Theater Review: Celebrate Life, Courage, and Great Theater with Pirates of the Chemotherapy

A new play from local playwright Paul Schutte has opened in Hampton Roads. It is a stunning work that this reviewer predicts is destined for greatness.

Mr. Schutte describes this as a dramatic comedy, and it is truly an artful blending of both. Like all hit shows it is original, funny, and very entertaining. Like any great play, it is concerned with powerful issues of life and loss, happiness and sorrow. But best of all, it rises to the level of a truly rare play by transcending its subject matter and bringing insight into what it means to be human. It is a triumph.

The concept for Pirates of the Chemotherapy is deceptively simple: follow the lives of six women who work to survive breast cancer. In what seemed only a matter of minutes, we traveled with Judith (Melissa Mead) - a very busy but organized mother - down the roller-coaster drop from a long-delayed mammogram, to a cancer diagnosis, to mastectomy, through chemo-therapy, and out into a world that would never be the same. While wondering how and what she will do with herself, she encounters Nancy (Le’Royce Bratsveen), a woman exhuding positive vibes and energy, and who won’t take “No” for an answer. She convinces Judith that what she needs most is to attend Nancy’s support group. Despite some initial hestitation, Judith decides to attend.

The play then finds its home in the meetings of this support group. During seven sessions extending over a period of three months, we meet the other characters of the play and enter their lives. Joining Judith as a new member in the first session is Winnie (Donna Wolf), a woman with heart, bravado, and a hard edge. As we soon learn from her oft-quoted list of the thousand-reasons-why-Winnie-will-never-get-married, cancer is not the first hard knock she has taken in life. The irrepressible Doris (Annie Cacioppo) loves to talk and her pithy, plain-spoken insights into life frequently brought the play to a halt until the audience stopped laughing. Equally hillarious (and show-stopping) - but totally unique - is Peace (Ashlie Bruun Ranhorn), a space-cadet seemingly over-flowing with naivete and positive charma which could possibly be traced to her earlier life as the grand-mother of Marilyn Monroe. Last is Karen (Meg Brown), a woman who seems so shattered at the start that the only thing keeping her from a fetal position on the floor is her chair.

There is ample evidence of the tension found in most encounter groups: the shocking and the mundane vying for attention. In this case, we can also add competition between the hope for a happily-ever-after and the need to look death in the eye. For example: when Doris is hit with a sarcastic remark about how “good” she looks in the kerchief covering her bald head, she fires right back. “This is my super-hero outfit. I’m fighting one of the toughest boogers on the planet, and I’m winning!” Doris carried the day and whimsy topped despair.

Soon, we learn how the play gets its title. Karen’s emotional agony is the result of a husband running out on her after her double-mastectomy. Not only that, he has drained every dime and left her with nothing. Winnie, bolder and more direct than most, decides they should fight back. Nothing gives life purpose like a fight worth waging, and they’ll do it as pirates! Afterall, they already have the head-scarves and missing body-parts, so they don eye-patches and hooks and seek the husband’s hidden treasure. (The re-telling of this adventure is great fun). It turns out that the adoption of the Pirate attitude is the answer they all seek – taking-back control of their lives from the disease that has left them damaged.

It is here that we see how the play’s message expands to broader issues. The pirates’ concerns are immediate, not long term. And the infirmities of their bodies are no longer an issue; they are simply part of who they are. The women come to understand that Peace may have the answer. At first, it’s tempting to dismiss her as irrelevant and out-of-touch – but time and again her focus on living in the moment serves as the truest example for these women to follow. It brings her small and large moments of happiness that are contagious. (Her re-telling of her Captain Crunch experience is a delight for all!)

And then the transformations begin. A woman who could only see herself as a reflection of her husband comes to see herself as a person of worth. A woman who had so carefully crafted a life where she would not be pitied realizes that her efforts have only served to wall herself off from happiness. She can finally see that love is not pity. A woman who pretends to be ill rather than risk the loss of the companionship of the courageous women who come to the support group learns that she is valued simply for who she is. And a woman who has always hoped to put the experience behind her with as little hurt as possible comes to embrace the life-changing experience. Breast cancer brought them together, but they solve the problems of life.

