ASSASSINS

MINERS ALLEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:

 AUGUST 8 - SEPTEMBER 14

 

                              The cast of ASSASSINS (Photo credit Sarah Roshan)

With music and lyrics by Steven Sondheim and book by John Weidman, ASSASSINS is a musical based on a concept by Charles Gilbert,Jr.

Controversial in nature, the show about the individuals who have assassinated a president, or attempted it, met with mixed reviews upon its 1991 Off-Broadway debut. 

In 2004 “ASSASSINS” received a Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.

Directed by Warren Sherrill, this is a muscular production with teeth. It’s a sort of schizophrenic danse macabre that alternates between insanity and gallows humor. Sherrill's casting is great and his pacing spot on!

     The ingenious stylistic interface of lighting design (Vance McKenzie), scenic design (Tina Anderson) and costume design (Crystal McKenzie) conspire to deliver the violence of these mentally ill individuals in a dark and creepy carnival atmosphere steeped in a feeling tone reminiscent of Dante’s seventh circle of hell. You know, the one reserved for murderers.

John Hauser’s sound design (he also plays John Hinckley) is his usual exceptional work.

Damon Guerrasio’s monologue as Samuel Byck is a studied and masterfully delivered moment in the show that rivets!

Drew Horwitz is mesmerizing as a quasi-demonic John Wilkes Booth. 

Julia Tobey is breathtaking as the proprietor. You can’t take your eyes off her. 

Clark Destin Jones delivers the intermittent commentary of the Balladeer wondrously. His portrayal of Lee Harvey Oswald is one of deep inner conflict as the voices of all the previous assassins converge on him near final curtain.

Mathhew Murry’s portrayal of Charles Guiteau is delivered with power! The shifts in his consciousness as he approaches the scaffold are delivered with intermittent religiosity and visceral bravado.

The music direction by David Nehls and his just offstage band succeeds in keeping the patriotic and the sideshow circus music balanced, allowing the vocals to shine.

   If there were one change this reviewer would have made, it would have been to deliver, “Something Just Broke,” the song describing the nation’s deep sadness after JFK’s assassination, in a visual style completely divergent from the general stylistic flow. In other productions this has allowed the pent-up emotions to flow out the tear ducts. 

Small criticism for a magnificent, if unsettling show.

 

This is an ensemble driven, revue-like musical that cries out to be seen. Just be sure to leave the kids home.

For tickets go online at minersalley.com or call the box office at 303-935-3044

    THE KNOCK

   CENTRAL CITY OPERA: JULY 5 – AUGUST 2

L-R: Armando Contreras, Mary Hollis-Hindley and Cierra  Byrd (photo credit: Amanda Tipton)

With music by Aleksandra Vrebalov and libretto by Deborah Brevoort, “The Knock” was commissioned by the Glimmerglass festival and Cincinatti Opera. It seems fitting that Central City Opera has chosen to produce its regional premier since the opera is set in Colorado.

     This one-act opera lets us as audience see and feel what it’s like to be loved ones left behind when their spouses are deployed to military service. 

     A female-driven production, “The Knock” is quite the opposite of many classic operas which, like The Barber of Seville, have one female role and multiple males. In this work several women who are spouses of men deployed to Fallujah, Iraq , gather since there has been a blackout and no communication.

 

     Vrebelov’s complex and ingenious composition, with its nerve-jangling strings and pulse-pounding percussion, put our own hearts and nervous system as audience in synch with the women involved, and what’s transpiring on stage.

     Mary Hollis-Hindley’s nuanced performance as Jo Jenner, a mother of two small children, who awaits the possibility of tragic news, makes us feel the anxiety with her search for anything-even a stick of gum!- to distract her and alleviate the fear.

    As Aisha McNair, Cierra Byrd provides a comforting presence as this community of military wives assembles.

     Armando Contreras is superb as Lt. Roberto Gonzales in his first journey to deliver the devastating knock. Wishing to have been on the front lines rather than carry this emotional burden, he studies protocols and gets lost in local landmarks, trying to make his way through this labyrinth of pain.

     During this emotionally charged production, if your chest is not heaving and tear ducts over-flowing you may not be breathing. Heart-wrenching and soul-shredding, this is a contemporary American work that demands to be seen and heard.     

     Alison Moritz’ deft stage direction is handled with a sensitive, light touch.

