The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO
November 25 - December 24, 2017

The Nutcracker is a must see for many people this time of year. In its advertising, the Colorado Ballet promoted they produced the “most loved” Nutcracker in the nation. After many viewings it is easy to see why.

This year’s performances had all the classic elements the audiences expect. The sets were spectacular from the growing Christmas tree to the lovely land of sweets. The costumes may change slightly year to year, but they always have the same beauty as the previous productions.

As always, a few slight changes made their way in. Mother Ginger and the Rat King seem to be funnier and more over the top than the season before.

The Russian dancers stole the show with their energetic leaps. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her consort amazed the audience with their dizzying spins across the stage. The Dance of the Snowflakes creates the most beautiful blizzard anyone has ever seen.

Overall, the show hasn’t changed much, but it doesn’t need to. Patrons return year after year to relive the magical beauty of this classic ballet.

A Colorado Christmas

A Colorado Christmas
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, CO
December 15-17, 2017

A Colorado Christmas had a little of everything. It was conducted by Christopher Dragon, who always brings joy into the experience at the Symphony.

The soloist Devin DeSantis was perfect for the variety of music in the concert. His “O Holy Night” was gorgeous. And he performed the jazzy selection from “Too Hot to Handel” and “Believe” from The Polar Express with equal expertise. He had a few fun costume changes to go with the selections as well. At the end of “Believe,” there was a fun train conductor versus symphony conductor moment between DeSantis and Christopher Dragon.

The concert also featured two choirs – the Colorado Symphony Chorus and the Colorado Children’s Chorale. The Symphony Chorus performed the more difficult pieces. The Hallelujah Chorus from “Too Hot to Handel” was a real treat.

The children’s choirs were fun. It was puzzling that some of the children were seated by the Symphony Chorus while the Children’s Chorale performed all their selections on the stage.

Before intermission, Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance. Their chorography with the Children’s Chorale was enjoyable. Even better, both were available in the lobby for photos. It was impressive to see how quickly they moved the kids through to make sure they could get through them all.

The music was well chosen to bring the holidays alive. A few fun lighting effects brought magic to the show. My only complaint is that the symphony did not have many instrumental pieces.

The show was perfect for audiences of all ages, bringing the spirit of the season to everyone.

Cendrillon

Cendrillon
Boulder Opera
Stewart Auditorium
Longmont, CO
December 3-8, 2017

Cendrillon is an opera based on the Cinderella story. It is not as well known as the Rossini version La Cenerentola. The Boulder Opera production gave audiences a look at this lesser performed work. Unlike the Rossini version, this one fully embraced the fairy tale nature of the story by including the fairy godmother and two fairy sprites to help her.

The fairy godmother’s arias were quite impressive. There were hints of the Queen of the Night in her songs, but they were perfect in the context of the magical happenings around her. The sprites were an enjoyable addition. The performers appeared to throughly enjoy the magic and mischief they provided to the story. The addition of a handful of girls from the audience during one of the fairy godmother’s scene was distracting.

The stepsisters were also fun to watch. Their reactions and preening were so funny that occasionally they took the focus off of the action in the story.

The oddest part of this opera is that the role of the Prince was written for a soprano, meaning it must be played by a woman. This was awkward at best. While the singer did her best to appear as a man, it wasn’t convincing. And in the duets with Cinderella, it was difficult to distinguish Cinderella’s part from the prince.

The set was fairly bland and simple. However, the elaborate costumes made up for much of that. Nothing was more stunning than Cinderella’s voluminous ball gown.

I was surprised that despite that the show was part of their Family series the opera was performed in French. The biggest issue with the production was the subtitles. They were projected at the back of the stage. While they were easy to read, it meant the children who cannot read yet were left to rely on their parents to read to them. But, as it turned out, the subtitles were poorly set up, at times there were typos in them. Frequently the translation for hopelessly behind the action. For the final scene, they completely gave up on them, leaving the audience to guess at what was happening.

Despite the difficulties, the audience seemed charmed with the show. As an additional treat, all of the performers appeared in the lobby for meet and greets after the show.

Anansi

Anansi
The Bitsy Stage
Denver, CO
October 27 - December 17, 2017

The Bitsy Stage’s commitment to sharing folk tales from around the world continued with their newest show Anansi. The intimate theater transformed into a dark jungle with thoughtful decorations. Foliage was draped over the entire room and the stage line was marked with a web pattern.

Anansi was a collection of folk tales and each one was told through a different form of theater. One story was a radio play, another a puppet show – other forms included ensemble acting and dance.

