The Lighter Side of RICHARD III

Eric Nepom as the Duke of Buckingham, Gary Strong as the Bishop of Ely, and
Peter Schuyler as King Richard, photo courtesy of Casey Campbell Photography

By Tina Arth 

Scott Palmer, Artistic Director of Hillsboro’s Bag  & Baggage, is notorious for his irreverent interpretations of Shakespeare’s hallowed output – but this summer’s plein air cartoon version of the (usually) dark and violent Richard III scales new heights of cheerful absurdity. I had read enough of the copious pre-production press to be expecting a dose of Monty Python colored with a hint of Three Stooges, but was caught off guard by (“wait for it…”) a soupçon of Barney Stinson in the mix.

Like many of Shakespeare’s works, Richard III as originally written is a bit too complex and dreary, and way too long, for some theater goers unless it simultaneously fulfills a course requirement in an English Lit class. Once Palmerized, however, it is not only tolerable, it’s actually entertaining – the lofty Shakespearean language combined with admirably low comedy (and the occasional severed head) yields a remarkably funny amalgam that keeps the audience alert and engaged throughout. Two time-honored clichés (“Now is the winter of our discontent” and “My kingdom for a horse!”) at the beginning and end of the show are a jarring reminder to the audience that we are seeing real Shakespeare stuff, no matter how dramatically altered the lens through which it is viewed.

Even as simplified by Palmer, the story itself is a bit convoluted (much like the actual history on which it is based). Luckily for the audience, all is made clear by the witty and thoroughly diverting backdrop, a graffiti-bedecked sheet that succinctly summarizes the era’s history with crude org charts, a hangman’s noose, and pithy phrases like “some other Henry” and “King = me”. The backdrop does double duty, for in addition to offering a much-abridged version of the tale it also hides the Tower of London’s unseen, but often heard, unkindness of ravens (although, given the story, perhaps the less common “conspiracy of ravens” would be more appropriate).

With the wrong cast, Palmer’s adaptation could be puerile – but the five Bag & Baggage company members and an equal number of newcomers pull off the show’s 18 roles with impressive versatility, sliding smoothly between slapstick and intense emotion. Peter Schuyler plays Richard as a murderous scamp who happily shares his somewhat distorted worldview with the audience in frequent asides – we are supposed to like him, and we do. Cassie Greer pulls off Lady Anne’s ditzy affect (and spectacular headgear) quite nicely, but her finest (long…) moment is when, as the Duchess of York, she storms off stage left – her tiny mincing steps as she s-l-o-w-l-y propels her walker across the seemingly endless steps of the Civic Center Plaza. It is a credit to the cast that they even try to keep the action going while the audience’s attention keeps shifting to Greer’s agonizing exit.

Sam Jones as Lord Rivers and Peter Schuyler as  King Richard,photo courtesy
of Casey Campbell Photography

With the aid of Melissa Heller’s colorful and flamboyant costumes (and a gargantuan wig) Gary Strong has way too much fun in his dual roles as Queen Margaret and the Bishop of Ely.  However, the best hair award must go to a newcomer, the impossibly lanky Sam Jones, who rocks Lord Rivers’ flowing tresses with a campy feminine mystique as he prances around the set figuratively (and sometimes literally) throwing himself into the action.

Shakespeare aficionados should love Bag & Baggage’s production for the same reasons that Universal Monster fans love “Young Frankenstein” – knowing the content and conventions makes the shtick even funnier. For the rest of us, Richard III is a fine way to introduce one of Shakespeare’s longer and bloodier dramas in an accessible, charming, and abbreviated format that sneaks a touch of high culture into an evening of laughter.

Bag & Baggage’s production of Richard III runs Wednesday – Saturday through August 1^st with shows at 7:30 p.m. All performances are held at the Tom Hughes Civic Center Plaza, 150 E. Main Street, Hillsboro. Please bring your own chair – no seating is provided!

