Theatre Review: 'The Andrews Brothers' at Broadway Rose

Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer

Pictured from left are Norman Wilson, James Langston Drake, Louise Stinson, and Adam Davis



Broadway Rose’s “The Andrews Brothers” - S.R.O. for the U.S.O.!

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

With its vibrant production of “The Andrews Brothers,” Broadway Rose Theatre Company brings two hours of non-stop ‘40s-style musical entertainment to Tigard’s New Stage Theatre. The company, from start to finish, draws everyone into the production – first by honoring any WWII veterans in the audience, next by recognizing all veterans present. Whether it was at Guam, Kyongson, Da Nang, or Kabul, the United Service Organizations (U.S.O.) have been bringing a slice of home to U.S. soldiers since 1941, and this show is an affectionate tribute to the U.S.O.’s many years of service.

 
The set-up is simple – the Andrews Sisters have a show at a military base in the South Pacific for a group of soldiers going off to battle the next day. Three stage-hands, brothers who are frustrated entertainers, have developed a repertoire of musical numbers that they can never hope to perform on stage. When pin-up gal Peggy Jones (Louise Stinson), the warm-up act, arrives the stagehands pretend to be back-up singers and the foursome rehearses a series of WWII-era classics. Word comes in that the Andrews Sisters have been quarantined and the show is to be cancelled. In the best musical-comedy tradition, of course the show must go on. Unwilling to disappoint the troops (and eager to showcase their talents), Act I closes as Peggy talks the boys (conveniently named Patrick, Max, and Lawrence Andrews) into doing the show – in drag, as Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne. In Act II, the set is transformed into the actual U.S.O. show, and voila! The theater audience fills the role of the battle-bound troops.

Almost all of the show’s songs are ensemble numbers, capitalizing on exceptional vocal harmonies while showcasing each performer’s individual abilities. The near-flawless performances are as much a tribute to Jeffrey Childs’ musical direction as they are a reflection of the cast’s uniformly strong singing voices.  The few solo numbers belong to Stinson, who fluidly shifts from her girl-next-door persona to sultry vamp depending on the demands of the song. Adam Elliot Davis (“Max”), James Langston Drake (“Patrick”), and Norman Wilson (“Lawrence”) blend beautifully, and their comic timing is impeccable. Through a combination of directorial sleight-of-hand and sheer breath control, they are able to sustain rapid-fire, demanding vocals through a hilarious series of tumbles, climbs, pratfalls, and splits that would demolish many contemporary artists. Despite the stereotypical plotline, all four cast members succeed in creating believable and likeable characters who thoroughly charm their audience.

Special recognition is due to pianist (and conductor, and music director) Jeffrey Childs, bassist Jonathan Lakey, and drummer Rene Ormae Jarmer, who carry the entire musical score of the production.  The first-act set was simple, but amply fulfilled its purpose to establish the foundation for Act II’s stunning transformation into an “actual” U.S.O. stage.

Finally, kudos to director Dan Murphy, who clearly understands the music and mores of the show’s era and guides his talented cast and crew through the process of creating a magical escape for his audience.

“The Andrews Brothers” runs through May 20 at the Broadway Rose New Stage in Tigard. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays – Saturdays, with 2:00 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.

Theatre Review: Chicago at TITG

Theatre in the Grove's Production of 'Chicago' has heat

Review by Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Jody Coffman as Velma Kelly

If you’re going to do a brassy show, you’ve got to come on strong – and that’s exactly what Theatre in the Grove is doing with their jazzy rendition of “Chicago” that runs for the next two weeks.

From the opening notes, belter Jody Coffman (as Velma Kelly), the ensemble, and the lively 20’s style orchestra lets you know who’s in charge. Velma’s “Mermanesque” rendition of “All That Jazz” sets the stage for a rapid-paced series of vaudevillian numbers that define, with comic-book clarity, the sordid stories of a fictional group of Chicago’s most famous murderesses. Frequent narrative interjections ensure that, despite minimal dialogue and sets, the audience is told exactly what is going on. This is a singing and dancing show, and Director Ken Centers, along with Vocal Director Justin Canfield and Choreographer Ember Eastman take full advantage of their cast’s abilities.

