Lazy Susan Dinner
Theatre - ARCHIVE
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July 16 - September 14,
2008
You're A Good
Man, Charlie Brown
Reviewed August 14 by
Brad Hathaway |
Running time 2:20 - one
intermission
A clever and tuneful set of vignettes nicely performed
Click here to buy the CD |
Clark Gesner’s charming set of musical and comedy vignettes on topics
typical for Charles M. Schulz’ characters is, pure and simple, a charm show.
To succeed it doesn't take great voices, fabulous acting or astonishing
special effects - in fact, any one of those would unbalance the piece if it
weren't accompanied by the hard to define and even harder to create but easy
to spot element: charm. The piece gives a cast of six material to play with
- and "play with" is the operable phrase. Just perform it and it just lays
there, but if the performers have fun, the audience has fun. Lazy Susan
assembled a cast with enough charm to make the piece work (especially those
playing the roles of Snoopy, Schroeder and Charlie Brown's younger sister,
Sally - a creation added when the show went to Broadway thirty-some years
after its Off Broadway debut). Director Hans Bachman draws from them
performances that more often than not do have the required element: charm.
Storyline: A day in the
life of Charlie Brown begins as he is, of course, late for school. He
suffers all the trauma of lunch-time and the angst of wondering if the cute
little redheaded girl will notice him. While his dog fantasizes, his family
and friends go about their daily routines. He struggles with a kite,
undergoes psychotherapy from “the doctor is in” Lucy, and attempts to inspire
his baseball team to avoid a total failure of a season. In the end, he is
assured by all assembled that he is, in fact, “a good man, Charlie Brown.”
Clark Gesner's revue built on the well known
characteristics of the characters from Charles Schultz' comic strip
unaccountably titled "Peanuts" has been a success ever since it was first
produced in the 1960s. It has played schools, community theaters,
professional theaters, television and even - beefed up with a new character
and two additional songs - made it to Broadway for a successful revival in
1999. This production uses the expanded Broadway script with the character
of Charlie's sister, Sally, and the songs "Beethoven Day" and "My New
Philosophy" for Schroeder and Sally.
Karen O'Connell handles the role created for
Kristin Chenoweth with a strong sense of energy and Ryan Lucius Schaffer
gives himself over to the whimsy appropriate for playing the beleaguered
beagle, Snoopi. (His "Suppertime" is a bright spot as choreographed by
Rebecca Cznadel.) Christopher Shaw is fun to watch even when he's not the center
of a scene as the Beethoven-loving Schroeder, and his energy level sparks
some of the ensemble moments. The title character was portrayed by
understudy Justin Mohay on the night we attended and he acquitted himself
nicely.
The vignettes play out before a primary
colored background reminiscent of a Schulz Sunday strip and the costumes
match. Even the properties get a whimsical treatment that reinforces the
charm of the evening - Schroeder's piano is in just the same proportion to
the characters as it was in Schulz's drawings. Music director John Edward
Niles' combo accompaniment has been recorded for playback through the
house's acceptable sound system, so, while it may not have all the excitement
of a live performance, it works well.
Music, lyrics and book by Clark M. Gesner.
Additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Based on the comic strip
"Peanuts" by Charles M. Schulz. Additional dialogue by Michael Mayer.
Directed by Hans Bachmann. Choreographed by Rebecca Cznadel. Vocal and
musical direction by John Edward Niles. Design: Pat Koster (costumes) Jeanne
Forbes (lights) George Rouse (stage manager). Cast: Benjamin Badenbaugh,
Justin Mohay, Elisabeth Ness, Karen O'Connell, Ryan Lucius Schaffer,
Christopher Shaw.
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July 20 - October 16,
2005
Something's
Afoot |
Reviewed August 3
Running time 2:00 - one intermission
A pleasant spoof that drags a bit |
This 1976 musical spoof of Agatha Christie's type of British whodunit has a
bouncy score, a number of good gags and a sufficiently intriguing mystery in
its storyline. It benefits from an obvious affection for both the whodunit
genre the script is spoofing and the musical comedy genre the score is
simultaneously parodying. Unfortunately, it suffers from a number of
insufficiently polished performances by too many in the cast and a certain
plodding pace in the dialogue scenes. It seems to gain a sense of momentum
from each of the songs, only to begin to bog down again before the next song
cue.
