The Stage Theatre: 3/27 – 4/26
“The 12”
rocks!
It’s the best world premiere of a musical The Denver Center for
the Performing Arts Theatre Company has produced. "The 12" is the musical that has
evaded them through all the birthing pains of such wannabe musicals as “Sense
and Sensibility,” and the recent transmogrification of Meredith Willson’s “The
Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
The
collaboration of Robert Schenkkan (book and lyrics) and Neil Berg (music and
lyrics) together with Michael Mancini’s music direction of the above- stage band
conspire to create a thunderous, ear-pleasing miracle. Enhanced by Connor
Gallagher’s muscular choreography and Lap Chi Chu’s stunning lighting design,
this is a powerhouse of a production.
The effect
of these artists’ collaboration with the phenomenal actors cast by director Richard
Seyd allows Act One to be honed to such a pitch of perfection that this reviewer was breathless by intermission.
Gregory Treco(Simon), Colin Hanlon(Pete)
and Christina Sajous (Mary Magdelene) turn in unforgettable performances as the
apostles try to decide what’s next after their beloved Teacher’s crucifixion.
Teacher’s grieving Mother, portrayed byJeannette Bayardelle, blows the roof off the upper
room at the end of Act One with a vocal performance (“Rain”) that is quite simply
soul-shattering!
This is
exactly the kind of musical that The Denver Center has been hoping for and with the right shepherding could easily have a successful run on Broadway.
However…
since the entr’acte fails to do anything but tell us the show’s about to resume
and since there is no rousing dynamic number to sweep us back into the story at
the top of Act Two there should be no intermission. And although Tony Vincent’s
Tom is mostly well acted and sung, one sometimes has to strain to understand his
‘articulation’ of the lyrics.
Small
criticism for an otherwise mind-blowing evening of theatre!
With just a
few nips and tucks to this show, a must-have recording of “The 12” could soon fit on your shelf right next
to that of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
In case you
missed something… I LOVED IT!
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