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THE COTTAGE – Written by Sandy Rustin; Directed by Kelly Van Oosbree.  Produced by Platte Valley Theatre Arts (Presented at the Armory, 300 Strong Street, Brighton) through May 17.  Tickets available at PlatteValleyTheatreArts.org.

 

You can always count on a good time when you visit a Kelly Van Oosbree production in Brighton or anywhere for that matter.  She takes the words and intent in a script to new heights with her imagination and creativity.  When the words are funny, she enhances them with unexpected physicality and schtick.  When the words are dramatic, she will create an environment that encourages authenticity and honest emotion from her cast.  When there’s music involved, watch out!  You’ll see stories with new eyes that allow her interpretation to take the most familiar and make it sparkle with originality.  Put a script in KVO’s hands and it’s automatically better.  This particular little bundle of fluff went from a scone to a creme puff under her direction.   

Each of her cast entered into the fun of the ridiculous script with energy and enthusiasm.  Ms. Rustin’s sense of the absurd knows no bounds.  I can imagine her in her studio pondering, “Now what would happen if we had two brothers who were married to two lovely women but having an affair with the other’s wife?”  And she’s off!  She endows all the characters with sardonic senses of humor and a need for honesty.  But wait!  Let’s throw two more characters in the mix to see what happens.  How about a second mistress and her murderous husband with a mysterious past?  The rollicking fun just gets better and better. 

This cast took the improbable story and told it with seriousness, genuine shock and fear, and made it deadpan funny.  Bill Diggle is the rather prim, slightly stuffy Beau married to Marjorie and away for a weekend with his sister-in-law Sylvia.  You get the feeling that he’s OK with keeping his once-a-year appointment with her but wouldn’t be heartbroken if it didn’t happen.  Sylvia, on the other hand, played by Sarah Kit Farrell, lived for this “same time next year” scandalous scenario.  She fancies herself truly in Love (with a capitol L) and is over the top bubbly.  Ms. Ferrell oozes comic timing and gives off a sort of Bette Midler “no-holds-barred” vibe as she navigates through the real time changes in her life during the two hour play. 

The second brother is Clarke, even more stuffy than his sibling and hopelessly enamored with his sister-in-law,  Marjorie, while married to Sylvia.  Clarke is given henpecked life by Cory Lowe as most of his lines start with “Yes, Dear.”  His very pregnant Dear is the commanding Jordann Zbylski who forces the confrontation at the cottage because she’s tired of sneaking around and wants everything out in the open.  Of course, they are British – so everything is VERY civilized.  The arrival of the final two characters – Diedre, a ditzy blonde, and Richard, her jealous husband – played by Alex Jacobsen and Adam Luhrs – add an element of surprise and danger to the afternoon.  Your mental scorecard fills up fast with the changes of partners all happening at a breakneck pace. 

It is a pity that the PVTA group only run their offerings for two weeks; they deserve a longer run so that more people can enjoy.  But it remains – if you are looking for a fun date night this weekend, drive up to Brighton, have dinner at one of the dozens of great Mexican restaurants up there, and pop on over to the Armory to laugh yourself silly — and revel in your stable relationship.  You aren’t anything like these crazy people in this play . . .  . Right? 

A WOW factor of 8.5!! 

RIDE THE CYCLONE – Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell; Directed by Jennifer Schmitz.  Produced by Vintage Theatre Productions (1468 Dayton, Aurora) through June 8.  Tickets available at 303-856-7830 or VintageTheatre.org. 

A new musical!!  Joy abounds!  Even if it sounds like it might be a little dark, it is NOT SOUND OF MUSIC.  So let’s see what it’s all about. 

RIDE THE CYCLONE is built on the plight of six teenagers who met an untimely death in the grips of a runaway rollercoaster.  After they wake up in limbo, the mysterious gypsy fortune telling machine offers one of them the chance to resurrect.  The choice, however, is based on what they would do with that new life, resulting in a competition which reveals how they spent their past time on earth and what they would do differently in the future.  Each of the teenagers gets a time in the spotlight to explain themselves in exceedingly funny episodes that include a wannabe French prostitute, a superhero from an alien Cat planet, a lonely Ukrainian poet, and a heartfelt realization that life wasn’t as bad as they may have thought it was.  One poor girl suffered a debilitating injury that removed her memory of who she was and her past.  The puzzle is resolved and the decision made to everyone’s delight. 

This cast of young singers do a superlative job with rather difficult music, implementing effective and charming choreography led by Carrie Colton.  It seems simple – but we know that’s a lie, don’t we?  Music Director Jerimiah Otto has schooled the singers in the story songs so, as ridiculous as they are, they still make fun sense.  The six singers are Laila Aniyah (in college), Isaac Dechtman (in high school for another month), Sabrina Patten (in college), Megan Schraeder (semi-adult), Silas Vazquez (in college), and Samuel Wersch (a college graduate).  But they are all very authentic members of the St. Caspian’s High School Chamber Choir.  Daevon Robinson creates a sardonic, sarcastic, smart-talking Karnak, being both mechanical and humane.  Don’t keep your eyes center stage ALL the time; his reactions to the kid’s revelations are comical as well. 