The cast of the show was top notch. Each actor morphed into various character before our eyes with only slight costume changes. The skits were funny and intriguing, keeping even the youngest members of the audience engaged.

The set was truly remarkable in this tiny space. Webs raised and lowered, creating swings and ladders. The lights created the time of day and showed the passage of time and change of scenery.
The Bitsy Stage is considered to be children’s theater but there was plenty for adults to enjoy. The quality of the performances, the writing and the presentation created a theatrical experience that everyone will love.

Rent

Rent

National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
November 14-19, 2017

It’s hard to believe that the groundbreaking musical Rent is celebrating its 20th anniversary. After all this time, the storyline has begun to show its age, although it is nostalgic to see phone booths in New York City! The storyline has become a time capsule for the 1990’s, much like South Pacific is for the 1940’s.

The music of Rent, however, is timeless. The humor of “The Tango Maureen” hasn’t diminished a bit. “Will I? is still heartbreakingly beautiful.

The cast of the tour is a strong one. Marc was the glue holding the whole story together and he did it perfectly. While Roger’s singing was a bit of a disappointment. He handled the crescendos of “One Song Glory” with style but the quieter parts were underwhelming. The duet between the two “What You Own,” however, was spectacular.

The supporting cast brought much to the show. Angel was charismatic and engaging, making her death even more devastating. Maureen was a force to be reckoned with. Her character is larger than life and the actress delivered a performance that lived up to her own hype.

The multi-level set continued to set the standard of how to use all the theater space you can. It gave many playing spaces and took the audience to the cold and poor side of New York.

The brilliance of Rent always makes me sad in a way. The show’s author Jonathan Larson dies shortly before its Broadway debut. I wonder what other amazing shows he would have written if he had the chance.

Cinderella

Cinderella
Opera Colorado
PACE Center
Parker, CO 
November 11, 2017

Opera Colorado’s touring production of Cinderella created the perfect opportunity to introduce children to opera. The show was performed by the young artists program in an abridged format especially for children.

The sets for the show were simple but effective. The cast moved furniture quietly and effectively and the backdrop opened up to reveal the prince’s castle. The costumes communicated each character’s position and Cinderella’s ball gown was as beautiful as each child imagined.

The performances of each singer were impressive. The singing and the acting were equally strong, making each character believable. The songs were sung in English, allowing the audience to follow along easily.

The one hour running time was just right for the young audience and there were no obvious gaps in the story. At the end of the show was a question and answer period which was painfully short for such a large audience. It would have been better to eliminate that portion than disappoint most of the children who wanted to ask questions.

La Boheme

La Boheme
Opera Colorado
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO 
November 7-15, 2017

Operas are known for depicting glamorous lives with complex music. However, La Boheme is a departure from this formula. The main characters of this opera are starving artists whose dedication to their craft has left them in dire straits. These characters are much easier for the average person to identify with.

The characters are fairly two-dimensional. This cast had the acting abilities to flesh them out into more realistic people. They were likeable and appealing – even at their worst.

Even the love stories were believable. The actors had enough on-stage chemistry to invest the audience in their relationships.

The score of La Boheme is not the most familiar in opera. While the music is beautiful, aside from “Musetta’s Waltz,” it is not memorable.

The sets for the show were indicative of the poverty the characters lived in. While the apartment of Rodolpho and Marcello was sparse, there was a poetry to the scene. The audience was able to see into the hallway outside their door, giving the audience a preview of what may be coming.

In such a setting, the costumes could have been overly plain. However, each man had his own style and even Mimi’s dress was pretty if plain. It only made her special pink bonnet stand out even more. However, during crowd scenes if was difficult to pick out the main characters.

One character who did not blend in was Musetta. She was the wealthiest of the main characters. However, it was unclear why her clothing was so tacky, especially considering so many of the men were supposed to be attracted to her.

For opera  lovers, La Boheme is everything they could ask for – a high quality production with excellent performances.

The Merry Widow

The Merry Widow
CU Presents
Macky Auditoium
Boulder, CO 
October 27-29, 2017

The Eklund Opera program at the University of Colorado provides an excellent opportunity for aspiring singers and musicians to perform classic work in front of an audience. This spring they presented The Merry Widow.

The show began with the longest overture I have ever heard. The director attempted to break that up with a pantomime, but the scenes were too short and too choppy to fill the time.

The voices of the cast members were stunning to listen to. “Vilja” was spectacularly performed and the men singing about their difficulties and the men’s septet “Women” entertaining.

