Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Uncommon Theatre’s spring musical is “Les Miserables”, the 8-time Tony Award winning musical. This musical version was composed in 1980 by French composer Claude Michel Schonberg with a libretto by Alain Boublil. Through-sung, it is probably the most famous of all French musicals and is one of the most performed musicals around. Set against the backdrop of 19th Century France, “Les Miserables” tells an enthralling epic story of broken dreams, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption. The world’s most popular musical examines the metamorphosis of ex-prisoner Jean Valjean who agrees to care for a dying factory worker’s young daughter, all the while being hunted for decades for stealing a loaf of bread, by the ruthless policeman, Javert. Director Maggie Dowd and musical director Danielle Clougher lead their talented cast with fantastic voices in this thoroughly enjoyable epic adventure of hope and redemption in the face of despair which leads you to laughter and tears in all the right places. A thunderous and spontaneous standing ovation is their well earned and deserved reward. Bravo!

Maggie blocks this enormous show excellently especially impressive is the last death scene of Valjean and the end of Act 1 blocking for “One More Day.” Many tears are shed at this splendid and heart rending presentation. I have been reviewing Maggie in shows since she was a little girl and now she is a fifth grade teacher in Westwood. Danielle conducts a ten piece orchestra and they enhance the harmonic balance of the voices in the solos, duets, trios and quartets and group numbers of this show. The diction is topnotch as is the strong vocals. High school junior Ben Reingold leads the cast as Jean Valjean. He is fabulous in this role. Ben brings great depth to this multidimensional character with a checkered past who finds redemption by living a life of virtue. Ben’s strong tenor voice soars off the charts especially in “Bring Him Home” when he prays over Marius at the siege at the barricade and in “Who Am I?” when he confesses who he really is to save another man’s life. His falsetto is magnificent. Another one of Ben’s terrific songs is his final solo when he asks God to bring him home during “To love another person is to see the face of God” which ensures there isn’t a dry eye in the house. I last reviewed Ben in the title role of “Shrek” for Uncommon Theatre in December of 2015. He has a splendid future in show business ahead of him.

Valjean’s nemesis, Javert is well played by Nate April. He has a strong singing voice in which he is able to sing bass notes and then high baritone notes later on in the song. Nate’s two solos are “Stars” where he compares his hunt of the convict to discovering the order of the stars in the constellation and in “Javert’s Suicide” where he kills himself after discovering that Valjean wasn’t pure evil like he thought he was all these years. This realization shatters his lifelong view of the world. The confrontations between Nate and Ben are splendid to behold in this topnotch version of the show. Lorie Simonian is marvelous as the sympathetic Fantine. She wins the hearts of the audience with her acting and singing prowess in “I Dreamed a Dream” where she describes her troubled past and in “Come to Me” when she begs Valjean to care for her daughter, Cosette. This latter number is performed as she lay dying in a hospital bed and evokes many tears with her strong delivery. This melody is later used in “On My Own” in Act 2. Lorie’s gut wrenching version of “I Dreamed a Dream” also leaves you in tears. She is one of the best Fantine’s I have seen.Young Cosette is played by Stella Scire who sings “Castle on a Cloud”.

Marius is excellently played by Matt Neary. He has a strong tenor voice which he displays in his solo, “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”, a poignant ballad that he sings about his dead companions. It is also heard in the romantic love song with Cosette and Eponine, “A Heart Full of Love”, the quartet “In My Life” and in “A Little Fall of Rain” as Eponine dies in his arms. Another tear jerker number that is marvelous to behold. Matt also sings in the group numbers “Red and Black”, “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and “One Day More.”  His acting in this role is spot on. I last reviewed him as Prince Eric in “Little Mermaid” last December.The pretty ingenue Cosette is excellently played by gorgeous brunette, Jade April who has a fabulous beautiful soprano voice that soars off the charts in her duets with Matt. The harmonic blend in the reprise of “A Heart Full of Love” with Ben and Matt is astounding. Her last scene with her dying father is also wonderfully portrayed.