     David Bloom’s conducting of this unique composition succeeds brilliantly.

     Eliciting great sensitivity with the choral work, as well as the recitative moments, Arthur Bosarge, The Master of Choruses, does superb work harmonizing the ensemble.

     Lawrence E. Moten III’s scenic design uses simple unadorned geometric lines to suggest a house. A long line of tiny model homes forms a miniscule neighborhood on the apron of the stage.

     This new work is unmissable for lovers of serious dramatic opera!

   Special thanks to Central City Opera for bringing us the contemporary works of the American Opera.    

For tickets go online to centralcityopera.org or call the box office at 303-292-6700.

 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

CENTRAL CITY OPERA: THROUGH AUGUST 3

Music by GIOACHINO ROSSINI

LIBRETTO BY CESARE STERBINI

 

L-R: Lisa Marie Rogali and Andrew Morstein (Photo Credit: Amanda Tipton)

  Central City Opera’s production of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE is a triumph in every sense of the word.

Since this production of Rossini’s famous comic opera is set in the 1930’s Lynly Saunders costume’ design and Andrew Boyce’s scenic design conspire to stylistically evoke an homage to the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali! The chroma-key for these aspects of the show is vibrant and bright, with colors that appear to have been poured right out of the can.

     The story is well known. Two young lovers, Count Almaviva and Rosina, long to wed. The obstacle is her guardian, Dr. Bartolo, who is constantly monitoring the young woman, and hoping to marry her himself. Figaro, the jack -of-all-trades in Bartolo’s house, aids  Almaviva by telling him to disguise himself to get into Rosina’s presence. Luke Sutliff’s famous well-known aria, “Figaro, Figaro,” (known as Largo Factotum) starts the musical fireworks superbly. Dr. Bartolo is aided by his friend, Don Basilio, who is Rosina’s music teacher.   Lisa Marie Rogali is the fetching Rosina. This artist’s mezzo-soprano and divine coloratura enchant.  Andrew Morstein’s tenor as Count Almaviva is superb.  Ashraf Sewailam lends a magnificent bass-baritone to his portrayal of Bartolo.  Stefan Egerstrom delivers an excellent bass as Don Basilio. 

     Stage director Eric Sean Fogel has cast the show with an eye to great comedic actors and an ear to world class operatic voices.  These singers have backgrounds ranging from the Met and Santa Fe Opera to LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera and the Salzburg Festival. Director Fogel has paced the show with the breathtaking speed of a racing locomotive, making the evening fly by. 

     Louis Lohraseb brings out all the joyous exuberance of Rossini’s score with his conducting of the delicious Central City Opera Orchestra, while brilliantly keeping the musicians in the pit in sinch with the singers onstage. 

(Central City Opera has added another performance due to popular demand!)  

 

This opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles. 

 

NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

 

For tickets go online to centralcityopera.org or call the box office at: 303-292-6700

 

 

 ONCE UPON A MATTRESS 

Central City Opera:  July 12 through August 2

(Playing in repertoire with THE BARBER OF SEVILLE and THE KNOCK)

Marisa Rosen and the cast of Once Upon a Mattress (Photo Credit: Amanda Tipton)

CENTRAL CITY OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF “ONCE UPON A MATTRESS” IS UNMISSABLE!”

Incoming artistic director Alison Moritz has given us reason to cheer with her delightfully whimsical stage direction of Mary Rodgers’ “Once Upon a Mattress.” Pacing the show with the speedy bliss of a carnival ride, Moritz has cast the show superbly. Perhaps her greatest success comes from casting Marissa Rosen in the role of Princess Winnifred the woebegone.  Ms. Rosen has that innate gift of comedic timing and aura of humor coupled with infectious laughter that brought Carol Burnett to the public’s attention in the early 60s. Rosen’s singing of “The Swamps of Home,” “Shy” and “Happily Ever After” are by turns hysterically funny and touchingly poignant.

 Director Moritz’s second coup comes from her casting of the dashing Schyler Vargas in the role of Sir Harry.  Vargas’ glorious baritone delivers “In a Little While” and “Yesterday I Loved You,” to harmonious perfection in his duets with the fetching Veronique Filloux as Lady Larken.  (One wishes he had been able to see and hear Vargas as Guido in “Nine” and Riff in “West Side Story” for Opera Indianapolis.) 

