Area high school students will hit the stage at the Huron Country Playhouse this summer as members of the chorus of Disney’s High School Musical May 19 to June 5. Auditions for Avon Maitland, Bluewater, Huron Perth and Lambton Kent District School Boards take place this Sunday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at South Huron District High School; London and Thames Valley District School Boards will audition from 2 to 5 p.m.. The auditions are exclusively for students in Grades 9 to 12, and 36 students will be chosen to perform in the show alongside professional actors, including Canadian I…

Wingfield Lost & Found
Written by Dan Needles
Directed by Doug Beattie
Performed by Rod Beattie
Grand Theatre, London
February 9 to 28, 2010

Entertain This Thought!
By Mary Alderson

The Wingfield franchise of laughter continues with its seventh instalment, Wingfield Lost & Found, which opened Friday at London’s Grand Theatre.

For those not familiar with the Wingfield series, Dan Needles has used a string of newspaper columns to create a story of a Toronto stockbroker who leaves the big city to become a hobby farmer in the mythical township of Persephone. Stratford actor Rod Beattie stars in the one-man shows, directed by his brother Doug Beattie. The series has a loyal following, and they have stuck closely to their popular format – almost all the same characters, on the same set, but with new laughs in each play. The plays have been filmed for television, in exactly the same format as the stage productions.

The play opens with Walt’s Belted Galloway cattle escaping, and the nephews try to round them up using text messaging to track their whereabouts. Walt’s neighbour, the Squire, says that having those two show up to help is like have four good men not show up. Maybe you’re familiar with the Galloway: they are black at each end, with a white belt in the middle, like an Oreo cookie, which Walt thinks would be easier to raise.

It’s a long hot summer on the 7^th line, and the Wingfields’ well runs dry. Walt tries to get the local witcher, “Dry Well Delbert”, out of the retirement home to tell him where to drill a well. At $40 a foot, AAA Well Drilling puts down a 200’ well with no water, as Walt interviews other diviners and dowers. The drought continues with great hilarity.

Rod Beattie makes a one man show seem easy, as he switches from one character to another. I started counting the characters for which he has distinctive voices, and lost track at about 13 (that’s counting Walt and Maggie’s toddler Hope who says beep-beep and Spike the dog who says woof, in a sub-plot about the Road Runner chasing the Coyote.)

I heard some of the stories two years ago when Dan Needles spoke at a conference I attended. Needles explains how he (or Walt) moved from the city to the country thinking it would be better for the environment. But as a city dweller, he left his car parked underground in his high-rise apartment building. Everywhere he went, he walked or took transit. But moving to the country, he now drives a 4×4 everywhere he goes, uses a tractor, a garden tractor, a lawnmower, etc. His carbon footprint is much greater as a rural dweller. Needles got plenty of laughs at the conference, but when the words come out of Walt’s mouth, they are even funnier.

If you’re a fan of Wingfield, you will, of course, enjoy this latest adventure. If you haven’t seen any of the series before, that’s all right, you can jump in any time and still have fun.

Wingfield Lost & Found continues at the Grand Theatre in London until February 28. Tickets are available at the Grand box office at 519-672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593, or visit www.grandtheatre.com .

A member of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association, Mary Alderson reviews shows at area theatres and posts her reviews at www.entertainthisthought.com

Little House on the Prairie ~ The Musical

Written by Rachel Sheinkin, based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Music by Rachel Portman
Lyrics by Donna Di Novelli
Directed by Francesca Zambello
Choreographed by Michele Lynch
Musical direction by Kevin Stites
Performed by Melissa Gilbert, Steve Blanchard, Kara Lindsay, Kate Loprest, Kevin Massey, Alessa Neeck, Carly Rose Sonenclar.
Guthrie Theater Production/Mirvish
Canon Theatre, Toronto
January 27 to February 28, 2010