Agatha on the Rise: 2015 “Page to Stage” Comedy at HART

Kathleen Silloway, Aaron Morrow, and Karlyn Weaver

By Tina Arth

For the past three years, Hillsboro Artists’ Regional Theater (H.A.R.T.) has given local playwrights the opportunity to enter scenes from original plays in their “Page to Stage” competition. The 2014 winner, Sally Stember’s Agatha on the Rise, is currently being offered as a full production running through July 26^th. The competition not only allows playwrights the opportunity to showcase their work, it also gives them a chance to solicit the feedback essential to refining their scripts before attempting to take them to a larger audience. Having been through this process in 2014, I can attest to its value – we made myriad small changes throughout the rehearsal period, and we were able at the close of the run to cut about 10 minutes and a complete scene out of the original show!

Author Stember has already begun this process – in her author’s notes she alludes to script changes inspired by Director Sarah Ominski, and freely admits to some huge (sorry, “Big Booty Judy”) changes as the show moved from page to stage. While the script may not yet be ready for prime time, the abundance of hearty laughs from the opening night audience attests to the play’s potential, and the experience of seeing Agatha in full production will undoubtedly give Stember an abundance of ideas on how to hone and polish an already funny show.

The mystery/comedy hovers around the story of private detective Agatha and her attempts to reunite (in both life and death) with her much-married ex-husband, Giles. The relevance of auxiliary characters is sometimes muddy – except for the two who are murdered, as they cleanly establish the secondary but essential “whodunit” plot. Any attempt to explain the story in more detail would be futile – it really needs to be seen to be (somewhat) understood.

Agatha is entertaining because the cast commits so completely to its absurdity. Aaron Morrow, as “Big Booty Judy,” is over the top (without falling over) as only a man with a heavily padded butt can be, and he does a marvelous job of balancing on some truly terrifying high heels. The irrepressible Scott Stephens brings his patented leprechaun charm to several small but diverting roles, and Karlyn Weaver uses her impressive stature and a commandingly mystic presence to create a memorable (if short-lived) “Madame Vadoma.” Leslie Inmon-Collins has the key, but somewhat thankless, role of “Agatha” – we may not understand quite why she wants Giles so fiercely, but she earns our sympathy as she schemes and spies her way back into his life. Mark Putnam as “Giles” is a sleazy scoundrel with absolutely no awareness of others – Putnam seems born to portray insensitive, narcissists with just enough superficial charm to win attention and affection from his betters.

A fundamental structural problem with the script is a severe lack of balance between the lengths of the two acts. Act I runs for over 1.5 hours, Act II for somewhat under an hour. The effect (particularly in a play with a lot of plot complexities) is audience fatigue by intermission.  With judicious editing, Stember should be able to reduce the length of Act I without sacrificing any of the best humor.

HART’s “Page to Stage” is a wonderful addition to the Washington County theater scene, both for providing a stage for unproven works and for giving talented authors the opportunity to test their material with real actors, a real director, and real audiences!

Hillsboro Artists’ Regional Theatre (HART) presents Agatha on the Rise through Sunday, July 26th, with performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.

Thoroughly Modern Millie: Classic Broadway Rose Fare With Flair

By Tina Arth

When Thoroughly Modern Millie took home the Best Musical Tony Award for 2002, the competition was not all that fierce.  Mamma Mia had the populist appeal, but not much more – and Urinetown probably was not everybody’s cup of tea. Millie, on the other hand, allows for the Broadway musical touch – big ensemble numbers, eye-catching costumes, and lots of great dancing propelled by a comic-book plot that allows the audience to just sit back and enjoy – even white slavery can deliver the laughs if the context is right!

The current Broadway Rose production has everything it needs – great sets (really, very cleverly designed backdrops) that allow for speedy scene changes to keep the show moving, an amazing 12-piece orchestra under the always impressive direction of Alan D. Lytle, flawless and powerful vocal ensemble combined with Director Lyn Cramer’s delightful choreography and clever staging, and leads with the energy and joie de vivre to bring the audience to its feet at closing. Millie is not for everybody (if you don’t like musicals, you’ll hate it!) but Broadway Rose audiences are big fans of the genre, and it shows in their enthusiastic response.