Jenny Hauser as Roxie Hart

The show’s central focus is on two murderesses awaiting trial, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart (Jenny Hauser). Both leads more than carry the weight of their parts in singing, dancing, acting, and comic timing. Hauser successfully captures Roxie’s enigmatic personality – superficially innocent, but with a stunning inherent amorality. Coffman is equally skilled at portraying Velma’s hard-as-nails exterior while expressing her fundamental vulnerability.

Other standouts include James W. Grimes’ turn as sleazebag lawyer Billy Flynn and Brandon B. Weaver’s heart-breaking performance as Roxie’s helpless schlemiel of a husband, Amos Hart. At times, Grimes seems to channel Al Jolson with his broad gestures and robust, rolling vocals. Weaver’s big number, “Mr. Cellophane,” captures Emmett Kelly more than Bert Williams, but still effectively expresses the pathos of the role.

Director Ken Centers

Supporting cast members Pruella Centers (Matron Mama Morton) and Brittney Spady (Mary Sunshine) provide an interesting and entertaining counterpoint to the sultry murderesses with whom they interact.

The entire show runs smoothly – the sound is crisp and clear, the orchestra does not overpower the vocalists, and the lighting does a great job of setting the locale and enhancing the mood for each scene. Costumes deserve special recognition, for they are evocative of the 20’s, but are cleverly designed to express the ambiguity of the individual performers’ personalities.

If the enthusiasm of the nearly full-house opening night crowd is an accurate gauge, “Chicago” is being embraced by its community – as well it should be!

“Chicago” is running at Forest Grove’s Theatre in the Grove April 20-21 and 27-28 at 8:00 p.m.; April 22 and 29 at 2:00 p.m.

Theatre Review: Harvey at BCT

 'Harvey' Appears at Beaverton Civic Theatre

   Review by Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Steve Holgate and Kraig Williams share a scene. Photo by Ammon Riley. 

Beaverton Civic Theatre’s first show of the year, “Harvey,” bodes well for the 2012 season. Although the play was written over fifty years ago, the production clearly demonstrates that the show has lost none of its humorous edge. The opening night full house audience responded enthusiastically to author Mary Chase’s whimsical exposé of the pitfalls of social climbing and the foibles of “modern” psychiatry, and director George Heckert made sure that none of the comic potential of the show was missed.
 

For those not familiar with “Harvey,” in a nutshell: Veta Louise Simmons and her oh-
so-lovely daughter, Myrtle Mae, have moved back to the old family homestead left
to Veta’s brother, Elwood P. Dowd. Veta aspires to respectability, but fears that her
brother’s eccentricity (he drinks a bit and his best friend is a 6 ½ foot tall invisible rabbit
named Harvey) will be a barrier to her entrée into the best circles. In desperation, she
colludes with the family lawyer to have Elwood committed to a nearby mental institution,
Chumley’s Rest. From the moment the scene shifts to Chumley’s, the play is a classic
comedy of errors exploited skillfully by the entire BCT cast.

Any production of “Harvey” rises (or falls) on the strength of the actor portraying
Elwood P. Dowd. Veteran actor Steve Holgate is brilliantly cast in the lead role; his
quiet confidence, innocence, and understated charm accent his superb comic timing.
Dowd is a gentle and respectful man, and Holgate embodies these qualities in his
approach to the character. The program mentions that Holgate has performed regularly in
a one-man show about Abraham Lincoln – and after seeing him in “Harvey” we are eager
to catch him playing one of America’s greatest and most thoughtful gentlemen.

 

Elisabeth Goebel as Veta Louise Simmons. 

Photo by Ammon Riley.

Elisabeth Goebel as Veta Louise Simmons brings just the right balance of propriety, tenderness, and hysteria to one of the play’s pivotal roles. Goebel manages to convince us that, despite Veta’s dreadful pretentiousness, she has a lot more in common with her brother than she ever knew. Also, Tonja Schreiber’s Myrtle Mae is convincingly desperate in the role of a man-hungry and frustrated young woman.

Amanda Clark as Nurse Kelley. 
Photo by Ammon Riley.