Director Brandon Lyles did a fine job with the production, keeping just the right mix of action in a play that takes place almost entirely around a grouping of chairs. His minimalist staging kept the focus on the actors and the words, where it belonged.

I will look forward to more productions of this play. While it would be hard to imagine a better handling of the comedy in the show (with special kudos going to Ms. Cacioppi and Ms. Ranhorn), we were only beginning to see the drama – the compelling complexity of the characters - in this premier performance. Judith and Nancy, in particular, seemed too constrained – as though they were representations of their character’s “characteristic” in this mix instead of being full-bodied characters in their own right. It would have been more fun to see these talented actresses grappling with the tensions their characters confronted as the play progressed. Even Winnie and Karen in their climactic transformational scene didn’t stray far from the bounds of the character that had been already established. It was a transformation without change and lacked punch it could have had. There is still room for actors and directors to roam with this powerful material in the future.

As a male, breast cancer is not likely to threaten my life, but I left the theater deeply moved as I thought about how the courage and love of these women pointed so truly toward the best path through all of the life-changing events that occur in our lives. Like the organization that supported the production, this play about breast cancer went Beyond Boobs.

Pirates of the Chemotherapy will play at the Mary T. Christian Auditorium on the campus of Thomas Nelson Community College on October 23 and 24 at 8:00PM, and October 25 at 3:00PM. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Sisters Network, Inc. – Norfolk Affiliate Chapter, Beyond Boobs, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. For tickets, call 757-224-8937, or go to MKTix.com to order online.

(This review was first published on September 29, 2009 for Iron Street Productions.)

"Dinnertainment" -- A Blast from the Past

An entertainment concept from days gone by is currently flourishing in Hampton.

The Grey Goose Restaurant is spicing-up its menu by serving delicacies called “Dinnertainment:” dinner and a show specifically chosen to play well to - and with - an audience. Earlier this year, diners were treated to Nunsense, a fine comedy designed to involve and entertain the audience. This past weekend, we experienced Swingtime Canteen, a popular stage show that recalls live radio broadcasts from the 1940’s.

The year is 1944. Marian Ames (Dana Clark Epstein), a vibrant but fading movie legend has been providing the entertainment at The Hollywood Canteen with her all-girl band: long-time movie stand-in Jo Sterling (Kathleen Walden) on the clarinet, a plumber turned piano player Topeka Abolelli (Tyneka Dunkin Flythe), skittish niece Katie Gammersflugle (Roxanne Whitmore Kohlman) on the bass, and the glamorous chorine Lilly McBain (Kristi Burroughs) on the drums. When the chance comes to entertain the troops in London, they jump at the chance and the audience joins their story on an evening when they are participating in a live radio broadcast.

During the show, the cast treated us to some of the great hits from the 40’s, including “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”, “Sentimental Journey”, “Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive”, “How High the Moon”, and many others. Between songs, we followed the individual and collective stories of the ladies, culminating in a scare for all that served to pull them together. Throughout the show, the cast was moving about in the audience to enhance the feeling of “the canteen”. The dialogue was peppered with plenty of laughs and so were some of the songs. “His Rocking Horse Ran Away”, “Daddy”, the finale to “Don’t Fence Me In” had the audience laughing out loud.

The singing is the heart of the show, and it was very well-done. Every cast member is a legitimate soloist and their ensemble numbers were lovely. Their skill was amply demonstrated during the a capella numbers at the end of the show - songs that struck me as some of the best of the evening. The pre-recorded accompaniment for the show was enhanced by live performances from Randy Burt on the saxophone and actress Kathleen Walden on the clarinet. These instruments added a vibrance to the music that was a real plus.

