My Fair Lady - Ivoryton Playhouse

My Fair Lady is one of the classics of the musical stage.  A large show, it is not frequently revived, especially at theaters in Connecticut.  Undaunted by the hurdles the musical can present, Ivoryton Playhouse’s scaled-down production, which features just two pianos, works like a charm.  There are a few hiccups along the way, but nothing to diminish the overall appeal and enchantment of this Golden Age musical.

 

The show is based on the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion.  It concerns Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl with a thick Cockney accent, who becomes the center of a bet between Professor Henry Higgins, an expert in phonetics and Colonel Pickering, a rich, retired army officer.  The bet?  Can the self-centered Higgins teach Ms. Doolittle proper English to pass her off as a lady at an embassy ball.

 

The book by Alan Jay Lerner closely follows the original story.  The scenes, adeptly directed by Brian Feehan, meld effortlessly from one segment to another and are alive with the indelible characters audiences have come to love.  Mr. Feehan makes judicious use of the stage and the incorporation of the ensemble players to give the musical the illusion of a larger production.  Doubling as choreographer, his dance numbers enlivens such scenes as the Embassy ball and within the song “You Did It.”

 

The music and lyrics, by Mr. Lerner and his long-time collaborator, Frederick Loewe, are one of the most tuneful and melodic of all-time.  Every song – and when can you say that about a musical – is a perfect gem.  Here are just a few of the enchanting numbers  – “Why Can’t the English,” “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “I Could Have Danced All Night.”  While it would be blissful to have a fully-fledged pit orchestra to enhance each musical selection, the dual pianos (David Marottolo and Musical Director Jill Brunelle) works well enough.  The combination of the absorbing libretto and the extraordinary score make the run time of over two and one-half hours fly by.

 

The cast, in both their acting ability and vocal proficiency, is of a high caliber, which is necessary, and expected, of such a show.  Trevor Martin is ideal as the egocentric, yet brilliant, Henry Higgins.  While he brings the requisite fussiness and utter lack of manners to the role, he also shades his performance with nuance and vulnerability.  Evan Bertram, who stepped in for the actress Claire Marie Spencer, is a truly lovely Eliza Dolittle.  She has the accent down perfectly and brings a sassy independence, tenderness, and melancholy to the role.  Her singing voice is divine.  Joe Dellger provides an enjoyable sparkle to the role of the genial, well-meaning Colonel Pickering.  Scott Mikita, who has graced many Connecticut productions over the years, enlivens the stage as the cheeky, carefree Alfred P. Doolittle.  He delivers two of the most lively songs in the musical – “With a Little Bit of Luck” and “Get Me to the Church on Time” - with spirit and flair.  Stacia Fernandez and Ben S. Daniel provide solid support as, respectively, Mrs. Higgins and Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

 

Elizabeth Saylor’s Costume Designs splendidly, and accurately, range from lower class Victorian garb to the elegant ware for the Ascot Races and Embassy Ball.  Cully Long’s Scenic Design consists, primarily, of a stenciled bookcase that is curiously lit throughout the show with a changing pallet of bold colors by Lighting Designer Marcus Abbot.

 

My Fair Lady, playing at the Ivoryton Playhouse through September 7.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

Sweeney Todd - Legacy Theatre

There are two essential components that must be satisfactorily rendered when a theater company tackles Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.   First, there needs to be a cast that can successfully undertake the demanding score.  Second, the sequence when Sweeney Todd provides an all-too-close shave to his customers must be flawlessly executed.  The Legacy Theatre’s production of this classic musical succeeds on both counts.  It is not a flawless staging of the show but, especially for individuals unfamiliar with one of the composer’s most well-known musicals, Legacy’s presentation is well-worth the price of a ticket.

Karl Gasteyer as Sweeney Todd, Stephanie Stiefel Williams as Mrs. Lovett.  Photo by Sam Bibbins.

Book writer Hugh Wheeler has adeptly adapted playwright Christopher Bond’s original, expanded Victorian penny dreadful tale.  The musical tells the story of a vengeful barber, Sweeney Todd, who returns to 19th-century Victorian London after being unjustly imprisoned in far-off Australia.  Upon his arrival, and after thanking the young sailor, Tobias, for saving his life, Todd seeks revenge against the man who framed him, stole his wife, and ruined his life, Judge Turpin.   Partnering with Mrs. Lovett, a down-and-out pie shop owner, Todd uses his newly reopened barber shop as a front for his murderous rampage.   Complicating his plotting is his discovery of his grown daughter, Johanna, and her involvement with other central characters.

 

The music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are some of his best.  There is an emotional heft to many of the songs, which produce an ample mix of melodramatic numbers, comedic gems, and gorgeously sung ballads.  For audience members unfamiliar with the oeuvre of the composer, the songs are accessible and tuneful.

Stephanie Stiefel Williams as Mrs. Lovett and members of the cast of Sweeney Todd.  Photo by Sam Bibbins.

Director Colin Sheehan has skillfully integrated all the varied components of the production into a satisfying whole.  He makes good use of Jamie Burnett’s atmospheric, multi-level set design, which opens up the show, but still retains a slight claustrophobic feel.   Most of the design elements work well.  Jimmy Johansmeyer’s costume designs (with a help from the closets of Pantochino Productions) are well-suited to the era.  Burnett’s lighting design, especially the utilization of a red spotlight during the murderous barber shop scenes, are well-placed.  While Music Director’s three-piece pit band generates wondrous sounds, the musicians can sometimes overpower the performers.  Likewise, Adam Jackson’s sound design occasionally under mic-ed.

 

Braydon Esler as Tobias and Karl Gasteyer as Sweeney Todd.  Photo by Sam Bibbins.

The cast is uniformly fine, handling their roles, for the most part, with talent and aplomb.  Karl Gasteyer brings a rich singing voice to the tragic figure of Sweeney Todd.  At times, I would have like to see him more manic, especially as the heart-breaking ending unfolds.  For the role of Mrs. Lovett, Stephanie Stiefel Williams presents a less over-the-top characterization of the slightly daffy, yet crafty baker of succulent meat pies.  Eric Santagata brings a devilish, rascally air to Judge Turpin.  Braydon Esler’s Tobias and Ava Broneer’s Johanna are somewhat nondescript in their performances, but each possesses a splendid singing voice, especially Ms. Broneer.  Other notable performers are Thomas Beebe as Judge Turpin’s lumbering henchman, Beadle Bamford; Charles Romano as the young, childlike Anthony Hope; and Sarah Anne Hughes as the mysterious, slightly crazed Beggar Woman.

 

Sweeney Todd, playing at the Legacy Theatre in Branford, CT through August 31.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.