Theatreworks: The Prince of Egypt

Left to right: Jason Gotay, Diluckshan Jeyaratnam. Photo courtesy Kevin Berne and TheatreWorks.

Dreamworks’ 1998 movie The Prince of Egypt, an adaptation of the story of Exodus, thrilled audiences with its superb animation and Stephen Schwartz-composed music. The film’s lynchpin song, “When You Believe,” won Schwartz an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Theatreworks’ world premiere adaptation, directed by Scott Schwartz and featuring a selection of new music, translates the majesty of the original work in a way that can only be expressed on the stage.

Central to the work are Moses (Diluckshan Jeyaratnam) and his brother Ramses (Jason Gotay), crown prince of Egypt. Jeyaratnam’s Moses is mischievous, emotional, and tormented by the actions he has to take as God’s chosen one. This human interpretation of Moses is an interesting departure from the Moses-as-inscrutable-prophet version in the public perception. Meanwhile, Gotay portrays Ramses not as a force of evil, but a pitiful figure crushed by the expectations held of him. Though he is responsible for the continual enslavement of the Hebrews, it stems more from weakness than malice. Ramses’ confrontation with Moses is as inevitable as it was in Exodus, but in this production, Gotay gives us a sense of tragedy on both sides.

The rest of the cast delivers equally stellar performances. Brennyn Lark’s Tzipporah ventures into romance with Moses without losing the fiery independence at the core of her character. Tom Nelis approaches the role of old pharaoh Seti like one would approach Shakespeare’s Caesar, weighing down the younger characters with his gravitas even after his death. High priest Hotep (Will Mann) is elevated from a goofy minor antagonist in the film to a force of authority responsible for many of Ramses’ worst decisions; Mann’s balance of sinister power and cartoony outrage is perfect for the role.

The songs in the musical are a combination of the award-winning soundtrack from the movie and new work made specifically for the stage adaptation. The opening song “Deliver Us” retains its overwhelming grandeur, setting the stage for the great scope of the story as a whole. Moses’ new song “Footprints on the Sand” prefaces his journey through his desire to accomplish something meaningful, not just to live in luxury. “One of Us”, another new number at the beginning of the second act, uses a jaunty tune and fun rhymes to lighten the mood before the Exodus truly begins.

Because the movie made frequent use of expensive artistic elements, one would expect the stage adaptation to do the same. Instead, the technical elements are restrained, making use of minimal props and sets to tell its story. Much of the musical’s visual aesthetic is created through the work of choreographer Sean Cheeseman; a talented ensemble uses dance to construct such set pieces as the wall of an Egyptian palace or the fire through which God speaks to Moses. What can’t be represented through human motion is created through Shawn Sagady’s projection work or set designer Kevin Depinet’s multipurpose stone blocks. This technical work avoids the long shadow created by the musical’s predecessor, creating a visual spectacle that can only be achieved by live theatre.

The Prince of Egypt at Theatreworks is more of a reinterpretation of both the original film and the story of Exodus than a retelling. Not only are the structure and characterization different, but even major story components like Ramses drowning in the Red Sea are changed. Even if you’ve seen the film, the stage adaptation creates a fresh perspective through a talented cast delivering new takes on familiar characters and a visual style that makes use of the theatre’s ability to represent through movement.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2017: Beauty And The Beast

Left to right: David Kelly, Jennie Greenberry, Jordan Barbour. Photo courtesy Jenny Graham and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Though OSF has a positive track record with classic musicals, the decision to include Disney’s Beauty And The Beast as part of their 2017 season was nonetheless worrying. Would the theatre festival be able to find new meaning in a Disney musical? Fortunately, director Eric Tucker and a talented cast and technical team knocks Beauty and the Beast out of the park, moving from the bright colors of the original animated movie to a darker, more elegant visual style that makes special use of the live theatre format to tell its story.

The gradually defrosting relationship between Belle (Jennie Greenberry), a bold, intellectual girl who yearns for something more than her provincial French village, and the Beast (Jordan Barbour), a cursed prince who must find love to free himself from his monstrous form, sits at the core of the show. Greenberry’s Belle is reasonably faithful to the original movie: Though she’s technically the Beast’s captive, she maintains social control over their relationship for much of the musical. Barbour’s interpretation of the Beast draws from his origin story as a prince, employing a mix of arrogance and social ineptitude. He may have a lot to learn before he can be worthy of Belle, but his slow climb towards understanding is one of the most heartwarming parts of the play.

