Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins
Inspire Creative
PACE Center
Parker, CO
January 15-31, 2016

Tickets for the PACE Center's Mary Poppins were very difficult to get. Every year at this time, PACE presents a family-oriented show. However, the reaction to Mary Poppins is unlike any I have seen.

In this case, the show fulfilled the hype. The show featured a detailed set, wonderful costumes and a talented cast who took this dark twist on the famous Disney movie to new heights.

The casting of Bert and Mary Poppins was "practically perfect." While Bert slipped from one occupation to another, the transitions were smooth. This Mary Poppins was sassier than her film counterpart, but her confidence and charm had the audience believing every bit of it. The actors playing the children were clearly much older than their characters should have been which made their misbehavior seem nasty instead of playful. Mr. Banks was particularly well performed. His dedication to "precision and order" felt authentic and the turning points which lead to his climatic epiphany were clear and moving.

Most memorable were the dance sequences. "Jolly Holiday" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"were rousing and fun. But "Step In Time" took it to a whole new level. The entire cast participated in the dancing. The combination of separate steps for some groups and return to unison kept it fresh. The song also featured Bert walking up one side of the proscenium - a clear salute to the Broadway choreography.

The costumes for the ensemble were characters in themselves. As each scene shifted the complete transformation of the actors didn't feel like we are seeing the same actors in new roles. The bright colors for the sequences "Jolly Holiday" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" clearly drew the line between fantasy and reality.

The set was effective overall. It did seem poorly planned to have crew members remove and replace the furniture for the Banks' living room over and over again. The creation of the children's bedroom on top of the living room seemed like a good idea, but the sight lines at some seats were compromised and the safety railing often blocked the actors faces while they sat on the beds. However, the projected backgrounds were excellent for scene changes and special effects.

It is clear to see why PACE has such a hit on their hands. And as an added touch of magic, the actors in costume were available for meet and greet after the performance.

Pixar In Concert

Pixar In Concert
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, CO
January 15-16, 2015

Each year, the Colorado Symphony presents at least one concert with an animated theme. This year's offering Pixar In Concert was especially intriguing. This concert appeared to have wide appear. In attendance were families with children of all ages, but just as many adults without kids were there as well.

The concert was aided with three giant screens hung which showed parts of the film while each suite was played. In some cases it was selective scenes which focused on a small portion of the story. In others it was closer to a summary. Considering the audience is expected to be familiar with the movies, that wasn't an issue.

The brilliance of the presentation was that the focus was still on the music, despite the video screens. Without the dialogue, the scores shone. The first act included the most emotional music including Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Up and Wall E. The second act was more dynamic. Opening up with The Incredibles and including both Monsters Inc movies, Cars 2 and Toy Story 3.

The audience roared with approval throughout and at the conclusion rewarded with musicians with a standing ovation. While there is a place for Classical Masterpieces, clearly the Symphony has an appreciation for the music of today. Concerts like this should only broaden their appeal and solidify the need for an orchestra in Denver.

The Arabian Nights

The Arabian Nights
Aurora Fox Theater
Aurora, CO
January 8 - February 14, 2016

In the years since Disney's Aladdin, pop culture has designated The Arabian Nights as a collection of children's stories. This couldn't be farther from the truth. While many of the stories are family friendly, many of them are decidedly adult content. The Arabian Nights which The Aurora Fox Theater is presenting is a more mature take on the tales.

In the opening minutes the cast presents the indiscretions of the queen and her murder as well as the killings of many innocent brides in her wake. The precarious position Scheherezade finds herself in is quite clear early on and the audience is not allowed to forget it. While her character as well as the king's are never well defined, you can see that she is a clever woman and the king's fascination with her is easy to understand.

The script brings to life many of the tales told over the famous 1001 nights. They are bawdy, violent and magical filled with sex, violence and gross humor. When Scheherezade begins a story, her voice doubles over the actors as the focus shifts. It is an effective mechanism.

Less effective was the times when the actors all acted as narrators and attempted to speak as one. More often the dialogue became garbled and was difficult to understand. The elderly patrons behind me had a particularly difficult time.

Apparently after telling many stories, the playwright had a need to show the audience that additional stories remain. So the cast members took to telling some of those stories at the same time. So over an excruciating ten minutes, four or five stories played out simultaneously. It was impossible to focus on any part of the scene. The result was almost white noise.

The set is magnificent and the costumes stunning. The talented cast are called upon to quickly change character and they do so in a convincing manner. Subtle costume changes are used throughout when changing characters. In some cases the changes are too slight and the change of character too fast for the audience to keep up with.

The scope of the subject is enormous and it is an ambitious project. Clearly it would be impossible to cover all the stories in the original tale. However, the Fox production captures the vastness of the work while showing the timelessness of the stories. While not perfect, it is an enjoyable production.

Funny Girl

Funny Girl
Vintage Theater
Aurora, CO
November 27, 2015 - January 17, 2016

Funny Girl is the first show I have seen at the Vintage Theater. I found the space to be contemporary and comfortable. The staff were exceptionally friendly and the theater was intimate with an old fashioned feel.

Stepping into the shoes of Barbra Streisand is no easy task, but this show does an admirable job. Their Fanny Brice was appealing. Her Brooklyn accent was authentic sounding but never grating. And it added to the earthiness of the character. The most difficult adjustment was on the singing. We're used to hearing Streisand's powerful contralto, but their actress had a lovely light soprano. The songs were performed well, if not how we are used to them.

Their Nicky Arnstein was also a fascinating character. He started as the perfect gentleman but as the story unwinds we saw his enormous flaws. Unfortunately we realized it faster than Fanny does and the outcome was sincerely heartbreaking.  

The small cast pulled off the large productions numbers well. The follies numbers were particularly successful - the costumes and choreography gave them an old-fashioned feeling.

The sets were well conceived and having costumed actors reset their own scenes created a sense of ownership for the characters in their space.

The costumes were flawless and the number of them was astonishing. Not only were the main characters able to show the passage of time in their clothing, but they made convincing character changes as well.

Funny Girl was a show well worth seeing. It is old fashioned theater produced for a modern audience without feeling updated. It was an impressive show and I look forward to seeing more at their venue.