Since this is a review of “Dinnertainment”, it would be incomplete without a few words about the food. Let’s start with those words: “Very Good!” The dinner menu consisted of an apetizer (two choices), entrée (three choices), dessert (three choices), and “soft” beverage. (Beer and wine are also available.) We sampled the Seafood Encrusted Flounder and Baked Meatloaf and enjoyed them both. The Brunswick Stew (a specialty) was our appetizer and was delicious. The service was friendly and efficient, keeping the program on schedule and never detracting from the performance. I was almost expecting a credit in the program for the well-choreographed wait staff.

Swingtime Canteen is not only well-suited to a restaurant setting, its story is a reminder of the days when this arrangement was the norm. In our age of high-tech home entertainment centers and sophisticated music players, it may be hard to remember the days when the only way to hear a band or vocalist in high-fidelity was to hear them “live”; when live musical entertainment was a necessity rather than a nice touch. We have a chance to return to that era with this show and it’s worth the journey.

Swingtime Canteen runs through September 26. To find out more, call 757-723-7978 or email The Grey Goose at thegreygoose@cox.net .

(This review was originally published on September 18, 2009 for Iron Street Productions.)

Theatre Review: Leading Ladies - A Very Worthwhile Suspension of Disbelief

Sometimes you leave a theater convinced you know how the play came to be written.

One night, playwright Ken Ludwig sat down for drinks with Mark Twain and Billy Wilder. Twain regaled the trio with tales of the fun he had creating the rascally Duke and Dauphin, two con men who prowled the Mississippi river in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn proclaiming themselves to be Shakespearean actors, and who nearly passed themselves off as being the long lost English brothers (one a deaf/mute) of a wealthy man who had just died. Wilder looked back on all of his comedic successes and proclaimed his favorite to be Some Like It Hot where two musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) find that their only hope for survival after witnessing the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago is to become women and join an all-girl dance band. When one falls hard for a woman in the band, he must find a way to slip back occasionally into a male role so as to court her – much to the frustration of the partner still stuck in drag.

And Ludwig said: I'll do you one better.

Okay – maybe it didn't happen like that, but having just seen Ken Ludwig's Leading Ladies, directed by Linda Marley Smith and now playing at Poquoson Island Players, I'm betting that it could have.

Leo Clark (Jonathan Manning) and Jack Gable (Ben Jenkins) are two British actors who have seen better days – maybe. They are touring the Moose Lodge circuit in small towns in Pennsylvania circa 1952 with little success when they notice an advertisement: Florence Snider, a wealthy woman in nearby York, Pennsylvania, seeks re-acquaintance with her daughter's long-lost children, Max and Steve, who are believed to be living in England. Purpose? Inheritance. Just as Leo and Jack are planning how they will become those two long-lost grandchildren, in skates Audrey (played with scene-stealing aplomb by Katrina Murphy), a joyously ditzy young lady on roller skates who has just completed her training as a TasteeBite car-hop. It turns out that she knows all about the wealthy Mrs. Snider (now reportedly dead) and the long-lost grandchildren, including the fact that they are girls: Maxine (said to be an actress) and Stephanie (who is a deaf/mute). Not to be deterred, Leo cajoles Jack into taking on the greatest role of his life and they set off in search of their shares in the estate.

The home of the wealthy Mrs. Snider is occupied by another granddaughter, Meg (Holly Johnson), whose plans to see a performance by her stage-hero, Leo Clark, have been thwarted by the possibly intentional ineptitude of her fiancé, the phlegmatic and self-satisfied Reverend Duncan Wooley (Carsten Berndt). Meg had seen Clark years before and had been smitten ever since. When Clark and Gable make their appearances in the home as Maxine and Stephanie, one of Meg's first questions to actress Maxine is: do you happen to know Leo Clark? Maxine/Leo is obviously bowled over by Meg and decides that “she” will convince Leo to visit and perhaps give Meg personal acting lessons. When Stephanie later meets Leo in the house, “she” decides that turn-about is fair play so “she” contrives to visit as Jack so as to compete with young Butch Myers (Kevin Chigos-White) for the affections of Audrey (whom Stephanie has already showered with considerable affection). The double-dealing and double-roles begin in earnest, continually threatened by the efforts of Reverend Wooley to unmask what he is certain are impostors angling to steal the inheritance he hoped to obtain through his marriage to Meg.