The heroic Eponine is marvelously played by Maya Blodgett. Her fantastic voice is heard in “On My Own” where she decides to stand by Marius even though he is in love with Cosette and in “A Little Fall of Rain” after she is fatally shot. This latter song is gut wrenching and emotionally draining. Maya gives Eponine a backbone to stand up to her horrible and vile parents but an endearing quality which makes the audience root for her at the same time. Her comic but despicable parents, Monsieur and Madame Thenardier are well played by Zeke Solis and Sarah Seaberg. They both have strong singing voices and are hilarious as they swindle their customers out of the belongings in “Master of the House.” He becomes even more loathsome in “Dog Eat Dog” as he robs the dead bodies in the sewers after the siege at the barricade. They once again become comic when they try to swindle Marius at his wedding in “Beggars at the Feast” where they are dressed up to the nines. Sarah is hilarious in her verse of “Master of the House” describing her husband’s small love making prowess and is an absolute shrew as she mistreats Young Cosette in Act 1.

Another dynamic presence is Nick Levine as Enjolras who has a powerful tenor voice as he sells his many anthems with Marius and his fellow students including “Red and Black”, “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, “One Day More” and “Drink to Me of Days Gone By.” This last song is done before the students are killed at the barricade and it moves you to tears at its tender and poignant rendition. One of the biggest scene stealers is Gabriel Corey as Gavorche. He displays his strong voice in “ABC Cafe” with the street people and in his solo “Little People” where he exposes Javert as a spy and again when he is shot by a sniper while gathering ammunition. Gabriel tugs at your heartstrings in this role. I last reviewed him as Scuttle in “Little Mermaid.” Kudos to the entire chorus in all their numbers, too. So for a powerful presentation of this well known musical, be sure to catch “Les Miserables” by Uncommon Theatre. Tell them Tony sent you. Make sure you bring a lot of Kleenex with you.

LES MISERABLES (7 – 9 April)

Uncommon Theatre, Orpheum Theatre, 1 School St., Foxboro, MA

1(508)698-3098 or www.uncommontheatre.org

 

 

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Bristol Theatre Company’s current show is “The Drowsy Chaperone”, a five-time Tony Award winning musical. The show first opened on Broadway on May 1, 2006 and starred Georgia Engel as Mrs. Tottendale. It won Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score. The hilarious show-within-a-show begins when a die-hard musical fan decides to play his favorite cast album, a 1928 smash hit called The Drowsy Chaperone and the show magically bursts to life right in his very own apartment. It is a send up of a Jazz Age musical featuring one show stopping number after another. When the house lights dim, a man in a chair appears onstage and plays his favorite recording of this fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and “The Drowsy Chaperone” begins. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight. Director Christopher Margadonna picks the best 16 performers for these wild and madcap roles, winning his cast a thunderous standing ovation at the close of the show.

Chris adds some hilarious shtick to this show including Washington crossing the Delaware during “As You Stumble Along” with the cast moving Janet and the chaperone across the stage on the couch. Some of the sensational dance numbers choreographed for this show by Diane Champagne include the Charleston, tap, tango and Busby Berkley type dances to name a few, especially impressive is the roller skating dance while blindfolded. Chris is aided in his task by musical director Matt Marion who also plays lead keyboards for the show and taught the beautiful 1920’s type score to the cast. He leads a fabulous 5 piece orchestra. Christopher designed the two story set and the costumes are gorgeous especially the red outfit for the chaperone in Act 2.

Leading this cast in the pivotal role of the Man in the Chair is Frank O’Donnell. He narrates the show, keeping the plot moving along as well as delivering and enormous amounts of dialogue. The Man in the Chair weaves in and out of the scenes in a very hilarious manner. One of his funniest lines is that man wearing a unicorn penis on his head and Frank makes many other comic references along the way. He joins in on “Bride’s Lament”, the finale of Act 1 as well as the final scene of the show. This is one of the best roles I have seen Frank perform. Bravo!

