28
Jul
2014
Every so often, Genesius Guild's end-of-summer comedy isn't the traditionally silly, over-the-top production that mostly forsakes a story-driven plot. Such is the case with this year's comedic romp Plutus. During Saturday's take on Aristophanes' original text, I found myself as interested in the outcomes of the characters as I did in director/adapter Don Wooten's mockery of local icons and current events. Sometimes more so.
Wonderful Town is one of the few musicals whose soundtracks I love without ever having seen the stage version. That is, until Thursday night's performance at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and what I saw lived up to the high expectations created by listening to the rich, often humorous songs by composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
There were moments during Friday's performance of the Prenzie Players' Doctor Faustus in which I was creeped out, but with a fascination that had me begging for more. Director Jake Walker, sound designer Elizabeth Spoerl, and lighting designer Tyson Danner create effectively ominous scenes, particularly those involving chanting or whispering from behind the black curtains surrounding the audience, or red light pouring forth from an opening in that cloth wall. Chills ran up my spine, goosebumps rose along my legs and arms, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up multiple times - all signs of a thrilling production.
Director/choreographer Christina Myatt nails the humor and heart of the story in Countryside Community Theatre's Shrek: The Musical, borrowing sparingly from the Broadway show's original directors, Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, without copying their achievement. Myatt's personal mark on the material is most clear in her choreography, especially in the rousing, showy "What's Up, Duloc?", with its Broadway-style kick-lines, and the subtly innocent "I Know It's Today," which involves Princess Fiona at three different ages (played, from youngest to oldest, by Ali Girsch, Emily Baker, and Melissa Anderson Clark). Yet while funny and full of energy, Myatt's Shrek also hits the right notes in its heartfelt moments, during which Myatt's pacing allows some welcome breathing room. And it also doesn't hurt that the musical, with its book by David Lindsay-Abaire and its memorably singable songs by Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori, is a whole lot of fun.
There are few things in today's desensitized society that I think will shock audiences. But the Playcrafters Barn Theatre's Second Samuel, by author Pamela Parker, manages to shock in its secret that's almost carried to the grave by Miss Gertrude, a deceased woman who is never seen on stage. That secret creates the play's tension, and ultimately leading to a lesson in tolerance that avoids being too preachy, and that applies to the acceptance of anyone's differences.
John VanDeWoestyne proves a capable center for the Richmond Hill Barn Theatre's The Odd Couple. Portraying playwright Neil Simon's slovenly divorcée Oscar Madison, VanDeWoestyne's comedic timing shines as he adeptly pauses here or rushes there in ways that increase his punchlines' comical impact. The actor never quite overcomes his natural poise and intelligence to fully sell the character, but his Oscar is also a bit funnier for those qualities; it's fun seeing this normally classy man speaking and acting like a disorderly bachelor. While there's plenty that's worthy of praise in director Mike Skiles' well-paced production, it's VanDeWoestyne who deserves extra credit for being the glue that holds it all together.
While traveling to Thursday's presentation of The Wizard of Oz, which features much-loved songs by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, I pondered whether the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre's production would stick closely to the familiar images and characterizations from the equally loved 1939 film version. (As I prefer to see local theatre companies presenting unique versions of theatrical pieces, I hoped the Showboat would avoid copycat staging.) But once I settled into my seat, it took just a perusal of the program to know this wasn't going to be my grandfather's Oz, and a sense of excitement blossomed as I eagerly awaited the metaphorical curtain's opening.
The Timber Lake Playhouse's Young Frankenstein is a polished, professional production featuring stellar performances by the lead actors and impressive energy from the ensemble. Playwright/composer Mel Brooks' material - with its book by Thomas Meehan - is well-served by this group of talented performers, dynamic lighting effects by designer James Kolditz, inventive choreography by Cameron Turner, and adeptly paced humor by director Brad Lyons. After seeing my first production at this much-lauded theatre in Mt. Carroll, I left impressed.
This year, Genesius Guild's annual Greek tragedy is a double-feature, as the local theatrical organization presents Aeschylus' The Suppliants and The Persians - two plays for the price of one (which is still free). With each piece running less than an hour, the entire evening's entertainment, even with intermission, falls just short of two hours, giving audiences one partial hour of what frequent Guild patrons expect from the group's Greek tragedies, and one partial hour of some very welcome, though relatively minor, changes.
