A Blissful Production of ‘A Little Night Music’ at Ogunquit Playhouse

A Little Night Music. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Direction by Hunter Foster. Choreography by Shannon Lewis. Music Direction by Jeffrey Campos. Scenic Design by Riw Rakkulchon. Lighting Design by Richard Latta. Costume Design by Hunter Kaczorowski. Sound design by Daniel Lindbergh. Wig Design by Roxanne De Luna. At Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit ME, through August 17, 2024.

by Linda Chin

It’s time to send in the summer crowds to the little seaside village of Ogunquit, Maine, and its legendary regional theater. The Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of musical theatre’s “Giant in the Sky” Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, which runs through August 17th, is spectacular. Hugh Wheeler’s book, inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, tells the story of three generations of  Armfeldts: the aging, wealthy, and wise former courtesan Madame Armfeldt (Kathleen Turner, elegant as usual), her also aging daughter, the renowned actress Desirée (Julia Murney), an aging actress and single mother to Fredrika (Lily Philbrook) and their many permutations of romantic partners. A Little Night Music is part operetta, part social commentary, and part bedroom farce. With the masterful score and brilliant lyrics that are Sondheim’s trademark, paired with the Ogunquit Playhouse’s usual outstanding orchestra, cast, and creative teams, audiences are in for a visual and vocal treat featuring both melancholic and laugh-out-loud moments. 

Set in the Swedish countryside at the turn of the 20th century, A Little Night Music starts with a quintet of five singers who are tuning up while entering and taking their places on stage; other characters enter while dancing (“Night Waltz”). The vocalizing and waltzing at the top of Act One quickly turns to verbalizing, with scenes that are beautifully staged and feature actors with lovely voices and speech. Scenes between Madame Armfeldt and the young Fredrika (who lives on the estate under her grandmother’s care while her mother performs on tours), the older, distinguished, recently widowed Fredrik Egerman (Mike McGowan) and his lovely young wife Anne (Lauren Maria Medina), who is still a virgin, and between Fredrik’s son Henrik (Steven Telsey) – who has romps on the bench in the music room with the Egerman’s maid Petra (Gianna Yanelli) despite being in love with Anne, are filled with longing, desire and tension. In Desirée’s dressing room/apartment, the sexually frustrated Fredrik reconnects with his old flame. But Desirée is involved with another married man, the Count Carl-Magnus (Nik Walker). Countess Charlotte (Lora Lee Gayer) learns of her husband’s infidelity and takes the lead in setting a plan in motion – a weekend in the country at the wealthy Madame’s manse with all of the above in attendance. 

As the duplicitous Count and clever Countess, Walker (who was born and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts) is even more regal and sensuous than in Hamilton. Gayer is also a brilliant actor with impeccable comic timing whose facial expressions are worth a thousand words. Act One ends with a magnificent set transition. The white-trunked trees that flank the sides of the stage become a full forest backdrop for the weekend in the country in the act that follows. The company then performs a showstopping and pitch-perfect rendition of “A Weekend in the Country.” 

In Act Two, the weekend in the country becomes a series of madcap romantic encounters that take place in different rooms on the Madame’s estate. No spoilers intended, but the slow-burning flames of desire become a raging forest fire, and the resulting pairings resolve themselves like Midsummer Night’s Dream meets The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Of course, Julia Murney’s (Desiree) performance of Send in the Clowns towards the end of Act Two – the iconic song popularized by Judy Collins and countless other recording artists – is worth the price of admission alone. Spend part of your summer this August by the seashore at Ogunquit Playhouse’s truly blissful production of A Little Night Music. For tickets and information, go to: http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/