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Founded in 1988, the Arden is a non-profit professional regional theater of
note. After one season at the Walnut Street Theatre Studio and five in the
150-seat hall of St. Stephen's Performing Arts Center, the Arden has a home with a 175-seat black box theater on its second floor and the F. Otto
Haas Stage, a 360-seat flexible space on the main floor. The facility is in
the historic old city, next to Christ's Church on property that was the site
of Benjamin Franklin's first bookstore. With over 90 productions (24 of them
world premieres) the company now offers a seven-show season of both adult
and children's fare. The children's program presents many of its shows
during the day at sliding prices (kids under 12: $14 - $16, Teens: $18 -
$22, Adults: $26 - $30) while the adult productions are priced at between
$27 and $45 depending on the day of the week.
The 2005-06 season of adult
fare includes Joe Orton's Loot, the new musical by Eric Rosen, Andre
Pluess and Ben Sussman based on Sherwood Anderson's novel Winesburg, Ohio,
the world premiere of Opus, a play by Michael Hollinger about a
string quartet in rehearsal of a Beethoven opus (January 12 - March 5), Brian Friel's Dancing at
Lughnasa (March 2 - April 2) and Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart's A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (May 18 - June 18). In addition to the
show reviewed below, the children's program offers a stage adaptation of the
book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (April 19 -
May 28).
Here is our review of the production playing at the time of our last visit:
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The Brothers Reale, Willie and Rob, have the distinction of being one of the
few teams to have a kids musical so well received in regional theatre that
it transferred to Broadway. It was well received by kids and adults alike
even though, at Broadway ticket prices, it could only eke out a two-month
run. It did draw three Tony Award nominations (Best Book, Best Score, Best
Musical of 2003). It was A Year with
Frog and Toad and it received post-Broadway productions here at the
Arden in Philadelphia as well as at the Round House in Bethesda where many
of Potomac Stages readers learned of its charms. Could magic strike a second
time? Well, it could but it didn't. While Frog and Toad was head and
shoulders above the standard for a children's show, this new effort be the
Reales is simply a very good kids show - that is nothing to sneeze at but
those adults and kids hoping to discover another F&T will not be as
entranced as they want to be. They will, however, have a fine time.
Storyline: In a world
populated by dinosaurs of every size and type, a comet strike brings on
weather changes that threaten the ecology that supports dinosauric
diversity. Perhaps a treaty between all dinosaur groups which outlaws the
killing of animals to eat will allow all groups to survive. The treaty is
successful until the death of the Tyrannasaurus Rex king, leaving the throne
to his weakling son who must find the fortitude to overcome the conniving
manipulations of a couple who fancy themselves the power behind the throne.
The
difference between this and the Reale's earlier piece is in the menace and
evil-intent of the heavies. They aren't too frightening for the audience,
that it is not the point. The point is that A Year with Frog and Toad
stood out among shows intended for children in its ability to create
tension, suspense and drama without any heavies. No evil doers entered the
picture at all. The story hinged on such things as whether flowers would
grow, kites would fly and even if a letter would ever get to its
destination. Such things usually mean a dull show. Not that one. The Reales
found the way to charm both kids and adults into caring about mundane things
precisely because they created characters who cared about them. Here, on the
other hand, you have environmental catastrophe, carnivores hunting, killing
and eating prey and a pair of evil-doers in the court. The Reale's handle
these themes with age appropriate sensitivity, but the very existence of
these forces makes this a very different show.
The cast is very good,
especially Joshua Laman as the Tyrannasaurus Rex prince who must rise to the
demands of leadership, Christopher Sapienza who doubles deliciously as the
King of the Tyrannasaurus Rex and the emcee/owner of a dinosaur resort that
would feel right in the Poconos, and the Potomac Region's own Donna
Migliaccio who picks up the energy level of the entire show with her
fabulous delivery of the big Act II opener - an ode to a food that can take
the place of meat . . . Spaghetti! Also delightful is Jillian Louis whose
number, "I Don't Think You Really Want to Eat Me," more than any other
song in the show has the clever word play that made Frog and Toad so
much fun.
The colorful production
features cleaver costumes and an impressive set backed by a mountain that
erupts as a volcano. A five-member combo provides backing which is
principally percussion with the cast - all of
whom are in fine, full voice - providing most of the melodies. Sound
designer Jorge Cousineau provides a host of environmental effects, ranging
from jungle bird chirping to an impressive approach and impact for the comet
whose crash sets up the dilemma for the dinosaurs.
Music by Rob Reale. Book
and Lyrics by Willie Reale. Directed by Whit MacLaughlin. Choreography by
Amy Smith. Music Direction by Charles Gilbert. Orchestrations by Irwin Fisch.
Design: Nick Embree (set) Richard St. Clair (costumes) Thomas C. Hase
(lights) Jorge Cousineau (sound) John David Flak (stage manager). Cast: Ben
Dibble, Leah Elizabeth Goldstein, Joshua Lamon, Jillian Louis, Kelly
McCreary, Donna Migliaccio, Robyne Parris, Christopher Sapienza, Peter
Schmitz. |
