s “The Color Purple.”

 

Awards for outstanding actor and actress in a play went to Michael Gatson and Marsha Mason for Hartford Stage’s production of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons.”

 

Connecticut Critics Circle member Karen Isaacs introducing winners at the Awards Ceremony.  Photo by Meredith Longo
 

Jacques Lamarre was honored with the Tom Killen Award for lifetime service to the theater.  A long-time Connecticut arts supporter, Lamarre has worked with many of top theater companies in the state.  He is a renowned playwright and marketing specialist who focuses on arts and culture.

 

Outstanding ensemble award went to the cast of TheaterWorks Hartford’s “Clyde’s” - Ayanna Bria Bakari, Michael Chenevert, Samuel María Gómez, David T. Patterson, and Latonia Phipps.

 

Killen honoree, Jacques Lamarre (center in brown sports coat) among his family at the Awards Ceremony.  Photo by Meredith Longo
 

The outstanding featured actress award in a musical went to LaDonna Burns in Music Theatre of Connecticut’s production of “Ghost.” Outstanding featured actor in a musical honors went to Nicholaus Colón for A Contemporary Theatre’s “Kinky Boots.”

 

The award for outstanding featured actors in a play went to David Shih for Yale Repertory Theatre’s “The Far Country” and to Anne Scurria for the Hartford Stage production of “Pride and Prejudice.”

 

Design awards went to Kurt Alger (costumes) for A Contemporary Theatre’s “Kinky Boots;” Rob Denton (lighting) for TheaterWorks Hartford’s “Lizzie;” and Hana S. Kim (projections) for Yale Repertory Theatre’s “The Far Country.”

 

Best Ensemble actors Samuel María Gómez and Michael Chenevert along with TheaterWorks Hartford Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero.  Photo by Meredith Longo

 

Helping to present the awards were Connecticut Critic Circle members Karen Isaacs, Nancy Sasso Janis, and Tim Leininger.

 

The Connecticut Critics Circle was founded in 1990. The statewide organization is comprised of reviewers, writers, and broadcasters that cover the professional theaters throughout the entire state. The annual awards honor the actors, directors, designers and others who help make our professional theater so highly regarded in and outside the state.

South Pacific - Goodspeed Opera House

The first 15 minutes of a production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, South Pacific, are the most critical for the show’s success.  From the get-go, you have to embrace the two central characters – nurse Nellie Forbush and French planter Emile de Becque – and feel and believe their immediate attraction for each other.   The performers are required to show their vocal range.  The character of Nellie with "A Cockeyed Optimist" while the actor playing de Becque needs to convincingly belt out the musical’s signature song, "Some Enchanted Evening."

 

Danielle Wade and Omar Lopez-Cepero in Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

 

Goodspeed Musical’s offering of the Pulitzer-Prize winning show checks all the aforementioned boxes…and more.  It is an enchanting production, with captivating performances and a sumptuous score filled with one magnificent song after another.  In addition to the numbers cited above, there is "Bloody Mary, “There Is Nothing Like a Dame," "Bali Ha'i," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair," and "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy."  And these songs are just in Act I.  The musical numbers, under the outstanding command of Music Director Adam Souza, and with an exquisite Sound Design by Jay Hilton, are sung with gusto and emotional verve by the talented cast.

 

Joan Almedilla and the cast of Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

An interesting note about the musical numbers - in the original production of South Pacific, which has continued with subsequent stagings, the opera star Ezio Pinza, who played de Becque, had a clause in his contract limiting his singing to only 15 minutes.  His only two solos in the over 2 ½ hour show is “Some Enchanted Evening” and “This Nearly Was Mine” near the end of Act II.  He does sing on a couple of reprises and in “Twin Soliloquies” at the top of the musical.  However, Mary Martin, who originated the role of Nellie Forbush was concerned about singing opposite Pinza, with his powerful operatic voice.  She asked the composing team of Rodgers and Hammerstein not to include any duets with Pinza.  If you look at the song list, there is only “Twin Soliloquies,” but the two characters never sing together in the number.

Keven Quillon and the cast of Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

South Pacific is based on a few of the stories from James Michener’s Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, Tales of the South Pacific.  The action takes place on an island in the South Pacific occupied by nurses, Seabees, and other armed forces during WWII.  There are two plots woven into the show.  First, is the romance between Nellie and Emile.  Second, is the doomed love story between recent arrival Lieutenant Cable and an island girl, Liat.  Each account moves forward in fits and starts and incorporates issues of racism and prejudice.  Adding intrigue, panache, and humor to the drama is the shrewd island operator, Bloody Mary and the wily, self-serving serviceman, Luther Billis.  All of the entanglements culminate in a dangerous undertaking that result in heartache, but also romantic resolution.

 

Hannah Jewel Kohn, Kelly Berman, Chloe Fox, Alexa Jane Lowis, Nicolette Shin and Danielle Wade in Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

South Pacific is the largest in scope of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Big 5 (Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Carousel, The King and I and The Sound of Music).  Director Chay Yew has successfully shrunken the show, even though some of the lively dance numbers choreographed by Parker Esse seem slightly thin.  For a long-running show, Yew keeps the pacing firm and brisk.  Act I is almost 90 minutes, but feels decidedly shorter.  The show is at its best in scenes featuring the two central characters or when spotlighting Luther Billis or Bloody Mary.  The one aspect of the musical that disappoints is the romance between Cable and Liat.  There is little chemistry between them and their scenes fall flat. 