Storyline: Six strangers arrive at a mansion
on an island in the middle of a lake in England. A storm rages outside, washing
out the bridge that is their only connection to the mainland, and the butler
announces that their host has been murdered. Soon, the staff and the guests
begin dying off as well.
The
pre-recorded orchestral accompaniment sounds very bright and good. The
orchestrations for a pit band of eight are performed with a thoroughly
satisfying sense of bounce which gives the cast members every chance to make
the most of their individual numbers. Doing the best with them are Dena Kolb
and Dan Cullen who kick up their heels quite nicely on the duet "I Don't
Know Why I Trust You (But I Do.)"
Each of the cast members has a moment to
shine. Some have more than one. Elizabeth Roth is quite strong in the role
that is a send up of the Agatha Christie persona and Ron Sarro, after a slow
start, gets quite funny as the veteran of service in Her Majesty's Forces in
India. The night we attended George Rouse suddenly emerged from an only mildly amusing
performance as the handyman to sell his big Act II number about his "Tiny
Dinghy" to a chortling audience.
All of this takes place on one of Lazy
Susan's most elaborate sets which stretches across the full extent of their
wide stage. The mansion, marked by traditional Tudor exposed cross beam and
stucco in the interior, is filled with devices for the effects associated
with the various murders, which, just as in And There Were None,
reduce the number of survivors to a minimum before the final resolution of
the mystery. The moments before the rousing finale are strangely inert, but
then the entire cast comes in for one final sight gag set to music which
picks up everyone's spirits for one last time.
Music and Lyrics by James McDonald, David Vos
and Robert Gerlach. Additional music by Ed Linderman. Directed by Hans
Bachmann. Musical direction by John Edward Niles. Vocal direction by Lori Roddy.
Design: Hans Bachmann (costumes) Liz Crosbie (lights) George Rouse
(stage manager). Cast: Jade M. Banks, Dan Cullen, Jeffrey Bryce Davidson,
J. C. Gonzales-Stanley, Ryan Keough, Dena Kolb, Elizabeth Roth, George Rouse, Ron Sarro, Elena
Stangland. |
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July 14 - October 3,
2004
The Spitfire
Grill |
Reviewed August 3
Running time 2:20 - one intermission
Click here to buy the CD |
This sentimental musical is based on the movie
which starred Ellen Burstyn as the crotchety owner of the only remaining
restaurant in a small town. It is given a production that emphasizes telling
the story as clearly as possible. The score features two dozen plot driven
(and plot driving) songs for six of the seven member cast. As staged here by
director Hans Bachmann, the focus on clarity of storytelling also paves the
way for the cast to create characters that are interesting and consistent in
their actions even if they are a bit predictable. The Lazy Susan has
alternate cast members for two of those characters, one of which is the key
role that Burstyn had in the movie. This, plus the fact that the other
leading role was performed by the understudy the night we attended,
makes it a bit difficult to predict the quality of performance our readers
can expect.
Storyline: A young woman getting out of prison travels to the scenic
Gilead, Wisconsin she has dreamed about after seeing of a photo spread on
the town in a magazine. She finds it is almost a ghost town having hit hard
times when the local quarry closed down. The sheriff, to whom she is to
report, gets her a job in the nearly bankrupt grill where she brings new
spirit and life to the community. The crotchety owner of the grill has
not been able to sell the property, so the newcomer suggests she hold a
raffle or contest to select a winner.
James Valcq who also wrote the book, music
and lyrics for the off-broadway Zombies from Beyond, and the late
Fred Alley who was a founder of the American Folklore Theatre in Wisconsin,
adapted the screenplay for the stage. Their approach is straight forward,
letting the events in the story play out in linear fashion with background
information provided in dialogue or lyrics when needed. Their songs have a
country music sound that demonstrates how true country music, as opposed to
the more commercially popular country/western sound found on radio stations
identifying themselves as "country's best music," is closer to Irish pub
songs and fiddle festival dance music than to standard American pop songs.