 

Sarah Reed is fabulous as Janet Van De Graaff, showgirl who is giving up show biz to get married to an oil tycoon. Her voice is terrific as is her acting. Pretty blonde Sarah delivers the goods with her numbers including “Show Off” which begins as a torch song, builds into a belting number where she does high kicks and the hilarious “Bride’s Lament” where she compares her boyfriend to a monkey on a pedestal. Liam Bullard is tall, dark and handsome as her suitor Robert Martin. He is also a marvelous actor, singer and dancer especially in “Accident Waiting to Happen” when he roller skates around the stage while blindfolded. He also does an excellent song and dance routine to “Cold Feets” with RJ Lima as George, the best man. Their tap dancing in this number is breathtaking. RJ uses his tenor voice to also sing “Wedding Songs.”

The biggest scene stealer in this show is Samantha Brilhante as the drowsy chaperone with the clever shtick Chris gave her to do. She is hilarious when she guzzles the booze. Samantha uses her marvelous voice in the show stopping “As We Stumble Along” which refers to her drinking. She is also comical in “I Am Aldolpho” where she seduces the Latin lover with a tango and in “Message from a Nightingale” which sounds like “Western People Funny” from “The King & I.” It has rhyming words like Asian and Caucasian. Samantha does the latter song with Aldolpho, Kitty and the two gangsters and it leaves the audience in stitches. I have been reviewing her since she was in seventh grade in 2002.

Another scene stealer is the Latin Lothario played by Tre DiGioia. He has dark swarthy looks and he uses a smarmy charm to win over the audience as this character. His “I Am Aldolpho” is hysterical with a comic tango as he mistakes the drunken chaperone for the bride to be. Tre’s funny antics wins accolades from the crowd and he stops the show when he delivers his name in a deep mysterious voice. Bill Bullard is comical as the producer, Feldzieg. Bill displays his voice in “Toledo Surprise” where he and the cast do a rousing Charleston. Some of his best moments occur when he does a slow burn with the gangsters as they threaten him continually. Another scene stealer is Rachel Cloutier as Kitty, his dumb girlfriend who wants to replace Janet in the show. The only thing is her character isn’t as talented as Janet. She displays her dancing prowess in “Toledo Surprise.”

Two more wacky characters are the two gangsters well played by Ellie Knapman and Chris Dusel who disguise themselves as pastry chefs. They have many puns about cooking and are reminiscent of the two thugs from “Kiss Me Kate.” They display their voices in “Toledo Surprise” and “Message from a Nightingale.” Their scene stealing antics are priceless. Playing the eccentric dowager, Mrs. Tottendale is Kristen Bond whose character has the audience rolling in the aisles with laughter at her ditsy portrayal. Kristen has funny spit take bits with her butler who brings her vodka when she asks for ice water. Jeffery Patota is her faithful comic British butler, Underling. Their duet “Love is Always Lovely in the End” is well done. Elizabeth Dennis plays Trix, a mysterious woman who solves the problems facing the cast in the finale. She belts out a song called “I Do, I Do in the Skies” while the cast dances around her. Producer Marie Knapman makes a cameo appearance as the Superintendent who turns the electricity back on. Rounding out the cast is Brian Francis and Olivia Vezina. So for a fantastic, fun filled evening of song and dance in this witty and entertaining 1920’s style farcical musical, be sure to catch the tongue in cheek  “The Drowsy Chaperone” by the Bristol Theatre Company. They win a well deserved standing ovation at the close of the night. Be sure to tell them Tony sent you.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (8 to 11 March)

Bristol Theatre Company, Reynolds Arts and Wellness Center, 235 High St, Bristol, RI

www.bristoltheatrecompany.org

 

 

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

The second show of Newport Playhouse’s 34th year is “The Foursome” by Norm Foster. Rick, Ted, Donnie and Cameron are home for their 25th college reunion. During the weekend the men go out for a game of golf. During this game, they catch up on what they have been doing with their lives since college days. This is where they share their successes and failures. The play is set on eighteen tees of a golf and country club.

