Just in: a theatre review

  Anything Goes   follows wall-street assistant Billy Crocker as he stows away to win back debutante Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, with the chaotic comedic help of evangelist-turned-singer Reno Sweeney and a disguised gangster. The  music and lyrics are by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, revised considerably by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Direction: The show was directed by Jan Williams and Wyatt Welch. The team accomplished something that I never thought was possible- finally making me a like a production of "Anything Goes."  They made sure to assemble the best production team around. They had a clear vision, and made sure to let their team know what they wanted. All parts of the show flowed together because of their clear direction and vision.  The show was music directed by Brooks Teeples. The vocals during "There's No Cure Like Travel" were togethe...

  Cinderella   is a British pantomime that follows the classic Cinderella, the story  of a girl, her fairy godmother and a royal ball. With magical help, she attends a royal ball, captures a prince's heart, and leaves behind a glass slipper that ultimately frees her. The script is by John Yates, with added local flair by Jords Shami.  Direction: The show was directed Jords Shami, with Chalese Craig as assistant director. Shami added local jokes, that added to the comedy. They started the show with introducing the characters and making sure the audience knew what catchphrases they needed to say. They kept the show flowing, with minor flaws. The addition of music to add in humor was a delightful addition. (The vampire joke was my favorite) The use of multiple puppets helped distinguish different characters, since many actors played more than one role.  The show was choreographed by Chalese Craig, with Kayla Thygerson as assistant choreographer. They  choreogr...

  The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical follows troubled teenager Percy Jackson, who discovers he is a demigod, embarks on a quest to find Zeus's missing lightning bolt, and works to prevent a massive war among the Greek gods. Based on Rick Riordan’s book, the stage adaptation features a book by Joe Tracz and music/lyrics by Rob Rokicki. Direction: The director for this production was Beth Bruner, with Braxton Moore as assistant director. Bruner  made sure to assemble the best production team around. She had a clear vision, and made sure to let her team know what she wanted. Most parts of the show flowed together because of her clear direction. She made sure that the actors on stage could be seen at most angles, and made sure that the story could be told. There was a good use of a projection to help set the setting of certain scenes. There was also an effect with an exploding toilet during capture the flag that was brilliant and helped show Percy's powers. The music ...

Disney's Descendants The Musical   i s a stage adaptation based on the popular Disney Channel movies, focusing on the teenage children of Disney's greatest villains who are given a chance to attend school alongside hero kids. The four Villain Kids (VKs)—Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos—must decide whether to follow their parents' wicked footsteps or embrace goodness   This production is a little different because all of the actors are 45 years of age or older.  Direction: The director for this production was Adam Cannon with LeiLoni Bertrand as the assistant director. With the production being 45+ they played to the humor of some lines that referred to age. (ie. The Beast was talking to Ben and said, "16 is just a baby.") They pulled all the adults to play to the best of their ability as a believable teenager.  The choreographer was Jords Shami with Tony Faauli-Sao as the assistant choreographer. The choreography for "Rotten to the Core" filled the stage and w...

Arsenic and Old Lace   is a 1941 dark comedy by Joseph Kesselring centered on Mortimer Brewster, a theater critic who discovers his sweet, elderly aunts, Abby and Martha, are poisoning lonely old men with elderberry wine. Set in Brooklyn, the chaotic plot involves Mortimer trying to manage his aunts, his brother who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt, and his murderous brother Jonathan, who returns home. Direction: The director and costumer for this production was  Carleigh-Jo Naylor and the assistant director was Sara Goldberg-McRae.  Naylor made  sure to assemble a production team that worked well together. She had a clear vision, and made sure to let her team know what she wanted. All parts of the show flowed together because of her clear direction. Naylor made sure to play to all comedic moments and had the audience laughing throughout the night. I especially appreciated her choice of pre-show music. Naylor's choice of costumes put you into the time period. The...