The supporting cast assembles a larger-than-life group of wildly entertaining characters. James Ryen plays the part of Gaston, a swaggering hunter who serves as the story’s main antagonist. Besides getting the best physical comedy in the play, Ryen is able to generate a surprisingly intense feeling of danger: He comes off as stupid for the most part, but his ability to manipulate and threaten is top-notch. All of the transformed objects in the Beast’s castle provide hilarious performances: The conflict between the uptight Cogsworth (Daniel T. Parker) and courteous Lumiére (David Kelly) is a delight to watch.

What separates the OSF production of Beauty and the Beast from its other stage and movie counterparts is its visual aesthetic. The set (designed by Christopher Acebo) doesn’t use static elements, but instead uses ensemble members carrying props to give the feeling of a location. This allows for greater use of motion; when Belle is given a tour of the castle, for example, the cast moves doors and windows in a circle to give the illusion of movement. Ana Kuzmanic’s costumes for the transformed objects convey the nature of the character without sacrificing elegance; Lumiére’s outfit, which employs gloves covered with LED lights, deserves special attention.

OSF’s 2017 rendition of Beauty and the Beast repackages one of the classic stories from the Disney canon with mature, daring visuals that change the way we understand it. The production ranks with fascinating OSF productions like Guys and Dolls and My Fair Lady as part of OSF’s commitment to find new meaning in some of America’s most classic musicals.

Beauty and the Beast runs until October 15th.

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

• Beauty and the Beast Show Page
• Purchase Tickets

---

Our Comprehensive Coverage of the OSF 2017 Season

• Coverage Overview
• UniSon
• Hannah and the Dread Gazebo
• Julius Caesar
• Henry IV, Part 1
• The Merry Wives of Windsor
• The Odyssey
• Beauty And The Beast

Theatreworks: Rags

Left to right: Kyra Miller, Danny Rothman, Jonah Broscow. Photo courtesy Kevin Berne and TheatreWorks.

Rags, according to its bookwriter Joseph Stein, is in part a follow-up to his previous work, the legendary Fiddler On The Roof. Both concern questions of Jewish identity and faith; however, while Fiddler was about life in the Eastern European shtetl, Rags takes place in America among a community of recently arrived Jewish immigrants. Combined with a score by Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie, Annie) and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), Rags is a work both emotionally provoking and immensely entertaining. Theatreworks’ production of Rags, directed by Robert Kelley, is an excellent opportunity to see a rarely produced Broadway gem.

The plot of Rags follows several groups of new immigrants scraping out a living on the streets of New York City in the 1910s. The main characters – if the play could be said to have them – are Rebecca Hershkowitz (Kyra Miller) and her son David (Jonah Broscow). Miller’s performance as Rebecca is outstanding. Despite exhibiting justifiable caution toward the new customs and dangers of the United States, she lowers her guard. Miller’s songs communicate her fear and insecurity, but are also beautiful to listen to thanks to her clear, powerful voice. Meanwhile, Broscow’s enthusiasm contrasts with his mother’s defensiveness, as he absorbs both the customs of his new country and the Socialist philosophy of the disaffected adults around him.

Multiple excellent performances round out the show. Julie Benko and Donald Corren play daughter-and-father pair Bella and Avram Cohen – Benko deftly navigates one of the most complex characters in the play, while Corren’s acting spans the gamut between goofy comic relief and intense pain. Saul (Danny Rothman) helps Rebecca and David adjust to life in New York while also pushing Rebecca to join a union. But far from being a perfect symbol of workers’ rights, Saul makes numerous mistakes that harm his loved ones. Rothman’s intensity in his commitment is balanced by genuine remorse for his errors.

The technical work is interesting without being overwhelmingly flashy. Set designer Joe Ragey creates a pent-in feeling with numerous tall structures combined with a projected backdrop that takes us from Ellis Island to the nicest parts of Manhattan. Pamila Z. Gray’s lights are often diffused through stage fog, adding to the sense of New York’s grimy industrial cityscape. Combined with Fumiko Bielefeldt’s down-to-earth costumes, the audience is drawn into the setting while focusing more on characters’ interactions rather than the surrounding stage.

Immigration and America’s national identity are complex topics addressed by some of the greatest modern plays. Rags at Theatreworks adds another voice to the conversation, drawing together the perils of new immigrants – especially at the turn of the 20th century – with the questions of Jewish peoplehood and assimilation also featured in Fiddler On The Roof. More than just pure entertainment, Rags lends perspective to a multi-faceted subject.

Broadway By The Bay: The Producers

Left to right: Robert Lopez, Jocelyn Pickett, Marcus Klinger. Photo courtesy Mark & Tracy Photography.