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Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

RISE’s current show is “Lend Me a Tenor”, a Tony Award winning farce by Ken Ludwig. The show is set in 1934 and revolves around renowned tenor, Tito Merelli, who is scheduled to sing the lead in “Otello”, produced as a fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves the hotel room, things begin to unravel. Chaos ensues when Merelli’s hot tempered Italian wife, Maria has mistaken Maggie, an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet for his secret lover. Maria leaves her husband, a Dear John letter. The distraught Tito is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him down and passes out. Saunders, the hard-ass general manager and Maggie’s father, is determined that the show must go on for his own financial sake, so he asks his assistant, Max, who is infatuated with Maggie, to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the black face makeup required for the role of Otello, and his disguise succeeds admirably until something shocking happens. What follows is a chain reaction of mistaken identity, plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes and constant slamming doors on the unit hotel set. Throw in Diana, the opera diva soprano and Julia, the chairwoman of the Board who both pursue Tito as well as an opera loving bellhop to complete this eight person cast. Director Elizabeth LaBrecque casts this show with a keen eye for farcical situations, which keeps the audience laughing merrily all night long.

Elizabeth keeps the show in constant motion and infuses her cast with the high energy to pull off this madcap roles. Michael Ferron leads the troupe in merriment, doing a wonderful job as Max. He has a multitude of funny and clever dialogue, going from meek and mild assistant to forceful opera singer when he imitates Tito finally winning the girl of his dreams. ‘s tenor voice soars in the operatic scenes especially in the aria with Tito in Act 1. He has many comic bits including the comic exercise scene with Tito, funny double takes and plays the suave lover when he seduces Maggie. One of his best moments comes when he stands up to the overbearing Saunders, becoming the mouse who roared at the lion. Robert Grady who also has a strong tenor voice is terrific as Tito. He uses an Italian accent in this role and commands the stage in his scenes, displaying a strong stage presence. Robert has many funny moments especially his argument scenes with his hot tempered Italian wife, Maria. Other funny moments include the double entendre, the mixed up happenings and when he and Max woo different girls at the same time. The biggest scene stealer in this show is Camille Terilli as the hot tempered Italian wife with the perfect Italian accent. This talented red haired actress is terrific as she runs roughshod over Tito threatening that she will make him a soprano if he doesn’t stop fooling around with other women. Camille commands the stage with the other characters making them quake in their boots while chasing them around the sofa into the bedroom. Her gestures and actions are priceless as she snarls at Maggie and Diana after they ask who she is. She receives many laughs with her hilarious antics. Camille and Roberto play off each other like a real life married couple with their spats.

The mean general manager is played by Steve Small. He plays the role in an over the top manner and is full of high energy every time he enters the stage. One of Steve’s funniest moments occurs when he chokes Tito in the bedroom scene and another when he yells at Max. His facial expressions and line delivery is excellent. I last reviewed Steve as Gary in “I Hate Hamlet” at Walpole Footlighters. Justine Durvin, a pretty brunette plays Maggie, who has a crush on Tito and fainted when he kissed her hand in Italy. She is wonderful as the infatuated ingenue. Maggie wants to have a fling before she settles down and her kissing scene with Max in blackface is hilarious. Also funny is when she asks for Tito’s autograph and mistakenly thinks he wants to make love with her. Maggie takes off her dress and throws herself at him. Dark haired Kathleen Seagriff plays the sex crazed opera diva, Diana who slept with every man in the opera company. One of the funniest scenes is when she throws Tito on the bed while Maggie throws Max on the sofa to have her way with him. Another funny scene is when Tito thinks her whole family are prostitutes. The wealthy dowager, Julia is wonderfully played by Mary Case. She wears a silver lame gown with a tiara which makes her look like the Chrysler Building. Mary has many funny lines as this Grand Dame and makes them all hit pay dirt. Tim Ferron is a hoot as the opera loving Bellhop. He steals many a scene while insulting Saunders and continually asking for Tito’s autograph. I last reviewed him two years ago as Arty in “Lost in Yonkers” at RISE and I didn’t recognize him because he grow so tall. The recap scene at the end of the show is hysterical, too. So for a fun filled farce, be sure to catch “Lend Me a Tenor” at RISE Playhouse in Woonsocket before time runs out.

