Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack and the Beanstalk Arts in the Open
Chautauqua State Park
Boulder, CO
June 1-30, 2019

Summertime is when Arts in the Open offers fun, fantasy shows presented during a scenic hike at Chautauqua Park in Boulder.  The first show this season is Jack and the Beanstalk.

This show was darker than most done by Arts in the Open. It dealt with hunger, parental abandonment, kidnapping and isolation. And while it did feature a happy ending it was a rough road getting there.

Jack was played by a female actor, but the change seemed minor. She played the character as a person without drawing attention to gender. The other four actors portrayed many characters – each had at least one which was memorable. The cow and golden goose added humor to the dark story. The giant was loveably awkward.

The costume pieces to create the characters were fun and effective. A black shirt with holes and a floppy hat with ears created the diva-cow easily. The golden goose’s tail and bowler hat were especially well done.

While the story contained dark elements, the message of the importance of empathy shone through it. Jack represented the positive effect each of us can have on the lives of those around us.

Chess

Chess
Longmont Theatre Company
Longmont, CO
May 3-18, 2019

Chess is a relatively unknown musical. It failed to make a big impact on Broadway and has been a work in progress for decades. The many versions make it confusing for producers to decide even which one to use. It is also difficult to perform, adding more for a company to deal with.

So, one has to congratulate the Longmont Theatre Company for even attempting such a difficult piece. They seemed to make a blunder early on by setting the action in modern day. Chess is a Cold War era piece. While there are still tensions between the United States and Russia, it is not even close to the conflict of the Cold War.

Act One was a good start. The vocal performances were strong enough to carry the complex score. Anatoly’s voice faltered in parts and Freddie’s acting wasn’t compelling, but Florence shone. The supporting characters filled their roles well. The base parts were particularly enjoyable.

Act Two marked a change in director style. While the scenes before intermission had purpose, the second act had the performers wandering aimlessly around the stage. The need to constant movement took away from some of the more powerful scenes.

Florence was by far the strongest performance in the show. She acted and sang the part convincingly. Freddy was weaker in the acting department. His strongest moment was during the song “Pity the Child.” But at times he seemed compelled to scream the song rather than sing it.

Anatoly was able to convey his character’s struggle, but his singing faltered at times. It might have been easy to overlook The Arbiter, but anyone who did missed out. He came across as a strong narrator. In one scene he appeared to move the characters around as if on a chess board. It would have been a fascinating take to see that attempted throughout the show.

The costumer had cleverly dressed the Soviets with red accents which the Americans in blue to begin with. But, for whatever reason, the identifying color scheme was all but abandoned in the second act. Anaoly when from a red tie to a non-descript one. But worse was the constant changing of clothes for Florence and Svetlana. Florence went from purple to red (a color she never should have worn in this context) and back to blue. Svetlana started off n green (which had no explanation) to red and back to a different green dress. The costumes in Act Two seemed more like a fashion show for the women than a character statement.

Despite some missteps, Longmont Theatre Company did an admirable job tackling a difficult musical.

The Marriage of Figaro

The Marriage of Figaro
Opera Colorado
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Denver, CO
May 4-12, 2019

At the heart of The Marriage of Figaro is a love triangle – perhaps love octagon might be a better description. Everyone in the show is in love with someone else, creating conflict and ridiculous scenarios befitting one of the great comic operas.

The comedic element to The Marriage of Figaro was particularly strong. The situations in the script itself were often ridiculous, but the cast pulled the antics off, creating great waves of laughter throughout.

The cast presented endearing portraits of their characters. Even the faithless Count was likable. The performances were beautifully sung, bringing Mozart’s timeless score to life.

The performance of Cherubino was especially effective. Since the role is written for a soprano, a woman must be cast in the part. These conventions often lead to awkward love scenes. However, this Cherubino encapsulated the role, making each scenario seem realistic.

While the costumes were bright and effective, it was disappointing that Susanna wore the same dress she worked in to her wedding. It was even more unfortunate that her groom and every other cast member had a new, fancier outfit for the occasion.

The set was glamourous and effective. While the framing columns and elaborate floor were present throughout, the design of each room around those pieces was convincing – even allowing for a garden at the end.

The traditional approach with modern capabilities showcase just why The Marriage of Figaro endures. While some situations inside the story are dated, it’s message about love is eternal.

Cats

Cats
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
April 23-28, 2019

The tagline of the musical Cats when it was on Broadway was “Now and Forever.” It certainly felt it played there forever, so much so that the show became a cliché. But when a revival surfaced in 2016, the show was reborn to a new Jellicle Life, captivating a new generation of audiences.

