theatre review - RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA - National Tour: ASU Gammage - December 19, 2017

Leslie Jackson and Tatyana Lubov
Photo by Carol Rosegg

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 24th.

"The musicals of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II include some of the most recognizable and romantic songs in the history of musical theatre. ...one of their beloved creations, Cinderella, started out as a TV musical and..took over a half of a century to become a full-fledged Broadway musical, it is a lush and romantic show filled with many modern touches. The touring production is at ASU Gammage for a week and features a talented cast and lush production elements. It makes for one tasty holiday theatrical treat...this stage adaptation drops some of the small screen characters, adds others, and also incorporates a few songs that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote for other musicals and movies, most of which were eventually cut from those works. ...also features an updated book by Douglas Carter Beane that fleshes out the original mostly stereotypical characters...These additions help transform the show from a simple fairy tale into a richer piece full of characters that have more dimension and a story that incorporates social injustice to portray the battle of cruelty verses kindness. Beane also incorporates many bits of humor and, while not all of the jokes land, they at least make the overall show more contemporary....Tatyana Lubov projects an air of simplicity, a deep sense of caring for her fellow members of the Kingdom, and natural elegance as Cinderella with a singing voice that shines. As Prince Topher, Louis Griffin is both quirky and noble as the young man who doesn't quite know what to do with his life. Like Lubov, his vocals are lush and layered and soar on his many solos and duos. Both Lubov and Griffin have a natural ease in delivering Hammerstein's lyrics with a clear understanding of the romance they derive, and the duo create a couple you instantly root to see succeed. As the fairy godmother Marie, Leslie Jackson is equally humorous and commanding with a magnificently sung "There's Music in You....Gina Rattan's tour direction, modeled on Mark Brokaw's original direction, is quite good. However...there are a few jokes that are rushed or not delivered appropriately enough to get the laughs they should. Josh Rhodes' original choreography, staged for the tour by Lee Wilkins, is simply beautiful and delivered expertly by the large cast. Anna Louizos' set design is rich and layered with an abundance of effective elements. ...William Ivey Long's Tony winning costumes, which include several that transform before our eyes, truly spectacular. Ken Posner's lighting is rich and expressive.... Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella has a lush, romantic score as well as an updated book that adds a fresh spin on this famous fairy tale. With a cast who embody these beloved characters with ease and an abundance of magical moments that deliver both gasps and rounds of applause from the audience, the national tour of this well-known story is a beautiful and magical crowd pleaser." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - AGNES OF GOD - Compass Players - December 8, 2017

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 17th.


"Questions of faith, spirituality, doubt and morality plus the role of science and the power of love combine in John Pielmeier's classic drama Agnes of God. Compass Players, one of the newest theatre companies in the Valley, opens their second season with a searing production of this complex and compelling play.
Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court-appointed psychiatrist, is assigned to assess the sanity of a young nun named Agnes who lives in an isolated convent and who has been accused of murdering her newborn baby. But Agnes claims to have no memory of giving birth to the infant. And just who fathered the child? Did faith play a part in the birth and death of the child, or is Agnes a mentally unstable woman who killed her baby? Livingstone squares off with the convent's Mother Superior as secrets and the truth are revealed....With just a few pieces of furniture, character-specific costumes, and a gifted cast, director Jeanna Michaels has beautifully brought Pielmeier's work to vibrant life. ...Only the use of a couple of short video segments to portray flashback scenes is a bit of a disconnect. ...Michaels also plays Dr. Livingstone. As this strong, educated woman, Michaels is adept in showing how Livingstone struggles with her own logic and convictions and how the events of her rough and raw past have formed and influenced her to resent religion. Megan Holcomb is superb as Agnes...Holcomb's portrayal of the insecure, diminutive, terrified and haunted girl is stunning. As Mother Superior, Frances Murphy is very good in showing how this calm and composed woman is protective of Agnes and afraid that if the young woman is exposed to the real world it will tear away her innocence....While at first Agnes of God appears to be an intricate murder mystery, it is a superbly calculated and cunning raw character study of three very different women and an intense drama that portrays the views of society concerning faith and facts, as all three women question their own beliefs and who they are. With precise, confident performances, Compass Players presents a beautiful, powerful production of this provocative play that draws distinct lines between faith and reality and the presence or absence of God." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - INSPECTING CAROL - Fountain Hills Theater - December 7, 2017

Diane Senffner, Henry Male, Janine Smith, and Leslie Haddad
photo by Larry Moyse

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 23rd.