While the entire evening is fun and worthy of your attention, I was especially touched by a couple of moments to watch (and listen) for.  Sabrina Patten as Jane Doe, the girl who can’t remember her past, sings an extremely difficult almost-aria in “The Ballad of Jane Doe.” Her pleas to St. Peter to let her in the pearly gates are executed with rills and operatic vocal runs that must be heard to be believed.  Megan Schraeder as Constance sums up the out-of-life experience in a musical “Jawbreaker” that gives her a beautiful OUR TOWN moment to lament all the things she took for granted and now realizes she discounted unfairly.  Like her parents.  Megan gives this time to reflect a touching meaningful performance.  Both Sabrina and Megan and the rest of the cast are fairly new to the acting pool in Denver, but here’s hoping they stick around for a while.  I can’t wait to see what they do next.  

This little hidden gem of a script that is bound to become a small theatre staple in the genre of LOVE/PERFECT and FOREVER PLAID was found by producer Bernie Cardell and offered to experienced Vintage stage manager Jennifer Schmitz for a directorial debut.  It is a pleasure to welcome Jenn to the inner circle of honored Denver directors.  We expect big things from her now and accept that they will probably have to bribe her to get back in the booth again.   

The set depicting a run down and deserted amusement park was designed by Lexi Renfro and built by Production Manager Brendan Cochran, augmented with clever props by Gabby Lentini.  Look for her light up umbrellas!  The Canadian school uniforms were created by Susan Rahmsdorff-Terry with Emily Maddox adding the spooky lighting.  Russ Kirby added roller coaster sound effects and the whole caboodle was managed by Maddie Morgan. 

You may never ride a roller coaster again – but you’ll have fond memories of this evening, nevertheless. 

A WOW factor of 8.5!! 

THE HOT WING KING – Written by Katori Hall; Directed by Timothy Douglas.  Produced by the Denver Center Theatre Company (14^th and Curtis, Denver) through May 25.  Tickets available at 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org. 

Last summer, I finally got to attend a play at the National Theatre in London – a bucket list item for me since watching so many of the filmed versions of their performances.  And the show I got to see – THE HOT WING KING!.  I was totally convinced that the cast of Black actors had been imported from the States for the show as they had the Southern swagger, the inflections in their salty language, and the grace of the confident all down so smoothly.  They had to be “real” American actors.  But I was wrong.  Later, reading the program, I discovered they were just incredibly gifted and dedicated British actors. 

This was a delightful introduction to this new script by Ms. Hall and made my anticipation of seeing the show again in Denver even higher.  Perhaps – but only perhaps – if the swagger, the slang, the sexiness may have come a little more naturally to the Denver cast, it wasn’t by much.  They all gave wonderful performances of this sexy and thoughtful script. 

Three experienced to the point of being pro barbeque chefs have come together again in an attempt to win the crown as creating the best Hot Wings in Memphis.  They are joined by a new member of the team who needs coaching in how to stir and who spreads his gay sauciness all over the gathering.  The two men who live in the condo with the kitchen are exploring a still raw and uncertain relationship.  One man is tormented by having left his family for this experimental time in Memphis; the other is haunted by the death of his sister at the hands of the police and the impact it has had on her son.  The final two characters are the ex-husband of the deceased sister and her teenage son. 

The banter between the men as they chop, season, stir, and sear is gay in every sense of the word.  They are comfortable in their skins and make no bones about their enjoyment of music, food, and each other.  Terence Archie as Cordell is unsure of parts of his life, but very secure in his ability to make marinades and sauces.  His George Clooney good looks and confidence make him easy to watch and lend gravitas to his conflicting emotions.  His new partner Dwayne, played by Curtis Wiley, has one-part helpless devotion and two-parts steely determination.  These men are wise beyond their years and experience, but fight to find a way to a middle ground.   Isaiah Tyrelle Boyd creates a unique but somehow familiar character for Isom, the newest to the group.  His sass is unlimited; he is sexy and sweet at the same time; he is a trash talker supreme and as funny as Will Smith thinks he is.  He provides the crowning touch to the HOT sauce and the sauce to the dialogue all evening long. 