Among the supporting cast, a clear standout is Amanda Clark as Nurse Kelly. Her exceptionally mobile facial expressions combined with her crisp timing and delivery are reminiscent of Fanny Brice, and BCT is fortunate to be able to draw upon her talents.

For an opening night performance, the production was notably error-free. There were no obviously muffed lines, and each of the principals earned a share of the evening’s many laughs. Given the limitations of the venue (there is no curtain, and wing space is in short supply) the scene changes were effected smoothly. The sets are simple, but sufficient to capture the ambiance of a 1940’s era drawing room
and the sterile intake room in a mental hospital.

Artist Loren Hillman deserves special recognition for the truly remarkable portrait of Elwood and Harvey; the likeness to Holgate is striking, and (unlike the depiction in many productions of the show) she captures Harvey essence as an elfin sprite rather than just an oversized Easter bunny. BCT will be missing a great fund-raising opportunity if they do not auction this portrait off at the end of the season!


“Harvey” is playing at the Beaverton City Library Auditorium through March 11. Friday and Saturday night shows start at 8 p.m. Sunday matinees start at 2:00 pm. 


Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and groups (10+), $5 for youth (10 and under).

For more information, visit www.beavertoncivictheatre.com

Theatre Review: Pumps Boys at Broadway Rose

      Lisamarie Harrison and Andrew Maldarelli in Pump Boys and Dinettes at Broadway Rose Theatre.     

      Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer

  Pump Boys and Dinettes a classic 'good time'

     Review by Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

           Broadway Rose Theatre Company’s current production of “Pump Boys and Dinettes” is classic “good-time” musical entertainment. Theater goers seeking existential angst and harmonic dissonance may wish to look elsewhere – but for the rest of us, it’s an evening well-spent.

          One of the advantages of a show written to evoke a simpler time and place is that it is essentially timeless. The set captures perfectly the ambience of a roadside diner attached to a gas/station garage deep in the Carolinas, where the “wimmin’ work hard and the men folk hardly work.” The relationship between Rhetta and Prudie Cupp, the Dinettes, and their Pump Boy neighbors is sketched by a smattering of dialogue that loosely binds the show’s twenty songs. These well-crafted songs, which run the gamut from blues to country with a pervasive rockabilly influence, don’t just tell the story – they ARE the story.

           The six cast members deliver engaging vocals, with uniformly tight harmonies – and they also provide the instrumentation. The Pump Boys display their musical virtuosity on bass, lead, and rhythm guitar, keyboard, and accordion, supplemented by the Dinettes’ enthusiastic use of spoons, ratchets, wrenches, even a support post for percussion.

          Barney Stein (the show’s musical director) captures the character of L.M. with two great numbers – the bluesy “Serve Yourself” and the irrepressible “Farmer Tan,” which also puts his dance background to good use. Sharon Maroney (Prudie) expresses the plight of a middle-aged waitress living off tips and dreams in the middle of nowhere with the plaintive country ballad “The Best Man.” Jim (Stephen Flakus) is equally poignant in “Mamaw,” which takes him back to an idealized childhood. The a cappella harmony in “Fisherman’s Prayer” is a beautiful blend of the Pump Boys’ voices, while Prudie and Rhetta (Lisamarie Harrison) express their characters and vocal prowess in “Tips” and “Sister.” Lisamarie gives an especially powerful delivery of “Be Good or Be Gone.” Like Prudie, Jackson (Andrew Maldarelli) yearns for love – in his case, it is a Woolworth’s cashier named “Mona” who has stolen his heart. Bass player Eddie (Sean Vinson) continues the country western tradition of the silent, slightly dim yokel. His superb work on the bass guitar belies the allegation that he is a product of inbreeding from nearby (and much detested) Smyrna.

     For an opening night performance, glitches were few and far between. During the first act, the volume of the instruments competed with the vocals, and sometimes the vocals lost. However, this was effectively corrected at intermission, and it in no way interfered with the audience’s enthusiastic appreciation of the production.

     “Pump Boys and Dinettes” is playing at the Broadway Rose New Stage through Sunday, March 4^th.

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