While the score and choreography are largely the same, the show has benefitted from some technical upgrades. The jacket worn by Mr. Mistoffeles was spectacular to watch as the light changed color. That certainly would not have been possible in 1981. The rapid onstage appearance of a train during “Shimbleshanks, the Railway Cat” was also impressive.

One change that was not quite as successful was the removal of “Growltiger’s Last Stand” and replacing it with “The Awefull Battle off the Pekes and the Pollicles.” The new addition was rather boring and seemed to slow the pace of the show.

While show has aged well, it was the incredible cast that made the show seem ageless. The choreography was nearly flawless performed. The musical direction brought gorgeous harmonies and meaning to the songs. “Memory” was especially thrilling, making this overdone piece seem brand new.

The current tour of Cats was the perfect example of how ma show in the right hands can stand the test of time. The plot is still thin, but the joyful singing and dancing brought the audience to their feet. It certainly felt like the Jellicle Ball will be with us “Now and Forever.”

Hello Dolly!

Hello Dolly!
National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
March 27 - April 7, 2019

The national tour of Hello Dolly has been very successful due to the hit Broadway production and the show’s star Betty Buckley. So it was particularly disappointing when Denver Center announced that Buckley was only playing one of the two scheduled weeks in Denver. When the star’s name appears above the show title in the same font size, this is really unacceptable. Even worse was Denver Center’s decision to not publicly address the issue.

However, the show must go on.

Buckley’s understudy gave a solid performance, but it wasn’t extraordinary, leaving the audience to wonder if it would have been different had the star actually performed.

The rest of the cast was talented. Their voices were good and the acting on point. However, there was little heart in the performances. They were too slick to be meaningful making each one feel more like a caricature.

The sets and costumes were the stars of the show. The train pulling into Yonkers was an impressive work of stagecraft. Each scene was elaborately set with Harmonia Gardens living up the reputation of luxury. The costumes for the ensemble were colorful and sumptuous, but they didn’t ever outshine Dolly, they complimented her extravagant ensembles.

But the scene everyone would be talking about was the title song. The choreography was nothing short of spectacular. The combination of the talented dancers with the elaborate staircase was breathtaking to watch.

It’s always disappointing when a production over promises and under delivers as the company of Hello Dolly did with Betty Buckley. Without that expectation, this production would still have delighted audiences. But walking in with a sense of disappointment is not erased easily. And the performance was not enough to take the bitter taste away.

Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf
Colorado Symphony
Boettcher Concert Hall
Denver, CO
March 10, 2019

Peter and the Wolf has become a regular concert on the Colorado Symphony’s schedule. This classic work is the perfect way to introduce children to classical music. This year they added the Magic Circle Mime Company to help tell the story.

Before the concert began, we were introduced to Maggie who demonstrated a great ability to communicate despite not speaking. She yielded to the symphony for Light Calvary Overture. The piece was meant to familiarize the children in the audience with the instruments, but judging from the noise in the audience they were bored.

The presentation of Peter and the Wolf was a different matter. Maggie acted out the part of Peter and, in an inspired move, the musicians playing the instruments stood in front of the rest of the symphony, which made the story easier to follow. Conductor Christopher Dragon got in on the fun by playing Peter’s mean grandmother.

With the musicians “acting” out the story, the music played without interruption. But the story was not lost on anyone. The appearances of the wolf around the concert hall and finally onstage were exciting and not too scary for kids.

The concert was exactly what it was supposed to be: an entertaining introduction to what instruments sound like alone and as part of the symphony.

The Basque Things in Life

The Basque Things in Life
Bitsy Stage
Denver, CO
March 1 – April 15, 2019

This season, the Bitsy Stage has its cultural focus on immigrants. The Basque Things in Life introduced the audience to the Basque people from northern Spain and their mythology, particularly the Lamiaks.

In the story we saw through the eyes of Soriona and learned the story of the Lemiak with her. These woodland spirits were pretty ladies with duck feet. While the costume feet were not terribly realistic, but we got the idea.

The cast created believable relationships with great chemistry between them all. The parents were loving, even though they did not see eye to eye; the family friend was a warm addition. At the center of it all was the change in the mother and daughter bond.

The set was charming. The pre show set up featured the outside of a house and a mountain with a waterfall. When the performance began the house was turned around to show the interior. The pieces gave the family real “work” to do, including a working pump for washing dishes and preparing coffee. The waterfall on the mountain created a small pool where several characters soaked their feet. That realistic aspect of using water on the set kept the audience focused on the story.

The story left behind two timely messages. The first was the importance of immigrants holding on to the culture that makes them unique. The other is the value of family and their time spent together. Given the audience, it was a valuable lesson.