Monday, June 12, 2023

 DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

PERFORMANCE NOW THEATRE COMPANY: JUNE 9-JUNE 24

          

L-R: Chris Boeckx and Tim Howard (Photo credit: RDG Photography)


Based upon the 1998 movie, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,”this musical has music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Jeffrey Lane.

     The show was nominated for ten Tony Awards in 2005, and Norbert Leo Butz won the prize for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

     Set on the French Riviera, two “fraudsters” trying to upstage one another in the art of flimflam, are outdone by an heiress they try to scam.

    Director Bernie Cardell has cast this production to perfection and paced it at a breathtaking clip.

     Chris Boeckx (Lawrence Jameson) and Tim Howard(Freddie Benson) play the two scam artists. 

      Boeckx’ vocals are excellent! His version of “Give Them What They Want” is suave and debonair perfection.  His impersonation of Dr. Shuffhausen is a hoot!

    Tim Howard is hysterically bombastic in his singing of “Great Big Stuff!”  His side-splitting scene with Boeckx, “All About Ruprecht,” is priceless.

 

     Amy Geiger is the Find of the evening! Her portrayal of Christine Colgate, in which she sings “Here I Am” and “Nothing is Too Wonderful to be True” with Mr. Howard, is Amazing! 

 

      As Muriel, Melissa Fike delivers an ear-pleasing version of “What Was a Woman to Do?”

          In the role of Andre Thibault, Jim Hitzke is at his best singing “Chimp in a Suit,” while trying to upgrade Freddy from crass to class. “Like Zis, Like Zat,” his duet with Ms. Fike, charms.

     Jenny Weiss’s take on Jolene, the husband-hunting cowgirl from “Oklahoma,” is high octane fun indeed! Ms. Weiss is a whirlwind of comic musical theatre energy!!!

     Spicing up the high-kicking ensemble, Dallas Slankard and Andy Sievers, both Marlowe Award winners for past performances at this venue, make Will Treat’s choreography sparkle! 

        Andrew Bates dazzles us with his scenic design once again!

     Heather Iris Holt’s music direction is superb!

     This production will make you forget the trauma of the evening news and leave you soaring out into the June evening humming the joyous ear-worms of David Yazbek’s tuneful score.

   How does it get any better than that?

     Run to get tickets!

 

For tickets call 303-987-7845 or go online at performancenow.org

 

 


 

 

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