Isom’s sometime partner is Big Charles, played by Tobias A. Young with a slow grace and a sweet heart.  As the past champion and most knowledgeable of the team, he is a mentor and a partner in the whole enterprise.  TJ is the struggling father caught between the desire to do good and the need to do well to provide for his son.  Dogged by failure as a provider, father, and even as a drug dealer, his way down seems destined.  A brilliant young actor – Jacques Jean-Mary – takes on the role of the troubled teen Everett, who has seen his mother killed by the police, been evicted several times with his father, seen his own dreams fall by the wayside, yet still manages to act badly – like a normal teenager.  His life thus far has given him the strength to carve his own path in this world of caring but clueless adults. 

The script contains the best of raucous humor and a thoughtful consideration of relationships of all kinds.  It explores the beauty of kinship of those related by blood and those related by love and friendship.  Oh, yes, you will laugh out loud, but you will also watch in quiet wonder as these men bare their souls. 

A WOW factor of 8.75! 

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS – Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman; Music by Alan Menken; Directed by Chris Coleman; Musical Direction by Angela Steiner; Choreography by Rickey Tripp.  Produced by the Denver Center Theatre Company (13th and Curtis, Denver) through May 25.  Tickets available at 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org 

I was surprised to see LITTLE SHOP on the Denver Center’s season announcement this year.  Why would they want to mount this old warhorse when there are so many new musicals that haven’t been brought to Denver audiences yet?  But then I got to thinking about what a risk this was for the Center.  Would they find that many people that hadn’t seen the show before (even multiple times) or had seen it but loved it so much they could sell over 24,000 tickets?  Well, guess what folks – they have already added another week of performances “due to popular demand.”  Not as much as a risk as you’d think. 

And, of course, they knocked it out of the ballpark!  A flower shop that had removable walls and rotated back and forth, a dentist office that comes up out of the floor, a five-piece band under the stage providing the Motown beats, and, again of course, the biggest badest Audrey II you’ve ever seen.  Plus, determined by the raucous laughter and surprised gasps when plants moved, an audience that had obviously NOT seen the show before.   

Why would I spoil it for all those people who haven’t seen it yet by giving you the whole plot.  Let’s just say it involves a nerdy boy, a sweet girl with low self-esteem, a girl group named after three girl groups, a masochistic dentist, a Jewish flower shopkeeper, and a blood-sucking plant.  You can put those together in any combination you like – but the plant will always win in the end. 

Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette set the tone with their street-corner expositional set-up in the first song.  Played by Jaden Dominique, Elexis Morton, and Holly Jackson, they have moves straight off American Bandstand (choreographed by Rickey Tripp who is obviously still a teeny-bopper at heart).  Seymour, the nerdy boy, is portrayed by Ben Fankhauser who has to work pretty hard to make himself look nerdy.  He has had an amazing career for someone who doesn’t look over about 22.  Gizel Jimenez brings us the always sweet – although bruised – Audrey I.  Her rendition of longing for “Somewhere That’s Green” will break your heart.   Will Branner executes the tyrannical demon dentist so authentically, it’s hard to believe his bio that unequivocally states that he is kind (yea, kind of a creep) and not (very) mean  or (terribly) scary.  Mr. Mushnik who operates his flower shop with his own set of needs is given lively life by David Studwell. 

But, no matter how you slice it, this show belongs to Audrey II and her handlers.  I spent part of the show trying to figure out how many people it took to operate the biggest of the four Audreys.  After giving up trying to tell who was moving what, it  became more fun to just watch.  I kept thinking what an act of faith it must have been for the actors the first time they got eaten in rehearsal.  Remember those scary little raptors in JURASSIC PARK?  Well, this creature is like those menacing little buggers – only on steroids.  This is a building-sized mechanism.  Audrey II (Twoey, for short) has personality, humor, charm (when she wants something), and a noticable overbite.  Hey, Audrey, I know a good dentist. 

A little bit of trivia for those who like that kind of thing:  An actor named Ron Taylor was the original voice of Audrey II.  He next came to Denver and performed in the Denver Center’s premiere production of IT AIN’T NOTHING BUT THE BLUES which went on to Broadway earning five Tony nominations.  Broadway lore tells the tale of the original production of LITTLE SHOP being produced at the small WPA Theatre.  For a finale, presumably after the song “Don’t Feed the Plants,” pre-set vines dropped out of the ceiling to brush the heads of the audience as they stood for an ovation, throwing everyone into a panic. I’ve waited for years for some small theatre to pull that trick off again. 

So whether you’ve seen the show a dozen times or not yet, this is a monumental production.  You’ll either sing along in your seat or tap your toes to the music.   

A WOW factor of 9!! 

BRIGHT STAR – Music, Book and Story by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell; Directed by Steve Wilson; Choreographed by Tia Bloom; Vocal Direction by Jalyn Courtenay Webb; Music Direction by Mason Siders. Produced by Candlelight Dinner Playhouse (4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown) through June 8. Tickets available at 970-744-3747 or info@ColoradoCandlelight.com.