This show is one that contains dialog. The acting performances among the cast were uneven. Some showed flair for the dialog, others only seemed to be reciting the lines. The characters were fairly two dimension and few of them came across as real people.

The choreography throughout was rough. While the steps were designed to be impressive, the cast did not seem to have the ability to pull them off.

The sets of the show, likely professionally done, were delightful. The multiple entranceways and exits gave the space a feeling of depth. The costumes, also professionally done, were perfect to demonstrate the wealth of the characters.

The gratuitous finale scene at Maxim’s at least enjoyable to watch. While the ending was predictable, we had a fun time getting there.

Dracula

Dracula
Colorado Ballet
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO
October 6-15, 2017

For the past ten years, the Colorado Ballet has presented a wide variety of shows. Aside from the Nutcracker, only one show has been repeated in that time – Dracula. At time sit has been an extra show added in October. This year, it is one of the three main ballets being performed.

Dracula is not a typical ballet. It contains a much more complex story than the art form usually attempts. As a result, the show contained many interactions between the performers, but far less dancing than a regular ballet would.

The performance was made up of three acts. Each featured one major dance sequence in the midst of graceful stagecraft. Those sequences felt long and drawn out – especially since they did nothing to advance the story. Although the dance of the undead in the third act was more entertaining than the others.

Also unlike other ballets was the strong characters the dancers portrayed. The personalities came through the physical actions of these performers who never spoke. It was impressive to watch. Dracula’s slow, sensual movements added to his mysterious appearance. Although he had a habit of drawing others to him, pushing them away and then drawing them back which made little sense. The performance of Renfield’s psychotic behavior was also well crafting.

The costumes in the production were spectacular. Dracula’s red cape swirled about him majestically. His well choreographed flipping of it around his legs complimented his graceful movements. Not one costume looked out of place – they looked like the clothing of the period and not ballet costumes.

The sets brought the whole production together. They were clearly indicative of the mood of each scene and moved the action along. Once set change left Lucy on stage for a rather awkward costume change, but the rest seemed flawless.

For fans of traditional ballet, this ballet may take getting used to. This show does have the ability to bring in audiences who do not attend traditional ballets. That is a tribute to the power of the story – no matter how it is told.

South Pacific

South Pacific

Inspire Creative
PACE Center
Parker, CO 
September 29 - October 15, 2017

The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific was controversial in its day. The storyline of racial tension is still relevant today.

The current production by Inspire Creative used the original script, which created a much longer show. The audience was treated to little heard reprises and dialogue which didn’t drag down the tempo at all. Act One was so loaded with classic songs it was hard to believe they were all from the same show.

The story revolved around Nellie Forbush. This is a part that requires an actress who is attractive and charismatic. She had exactly the right balance of charm and silliness. It was easy to see why the entire camp practically revolved around her. And her voice was perfect for the classic Rogers and Hammerstein score.

Opposite Nellie, was Emile who was handsome and engaging. His voice was up to the lush romantic standard, “Some Enchanted Evening.” One particularly impressive performance was by Luther Billis. He seemed to steal every scene he was in.

The portrayal of Joe Cable wasn’t quite as strong as the others. He seemed to change from in love to horrified at the object of those affections with little motivation. His ballad “Younger than Springtime” wasn’t quite the breathtaking love song it should have been. However, his angry turn with “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” brought an intimate rage to the words, reflecting more anger at his upbringing than his current situation.

The costumes and sets were perfectly suited for the show and the directing showed great flair. A working shower added fun to “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair” while a retractable scrim added mystery to the Bali Hai ceremony. The entire production played like a period piece without feeling dated.

If there was a downfall to this production it was the casting of some of the Polynesian characters. The actors performing the roles well, but considering the prejudice that occurred during the story, they looked too white to effectively move the story along.

Prodcutions such as this one effectively demonstrated why this show is a classic. In Inspire’s hands, it was timeless.

Frozen

Frozen
Pre-Broadway Engagement
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
August 17,- October 1, 2017

The Broadway-bound production of Disney’s Frozen has been playing at the Buell Theater for six weeks now. I saw it on opening night and I was curious to see what changes it would go through during its time here. So I went to see it again.

The only changes I could pinpoint were in Act 2, which seemed to drag on opening night. One song, "When Everything Falls Apart," was eliminated and “Kristoff’s Lullaby” and the second reprise of “Hans of the Southern Isles.” For the latter, the change was an effective one. The previous version took away from the stunning revelation. The trimmed song was much more sinister and vicious – as it needed to be.

