CAROUSEL

PERFORMANCE NOW THEATRE and

LAKEWOOD CULTURAL CENTER: 

Mar. 17 – April 2

     Based upon Ferenc Molnar’s 1909 play, Liliom, “Carousel” has music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

     When it opened on Broadway in 1945, “Carousel” was right across the street from the theatre playing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!”.  “Carousel” became a film in 1956 starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.  A subsequent Broadway production in 1994 garnered five Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical. 

     Set on the New England coast in the late 1800s “Carousel” introduced complex characters and social issues such as domestic violence. The show ends with the start of a spiritual evolution toward a hoped-for redemption.

     Jeremy Rill’s outstanding rendition of Billy Bigelow’s “Soliloquy, (My Boy Bill),” which brings down the curtain at the end of Act One, is all the reason you need to buy a ticket for this production. Rill is one of the premier musical theatre actors in Colorado!

     In her Performance Now debut, Monica Joyce Slabach gave a very fine reading of Julie Jordan. Slabach is at her best in this production in “If I Loved You,” her duet with Mr. Rill. Unfortunately, a loud disturbance in the sound design spoiled her otherwise lovely rendition of “What’s the Use of Wondrin.’”

       Carolyn Lohr is an amazingly animated and joyous incarnation of Carrie Pipperidge. Her singing of “Mister Snow” is sensational!

     Liz Brooks’ vocals for Nettie Fowler are extraordinarily well sung. Leading the ensemble in “June is Bustin’ Out All Over,” “A Real Nice Clambake,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Brooks astounds!

     Lars Preece is a delightfully engaging Enoch Snow. His singing of “When the Children Are Asleep” is ear-pleasing indeed!

     Wes Munsil anchors the final scenes of the play with excellent portrayals of the Starkeeper and Dr. Seldon.  

     The Carousel Waltz is arguably the most intricate and complex overture in the American Theatre canon. On opening night music director Heather Iris Holt found it difficult to get the musicians in the pit to navigate its complexities at the top of the show. That said, her music direction of Rodgers’ gloriously tuneful score was superb thereafter. The choral work for “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” and “A Real Nice Clambake” was thrilling!  

     Kelly Van Oosbree directs and co-choreographs with Rebecca Dean.

      

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