Oh, did I forget to mention that the wealthy widow is not dead? Attending physician Doc Myers (Mike White), has mistakenly declared her dead but the feisty old Florence Snider (Lydia Mugler) is still very much with us and not only creates a desperate moment for our impostors when she comes to greet them but sprinkles confusion and wisdom throughout the remainder of the show.

Linda Marley Smith has done so many things right in bringing us this entertaining show.

First, she recognized that no screwball farce benefits from close inspection so this production has a fast-pace that keeps the audience just a bit off-balance, like the characters experiencing the action. Think of Howard Hawks, Billy Wilder, or Preston Sturges. (Although the reviewed Sunday matinée performance on opening week had a few spots in the second act where the energy seemed to slip, that was clearly due to fatigue and not intent.) If you have never seen this show played for its full fun, you owe it to yourself to experience it.

Second, she and actors Manning and Jenkins worked hard on the feminine mannerisms that would sell the female impersonations - even if looks wouldn't. I do not for a moment disparage the efforts extended to create the “look” of Maxine and Stephanie, but our current age of movie-magic (think of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) has raised the bar to a point where no theater production can hope to satisfy an audience's appetite for realism. Instead, it is wiser to go for suggestion and suspension of disbelief. In looking back at the aforementioned female impersonations of Curtis and Lemmon, one sees that the secret to their success was their mannerisms, not make-up and costume. Smith, Manning, and Jenkins mine this vein superbly. Jenkins, in particular, had some uproarious moments as Stephanie, while Manning delivered countless uncanny shifts from one gender to the next – oftentimes in the same sentence. When his partner notes with horror that “Maxine” is possessing Leo, we believe it. A tour de force.

Third, no farce works unless there is some truth to the underlying situation. This is where Holly Johnson (Meg) carried the load. She “sold” the idea of an infatuation with Leo Clark that blinded her to the preposterous goings-on around her. As Ludwig notes, this is her story, and we watch its arc move from her dubious choice to marry Reverend Wooley through her consuming idolatry to Leo Clark to the show's happy conclusion (which I won't mention to avoid spoiling it).

Finally, this successful farce was packed with larger-than-life supporting characters, a touch that helps to make the improbable story seem less improbable. As mentioned already, Katrina Murphy was a delight as Audrey. She created a thoroughly enchanting character that held true to its own wild course even while imitating Brando. (Go see if you don't believe me.) Veteran actors Lydia Mugler and Mike White proved once again the truth of the old adage: there are no small parts, only small actors. At various moments in this show, their characters were the driving force in the scene, and their skill and bravado lifted those moments into entertaining jewels.

The well-designed and crafted set (Ken Kelley) ably supported all of these thoughtful elements, and the period and Shakespearean costumes from costumer Miranda Ruddick, particularly the outfits for Meg, Audrey, and the flamboyant Maxine, enhanced our journey back to an earlier time. Other nice touches included the clever but straight-forward staging of scenes at the Moose Lodge and aboard a train on a stage already fully occupied with the Snider home. We were also treated to a very entertaining tango scene (choreographed by producer Kimberly Vernall) that was a new element in the show added by this creative team.

Every stage show asks the audience to suspend disbelief and accept the possibility that what they see – and know is not real – is real. When a show takes the additional step of asking the audience to suspend belief again and accept that the characters are fooled by impersonators who are not real, layering improbability on top of unreality, the stakes are much higher. I'm happy to report that this show plays for those high stakes – and wins!

Go and joyfully suspend your disbelief. You'll be glad you did.

Leading Ladies runs at the Poquoson Middle School auditorium through Sunday, June 28. Call 757-881-9797 for tickets or visit Poquoson Island Players online at www.pipstheatre.com.