The most effective parts remained unchanged. “Love is an Open Door” was even more entertaining than the film version. And the simple, yet elegant, staging of “Let It Go” was worthy of the song’s iconic status.

The show still has its share of awkward moments. The death of the king and queen was unnecessarily creepy and will confuse those few who have not seen the film version. The presentation of Olaf was underwhelming, especially with the impressive Sven costuming. The first song of Act 2, “Hygge” was still puzzling. While the song is enjoyable, the staging is decidedly un-Disney like. I find it hard to believe that it will open on Broadway as it was performed in Denver.

Disney likely has another hit on its hands, however, those looking for a new twist (or dare I say improvement) on the story, will be disappointed. While many aspects of the production were changes from the film, it doesn’t elevate it to another level as The Lion King did. However, with its already rabid fan base, Frozen will please its audiences.

Company

Company
Aurora Fox Theatre
Aurora, CO
September 22 - October 22, 2017

Company is a lesser known Stephen Sondheim work. While some avid theater goers may have heard one or two of the songs, they aren’t widely known.

The show was written in 1970, but the Aurora Fox production strongly showed that this show is as relevant now as they day it opened on Broadway. The set was a chic urban loft which was generic enough to set the scene for every location but not at all boring. The costumes were also well matched with each character – even if they were all black.

The cast of the show was nothing short of spectacular. Many of the characters could easily have become two-dimensional caricatures. But this talented cast took these stereotypes and made them into fully realized people. The chemistry between them was exactly right.

Beyond their acting abilities, the performance of the musical numbers was a sheer delight. Every voice was amazing on it’s own, but the musical arrangements made these great voices even better. (Although the “Bobby” sequences did get a little tiresome after a while.)

Each song helped the audience to get to know the characters better. None was more memorable than "Not Getting Married Today." The looks on the actress' face matched the tone of the song and had the audience rolling in the aisles.

The choreography of “Side by Side” was fun and kept the momentum going through a somewhat deeper second act. The show built into the climatic song, “Being Alive” which was the olive in the martini of a delightful cocktail. It was the perfect blend for a night on the town.

In the Heights

In the Heights
Town Hall Arts Center
Littleton, CO 
September 8 - October 8, 2017

With the enormous success of Hamilton, theater goers will have an increased interest in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first show, In the Heights. And with Hamilton scheduled to travel to Denver next spring, the Town Hall Arts Center’s production is well timed.

Despite their space limitations, the set designers did a fantastic job of creating a Washington Height’s block onstage. Each storefront had pieces which rolled out easily to expand the size of the store space. With the pieces rolled in, a street that was more perception than set, was revealed.

It didn’t take long for the audience to get to know the characters in the show. For the most part, they are people just like our neighbors and friends – very different people brought together by geography. And through the wonderful dialogue, we learned they have very different stories and backgrounds.
The costumes appear much like what young people wear today. The choreography was perfect for them.

At times, the music seemed a bit overwhelming for the cast. Some of the rap pieces were difficult to understand. But overall, the music was enjoyable.

The weakness of the show came from the plot. It was thin at best. There were the obligatory boy meets girl stories. The rest of the action was mostly centered everyday problems. The issues were resolved realistically, but the action isn’t as exciting as it could have been. The character of Abuela was too far in the background to have the emotional impact she should in Act 2.

This production of In the Heights is enjoyable, but it does not have the impact that Hamilton has. Denver audiences will have to wait to see if Miranda’s sophomore effort lives up to the hype.

The Music Man

The Music Man
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Johnstown, CO 
September 7 - November 5, 2017

Candlelight Dinner Playhouse is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. This group has found their sweet spot in the Colorado theater scene by presenting classic shows that aren’t often performed in the Denver metro area. The first show of their second decade is The Music Man – shows don’t get much more classic than this.

The show centered around Harold Hill, a smooth travelling salesman. Their Harold had a smile as wide as Iowa and enough charisma to charm the hardest of hearts. His antics gave the people of River City a much needed diversion from their dull daily lives. This character was so well performed that we couldn’t help but love him, despite his questionable motives.

Marian the librarian was lovely to look at and hear, even if she was a bit dull. She seemed too easily swayed by Harold’s charms, but it’s the scenario the audience longed for.

The main characters were surrounded by a wide range of crazy characters. The best was the Mayor’s wife who was a comedy show on her own. The barbershop quartet were spectacular to listen to, and I loved their silly antics when their situations were less than harmonious.