 

Phil Sloves, Keven Quillon, Graham Keen, John Michael Peterson and Eric Shawn in Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

The cast is led by Danielle Wade as Nellie Forbush and Omar Lopez-Cepero as Emile de Becque.  Ms. Wade, a nominee for Best Actress in a Musical by the Connecticut Critics Circle for last year’s award-winning Goodspeed musical, Summer Stock, delivers an endearing, heartfelt performance as the lovelorn nurse.  At times giddy, at other instances introspective, the actress is a joy to watch as she sings one great song after another.  Mr. Lopez-Cepero, with much less stage time, still gives an assured portrayal tinged with poise and manliness.  His low-key, suave manner as de Becque blends perfectly with the more outgoing Nellie Forbush. 

 

Omar Lopez-Cepero and Danielle Wade in Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

Joan Almedilla portrays the crafty island matron, Bloody Mary with determination and flair.  Her rendition of “Bali Ha’I” is haunting and one of the highlights of the show.  Keven Quillon is highly effective as the scheming, opportunist Luther Billis.  He also provides many of the comedic moments in the production.

 

The Scenic Design by Alexander Dodge brings forth modest set pieces that clearly define the numerous scenes within the show – de Becque’s plantation home, various island settings, the commander’s office and the Thanksgiving Follies stage show.  The scenery is enhanced with Amith Chandrashaker’s expressive Lighting Designer.

 

Joan Almedilla, Cameron Loyal and the cast of Goodspeed's South Pacific. Photo by Diane Sobolewski

South Pacific, playing at the Goodspeed Opera House through August 11.  Click here for dates, times and ticket information.

 

Rock of Ages - Sharon Playhouse

The jukebox musical, Rock of Ages, is goofy and silly.  The trick for the actors and director associated with the show is to avoid executing the material with nonchalance and indifference, hoping the 1980’s classic rock songs from such bands as Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Poison and Europe will be enough to entertain audiences.  The production at the Sharon Playhouse, playing through July 7, is ditzy and mischievous but, under the enthusiastic and brash direction of Hunter Foster, the show is an effective, energetic, sometimes raunchy, musical celebrating the essence of rock ‘n roll.

 

The Company of Rock of Ages.

The libretto by Chis D’Arienzo is fast-paced, funny, and contains numerous storylines, bathed in endless sexual innuendos.  They include a boy-meets-girls romance, a German father and son team looking to remake the Hollywood Sunset Strip, do-or-die protesters, and an aged rocker looking for glory.  The action is centered around the Bourbon Room, The Strip’s most famous bar.  The book’s various threads are sporadically punctuated by the narration of Lonny, an irreverent, cocky employee of the bar.  The result is an affecting, highly effervescent piece of entertainment.

 

The on-stage band, led by Music Director Eric Thomas Johnson is tight and flawlessly delivers the over two dozen classic rockers in the show.  They include "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger, "We Built This City” by Starship, “Too Much Time on My Hands" from Styx, "Cum On Feel the Noize” by Quiet Riot, "Here I Go Again" from Whitesnake, "Any Way You Want It” and "Don't Stop Believin'" from Journey , and "Can't Fight This Feeling" and “Keep on Loving You” from REO Speedwagon.   The songs are clear and crisp, thanks to Graham Stone’s Sound Design.

The Company of Rock of Ages.

Director Hunter Foster brings an assured and steady hand to the production, keeping the musical from devolving into pure camp.  He doesn’t, however, let up on the naughtiness and impishness of the show, which he has infused with inventive schtick and creative flourishes.  Choreographer Shannon Lewis provides a generous dollop of spirited dance numbers that ratchets up the dynamism of the show. 

 

The cast takes their roles to heart.  By playing it mostly straight, they succeed in amping up the outrageousness of the show as well as the laughs.   Jordan Bollwerk imbues the role of Drew, the bar boy hoping for fame as a rock ‘n roller, with a youthful guile and genuine earnestness.  Giuliana Augello, the Midwestern looking for Hollywood stardom, gives the role of Sherrie a naïve charm.  Jordan Friend, is fiendishly subversive as Lonny.  Danny Drewes makes the most of his time on stage as the outlandish, clownish rocker, Stacee Jaxx. La Donna Burns, last year’s award recipient from the Connecticut Critics Circle for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, provides another superb featured performance in multiple roles.  Coulby Jenkins just about steals the show with his portrayal of Franz, the German son trying to do what’s best for himself and his father.

 

Danny Drewes as “Stacee Jaxx” and Giuliana Augello as “Sherrie” and the Company in Rock of Ages.

TJ Greenway’s Scenic Design effectively combines all the elements and scene changes of the musical into one unified set.  Kathleen Deangelis’ Costume Design and Kurt Alger’s Wig Designs perfectly conjure up the 1980’s rock scene. 

 

Rock of Ages, a fun time at the theater, playing at the Sharon Playhouse through July 7.  Click here for information on dates, times, and ticket information.