Beauty and the Beast

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "Beauty and the Beast" by Woolverton, Menken, Rice & Ashman

Date: Sat, Aug 12, 11:10 AM

Quicktake on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

     To close their 38th season, the Reagle Players have mounted a full-scale production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," which has had several local productions in the past two years, from North Shore's arena version to various community and school attempts. As usual, Reagle's show is an ambitious effort featuring a massive set with full orchestra, an experienced cast, two level wagons and impressive costumes, some hired from North Shore's production. The effect is generally impressive, though Michael Jarrett's lighting design, which features a quartet of moving instruments seems too dark at critical moments and would benefit from integral lighting on the set wagons, which might be too complicated.

     As usual the voices and talents are impressive. Reagle's "resident" Broadway star, IRNE winner Sarah Pfisterer is a heartfelt Belle, while Fred Inkley's signature Beast is heartbreaking with a surprising comic side. Edward Watts, seen last month in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" gets a workout as Gaston with a voice to match his biceps. Among the local favorites, Reagle stalwart Harold Walker plays Belle's father Maurice while newcomer Paul Giragos displays his abilities as a physical comedian as Lefou, Gaston's much-abused sidekick. Among the enchanted objects, Beth Gotha, seen on various local professional stages is Mrs. Potts with Sam Blumenfeld as her son Chip, the teacup. Another Reagle veteran, Roy Earley is Cogsworth the clock. Recent B.C. grad M. Zach Bubolo shows promise as the candlestick Lumiere, while community theatre regular Melissa Beauregard is Babette the feather duster. NEC opera grad Rachelle Riehl is Madame de la Grande Bouche, the operasinging vanity. Among the dancers, Kia Chao is outstanding as the acrobatic Rug.

     The creative staff is led by director Kate Swan, a veteran of the original show and associate choreographer for various tours. The recreated choreography is managed by Reagle's new associate producer Eileen Grace. Reagle's staff music director Paul S. Katz is in charge with conductor Jeffrey P. Leonard getting impressive sound as usual from his full professional pit. The costumes are from Terry Schwab at the Cumberland County Playhouse with additional pieces from Miguel Angel Huidor at NSMT. The set was hired from ZFX. "Beauty and the Beast" is an impressive finale to this season. It runs for one more weekend with a 7:30 curtain to accommodate familes.

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"Beauty and the Beast" by Woolverton, Menken, Rice & Ashman, Aug. 10 - 19

Reagle Players at Robinson Theatre

Waltham High, Lexington St. / (781) 891 - 5600
Reagle Players

SWIMMING AFTER DARK

SWIMMING AFTER DARK
at Devanaughn Theatre

note: entire contents copyleft 2006 by Will Stackman

written by Emily Dendinger
directed by Krista D'Agostino
Scenic Design .... Tim Hoover
Costume Design .... Crystal Gomes
Lighting .... Dan O'Brien
Production Stage Manager .... Katie Mihalko
CAST
Zoe Weingart .... Bronte Keller
Daniel DeStefano .... James Godfrey
Susan Gross .... Claudia Stevens-Keller
Jonathan Popp .... Morton Jefferson

This was the third outing for recent BC grad Emily Dendinger's long one act "Swimming After Dark". This drama about family secrets and literary ethics has already been seen on campus as a part of a departmental mainstage production and at the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival, where it received a award in 2005. The production which just closed at the Piano Factory showed a lot of promise and is certainly ready for a final phase of development. It's complex mystery involves the unexplained suicide of writer Claudia Stevens-Keller and its effect on her daughter Bronte Keller. Susan Gross handled this flamboyant character with typical flair while Zoe Weingart showed depth as her repressed daughter. We never see the two together in real time, since Claudia died in 1984 and the play begins in 2004, as Bronte is about to sell the family home after the death of her father, whom she's been caring for.

The story is told by alternating between scenes from the past on the day of Claudia's death , and in the present, when Bronte reunites briefly with a former lover from her college years, James Godfrey played by Daniel DeStefano. Currently a college instructor, he's trying to finish his dissertation on American "one hit wonders," writers who produced only one major work, as Claudia did. He's found a manuscript of "Swimming After Dark," the only novel of Morton Jefferson, played by Jonathan Popp with a cryptic handwritten dedication from Claudia. Gradually it becomes clear that the two were lovers. The two female leads are more fully developed than the their partners, though all four characters would benefit from both detail and scope.

The alternations between present and past, with occasional overlaps, keep the plot abreast of the revelations concerning the four characters, Director Krista D'Agostino kept a tight rein on both, culminating in the final scene when Bronte listens to her mother, who was recording "Wuthering Heights" for her young daughter, as she switches to "Good Night, Moon," a childhood favorite. What the script needs as a next stage in development is more depth for these two women and their complex relationship. All the facts are there, it's the motivations which remain thin. "Swimming After Dark" is another current drama which needs an intermission and the resulting breathing space. Also the question of why Claudia only wrote one novel is noticeably passed over. After more work, a longer version would certainly be welcome on any regional stage.

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"Swimming After Dark" (July 27 - Aug. 6)
Holland Productions
Devanaughn Theatre, Piano Factory

The Taming of the Shrew

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "The Taming of the Shrew" by Wm. Shakespeare

Date:Sunday, July 30, 2006

Quicktake on THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

     At least it's free. And since the stage has been set up parallel to Charles St., the audience doesn't have to watch on a slant unlike last summer's "Hamlet". VIP seating doesn't obscure the view for the groundlings as much, though inconsiderate people with tall chairs tend to. As for this summer's production, a modern dress version of "The Taming of the Shrew"--set in the North End of "Bostonia" instead of Padua--it's more of the same misplaced invention. The young lover, Lucentio, played by Scott Barrow, lurches onstage on roller blades. His man Tranio, played by Nat DeWolf, has a textbook "Bahstin" accent, less convincing than Larry Coen's homegrown improv honed version as Biondello. Petruchio, played by Darren Pettie rides in on a Vespa scooter. After marrying Jennifer Dundas' Kate, he takes her home to Revere Beach, suggested by a backdrop of giant beach towels, beach chairs, and a Weber grill. Baptista, Kate & Bianca's father, played with an accent by Paul D. Farwell, runs an italian restaurant called 'Tista's, spelled out in illuminated letters which dominates the set. Younger daughter Bianca, played by Angie Jepson, elopes also on skates. And so it goes.

     An experienced cast does as well as can be expected jumping from situation to situation, developing rather one-note characterizations. This is least effective, unfortunately, for the two leads who come off as singleminded and loud, with no simpatico. Those with clownish roles, like Remo Airaldi's Hortensio, one of Bianca's official suitors, come off better. As Petruchio's man Grumio, energetic Antonio Edwards Suarez is too intent on physical comedy, however. The tone of the show is set more by Clint E.B.Ramos' post WWII costuming and J Hagenbuckle's selection of pop tunes than by John Coyne's impressive but inflexible realistic set. This large cast effort demonstrates that throwing money at an idea doesn't help if there's no core to the basic idea.

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The Taming of the Shrew" by Wm. Shakespeare, July 22 - Aug.13 (weather permitting)

Commonwealth Shakespeare at the Parade Ground

Boston Common, (617) 532-1212
Commonwealth Shakespeare