Michael Kuhn gives the most studied portrayal of Prince Dauntless the drab that this critic has had the pleasure of seeing and hearing in his many viewings of this Tony Award - nominated musical. Kuhn rises above the somewhat flat writing of this character to deliver a truly studied and delightfully enjoyable performance.

As Queen Aggravain, Margaret Gawrsiak is pompously condescending and aggressively domineering. Her delivery of “Sensitivity” is a knock-out!

As King Sextimus, Aggravain’s timid and silent husband, Andrew Small is especially watchable in his non-verbal instruction of his son, Dauntless, concerning the birds and the bees in “Man to Man Talk.” 

Alex Mansoori is at the top of his form as the jester in “Very Soft Shoes.”

John Heginbotham’s fiery choreography for “The Spanish Panic” is danced to exuberant perfection by the ensemble.

Andrew Boyce provides a scenic design suggesting a story book castle torn from the pages of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Princess and the Pea.” In like manner, Elivia Bovenzi-Blitz’s eye-popping costume design transports us to the wondrous land of make believe.

Under the baton of conductor Kelly Kuo, the scrumptious Central City Opera Festival Orchestra delivers a joyously ear-pleasing confection.

The magnificent choral work is thanks to Arthur Bosarge, Master of Choruses.

One must add that director Moritz has hilarious surprises in store for you. No spoilers here! You will simply have to go and experience for yourself.

This is a treat the whole family will enjoy!

Not to be missed!

 

For tickets go online at centralcityopera.org or call the box office at 303-292-6700

 

 ROCK OF AGES

PACE CENTER and VERITAS PRODUCTIONS & THEATRE ARTS in Parker,CO

June 27 – July 20

                                      

                           The cast of ROCK of AGES

 “ROCK OF AGES” is a Wowzer of a Rockin’ juke box musical that sets the stage on fire!

    Currently exploding across the stage of Pace Center in Parker, Rock of Ages is a juke box musical that includes the hottest rock n roll tunes of the eighties, sung by a cast of musical theatre artists whose high-octane performance(s) are beyond astounding to a woman/man. 

      The story is as slim as that of all jukebox musicals. Yup. It’s a love story about two kids trying to succeed on their own chosen paths as well as saving the strip from the guy who wants to turn it into a parking lot. 

Production Manager Nancy Evans Begley (Marlowe Award winner for “Outstanding Actress in a Musical” for her performance in  “The Drowsy Chaperone”) has detonated musical theatre dynamite with this well thought-out and brilliantly executed production. 

     Her victory as producer comes in large part from engaging award-winning director Kelly Van Oosbree, whose work is always of the highest and best.  Van Oosbree’s direction and choreography are, as usual, both knock outs in this production! She has cast the show impeccably and paced it at a gallop. 

     The cast includes so many great actors with outstanding voices, one will not be able to mention them all here. Among them are Kayleigh Bernier, Joshua Bess, Carter Edward Smith, Cole Emarine, Shannon Foley, Thurzday and so many more.

The Creative Team is full to the brim with top-notch talent:

Tanner Kelly (Music Director), Brian Mallgrave (Scenic Designer), Brett Maughan (Lighting Design), Nikki Harrison (Costumes), Audio Designer (Kurt Behm), Trent Hines (Pit Conductor), and Jennifer Schmitz  (Stage Manager.) All these individuals are tried and true veterans in their field of expertise.

A few of the songs that will take your breath away in this musical are: “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” “Don’t Stop Believin’, “We Built This City…on Rock n Roll”, “Waitin’ for a Girl Like You” and many, many more. The hard-driving hits tumble one after another in a seemingly never-ending evening of non-stop rock n roll! The members of the smokin’ onstage band are: Trent Hines, Jason Tyler Vaughn, Luca Grieman, Sean Casey and Lynn Keller.

ADULTS, AGES 14+ FOR STRONG ADULT THEMES AND CONTENT including offensive language, discriminatory themes/language, sexual content, and substance use/abuse.

With that in mind, leave the kids home and run to get a ticket!

 

For tickets go online at parkerarts.org or call the box office at 303-805-6800

 

 

 FOLLIES in Concert

Vintage Theatre: June 20 – 29

Stephen Sondheim’s “FOLLIES in Concert” is being given a rousing production at Vintage Theatre in Aurora. It’s a tribute to the women and men ‘of a certain age’ who have blessed us with their talents. It’s a seldom-produced musical that has some unforgettable numbers revolving around resilience, reminiscence and reunion.