As always, the sets at the Candlelight transported the audience into the right setting. The scenes changed deftly and smoothly, never taking away from the action. I also appreciated how the characters changed costumes to denote changes in time. (A costumer for this show could easily decide to keep everyone dressed in the same costume throughout.)

There wasn’t anything to dislike about this show, It is not a deep social or political commentary and they never tried to make it into one. It’s a a fun time at the theater with something for everyone. And be prepared for one of the best curtain calls you will ever see.

A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line
Arvada Center
Arvada, CO
September 12 - October 1, 2017

Back before Cats and The Phantom of the Opera, A Chorus Line was the longest running show in Broadway history. Despite that success, a generation of theater-goers have not had many opportunities to see the show. The current Arvada Center production gives these audiences a chance to see it.

The two most famous songs from the show “One” and “What I Did For Love” do little to prepare an audience for the story. The show is an audition where 16 hopeful dancers compete for roles in an upcoming Broadway show. Through a rigorous interview process, the audiences got to know each character.

The result is we got to know the dream behind each dancer. These were fully realized people and not caricatures. Each role was well cast. Their skills were equal to the task of taking a small snippet of the script and creating a believable character.

The music was beautifully arranged. The choral treatment of “What I Did For Love” was exquisite. Of course, the real star of the show was the dancing. The dancers here displayed incredible skill.

The setting for the action was an audition for a Broadway show. Anyone who has participated in theater knows this often takes place in an empty space. Hardly glamorous. And the set for the show looked just that way. However, at specific points in the show, cleverly hidden mirrors appear behind the dancers for added depth to the set. It also morphs into a glittery backdrop for the showy finale.

With its talented cast and thoughtful staging, A Chorus Line looks good for its age.

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages
BDT Stage
Boulder, CO
August 25 - November 11, 2017

Rock of Ages seems like an odd musical - a showcase of eighties songs wrapped around a story. This season, BDT Stage tackled this challenge for their season opener.

Unlike many “jukebox musicals,” this show didn’t force songs to fit into the story line. Instead, only the relevant parts were used. In some cases that many mean that the audience members may not hear the entirety of their favorite song, but it kept the action moving along nicely.

Another nice feature was the medley of songs at parts in the show to show the stream of consciousness of multiple characters. (It would be called a “mash-up” today.) While the blending may not have been perfect, it was interesting to hear these familiar songs used in a completely new way.

The costumes were also a fun reminder of the era. The women’s outfits were decidedly Madonna inspired and the men mostly wore jeans. But there were brilliant touches by someone who vividly remembers the time. Lonnie’s “Frankie Says Relax” t-shirt was fantastic to see. And the gaudy European jacket worn by Franz took me back to the flamboyant fashion of that era.

The poster outside the theater mentioned the “big hair” of the eighties and it was on display. The actors who grew out and teased their hair captured the right looks. Those who wore wigs gave us the mullet style in a way most of us would like to forget.

The talent of the cast was undeniable. While the characters in the show may be somewhat superficial, they do evoke real people. While Lonnie was a bit over the top in his antics, I was constantly reminded of the behavior I saw in the eighties. The songs were performed in a way that didn’t leave the audience longing for the original version. 

The storyline was simple, but uplifting. The cast seemed to have a good time performing it and it was contagious. Rock of Ages was at times over-sexualized and vulgar, but it was appropriate for the show. It was a fun evening of theater and music that felt like a party.

Frozen

Frozen
Pre-Broadway Engagement
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
August 17 - October 1, 2017

With Frozen, it’s hard to imagine that Disney Broadway doesn’t have a hit on their hands. After all, this new stage musical is based on the highest grossing animated film of all time. I saw the show on opening night and the excitement in the crowd was contagious.

The show started with music similar to the opening scene of the movie, but quickly diverged to a different story. We were introduced to the “Hidden Folk” who replaced the trolls in the show. These characters a puzzling. They appear to be indigenous people, but their attire would be more
appropriate in a tropical setting than the frozen north. The leader of the hidden folk acted as a narrator throughout. He was often difficult to understand, but he really wasn’t necessary in that capacity.

The cast of the show was fantastic. Anna was even sillier on stage than in the film. Elsa had a beautiful tone to her voice. Even the two young girls playing the princesses as children were incredible to watch. Before they built the snowman onstage, both girls were awkwardly running offstage and bringing the props back with them. The show stopped for technical difficulties. When the girls reappeared, we saw that the set pieces the props were stored on had not come out, so the girls did what they had to so the show would go on.