Theater Review: Barnum – Making Good on a Promise

The Williamsburg Players make a bold boast on their program: “Community Theatre at its Best.” But isn't there an old saying that goes something like: If you can do it, it's not bragging? With this company's season finale, Barnum, The Williamsburg Players make good on their promise and present us with a jewel of a show that proves their slogan is (in the immortal words of Walter Brennan) “no brag; just fact.”

Barnum is the musical biography of legendary showman P.T. Barnum, a man who is remembered almost as much for his observation that “There's a sucker born every minute” as he is for his invention of the three-ring circus. The show traces episodes in his life from his early fascination with side-show attractions to his eventual collaboration with James Bailey to bring the world “The Greatest Show on Earth”. The focus, however, is always on the man and those around him so we are treated during the show to rich characters more than unfolding events. The show also explores substantive themes like: a) the dangers of falling for your own deceptions; and b) the difficulty of finding happiness by living someone else's dream. In short, we have much more here than simply song and dance.

Before we get to those rich characters, however, we must take special note of the carefully crafted production that will surround them. Very early in the show, we learn from Barnum that he cannot bear the boring, mundane world that threatens us all. His world must be full of vibrant color and that's what he wants his attractions to bring to the public. He also confesses, with barely a trace of guilt, that he is not above a little humbug (“something designed to deceive and mislead”) if that will serve his need. Taking this cue, director Rob Schrader and his production team built a show where “color” and “humbug” are always center stage. The lighting design by Brandon Lyles is a vibrant mosaic that is ever shifting from the ordinary to the dazzling, matching the real and fanciful worlds of Barnum. The costumes from designer Nellie Hollman are every bit as bright and fun or, when the need arises, monochromatic. And humbug? Wait until you see and hear the Potomac Marching Band, catch a glimpse of Jumbo the elephant, watch a brick building being constructed “brick by brick”, meet General Tom Thumb, or see a man walking a tightrope. In short, great care has been lavished on making sure that the production is true to the spirit of the main character. It has integrity.

The show gets off to a fast start with the ensemble cavorting in their multi-faceted circus costumes as they set the stage and, in the process, establish their own identities. From the very outset, we are treated to individual characters – not simply a group – so that all of the actors are fun to watch in their own right. The members of this ensemble (who often double as other characters), Kelsey Brown, Janesse Chapman, Megan Cordova, Rebecca Evans, Peg Jones, Steven Koernig, Kelsey Leach, Gabrielle Montrond, Maggie Morgan, Natalie Racoosin, Alex Stachowiak, Greg Stowers, and Jim Waldron, each make unique and valuable contributions to this visual spectacle.

And then the singing begins. What a marvelous sound! Rarely are community theater audiences treated to so many exceptional voices. The singing is spirited, rich, and true. Julie Racoosin (vocal assistant) did an outstanding job with this group. Close your eyes during the group numbers (try “One Brick at a Time,” for example) and you may think you are listening to a cast recording. It's that good. Backing it all up is a wonderfully performed music track created by Blanton Bradley, which director Schrader accurately described in his notes as “brassy and energetic” – the perfect match for this show.

Just like in the circus, we are building to the big moment. The stage is set, the energy is high, the sound is infectious, and into the center ring pops Phineas Taylor Barnum!  Jeffrey Nicoloff, one of the most talented musical theater performers on the Peninsula, turns in a star performance as Barnum. His high energy, wry humor, and stunning voice allow him to be bigger than life – a wonderfully believable personification of the great showman. Just try to keep up with him in the fast-paced, clever, and entertaining “Museum Song”! Share his joy, sorrow, and confusion through songs like “The Colors of My Life,” “Out There,” and “The Prince of Humbug.” It takes a very talented performer to stand out as the leader of this talented cast and Mr. Nicoloff is up to the task.