Marci Shaver played the crotchety
owner/operator of the Spitfire Grill the night we attended. (Jade Banks
handles the role at other performances.) Shaver's voice is a bit weak and
she slips out of the posture of a weak elderly lady from time to time, but
she gets the emotion of her relationship with the young newcomer across.
That newcomer is usually Stephanie Dillard, a veteran of Lazy Susan
productions. Her understudy, who went on the night we attended, is Maureen
Lynch who is believable in the role and sings with a fitting country twang.
Strong supporting work is provided by Joe
Dodd whose booming "Digging Stone" is a highlight of the first act and
Kristen Jepperson whose delicate "Wild Bird" is a highlight of the second.
The entire cast is singing to a pre-recorded accompaniment which, under
music director John Edward Niles, meshes nicely with the live cast.
Music and book by James Valcq. Lyrics and
book by Fred Alley. Based on the film by Lee David Zlotoff. Directed by Hans
Bachmann. Musical direction by John Edward Niles. Vocal Director Michael
Hadary. Design: J. C.
Gonzales-Stanley (costumes) Lynn Joslin (lights) George Rouse (stage
manager). Cast: Jade Banks or Marci Shaver, Christopher Damanda, Stephanie
Dillard, Joe Dodd, Krissy Doyle or Jen Morris, Michael Hadary, Kristen
Jepperson. |
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July 9
– October 5, 2003
Steel Magnolias |
Reviewed July 29
Running time 2 hours 35 minutes
t
Potomac Stages Pick |
Here’s another example of the time honored tradition of live theater: when
the house lights dim you never really know if you are going to be blown
away, just entertained or something less. In this case, it is the former -
this production gets under your skin and you walk out with that satisfied
feeling that has nothing to do with the plentiful food they serve at this
dinner theater. A cast of six women carry you through an emotional journey
from light laughter to tears in a simple story well told.
Storyline: Over four Saturday mornings covering two and a half years, a
group of ladies in the fictional Chinquapin, Louisiana gather in the beauty
parlor for shampoos, doos and friendship. A mother-daughter team provides
the dramatic thread as the first Saturday is the morning of the daughter’s
wedding while the final Saturday is the day following her funeral. In
between, her struggle with diabetes, and the reactions of her family and
friends, forms the basis for a warmly human view of the meaning of family
and friendship.
Robert Harling wrote this, his first play, to capture his view of his own
family’s struggle to deal with his sister’s death from diabetes and its
complications, and to pay tribute to what he saw as the strength of
character of southern women whom he called “Steel Magnolias.” After a
successful off-Broadway run, the play was picked up for a movie which
featured Sally Field, Shirley MacLane and Olympia Dukakis. It became a
prototype of the genre sometimes called a “chick flick.” But don’t be
fooled, this is not a play exclusively for female audiences. It is a well
constructed, well developed comic drama that works for both sexes.
Cast
as the mother-daughter pair are Barbara Catrett, a community theatre regular
making her debut at Lazy Susan and Krissi Smith-Mace, in her eighth Lazy
Susan show. Smith-Mace is appropriately adorable to start and allows her
character’s reactions to the progress of her illness, and her determination
to lead a fulfilled life even at high risk, emerge slowly through the
evening. Catret keeps her character’s emotions just under the surface in the
early going, giving momentary glimpses of the fears that drive her
judgments. When those emotions break through in the touching climax it is
with a force that is truly moving. The rest of the cast is impressive,
indeed, with particularly satisfying work from Jade Banks as the woman who
believes that “the only thing separating us from the lower animals is our
ability to accessorize” and her perfect foil, Jeanne Forbes, who gets to
spout gems such as “I’ve been in a very bad mood for 40 years.”