Entertain this Thought
Review by Mary Alderson

The new musical, Little House on the Prairie, is a cross between two old favourite musicals:  Anne of Green Gables and Oklahoma!
If you like Anne’s perkiness, then you’ll love Laura’s spunk.  If you like the settlers’ tenacity in Oklahoma!, then you’ll love the Ingalls family’s triumph over tribulations.
An American touring company of Little House on the Prairie ~ The Musical, originating in Minneapolis, has been brought to Toronto’s Canon Theatre by the Mirvishes.  The new musical follows the series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, rather than the long-running TV show, if memory serves.   However, the television series is well represented, with Melissa Gilbert, who starred in the series as Laura, playing the role of Ma in the musical.  Gilbert received a warm round of applause when she stepped on the stage.
The story traces the Ingalls family, Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura and Carrie, as they settle a tract of land near DeSmet, Dakota Territory, in the 1800s.  The Ingalls girls find it difficult to fit in at the country school, and Laura’s nemesis, Nellie Oleson, scorns them.  Life is rough – winters are harsh, prairie fires destroy the wheat crop, and scarlet fever leaves Mary blind.  In order to pay tuition for Mary to attend a college for the blind, Laura at age 15 takes a job teaching school at the Brewster settlement. She struggles with living with away from home in an unwelcoming household.  But Laura manages to earn enough to get Mary off to school, where she eventually receives a scholarship.  With the requisite happy ending, Laura and the young farmer with the strange first name, Almanzo Wilder, marry and make their home on the prairie.
Melissa Gilbert as Ma may be the drawing card to introduce this new musical, but unfortunately she is not a singer.  She and the director have recognized that fact: her performance is credible with simple tunes and very few solo parts. It is a great novelty to see her now at age 46 taking on the role of mother. Also interesting to note, I believe that one of the young schoolboys in the show, Michael Boxleitner is Melissa Gilbert’s son.
Steve Blanchard as Pa symbolizes the pioneer spirit well and has a beautiful voice. His rendition of the song The Prairie Moves early in the show is a touching account of his love of the land.
Kara Lindsay as Laura is excellent in portraying the energetic little tomboy who makes the transition to the responsible young woman.  Lindsay is one of those actors who commands the stage with her sparkling eyes.  Alessa Neeck is good as Mary and handles the difficult task of being blind very well.  The two young women both have powerful singing voices and harmonize well in the poignant song I’ll Be Your Eyes.
Kate Loprest provides the comic relief as Nellie Oleson, complete with the head full of blonde ringlets.  Kevin Massey as Almanzo has a soaring tenor voice and is endearing in his efforts to befriend Laura.  Little Carly Rose Sonenclar at age 10 handles the role of Carrie well, another item on her already impressive list of credits.
As with many touring shows, the set is simple:  two walls are rolled out to represent the little house.  The colours of sunsets and clouds in the big sky create a prairie feel.  Representing horse drawn wagons and sleighs is always a challenge on stage.  In this case, the actors held long reins fastened to the stage, as they jumped or bounced about to simulate the ride – by the end of the show, the reins seem overdone.
The choreography in the Fourth of July celebration was out of synch and needed tightening while the dancers seemed tired the night I was there.  But they redeemed themselves in the curtain call where they really seemed to be having fun.
Little House on the Prairie ~ The Musical will become very popular with high schools and community theatre as it will support a large cast.  In this production there were 24 on stage.  The creators have included all the ingredients of the old favourite musicals:  the horse race scene is reminiscent of the joust in Camelot, the Fourth of July celebration is similar to the barn raising in Oklahoma!  It is a great family show, and will be enjoyed by all ages, especially those who liked reading the Little House books.

For tickets, call TicketKing 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333 or go to www.mirvish.com

A member of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association, Mary Alderson reviews shows at area theatres and posts her reviews at www.entertainthisthought.com .