Balancing the big dreams and ego of Mr. Barnum is Mrs. Chairy Barnum ( Marsha Dadds), who does her steadfast best to keep “Taylor” grounded. Ms. Dadds captures the role beautifully. The result is an intriguing portrayal of a strong yet unsettled relationship between the Barnums that gives great richness to the show. Her vocal talents delighted the audience and made her a wonderful partner for Mr. Nicoloff in their duets. A particular favorite was their work together in the very playful, “I Like Your Style.”

The evening held other wonderful vocal performances as well. Rebecca Evans, playing Barnum's Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind, was superb as that popular operatic star of the era. Her rendition of “Love Makes Such Fools of Us All” was magnificent. Janesse Chapman had her star-turn when she transformed herself into a sultry chanteuse for “Black and White,” and eleven-year-old Natalie Racoosin was delightful as General Tom Thumb singing “Bigger Isn't Better.” Scott Koernig, who portrayed the ringmaster/narrator – with the just the right hint of circus unsavoriness – also stepped into the role of collaborator James Bailey and had a fine number with Barnum and the ensemble (“Come Join The Circus”). And last but not least, Kelsey Brown, who portrayed the 160-year-old Joice Heth - in one of our first glimpses of Barnum's humbug at work - sang the comedic “Thank God I'm Old.”

This show has all the elements you could hope to find in a top-flight musical, and it is executed beautifully. To top it off, you'll get to see it in an intimate 110-seat theater where you are never more than five rows away from the stage. This is a wonderful benefit for a show like this that mixes moments of traditional theater with sly asides and musical numbers that are purposely directed to (and even into) the audience - just as if we were the suckers that had been born that minute.

Make it a point to see this show. It really is community theater at its best.

Barnum runs at The James-York Playhouse of The Williamsburg Players through June 13. Call 757-229-0431 for reservations or visit them on-line at www.williamsburgplayers.org.

 Copyright 2009 - David Adams

 

Theater Review: The King and I - Memories Old and New

This weekend, Smithfield Little Theater opened it's final production of the season: the ambitious The King and I, directed by Kathy Eaton. Not only was it a quality production, it also epitomized what community theater should strive to be: a community's outlet for theater. With a cast of 38 actors, a production staff of 26, and a 16 piece orchestra (yes- orchestra!), there was plenty of opportunity for the community to participate. The program was filled with many examples of family members experiencing the joys of theater together. Bravo!

This choice to stage a well-known and lavish musical is more risky than many patrons may realize. While fond memory and notoriety may help to sell tickets, the performance “bar” will be set pretty high. Most of the audience members will arrive with an idea of what the show should look and sound like. This is certainly true for a show like The King and I, a classic piece from the musical-masters Rogers and Hammerstein that has run for countless years and been immortalized in a golden-age Hollywood film. Its songs have entered the mainstream of daily life and have been performed as solo pieces by countless artists. In short, the performance on stage will often bump up against a memory, not only for the audience but for the actors and director as well. It is a challenge this production faced bravely and, for the most part, successfully.

The show begins nicely with a very creative depiction of an early 1860's sailing ship taking British school-mistress Anna Leonowens (Karen Willard) and son, Louis (Chris Marchant) to her new post as governess and tutor to the children of the King of Siam. We are soon treated to Ms. Willard's first song of the evening, the familiar Whistle A Happy Tune. Patrons to the theater will spot her name many times on the posters of past productions that adorn the Smithfield Little Theater and her performance in this show is lovely. At the start, she thoroughly embodies a proper English woman who seems so sure of her moral grounding as she works to “civilize” the King's children and court. As the show progresses, however, she treats us to the subtle transformation that shows her confusion about, and then appreciation for, the King. A fine performance.

Our introduction to the King (Phoenix Malizia) is a powerful reminder of the inevitable “memory” mentioned earlier which is at work in a show like this. Mr. Malizia unquestionably possesses the signature bald head and powerful physique of the young Yul Brynner – the actor who created and embodied this role, and who played it throughout his life. But although Mr. Malizia absolutely looked the part and satisfied our collective “The King and I” memory, he never really succeeded in the all-important next step: bringing that character to life. His time on stage often seemed more like modeling than acting, as though “looking the part” was enough. It was hard to imagine that Anna would have ever developed an emotional attachment to this King, or he to her. The show would go on to provide wonderful pageantry but, without this connection between Anna and the King, it did not achieve its deeper power.