The story is based on Richard Morris’ 1967 film starring Julie Andrews (and Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol Channing, and Beatrice Lillie – a can’t-miss cast). It’s 1922, and newly minted flapper Millie Dillmount arrives in NYC from the sticks to make her fortune the “modern” way, by marrying for money rather than love. She moves into a hotel for aspiring actresses run by the evil Mrs. Meers, a failed thespian turned con who impersonates a Chinese landlady while kidnapping young girls and selling them into white slavery. Millie falls for the poor but charming Jimmy, while her new friend Miss Dorothy ignites the passion of Millie’s rich boss. More kidnapping, a daring rescue, and predictable plot twists lead to everyone getting what they really need, as opposed to what they thought they wanted. Love, courage, and stenography conquer all. In other words, don’t go for the compelling story!

In a show with strong leads and no weak links, some of the most fun comes from unexpected places.  After a staid first-act presence, Joe Thiessen (as Millie’s boss Trevor Graydon) knocks it into the nosebleed section with the powerful “Ah Sweet Mystery/Falling In Love” duet, and Katie Perry (“Miss Dorothy”) is impossibly cute while pouring her heart into her half of this number.  Al Jolson might be turning in his grave, but Samson Syharath (“Bun Foo”), Heath Hyun Houghton (“Ching Ho”), and Emily Sahler (“Mrs. Meers”) are utterly captivating in the hybrid “Muquin” – a curious synthesis of Chinese and English that gives “Mammy” a whole new spin. Sahler’s absurdly cartoonish Chinese accent is hilarious once the audience gets over the unavoidable discomfort of dealing with an obvious racial stereotype. We wish the show gave Annie Kaiser (“Muzzie”) more opportunities to display her comic ability, but she nails “Only In New York” and the final, powerful note seems to go on forever.  Joel Walker (“Jimmy Smith”) is slick yet likeable as he transforms himself from cynical playboy to sincere swain, and the scene on the window ledge with Millie is convincingly dizzying.

Finally, there is Claire Avakian (“Millie”). She is ridiculously charming throughout, and especially memorable in the upbeat “Forget About the Boy” and the poignant “Gimme Gimme.” “The Speed Test” establishes her as a formidable comic, too. The audience cannot help but respond to her curious mixture of spunk and sincerity, and it is Avakian who ultimately transforms this musical froth into a well-spent evening. Thoroughly Modern Millie is anything but modern, but as homage to a golden era of musicals it is thoroughly satisfying.

Broadway Rose’s Thoroughly Modern Millie runs through July 26th at Tigard High School’s Deb Fennell Auditorium.

HART’s SPAMALOT A Real Crowd Pleaser

L to R: Nick Serrone, Carl Dahlquist, Laurence Cox (King Arthur ), Stephen Radley, James Pennington. 
Photo: Garry Bastian Photography. 

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

In the words of the immortal Monty Python, “If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten, and that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.” What is left out, but implied, is that sometimes you need to be extremely, ridiculously, absurdly silly. The British comedy troupe Monty Python has succeeded in capturing the enduring loyalty of American audiences in a way that other classic Britcoms (think Benny Hill, Rowan Atkinson, the “Carry On” franchise) have utterly failed. HART Theatre’s production of Spamalot brilliantly illustrates the point –opening night brought a full house of enthusiastic devotees of this uniquely British art (?) form.

Those unfamiliar with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, on which the musical is based, may find the production puzzling – nothing in their previous lives will have prepared them for uproarious laughter about a shrubbery – but such Python novitiates (and it is a religion) are encouraged to just sit back, forget about reason, and enjoy the silliness.

Given the theater’s small size, Director Dorinda Toner and her production staff have done a remarkable job of bringing a very large show (there are 22 performers, and countless costume changes) to the space available. It helps that they use (very well) pre-recorded music – there’s no place to put an orchestra, and the complexity of the score would be ill-served by basic piano, bass and drums. The set is striking – a detailed castle structure that serves a multitude of purposes while constantly reinforcing the Arthurian ambience of the story line.

While the six Laker Girls form an energetic and cohesive vocal and dance ensemble, Mila Boyd (“Lady of the Lake”) holds the only starring female role, and she nails it. Her amazing voice, dark beauty, and lithe body are perfect for the role of an over-the-top siren/seductress. She delivers solidly on several key songs, nowhere more so than in her pathos-ridden rendition of “Whatever Happened to My Part?”