The Last Five Years
Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Vikki Anderson
Musical direction by Ryan DeSouza
Performed by Julie Martell and Mark Uhre
Grand Theatre, London
January 19 to February 6, 2010
Reviewed by Mary Alderson

Entertain This Thought!
By Mary Alderson

The Last Five Years, currently on stage at the Grand Theatre in London, is one of those show-business shows that will be appreciated more by those in the industry. A musical with very few spoken words, it tells the story of a five-year relationship between Jamie, a writer, and Cathy, an actress. But even if all audience members don’t identify with their careers, they will recognize the flaws in the relationship.
There is a catch you need to know in order to really understand what’s happening: Cathy starts telling the story in the present, and then she works her way back reliving the last five years. At the same time, Jamie describes their relationship, starting when he first fell in love with Cathy. In Act One Cathy is miserable with the break up of their marriage and her difficulties leading up to it, while Jamie is happy and head-over-heels in love with her as the relationship begins. In Act Two, Jamie is increasingly unhappy with Cathy, while she moves back through their blissful early days together. The action flips back and forth between the two characters, until the middle of the show, when they are on stage singing together at the time of their wedding.
Unless you realize that Jamie’s story moves forward in time while Cathy’s moves backwards, the show could be very confusing. During Act One, I heard murmurs from audience members who did not understand what was happening. This is an example of why theatregoers need to take time to read the playbill before the show or do some homework before they get to the theatre.
In spite of the unusual time shifts, The Last Five Years does an excellent job of exploring a relationship. And even though we know immediately that it ends badly, we are still interested, wanting to know what went wrong and why. Few shows would be able to get an audience’s full attention after revealing the end first. Jamie’s work as a writer is taking off, while Cathy is struggling with her career as an actress. The audience is led on a few twists and turns – who do we blame for the failure of the marriage? Is it because she’s too possessive and jealous, or is he too wrapped up in his writing and the high life that comes with his success? Writer and music composer Jason Robert Brown gives the stories authenticity and his intricate pop/rock music keeps the audience engaged.
Mark Uhre as Jamie immediately makes the audience love him with his giddiness early in the relationship. He is a delightful storyteller in The Schmuel Song. Uhre handles the shift from happy romantic to disenchanted husband very well and expresses himself perfectly in song.
Julie Martell as Cathy breaks our hearts in the first scene with her song Still Hurting. She is excellent as the unhappy, dissatisfied Cathy, but doesn’t match Uhre’s exuberance when the relationship is at its outset. In Act Two, one would assume that she should be happy, but she fails to really demonstrate it in the songs. She provides comic relief in Climbing Uphill/Audition Sequence as we hear her thoughts during an audition. Unfortunately, Martell has some difficulty switching from her belting voice to her soft voice in Jason Robert Brown’s complex style of song writing.
The set is interesting – on top is a waterfront pier and they even move across in a boat. It looks great, but I just wish the boat would float along smoothly. The lower set is their apartment building – we see in windows, sometimes through Venetian blinds. I found the fact that they moved in and out through a half-door below one window a little strange. I also appreciated the range in lighting and how it changed with the characters’ moods. However, the shadows in the muted lighting created distracting blotches on their faces.
Jason Robert Brown gives a fascinating inside look into both sides of a relationship. His lyrics express the feelings well and the music is moving. The Grand gives us a credible version of his work.
The Last Five Years continues at the Grand Theatre in London until February 6. Tickets are available at the Grand box office at 519-672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593, or visit www.grandtheatre.com .

A member of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association, Mary Alderson reviews shows at area theatres and posts her reviews at www.entertainthisthought.com.

Drayton Entertainment is looking for area teens to be members of the chorus for Disney’s High School Musical, which runs from May 19 to June 5 at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend.
Open auditions will be held on Sunday, February 21 at South Huron District High School in Exeter from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for students of the Avon-Maitland, Bluewater, Huron-Perth and Lambton-Kent District School Boards only; from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for students of the London District and Thames Valley District School Boards only.
Auditions are open exclusively to students in Grades 9 though 12. Students do not need to prepare any material for the audition; please bring a recent photo and comfortable clothes and shoes for the movement audition.
Additional information is available at: draytonentertainment.com.