Speaking of pageantry: it was wonderful. The set for the scenes in the King's court was a creative structure of faux white marble floors, walls, and pillars, draped in rich reds and golds, and all topped with twin golden dragons. When the full court was present and the King's children were introduced to Anna, it was a sight to behold. Robert Cox and his crew (set design and construction), and Valerie Johnson and her crew (costumes) are to be congratulated for providing director Eaton with such a rich pallet to paint upon. And paint she did. This “introduction” scene with eleven (11) utterly charming young children was a delight for the audience. All presented themselves with the spirit, joy, and discipline that create good theater. In fact, all of the children's scenes in the show were great fun, including the playfully directed song Getting To Know You. These young performers - and all who helped guide them - are to be congratulated.

In an interesting twist of theatrical fate, the most challenging songs in this show do not belong to the stars. Rogers and Hammerstein had been hired to create this play for theater star Gertrude Lawrence, who was an actor - not a singer. That left the songs that were the works of art for the ill-fated lovers Lun Tha (Steven Martinez) and Tuptim (Kaitlin Bowles).

Tuptim arrives early in the show as a “gift” to the King from the King of Burma, “delivered” by Lun Tha, and quickly dispatched to the King's harem. Their romance, while discreet, is discovered by Anna (Hello, Young Lovers) and is beautifully proclaimed in their duets We Kiss in the Shadow and I Have Dreamed. Ms. Bowles and Mr. Martinez are not only gifted singers, they also provided the evening's clearest examples of how songs should be integrated into the acting. A wise director once said that songs in a musical should appear to be dialogue that is simply too powerful to say with just words. In the hands of these performers, the lyrics and melodies were emphatically that. They never lost sight of who they were singing to and what their words meant.

Lady Thiang (Beverly Tompkins), the King's number one wife, also deserves special mention for her reserved and wise portrayal of the go-between for Anna and the King, and whose song Something Wonderful was well received.

Two other very entertaining segments of the show involved the work of choreographer Elaine Dairo. In the second act, the members of the King's court stage Tuptim's adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin as a way of demonstrating their cultural development to a visiting English dignitary (Arnold Taplin). The result is a Kabuki ballet entitled “The Small House of Uncle Thomas”. Acting veteran Mary Rose dances the lead role of Eliza, pursued by the wicked Simon of Legree (Nat Barker) with his dogs and slaves, until she is finally rescued by the Angel George (Alexis Girona). At least a dozen other dancers helped to bring this lively skit to life while Tuptim and the Royal Wives spoke and sang the narrative. Very nicely done.

A second happy section of dance occurs later in the show as Anna convinces the King to try the polka in Shall We Dance. It is exuberant and lively, providing us with one of the dearest moments between these two characters. It was definitely a crowd-pleaser on opening night.

This review would not be complete without mention of the orchestra. Smithfield Little Theater often takes this uncommon step and gives local musicians a place in community theater. It is devilishly hard to craft a volunteer orchestra, and music director Trey Gwaltney and his musicians deserve much credit for their efforts. The musical performance was on par with the acting and provided a unique contribution for this production.

The King and I runs until May 23. Bring your memories – and be prepared to make some new ones.

For ticket information call 757-357-7338 or visit them on the web at www.smithfieldlittletheatre.com.

Copyright 2009 - David Adams

Originally published on May 5, 2009 for Iron Street Productions.

Theater Review: The Dixie Swim Club is a Splash Hit

I had a real treat the other night. Smithfield Little Theater presented The Dixie Swim Club, a recently published play I had never seen and knew little about. This was remarkable in itself: not because I think I’m an authority on new plays but because community theaters too often simply recycle the old and familiar.