Olaf the snowman was a puppet with the actor voicing him clearly visible, It was the same convention used in The Lion King for Timon. It was a bit disappointing that Disney was not more innovative for this show. Sven the reindeer was a costume which was slightly awkward around the back legs. But the actor inside worked well in the role.

When a show is already beloved as Frozen the costumes couldn’t be a radical departure from the film. They didn’t disappoint. There are a few new additions – Anna borrowed a green snow suit before donning her burgundy and blue “trekking” outfit. Elsa also had a new dress in Act 2. While it wasn’t as spectacular as her ”ice dress,” it was perfect for her.

The sets were relatively simple. There was no castle rising from the ground during “Let It Go.” But overall the lighting and set pieces created the right mood for each scene. We were even treated to an ice bridge above the stage.

The songs added for the show were not as impactful as the ones from the movie. Most of them add character development for the four main characters. “Monster” from Act 2 was the most memorable, but having Elsa caught by Hans immediately at the end of the song took away much of the power of the song. The original songs really shone. And “Let It Go” at the end of Act 1 left me with goosebumps.

The show was enjoyable, but it still needs a bit of work. Act 2 dragged and I could hear the restlessness of the enthusiastic audience. "Hygge" is a strange start to Act 2 with the ensemble appearing to be naked and covering themselves with leaves as if in a sauna.

Fans of Frozen will love this show. It’s not an innovative staging of the show but considering the popularity of the film, it’s likely to have a huge following when it arrives on Broadway next spring.

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar
Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Mary Rippon Theater
Boulder, CO
June 11 - August 13, 2017


William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar has been highly controversial this year when New York’s Public Theatre performed it with the part of Caesar played by a Donald Trump look-alike. While the Colorado Shakespeare Festival opted for a more traditional toga version, they clearly were not lost on the political implications of the work.

At the beginning of the show, several actors in modern clothes responded to the players on stage as if at a political rally. The meaning was clear – these events could happen again.

From that point, the production was performed as a costume drama. Caesar was clad in a saintly white toga while the rest of the major players wore colorful clothing. There did not seem to be any obvious meaning behind their attire. It did seem strange that they did not wear the traditional red and white Senate robes.

As the two factions formed, the colorful garb was replaced with uniforms of blue and while (the good guys) or black and red (the bad guys). Had they all started off with the unifying Senate robes, the taking of sides may have appeared more dramatic. And they seemed little reason why Marc Antony wore the short toga of a boy, except, perhaps, to harken back to Richard Burton’s attire from the classic film Cleopatra.

The casting was a bit uneven. Brutus was far more charismatic than Caesar. Cassius’s attempt to sway Brutus wasn’t convincing. Marc Antony did seem to grow before our eyes, but his relationship with Octavius seemed to appear out of nowhere.

The staging of the assassination scene was tense and disturbing. But the resulting bloodbath seemed gratuitous. Even though the script called for the conspirators to mark themselves with blood, it did seem over the top. Mark Antony’s post assassination speech delivered from the middle of the audience clearly marked him as a man of the people. However this version did not draw a strong line between the good and the bad. Perhaps that was purposeful.

While the show is interesting, and at times entertaining, it doesn’t have a clear message for the audience.

The Slipper and the Rose

The Slipper and the Rose

Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Johnstown, CO 
June 15 - August 22, 2017

Cinderella is a beloved story. It is so well loved that more versions of it exist than any other fairy tale. The Slipper and the Rose is a lesser known version by Robert and Richard Sherman.

This is a more mature Cinderella. The story contains more political implications than most others. Many versions contain princesses from other lands who are vying for a good political match, but most do not have the king interfering with the love match to force the prince into a better political match.

The performances in this production are top notch. The prince is portrayed as a thoughtful and sincere, as well as naïve. Cinderella is sweet and humble, but also shattered by her father’s death. The Fairy Godmother brings needed humor to the story. The addition of a cute dog named “Magic” is odd, but in a loveable way.

The songs were well performed, but they aren’t all that memorable. The choreography was fun to watch – although it did seem strange to have the prince skip through a cemetery. The magic tricks were mostly uninspired, but Cinderella’s transformation into her ball gown was fun to watch.

The set was well thought out. The stairs moved from side to side of the walkway which gave the feeling of different rooms. Cinderella’s room which rolled out onto the stage was a good contrast to the more regal settings of the show.

The Slipper and the Rose is an enjoyable show for families. The second act might confuse or upset younger children, but the happily ever after ending made sure everyone left the theater happy. If the finale didn’t create warm feelings, the invitation to take photos with Cinderella on the stage certainly would.