The Wizard of Oz
Written by L. Frank Baum
Music and lyrics by Harold Arden and E. Y. Harburg
Directed by Susan Ferley
Musical direction by Mike Lerner, assisted by Floydd Rickets
Choreography by Kerry Gage, assisted by Doug Price
Grand Theatre, London
November 25 to January 3, 2009

Live! On Stage!
Review by Mary Alderson

An old favourite has been revived at the Grand Theatre. The Wizard of Oz is on their stage again, after just seven years. However, as director Susan Ferley points out, that’s a lifetime for some members of the Wizard’s audience.
The classic story of Dorothy’s adventures after a cyclone carries her away over the rainbow is fresh and lively in this new production. Sets and costumes are colourful and the cast’s energy is amazing.
A delightful chorus of 10 children makes this performance. The kids play several roles: Munchkins, Crows, Poppies, Apple Trees, Winkies, Jitterbugs and Ozians, They sing and dance their way through the show, keeping energy levels up as if they were professionals.
The rest of the cast maintains the pace. Adrienne Merrell is an animated Dorothy. Her trio of travellers are all well cast: Keith Savage as the Scarecrow/Hunk; Alana Bridgewater as the Cowardly Lion/Zeke; and Steven Gallagher as the Tin Woodsman/Hickory. Keith Savage is always a favourite Huron Country Playhouse, with his talent for song, dance and comedy. As the Scarecrow, he delights the audience with his stumbles and spins. Alana Bridgewater was the Killer Queen in Toronto’s We Will Rock You, the Queen musical. She has the opportunity to rock the Lion’s music in this production.
Jewell Blackman was last seen at the Grand as Deena in Dream Girls. As Miss Gultch and the Wicked Witch of the West, she too, rocks her numbers. Her green hair, twisted into a point, gives the audience a chuckle when she takes off her witch’s hat.
Stephanie Roth is a charming Glinda and a realistic Auntie Em, while Shane Carty is a quiet Uncle Henry but comes on strong as the Ozian guard, offering some laughs. Kawa Ada’s wizard is reminiscent of Joel Grey’s Wizard in Wicked, and he plays a charming Professor Marvel.
Almost stealing the show is Tilley, the Norfolk Terrier, as Toto. The well-trained four-legged actor performs on cue every time, and receives oohs and aahs from the audience every time she wagged her little tail. (For some fun, visit the Grand’s website and read Tilly’s blog – she describes the rehearsals from her vantage point, 8 inches off the ground.)
The costumes are extraordinary. The Munchkins colourful assortment, through to the Ozians green outfits are all so eye-catching. But the favourite has to be the Jitterbugs. The children are dressed in Roaring Twenties style zoot suits and flapper dresses in shades of red, pink and purple, complete with bug antennae sticking out of their hats!
The sets are not to be outdone by the colourful costumes. Munchkinland is awash in psychedelic colours. Even the tornado was applauded! The pyrotechnic special effects were very well done – enough fire to scare a Scarecrow.
The choreography is outstanding. Both the adult cast members and the children have all the moves, from rock and roll to jazz and jitterbug jives, along with back-flips and cartwheels. And what dance does he Tin Man do? Why, the Can-Can, of course! Kudos to choreographer Kerry Gage and Assistant Choreographer Doug Price.
The vocals and music are exceptional, too, thanks to Musical Director Mike Lerner and Apprentice Musical Director Floydd Ricketts. This classic story has been dressed up with jazz, rock, doo-wop and more to keep it lively.
The old movie has some lulls in the action as the characters move towards the big meeting with the Wizard, but the Grand’s production as overcome any plot slowdowns with lively choreography and quick scene and costume changes. Children will love the show, and adults will not be disappointed.
The Wizard of Oz continues at the Grand Theatre in London until January 3. Tickets are available at the Grand box office at 672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently employed with the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.