"There are most likely hundreds, if not thousands, of productions of A Christmas Carol running in cities across the country this month. In 1991, the Seattle Repertory Theatre and their Artistic Director Daniel Sullivan created a humorous spoof of this holiday classic with Inspecting Carol. Fountain Hills Theater's production features a talented cast who throw themselves into the hijinks and tomfoolery of the zany plot, though the play itself is only mildly amusing. The plot focuses on a theatre company that is facing financial issues. Their subscription renewals are only at 50 percent, and their $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts is in jeopardy. ....When an amateur actor named Wayne...is mistaken for the government inspector it ratchets up the hijinks with the company members falling over themselves to impress Wayne in the hopes of securing the NEA grant.
With several repetitive moments that aren't that funny, some jokes that don't pay off, and a few characters that are only two-dimensional, the inconsistent script leaves a bit to be desired. The ending is also completely predictable. Fortunately, director Peter Hill does a fairly good job with a cast who do a good job in bringing some life to the lifeless script. The fact that most of the cast also play the same roles their characters play in Fountain Hills' production of A Christmas Carol, which runs in repertory with Inspector Carol, adds an added bit of lunacy. Janine Smith does well as Zorah, the head of the theatre company who is trying her best to hold things together. Hill is great as Larry, the egotistical actor who plays Scrooge and believes the show needs modern updates (the previous year, Larry recited his lines in Spanish to try to make the show more contemporary). Leslie Haddad is a hoot as the feisty stage manager MJ and, when it's decided to drop the British accents from the show, Diane Senffner's comic timing and the changing American accents she uses are hilarious, in her portrayal of the British actress who also serves as the show within the show's dialect coach. ...Inspecting Carol may not have the continual relevance of the classic story it spoofs, and the script isn't the greatest, but with a good cast and direction, Fountain Hills' production provides a decent amount of laughs.. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

theatre review - A CHRISTMAS CAROL - Hale Centre Theatre - December 4, 2017

Mark Kleinman
photo by Nick Woodward-Shaw

Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 23rd.

"It's never too late to change. That simple statement is the important message that runs throughout Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and a worthwhile message that all of us can learn from. Fortunately, there are some things that are already just about perfect and have no reason to change, including Hale Centre Theatre's impressive annual production of this classic tale of redemption which seems to get better each year in a production that is a feast for the eyes and ears and infused with music, humor and an abundance of heart and emotion....Ted Lehman's adaptation is a sumptuous holiday treat that is completely faithful to the novel, including using an abundance of dialogue taken directly from the book. Director David Dietlein ensures the emotional impact of the show is felt with scenes that don't rush the importance of the story. Hale pulls out all of the stops to include an abundance of set elements, fog, snow, and numerous special effects as well as sumptuous lighting from Jeff A. Davis and a nonstop parade of beautiful costumes coordinated by Mary Atkinson. ..
The Hale production is double cast and the night I attended the Green cast with Mark Kleinman as Scrooge was performing. This is Kleinman's sixth turn as the stingy, heartless and unfeeling man at Hale and he clearly excels at playing this gruff and cruel character. In his impressive portrayal, the changes the miserly man makes are beautifully displayed through Kleinman's changing body language and facial expressions. There isn't a weak link in Hale's large cast, with the majority of the ensemble playing multiple roles. Tim Paul Fiscus does a wonderful job as Cratchit. ...As Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, and the Ghost of Christmas Present, Matthew R. Harris, Heidi-Liz Johnson and Mark Hackmann, respectively, provide clear and effective portrayals of these very different specters, and Stephen Serna is full of life as Scrooge's carefree nephew Fred....Each year Hale presents this show, it sells out for almost all of the over 50 performances it plays, so it's easy to see why they continue to bring it back year after year. It's a testament to both the stunning achievement of Hale's production and the power of Dickens' tale. With exceptional creative elements and an incredibly talented cast, Hale's A Christmas Carol is a magical and moving holiday treat and a beautiful adaptation of this classic tale.. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)