The pivotal role of King Arthur is nobly filled by Laurence Cox, whose regal bearing never falters as he strives to turn his motley crew into the Knights of the Round Table. He confidently prances across the stage, keeping perfect time with the coconut-clapping hoofbeats of Patsy (Brian Kennedy), his loyal page. The pair are especially moving in the tragic ballad “I’m All Alone” – Cox for his angst-ridden solo, Kennedy for his mute protest. The four principal knights, Sir Lancelot (Nick Serrone), Sir Robin (Stephen Radley), Sir Galahad (James Pennington), and Sir Bedevere (Carl Dahlquist) bring a quirkily novel interpretation of knightly valor – sort of Camelot meets The Village People.  Andy Roberts is utterly captivating as both the French Taunter and the Knight of Ni – his Franglais accent suitably execrable, his knightly bearing commanding and imperious.

The ensemble is vocally tight, and there are several impressive moments of outstanding tap dancing by both the men and the women. The juxtaposition of serious stagecraft and absurdist humor gives Spamalot the cheery gravitas it needs to keep the customers satisfied. In the final singalong, the audience is exhorted to “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” and the HART production provides ample support for this philosophy!

HART Theatre’s production of Spamalot runs through June 21^st, with performances Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. A special performance has been added at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 21^st.

Mama Won’t Fly Takes Off at TITG

Jessica Reed, Shelly Heesacker, and Tanja Crouch. Photo by Theatre in the Grove.

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Theatre in the Grove’s latest offering, Mama Won’t Fly, is one in a series of Southern-themed farces by the prolific writing team of Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooter – the third of their shows that we have seen on Washington County stages in the past few years. Like the others, it’s a family-friendly, audience-pleasing bit of pure entertainment, but unlike 2013’s Dixie Swim Club this show lacks any significant themes – it’s just a whole bunch of funny lines and physical comedy wrapped around a slim plot.

In a nutshell: Savannah Honeycutt has promised her brother that she’ll deliver their mom, Norleen Sprunt, to Santa Monica Beach in time for his wedding four days hence. Unfortunately, they have to drive all the way from Alabama stuck in mama’s vintage Buick because mama won’t fly.  For Savannah, this promises to be the road trip from hell – cooped up with her meddling, match-making mother for thousands of miles. Things get more complicated with the unexpected arrival of bride-to-be Hayley Quinn, who hopes to become a true Sprunt by bonding with her new relations on the trip. Stage weapons, Texas troopers, car thieves, a hopped-up truck driver, an alcoholic ex-stage manager, a cross-dressing former fiancé, and an unbelievable assortment of odd relatives introduce every imaginable I Love Lucy-type complication along the way and, predictably, all’s well that ends well.

The three lead characters are ably supported by six extraordinarily versatile, if occasionally over-the-top, actors who fill a mind-numbing 22 parts.  David Cabassa’s high point is his inexplicably Hispanic portrayal of Officer Dugger, brighter than Barney Fife but still no Andy Taylor. Donald Cleland is simply mahvelous as the unexpectedly fetching Spud. Patti Speight literally and figuratively sparkles as a Vegas showgirl/wedding officiant (“do you want the $40 or the $60 wedding?”). However, it is Anne Kennedy (as the light-fingered alcoholic ex-stage manager) who gets the best line of the evening: “rehab is for quitters!”  Not to be outdone, the stagehand (Tom Robinson on opening weekend) is hilarious, if silent, as he carries out his many duties.

If the leads were played like the supporting cast, the show would be a train wreck instead of an enjoyable farce – but Directors Jeanna Van Dyke and Susan Dieter-Robinson had the good sense to rein in these key characters. Jessica Reed (“Savannah”), Shelly Heesacker (“Norleen”), and Tanja Crouch (“Hayley”) play their roles seriously, no matter how absurd the situation. Reed’s ability to keep a straight face while wearing the ugliest dress on Earth leaves the laughs where they belong – in the audience. Heesacker manages to stop just short of being unforgivably overbearing, so that her character’s sympathetic portrayal at the end is somewhat believable. Quinn is hapless, clumsy, goofy, but consistently endearing – the most lovable character in the show by a mile!

Mama Won’t Fly is good fun precisely because of the lack of any pretense of deep themes or great art – a great way to spend a few hours immersed in silly theater, laughing along with folks who are there for nothing more than a good time.

Theatre in the Grove’s production of Mama Won’t Fly runs through June 13^th, with performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday matinees at 2:30.