Story by Casey Lessard

Disney sensation High School Musical will kick off a musical summer at the Huron Country Playhouse as Drayton Entertainment prepares for the 2010 season. The playbill also includes Sweet Charity, Country Legends, Cagney! and the world premiere of Dance Legends.
The playbill “offers something for everyone,” artistic director Alex Mustakas said in a release, “and appeals to avid theatergoers who want a taste of all genres.”
The season opener, High School Musical, runs May 18 to June 5 and follows Troy and Gabriella as they navigate the tricky world of high school. Based on the Disney film series, the musical was a big hit in 2009 at St. Jacobs and Penetanguishene. A full review is available at grandbendstrip.com.
Sweet Charity follows June 9 to 26, and follows the misadventures of Charity Hope Valentine in 1960s New York. Country Legends, which features tributes to Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and more. comes to Grand Bend after a sold-out run in Drayton and Penetanguishene; it runs June 30 to July 24. The Canadian premiere of Cagney!, a celebration of silver screen legend James Cagney, runs July 28 to August 7. The season ends with Dance Legends, a Drayton Entertainment original production; it hits the stage August 11 to September 4.
On the second stage, watch as two couples from contrasting walks of life face the unpredictable waves of romance in Separate Beds. It runs at Playhouse II August 3 to September 4.

To learn more and to buy tickets, which are already available for members and go on sale to subscribers November 1 and the general public January 4, call 1-888-449-4463 or visit draytonentertainment.com.

Cyrano de Bergerac
Written by Edmond Rostand
Translated by Anthony Burgess
Directed by Donna Feore, with Colm Feore as Cyrano
Stratford Shakespeare Festival Production
Festival Stage, Stratford
May 29 to November 1, 2009

Live! On Stage!
By Mary Alderson

One of my favourite Stratford actors, Colm Feore, is starring in Cyrano de Bergerac on the Festival Stage, and as usual, he makes the show. I remember first enjoying Feore when he played Henry Higgins in Stratford’s My Fair Lady, absolutely stealing the show with his energy. Other memorable Feore shows were Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, and Oliver!, in which he played a menacing Fagin.
In the role of Cyrano, Feore reminds me of the character he played in the movie Bon Cop Bad Cop, a bilingual police officer trying to solve a murder that took place on the Ontario-Quebec border. He plays Cyrano switching seamlessly from English to French throughout the show, conveying the meaning of every word through his acting, in case anyone has difficulty understanding either language.
The story of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rosland is well known. It first premiered on the French stage in 1897. Stratford’s version was translated Anthony Burgess of Clockwork Orange fame. It is cleverly written and credit must go to Burgess for maintaining the wit in translation.
Cyrano is a swashbuckling musketeer, who unfortunately has been blessed with a very large and long nose. He has made it clear to his colleagues that he doesn’t want any mention of his oversized proboscis. But whenever anyone sees him for the first time, they can’t stop themselves from staring and commenting.
Cyrano is in love with the beautiful Roxane, but realizes he has no chance with her because of his gigantic nose. When she confesses her love for Christian, Cyrano kindly tells Roxane he will look out for Christian and keep him safe in battle.
Cyrano also generously offers to help Christian woo the lovely Roxane. He tells the romantically-challenged Christian what to say and writes love letters for him. So of course, Roxane falls in love with the notion of the romantic Christian, even though he is inept as a suitor.
When Cyrano’s overbearing, older commanding officer, De Guiche, shows a lecherous interest in Roxane, Cyrano encourages the marriage of Roxane and Christian to thwart De Guiche’s dishonourable intentions. To retaliate, De Guiche sends Cyrano and Christian off to the front lines in battle, and tragically Christian is killed. Roxane is heartbroken. The show concludes with Roxane and Cyrano meeting many years later, and finally she learns whose words had impressed her so much.
There have been many movie versions of Cyrano de Bergerac, and even a Broadway musical. The humourous favourite is the Steve Martin – Daryl Hannah version Roxanne, in 1987. Canadian comedians Wayne and Schuster had an excellent parody Cyrano de Bergerac as part of their CBC TV specials. But it is always wonderful to see an original and Stratford’s version is well done.
The costumes are colourful and extravagant. The show opens with a play within the play, where the actors are delightfully made up and dressed.
Colm Feore is utterly outstanding as Cyrano. His huge nose is amazing: the makeup is very realistic. Michael Shara is excellent as Christian with perfect comedic timing. His bungled attempts at romancing Roxane are laugh-out-loud funny, just before Cyrano steps in to assist. Amanda Lisman is an adequate Roxane, although misses opportunity for comedy. She is also unconvincing as she plays the aging woman. The rest of the colourful cast of 30 or more characters are exciting and engaging throughout the show. Credit goes to Director Donna Feore, Colm’s wife. A young Thomas Feore plays a page – it will be interesting to see the next generation.
The action of stage is remarkable, with fast action sword fights, and cannons exploding in war. The sets are incredible: there is even a full bakery complete with a huge inventory of goods. As Cyrano ages, fall leaves come fluttering to the ground.
For any Feore fan, it is well worth the trip to Stratford.