This time “Follies” is being done as a concert version, stripped down to its heart-beating essence, and focused on the characters developed by Sondheim and James Goldman, who wrote the book.

     Caleb Wenger’s astute music direction reveals an acute awareness of Sondheim’s idiosyncratic rhythms, accents and pauses.      

     Director Bernie Cardell has carved out a cast of scintillating stars the like of which may put you in mind of that of Arvada Center’s “THE WOMEN” a couple decades ago or of Don Berlin’s cast of theatre goddesses in his unforgettable production of “NINE!” 

     With only a tatterdemalion curtain to represent the ruins of the once grand and elegant Weissman theatre, and a few elegant frocks and tuxes, Cardell succeeds by focusing on the music, lyrics and yes, emotional heart of this show.

The cast is beyond stellar. This is a production to relish and revisit if you can. (I’m buying a ticket for tonight!)    With the touch of the poet the resilience of these great ladies and gentlemen of the theatre is framed with loving direction by maestro Cardell.

Deborah Persoff’s magnificent performance of “I’m Still Here,” is a heart-opening, heart-breaking and life-affirming anthem of resilient gratitude for being alive. It’s an epic crescendo that brings down the curtain to Act One with passion and power!

Sue Leiser’s hilarious belting of “Broadway Baby,” is beyond stunning! 

Susie Roelofsz’ rendition of “Out of My Mind” mesmerizes as it haunts us with nuanced introspective tenderness and reminiscence. 

Both Brian Hutchinson (Ben Stone) and Jeremy Rill (Buddy Plummer) articulate the complexities of Sondheim’s score with astounding skill. Their work here will bring up memories of their brilliant work as Frederick Egerman and Carl Magnus respectively in Cherry Creek Theatre’s outstanding production of Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music.”

Mary McGroary is brilliant in her singing -and dancing- of the part of Phyllis Stone.

Marcia Ragonetti adds a touch of operatic forte! – you will remember her for her excellent work as Norma Desmond in Vintage Theatre’s “Sunset Boulevard” and as Maria Callas in Miners Alley’s “Master Class.”

Jan Cleveland’s lilting tribute to “Paris,” is auditory champagne. 

Sharon Dwinnell, Lars Preece, Joey Wishnia, Joe Barnard, Tracy Kern, Jim Hitzke and so many more, sparkle and shine.

Run to get tickets!!!

For tickets call the box office at 303-856-7830 or go online at vintagetheatre.org 

                             RING OF FIRE

   MINERS ALLEY PERFORMING ARTS       CENTER: MAY 9 – JUNE 29

               NOT TO BE MISSED!

Caitlin Secrest and Cooper Kaminsky 

                           (photo credit:Sarah Roshan Photography)

Unlike most jukebox musicals, “Ring of Fire,” the Johnny Cash musical, is not full of narration regarding the life of the artist. This is a high-octane blaze of country music that gives us ‘the man in black’ almost completely through his music. True, there are momentary instances of depictions of life experiences that illuminate how he and his cohorts got into the professional music scene, but they are so incidental, you will hardly notice.

What you will notice is the incredible talent and musical virtuosity of the ensemble brought together by director Kate Gleason, and music directed by Susan Draus to create this rousing evening of ear-pleasing theatre. They are: Cooper Kaminsky, Caitlin Secrest, Clark Destin Jones, Mitch Jervis and David Otto. The excellent drumming is done by Sean Case and Keith Ewer.

Standouts in this show are Cooper Kaminsky, whose vocals and musicianship are thrilling, and Caitlin Secrest, who represents June Carter.

They are all excellent as they deliver these now classic country-western songs.

Some of the thirty songs are: “I Walk the Line,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Man in Black” and of course, “Ring of Fire.”

The tech work is the outstanding stuff that is omnipresent in all of Miners Alley Performance Arts Centers’ productions.

The crisp, clean lines of Jonathan Scott-McKean’s wooden scenic design, the superb sound design by John Hauser and Vance McKenzie’s dynamic lighting design are all of the excellence one has come to expect from these technicians.

RUSH TO GET TICKETS!

For tickets call 303-935-3044 or go online at minersalley.com