LEND ME A TENOR (30 March to 9 April)

RISE Playhouse, 142 Clinton St., Woonsocket, RI

1(401)441-5011 or www.ristage.org

 

“TOMFOOLERY”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Community Players’ third show of their 96th season is “Tomfoolery”. “Tomfoolery” is a musical comedy revue of the witty, wicked and thoroughly twisted world of famed satirical songwriter, Tom Lehrer. In concerts, TV appearances and a series of now-classic recordings, the Harvard-educated math professor delighted millions of fans during the 50’s and 60’s with his dry, cynical but good humored attacks on the A-bomb, racism, pollution, the military, the boy scouts and, of course, mathematics. Nothing is sacred in this revue where no one is spared. Lee Rush picks a topnotch 6 member cast while Maria Day taught them all the tongue twisting and comic lyrics. Bill Whitehead supplies the dance steps needed to pull off this clever and fun filled musical revue.

This show can be compared to “Laugh-In” or “Saturday Night Live” where one of the performers describes what is happening in the next number of this 28 song revue. The talented cast members are Ken McPherson, Paul Oliver, Chris Margadonna, Alyce Hagopian, Vivian Carrette and Michael Thurber. Lee gives them clever shtick to perform as they are huddled around a bar onstage left while the four piece orchestra is onstage right. The ensemble numbers are “Be Prepared”, a send up of the Boy Scout’s motto, “National Brotherhood Week” where everyone hates everyone else, “Christmas Carol” where they sing about the commercialism of the holiday, the peppy “Vatican Rag” where they are dressed up as nuns and the final number is a spoof of what will happen during World War III with “We Will All Go Together When We Go” which ends the show with a big bang. Since there are so many numbers, I will mention a few highlights. “She’s My Girl” a torch song by Chris where he sings about everything that is wrong with his girlfriend while Michael sings “The Elements” to the tune of Modern Major General by Gilbert and Sullivan. Alyce’s comic number is “In Old Mexico” about a bullfight gone wrong while Vivienne’s is “I Got It From Agnes” where you think she is talking about a virus being passed among them but it ends up being a giant lollipop. Paul’s comic number is “I Hold Your Hand in Mine” while Ken’s is “The Masochism Tango” where he describes all the torturous things he’d like done to him. Also funny is the comic never ending “The Irish Ballad” about a girl killing her family while the most well known song is “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” which opens the show. Maria has some clever and funny ad libs with the cast and audience. She will be playing Mrs. Paroo in “The Music Man” at Theatre by the Sea this summer. So for a fun filled musical revue that will leave you laughing all night long, be sure to catch “Tomfoolery” at Community Players.

TOMFOOLERY (25 March to 9 April)

Community Players, Jenks Auditorium, 350 Division Street, Pawtucket, RI

1(401)726-6860 or www.thecommunityplayers.net

 

 

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Company Theatre’s current musical is “Sister Act”, the international smash hit musical based on the mega-hit, 1992 film that starred Whoppi Goldberg. Zoe Bradford and Jordie Saucerman spare no expense in bringing the highest quality productions and the highest quality of talent to this historic theatre and this one is another feather in their cap. When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in one place that cops think she can’t be found: a convent. Disguised as a nun,

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