Cyrano de Bergerac continues at the Festival Theatre, Stratford until November 1. For tickets, call the box office at 1-800-567-1600 or check www.stratfordfestival.ca.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently employed with the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.

Story by Casey Lessard

Sometimes the Huron Country Playhouse saves the best for last, and this year is one of those times. Evita, playing now until August 29, is top quality theatre thanks to excellent hiring decisions that include a star director, a perfect Evita, and great talent all around.
Michael Lichtefeld, who was a performer in the original Broadway cast of Evita, directs and choreographs the Playhouse version to great effect.
“I’m not recreating what we did on Broadway,” Lichtefeld says, “but you can’t do a show for two years and not be influenced by what you did. I’m trying to make it my own and make it fresh for now.”
For Lichtefeld, a key part of making it fresh is the star he discovered after a chance audition.
“I think we’ve found a Canadian star in Dena Chiarcossi,” he says. “She’s exactly what I was looking for because I was looking for someone young and on the verge of a breakthrough. For me, she’s spectacular in the show. The whole cast is terrific.”
Chiarcossi planned to audition for a secondary role, Juan Perón’s mistress.
“I asked my agent if I could audition to play the part,” she says, “but they said it was already cast, but they’re looking for an Eva. I said, all right, I’ll try.”
“She’s an incredible actress and has an amazing voice,” Lichtefeld says. “I asked her at the audition if she could dance and she said ‘a little.’ Well, she dances a lot more than just ‘a little.’ She’s quite a find for me, and she knocked my socks off.”
The show opens with Eva Perón’s 1952 death at age 33, and flashes back to show her life from age 15 to her rise to power with her husband Juan Perón, who was Argentina’s president from 1946 to 1955 and again from 1973 to 1974. During her time at Casa Rosada (the presidential residence), Eva Perón championed women’s rights and the rights of workers.
“I’ve always been on her side,” Lichtefeld says. “There’s something interesting about a woman, especially in the ‘30s and ‘40s, who worked her way up through a male-dominated society to become as powerful as she did. At the end, it went to her head. But look at how many young stars spend all their money or get burned out at the end.
“She’s kind of an anti-hero. She’s a tough character and you’re either going to love her or be elated that she dies in the end.”
Chiarcossi believes the script makes Evita (or Little Eva) look worse than she was.
“Eva Perón was for the people,” she says. “The reason she wanted power and jewels and money was to show the upper class and middle class that they’re not the only ones entitled to this. She, being lower class, wanted to show the people of Argentina that they too could have all of those riches. That’s what I believe. The script is a little different. It manipulates that a little. It shows her more on the arrogant and greedy side.”
This is the challenge for viewers: is Evita (the character) good or bad?
“For me, it’s about how power can corrupt,” Lichtefeld says. “She started off with ambitions to be greater than what fate had dealt her at the beginning. She worked her way up to be the first lady of Argentina. She did some great stuff but also some really bad stuff.
“She slept her way to the top. But she got the vote for women in Argentina, and that itself is a big deal.”
As a counterpoint, Stephen Patterson plays narrator Che Guevara, who never met Evita.
“I tried to find out why they chose him,” says Patterson, who plays a central role in the success (once again – he starred in Miss Saigon and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) of this Playhouse presentation. “What would his problems be with Perónism? A revolutionary acts from the heart. She might have believed she was there for the people, but Che would likely say that she wasn’t.”
With strong singing, dancing and acting, perfectly simple set pieces, and wonderful orchestration, Evita is a perfect reason to spend a couple of hours in the Playhouse theatre on a hot August afternoon or evening.
“It’s controversial, which makes good theatre and makes you think,” Patterson says. “If you can leave the theatre and think about something, we’ve done our job.”