Director Hans Bachmann has drawn very naturalistic performances from the
entire cast, giving the production something of the feel of eavesdropping on
reality rather than the hyper-dramatic artificiality of watching a soap
opera. It works very well, except for the fact that it makes hearing from
the rear of the house a bit difficult given the competition from the loud
air conditioning system. The set design of Karol F. Kaldenbach, long time
Lazy Susan Theatre Manager, is similarly naturalistic, getting the feel of a
neighborhood beauty parlor in a small southern town just right.
Written by Robert Harling. Directed by Hans Bachmann. Design: Karol F.
Kaldenbach (set and properties) J. C. Gonzales-Stanley and Barbara Cobb
(costumes) Lyn Joslin (lights) George Rouse (stage manager.) Cast: Jade
Banks, Barbara Catrett, Barbara Cobb, Krissy Doyle, Jeanne Forbes, Krissy
Smith-Mace. |
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July 10 – October 13, 2002
Do Black Patent
Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? |
Reviewed July 31
Running time 2 hours 30 minutes
Price range $17 - $35 |
There is a sense of balance and proportion in this amiable little production
of this appealing little show. Story, songs, performance, set, costumes,
pacing all seem to be at about the same level which makes the piece a
pleasant trifle for a summer evening. Add Lazy Susan’s bountiful if somewhat
bland buffet and an unhurried atmosphere both before the show and during a
very lengthy intermission and you have an evening’s outing for a group with
plenty of time to talk amongst yourselves and an entertaining diversion.
Storyline: Eight students go through Catholic Elementary and High School in
the 1950s. Eddie likes Becky, but is embarrassed to show it when all his
friends make fun of sissy stuff and Becky is made miserable by being
overweight in Elementary School. By their senior year, she has slimmed down
and become beautiful and Eddie has fallen in love. She, on the other hand,
thinks she may become a nun.
While this show was a flop on Broadway in 1982 where they were looking
for spectacle and flash involving cats, falling chandeliers and hovering
helicopters, its simple charms have made it a popular choice for dinner
theaters and community troupes around the country. The key to success is to
give it a strait forward, energetic production and to keep the physical
aspects of the production from weighing the evening down. Director Hans
Bachmann finds and keeps the energy level just right and draws nice
performances from all of the eight kids, four nuns and a priest.
Three roles are the focus of the evening – Eddie, Becky and Sister Lee.
Ryan Keough makes a pleasant Eddie, growing from uncertain second grader to
high school suitor with charm. His big number in the second act is very well
done. Melissa Wilmoth is a bit soft voiced as Becky but her acting is first
rate as she emerges from a "fatty" to a beauty. The key adult role is the
nun who seems excessively strict at first but reveals a deep affection for
her charges, all the while spouting the clichés of Catholic schools. Jade
Banks is just right in the role. She even carries the character over into
the intermission, serving coffee to the patrons with a strident demand for
their preferences. "Which do you want, now, regular or decaf?" never sounded
so demanding before.
Each character - - whether student, nun or priest - - has a strong
personality and Bachmann has given each one small touches that work well.
Brandon R. Mace is particularly good as a geeky kid who turns in a nifty
Elvis-like "Doo-Wah, Doo-Wee" performance at the high school dance. John
Edward Niles’ recorded orchestra provides bright accompaniment and the set
design which features both the "Lazy Susan" rotating carousel and a quick
change cube of scenery flats, allows quick changes to keep the multi-scene
acts moving right along.
Written by John R. Powers. Music and Lyrics by James Quinn and Alric
Jans. Directed by Hans Bachmann. Music director John Edward Niles. Design:
Lyn Joslin (lights) J.C. Gonzales-Stanley (costumes) Karol Kaldenbach (nuns
habits). Cast: Ryan Keough, Melissa Wilmoth, Jade Banks, Brandon R. Mace,
Liz Hester, Electa Dawn Lee, Kyle Johnston, C. Gonzales-Stanley, Erin
Shanahan, George Rouse, Christopher Damanda, Madeline Mace, Krissi
Smith-Mace. |
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