I love playwrights and lyricists who are thoughtful enough to give everyone in the cast a little sumthin sumthin to do in the spotlight once and awhile.  It’s all well and good to be a member of a terrific ensemble of singers and dancers, but, occasionally, it’s nice to have a line or two or a verse to sing on your own.  Mr. Martin and Ms. Brickell must have remembered being in that position more than once in their climb up the ladder of success.  Because in addition to giving the leads powerful scenes and outstanding songs, they also gave nearly everyone on stage a little bit of the song to sing or a few lines to learn in addition to the lovely country choreography. 

This whole musical is Alice Murphy’s story, and the amazing Jennasea Pearce gets most of the songs and storytelling aspects of the evening.  But as examples of how the composers gave other people places to shine, there’s Scott Severtson who, as Alice’s father, had to make a terrible decision in a heartbreaking scene.  Then he and his daughter have a touching scene of forgiveness years later. Adienne Asterita as Alice’s mother had an equally heart-rending part in that decision, but stood by her daughter through everything.  She had several short solos that displayed not only her superb singing voice but her acting ability as well.  Carter Edward Smith proves he’s worthy of the bad guy title as the father who commits an unforgivable sin to “protect” his son and then must face the consequences.  Adrianna Delpericio and Candlelight regular Eric Heine step into the spotlight as the second set of parents with important dialogue and sweet sentiments.  Cory Michael Klements, Hugh Butterfield, and Myles Wright – after dancing their shoes off in the ensemble – step into dramatic roles as a doctor, a lawyer, and a records clerk to add to the story.  Taylor Baker and Charlotte Campbell play the saucy bookstore clerks and bring personality and humor to their scenes. The whole ensemble of dancers and singers provides extraordinary backup for the principal players. 

Who are they?  Jennasea Pearce playing the difficult role of the young and then the 23-years-later adult Alice Murphy is the heart of the story.  She is a woman of incredible depth of compassion, love, and determination.  Jennasea’s strength as a performer brings Alice’s story into the light with clarity as it bounces back and forth in time.  A very brilliant inspiration by the playwrights has Alice morph from the young to the older Alice by walking out of one set of clothing and into another right on stage.  It says to the audience, “These are both Alice.  Keep up!”  Without telling the whole story – because you are going to want to see this one acted and sung – Jennasea has scenes of unimaginable sorrow and breathtaking happiness.  She does both equally well. 

How nice to see a name I’ve noticed in programs all over town – Jazz Mueller – step up and show us what he’s got.  In addition to a precognitive mother who gave him that appropriate name, Jazz has got dancing, singing, and acting chops to spare.  He puts off a young Paul Newman vibe that was well-suited for this role of a man who hits the highs and lows of life with equal hope. The confrontation he has with his father as he learns the truth about an incomprehensible situation is riveting.  But he swallows it and thinks only of his love for Alice and how not to break her heart.  While he’s breaking his own and that of everyone in the audience as well.  Well done, Mr. Mueller. 

Another key player in this whole scenario is Billy Cane, played by newcomer Andrew Hensel.  Andrew brings a sweet innocence to his role as the novice novelist that is quite compelling.  Billy’s naive approach to romance is delightful and sweet, while his destined love interest, Margo, waits patiently for him to discover her.  Paige Bryant brings Margo’s secret hopes and desires to quiet life. 

Comic relief shows up in the duo who work for Alice at the publishing house.  Jude Thurman and AJ Milunas jump into first performances at Candlelight with both feet.  I’m feeling quite sure they won’t be the last.  They bring a much-welcomed “Lucy and Ricky” vibe to the fun with AJ in the Lucy role.  They start as snobbish co-workers and end up as good friends to the hapless Billy still trying to figure life out.  Their musical number “Another Round” is a highlight of the second act. 

While there must be designated hooks backstage to hold the alternate clothes for all the characters as they switch back and forth from 1923 to 1946, the costumes hanging on those hooks are beautifully designed to keep us solidly in the correct place in the story and create an authentic picture of the history being explored.  The hairstyles additionally added to the authenticity of the production.  Kudos to the Debs – both Faber and Spaur for their work on this show.  The set designed by Casey Kearns, the props created by Rachel Ross, the lights designed by Vance Mackenzie, and the sound monitored by Mark Derryberry all combine to create gorgeous stage pictures, allow for smooth transitions in time, and enhance the overall production with professionalism and care.   

But the success of this production also rests easily on the shoulders of the creative team of Steve Wilson as Director, Tia Bloom as Choreographer, Jalyn Courtenay Webb as Vocal Director, and Mason Siders as Music Director.  Together, they guide this cast into the joyful noise of this production.  Steve has instilled a bit of his own heart into leading his cast into the charming evening they have all given us. Kick up your heels and come see this show!

A WOW factor of 9!!  That’s two 9’s in a row for you guys.  Good job!!