But it got better. The play itself is a vastly entertaining comedy with enough poignant truth to make the show a captivating experience, and this production was crafted with such love and care that it absolutely delighted the packed theater. What more can a theater patron ask?

The premise of the play is fairly simple. Five Southern women from the fictitious Pemberton College Swimming Team have remained steadfastly connected for twenty-two years by retreating every August to a cottage on Nags Head. We join them for that twenty-second reunion (set in 1975) and visit them again in 1980, 1985, and finally 2008. Plays that span the years can put a strain on the actors (and the willingness of the audience to suspend its disbelief) but the authors helped matters immensely by starting the action with the characters already in middle age. That choice also provided the characters with ample fodder for discussion and reflection from the opening moments.

As the lights went up, the audience heard beach sounds and saw the interior of a beach cottage that brought back memories of years gone by. Large expanses of wall painted a warm yellow and festooned with “beach” ornaments of all sorts: nets, painted fish, bouys, life rings, fishing poles, and inexpensive-looking pictures - all of the touches that cried “Vacation Rental” circa 1975. The furniture was “beachy” and looked appropriately worn. Topping off this homey creation was the kitchen with its trademark pass-through opening. Although set design was not a credited position in the program, those responsible are to be congratulated for their vision and restraint. It was clearly an instance where less was more.

The first character to take the stage was the organized and orderly Sheree (Gayle Terwilliger), former captain of the swim team. We watched as she moved happily to beach tunes of the era and prepared for the arrival of her friends and former teammates. She was soon joined by the over-achieving attorney, Dinah (Judy Winslow) who entered with much bravado and her trademark cocktail shaker filled with martinis. Then came Lexi (Lois Chapman), a pampered and self-interested vixen intent on preserving her charms despite the passing of years – and husbands; Vernadette (Gina Ippolitto), whose troubled life was likened by one her friends to a country song – (“and the hits keep on coming!”); and Jeri Neal (Sharon Suttle), a nun who surprised one and all by walking in eight months pregnant! The actresses happily stirred this tempting pot of temperaments and viewpoints for the rest of the evening.

Each of the actresses had wonderful moments in this happy journey, but, for me, it was their work as an ensemble that provided the great thrill in this production. Their repartee came across as spontaneous, witty, funny, catty, and intimate, all befitting a group of women who had been friends for over twenty years. Because of their superb efforts, the audience was pulled irresistibly into their world.

As is always the case with such a performance, it was no accident. Director Robert Cox noted in the program that he and co-director Win Winslow “spent a lot of time [with the cast] discussing and developing the characters and relationships” presented in the play. Their vision must have been very clear, and each of the actresses obviously took this process very seriously, because the audience was treated to an ensemble of unique personalities that blended beautifully into this charming and funny performance.

The creativity didn’t stop there, however. A show that makes dramatic shifts in the years requires time for the actors to “age” between scenes. The directors didn’t leave us sitting in the dreaded “black-out”. Instead, we were presented with a stage crew (Kristina Steiger, Steven Kirkbride, Corey Gledhill, Kristan Marchant, and Dan Steiger) playfully moving props and scenery while engaging in a little horseplay. This was all covered by some nice voice-over work by co-director Win Winslow as he re-created the patter of a radio DJ to help make the transition to the next timeframe in the story. A very nice touch.

With The Dixie Swim Club, playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten are continuing a tradition that came upon America in the mid-80s with television shows like Evening Shade, Designing Women, and The Golden Girls, and plays/films like Steel Magnolias and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. As they proclaim on their website (www.joneshopewooten.com), their goal is to provide “deliciously funny words from the Southern side of life.” Each brings remarkable writing, acting and production credentials to the team, and together they are becoming some the “most widely-produced comedic playwrights” in America today. Keep your eyes open for more from this wonderful team.

The Dixie Swim Club runs through March 8 at Smithfield Little Theatre. Call 757-357-7338 for ticket information or visit them on the web at www.smithfieldlittletheatre.com/.

Copyright 2009 - David Adams

Originally published March 5, 2009 for Iron Street Productions.