Clooney Tunes
Created, Directed and Choreographed by Dean Regan
Performed by Judy Marshak, Graham Coffeng, & Jay T. Schramek
Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia
August 11 – 29, 2009

Live! On Stage!
Review by Mary Alderson

For those who remember and take pleasure in the music of Rosemary Clooney, Clooney Tunes will be an enjoyable evening at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia.
To many of us, Rosemary Clooney is just one of the sisters in the classic movie White Christmas. But she also had a long singing career, performing in the style of a big band vocalist or jazz singer. This musical revue brings together 19 of her favourite songs from the 40s and 50s – for those familiar with that era, it will be a great nostalgia trip.
Dean Regan, well known for his creation of A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, collected the songs and put the revue together. This Petrolia production is the world premier of Clooney Tunes.
Judy Marshak portrays Rosemary Clooney, singing tunes such as “This Ole House”, “Mambo Italiano”, and “Come on-a my house.” Jay T. Schramek and Graham Coffeng, both with smooth vocals, back her. A three-piece band, including Michael Barber, Spencer Lewis Cole and Michael Herring, provides the music.
Schramek gets spontaneous applause for a dance solo early in the show. He also provides the comedy as a cowboy in an extreme hat, and keeps the audience laughing at his over-the-top expressions. Coffeng with his singing voice duels with Schramek’s amazing tap-dance skills in an entertaining number.
The audience fully enjoys their rendition of Sisters, a favourite song from White Christmas. But instead of two beautiful sisters, we get three – Marshak is flanked by Coffeng and Schramek in very interesting glittering gowns.
Local children Justine Davis, Katherine McNabb, Emily Cross and Sharlyn Mcquigge alternate performances and portray Clooney’s family in the early numbers.
The set for the final number, White Christmas, brought forth “oohs and aahs” from the audience. Barn doors are opened to reveal a beautiful winter scene with snow falling, while a sleigh appears. Marschak wears a beautiful red satin dress, recreating the movie scene.
Costume changes and moving set pieces took a little longer then they should have, on opening night. We hope the pace will be stepped up over the run of the show, to avoid the loss of momentum.
The performance is short, running just over an hour and a half including an intermission. There is more Regan could do with this show to make it good theatre. Perhaps a little more of Clooney’s life could be included: she tried to overcome a dysfunctional upbringing, battling mental health issues and weight problems. Her career faltered, then she made a comeback. Those who remember Clooney will enjoy this light fare, but to attract a new audience, a story is needed.
Clooney Tunes continues with eight shows a week at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia until August 29. Call the box office at 1-800-717-7694 or (519) 882-1221 for tickets.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently employed with the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.