The Sound of Music at Broadway Rose

Broadway Rose hits all the right notes with a classic

A 'flawless' Maria leads the production that boasts impressive sets and some 'unexpected' yet welcome characterizations

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Within the last two weeks, we have had the honor of seeing the current generation of von Trapp Family Singers (they were absolutely fantastic!) and the pleasure of seeing Broadway Rose’s fine production of “The Sound of Music” – the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic loosely based on the story of the original singing von Trapp family.

Perhaps more than any other classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “The Sound of Music” is a singer’s show, and thus a perfect fit for Broadway Rose. Under the musical direction of Alan D. Lytle, the vocal ensembles were often stunning, especially the numbers featuring the amazing harmonies and dynamics of the nuns’ chorus. Lytle also capitalized on the singing ability of his leads, most of whom delivered consistently superb solo performances.

Leah Yorkson’s “Maria” was a delight – charming and vocally flawless. Her playful interaction with the children captured the essence of Maria’s duality – a naïve child-woman able to relate to the youngest, mentor the older children, and ultimately respond passionately to Captain von Trapp. In addition, she’s a first-class trouper whose professionalism shone during recurring microphone problems in the first act (which happily were resolved by intermission). Imagine singing “Lonely Goatherd” to a packed house when your mic fails (and the other seven don’t). Without missing a beat, she amplified her projection and more than held her own. Kudos also to conductor Lytle and his orchestra for immediately adjusting the musical volume.

Isaac Lamb gave one of the best interpretations we have seen of Captain von Trapp – less martinet and more paternal, which made his growing affection for Maria more believable. Lamb made it easy to understand why, despite several years of emotional remoteness, his children still eagerly sought his attention and approval. In addition, his smooth baritone added a powerful foundation to the ensemble numbers.

David Sargent (“Max Detweiler”) and Jami Chatalas Blanchard (“Elsa Schrader”) lent their considerable comedic talents to the production, taking a bit of the edge off the descending darkness of the Nazi takeover. Sargent’s “Max” was urbane, effete, and self-effacing without going over the top, and Blanchard’s “Elsa” was more self-consciously wry than devious and scheming – an unexpected and welcome touch.

Other standout performances included Lindsay Jolliff (“Liesl”) and Collin Carver (“Rolf”), whose rendition of “Sixteen Going On Seventeen” gave them the opportunity to display both their vocal and dance skills. Margie Boule (“Mother Abbess”) soared in her rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” but her singing was not the only strength she brought to the role – she displayed a sensitivity and empathy that really brought the character to life. Of course, the von Trapp children en masse were bubbly and charming, and their enthusiasm kept the audience engaged throughout.

Director Sharon Maroney set a rapid pace that kept a long show moving nicely (the production included all of the songs written for the original Broadway cast). Her grasp of both the characters and the era ensured that her actors conveyed the show’s many themes. As we have grown to expect with Broadway Rose, the sets and lighting were superb.

For those who are not familiar with “The Sound of Music” this is a great introduction – and for those who know and love the show, it is a lovely visit with a dear friend.

“The Sound of Music” plays June 28^th through July 22^nd at Tigard High School’s Deb Fennell Auditorium.  Evening performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Matinees are at 2 p.m. on Sundays, and on Saturdays, July 14 and 21. The Deb Fennell Auditorium is located at 9000 SW Durham Road in Tigard. Tickets start at $30 for adults, with discounts available for groups and youth. For a full listing of show performances or to order tickets visit www.broadwayrose.org or call the box office at 503.620.5262.

'The 39 Steps' at Theatre in the Grove

Dennis Kujawa (left) as Hannay draws suspicion from salesmen
Zachary Centers and Justin Canfield.



Theatre in the Grove takes '39 Steps' Toward Comedic Perfection

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Imagine Harpo and Chico Marx (if Harpo talked) as 50% of the cast in an English drawing room murder/mystery.  Add a leggy cross between Dietrich, Garbo, and Lucille Ball. Mix thoroughly with one poor sucker of a straight man, and you have a pretty clear picture of the marvelous cacophony that emerges from Theatre in the Grove’s current production of “The 39 Steps.”

Centers (left) takes on a variety of roles
opposite straight man Kujawa (right).

    
     The story is, to a large extent, irrelevant – the show exists as a vehicle for four hard-working actors and one sound effects guy to have an exceptional amount of fun on stage. In this farce based on a 1935 Hitchcock movie based on John Buchan’s 1915 novel, a befuddled Canadian is lured from London to Edinburgh on a spy quest somehow related to 39 Steps and the murder of the mysterious Annabella. Mayhem ensues, and the four actors face the challenge of leading the audience through a chaotic maze of plot twists, quick changes, dreadful accents, and belly laughs. Luckily for all of us, the Theatre in the Grove cast is up to the task.

     Dennis Kujawa takes on the thankless role of the straight man, Hannay, but still manages to earn his share of laughs – particularly in the physical comedy of the early scenes where he narrowly eludes a menacing cigarette holder only to find himself trapped in an easy chair beneath the rigid body of the newly-deceased Annabella. As the only character in the production who plays only one role, he provides a modicum of, if not sanity, at least continuity.

Kristen Behlings (left) impresses in her first
production with Theatre in the Grove.

     Kristen Behlings brings a wealth of experience and exceptional versatility to the stage as she moves from femme fatale Annabella to the oh-so-proper Pamela to horny Scotswoman Margaret. In her first production at TITG, she delivers a variety of accents, displays exceptional physical agility (wait until you get to the scene with the handcuffs!), and shifts seamlessly from one stereotype to the next. Whatever she’s doing, she is consistently hilarious.
   
     Zachary Centers and Justin Canfield are only identified in the program as “Clown” and “Clown” – thus, we have no clue about who was who. Luckily, it doesn’t matter – they were both funny.  The two quick-change artists play a plethora of roles. Need spies? Burglars? Conductors? Little old ladies? Cops? Doddering innkeepers? The world’s greatest memory expert?  Just send in the clowns! Gender, age, occupation, nationality, even height are no barrier as long as they have enough hats, wigs, skirts, and falsies – and at least 3 seconds in which to reinvent themselves.

Canfield (left) warns of interferring
with the 39 Steps.

      The show is fast-paced, and as with all comedy, timing is everything. Director Dan Harry obviously understands this precept, and draws from his cast exactly the right mix of slapstick and melodrama. With the assistance of Mark Ferris (listed in the program as “Foley Artist” but actually a one-man special effects team), Barlow provides the Forest Grove audience with a memorable comedic experience.

Theatre in the Grove’s “The 39 Steps” runs through June 17^th, with performances at 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday nights and 2:30  p.m. Sunday matinees.

Westside Stage: Beaverton Civic Theatre

'The Miracle Worker' Works for BCT

15-year-old Hayley Rousselle gives a "flawless" performance as Helen Keller.

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Beaverton Civic Theatre’s second show of the season, “The Miracle Worker,” opened to a full house last Friday – and garnered a much-deserved standing ovation at the end of Act III.

 The classic play is favored by high schools and community theater groups primarily because of the power of the story but also, in part, because it can be done with minimal sets in a restricted space. The show rises (or falls) on the strength of its cast, with few external bells and whistles to augment the individual performances. Director Doreen Lundberg has assembled a wonderful cast and draws uniformly skillful performances from her leads and supporting actors.

Tonja Schreiber (left) as Annie Sullivan

“The Miracle Worker” revolves around the dramatic interaction of a young Boston-Irish teacher, Annie Sullivan, and her charge, ten-year old Helen Keller, who is locked within herself by a lifetime of blindness and deafness. Tonja Schreiber (“Annie”) shows impressive power in her portrayal of the fiercely determined neophyte teacher, fresh out of school herself and sent to 1880’s Alabama to work with the most challenging subject imaginable. Her task is complicated by the good-hearted but obstructive indulgence of Helen’s family, who have made no effort to discipline or control their daughter. Schreiber manages to convey the obstinate determination of the young teacher while revealing the self-doubt that plagues her character as she battles on in her quest to liberate Helen from the prison of her disability. Schreiber also shows admirable consistency and restraint in her Irish accent – it is subtle enough not be distracting or comically stereotypical.

Rousselle embodies the willful Keller.

Fifteen-year-old Hayley Rousselle gives, to our eyes, a flawless performance as young Helen Keller. Although the challenging role may appear to be almost entirely physical, Rousselle captures, in addition, the keen intelligence trapped inside Helen’s almost impermeable shell. Through 2 ½ hours of nearly constant presence on the stage, Rousselle is able to faithfully express for the audience a sense of what it must have been like for the confused, willful, and often terrified Helen Keller before she learned to communicate with others.

 Despite the story’s inevitable focus on the two main characters, “The Miracle Worker” is by no means a two-person show. At the point that Annie Sullivan came into her life, Helen was not, in fact, a blank slate – her persona had been shaped by her family’s loving but fruitless efforts to help her. At the story’s beginning, the parents are emotionally exhausted by years of false hopes raised by quacks and ineffectual doctors. Don Bellairs (Captain Keller) is, on the surface, a classically domineering Southern patriarch – but time and again he exposes his core of solid marshmallow by yielding to Sullivan’s demands. Even in his troubled relationship with his son James, he reveals his love for his family and makes confused but sincere efforts to get it right. Bellairs is so convincing in expressing this duality that one suspects that these qualities, like his Southern accent, are real.

Don Bellairs as Captain Keller.

Valarie Griffiths Brown portrays Kate Keller (Helen’s mother) as heart-breakingly optimistic. Despite being worn by years of attempts to cope with the extraordinary demands of raising young Helen, she immediately opens herself up to Annie Sullivan’s unorthodox methods. Brown captures the archetypal “steel magnolia” – appearing to yield to her husband while using her quiet determination to preserve her family.

 After seeing Scott Kelly (James Keller) in several BCT comedy productions, it was nice to see him in a serious dramatic role. Helen’s stepbrother James occupies a tough place in the family dynamic – he carries the burden of being the eldest son, desperate in his inability to live up to his father’s expectations, bitterly unwilling to embrace his stepmother as a surrogate parent, and resentful of the family’s focus on Helen and her special needs. Kelly effectively conveys the challenges inherent in his awkward position, and allows the audience to empathize with him despite his oft-sardonic manner.

 There were a few small opening night glitches, including the occasional muffed line. More important, there were some problems with the audibility of recorded sound bites. Since Annie’s back story is heavily dependent on the sound bites, we hope that these problems will be quickly addressed.

 Over the past couple of years, we have seen steady progression in Beaverton Civic Theatre’s offerings – and “The Miracle Worker” is another solid step toward excellence in local community theater.

“The Miracle Worker” is playing through May 13^th at the Beaverton City Library auditorium. Performances are at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

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.