In 2006, Hollywood comedy master Mel Brooks brought his legendary film The Producers to Broadway. The musical received rave reviews and broke the record for most Tony Awards won by a single show. Now playing at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, directed by Jason Jeffrey, Broadway By The Bay’s The Producers combines Brooks’ lyrics and characters with an outstanding cast and meticulous comedic touches. The result might be the funniest show to appear on the West Coast in years.

Jeffrey has a deep understanding of what made the original run such a smash hit – a constant barrage of jokes, ranging from subtle wordplay to acrobatic slapstick to prop comedy. The show is incredibly over-the-top, which is where it needs to be to truly shine; in fact, there is rarely a serious moment – but the comedy varies enough that it doesn’t become monotonous.

Marcus Klinger (who previously played the role at Diablo Theater Company) delivers a tour-de-force performance as Max Bialystock, a washed-up producer who hatches a scheme to oversell Springtime for Hitler and run away to Rio with the profits. Klinger knows that he’s playing a walking cliché and wholeheartedly embraces it, dominating scenes with his impressively loud voice and scenery-chewing performance. Klinger’s best moment is the Act 2 song “Betrayed,” where he impersonates all of the other characters in a summary of the story up to that point.

Serving as Max’s foil is Leo Bloom (Robert Lopez), a shy, neurotic accountant with dreams of becoming a big Broadway producer. Lopez adeptly switches between the only sane man in the scene and a hysterical, insecure man-child. Going pound-for-pound with his scene partner, Lopez holds his own comedy-wise, despite Klinger’s more numerous funny moments in the script. Also notable is Lopez’ clear, beautiful voice, which makes songs like “I Wanna Be A Producer” not only hilarious, but also delightful.

However, The Producers isn’t just a musical about two people, and the supporting cast is as funny as the stars. David Schiller’s Nazi runaway Franz Liebkind is hilariously uptight – slapstick is twice as good coming from a character screaming about order and beauty. Jocelyn Pickett plays ingénue Ulla, combining straight-up cabaret performance with Marx Brothers level wordplay. Last but not least, national tour veteran Eric Johnson as Roger De Bris – along with his entire entourage – steals the show with the most elaborate song in the production, “Keep It Gay.”

Accolades also go to the members of the technical team, who recall the golden age of midcentury Broadway while relentlessly mocking it at the same time. Leandra Watson’s costumes are not only technically adept, they’re funny – beyond the obvious prop comedy lies subtle touches like trimming all of Roger De Bris’ outfits with sequins. (Well, at least as subtle as anything trimmed with sequins can be.) Kelly James Tighe’s sets make extensive use of billboard lights and other parts of Broadway kitsch, which both solidify the show’s themes and provide a gorgeous visual effect. Most interesting are the dozens of floating screen fragments, which, combined with Aaron Spivey’s projections, deliver the public’s judgment upon Max and Leo.

With one of the funniest scores ever written, a wonderful cast, and Jasen Jeffrey’s deft hand, The Producers at Broadway By The Bay is a true masterpiece of comedy. If you love stage comedy, or even if you only dabble in it occasionally, get in line at the box office immediately – you won’t want to miss this production.

Foothill Music Theatre: "Side Show"

Left to right: Jessica LaFever, Lauren Meyer, Edward Clark. Photo courtesy David Allen.

Buried in the file drawer of Broadway history is the 1997 musical Side Show, based on the lives of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. Despite the high-concept premise, Side Show is a surprisingly grounded exploration of disability, show business, and heartbreak packaged within complex musical numbers written by Henry Krieger, also responsible for the smash hit Dreamgirls. Foothill Music Theatre’s adaptation is an excellent performance of one of the American theatre’s forgotten gems.

Musically, Side Show is complex on two different levels. On the micro level sits Henry Krieger’s fast, dense lyrics, displaying intricacy in their construction as much as they make you hum along. At the macro level, the placement of the songs is unique; unlike most musicals, where the numbers are placed in a neat little sequence, many of Side Show’s songs are folded into one another like the Arabian Nights. This unusual structure is enough to pique the interest of even the most jaded theatre attendee.

At the core of the show are the aforementioned twins, played by Jessica LaFever (Daisy) and Lauren Meyer (Violet). Violet and Daisy have different goals  – Daisy wants worldwide fame, while Violet wants a quiet home life – but they are refreshingly supportive of each other. Despite their bizarre circumstances, they have the least dysfunctional relationship of anyone in the play, and LaFever and Meyer act, with all the petty squabbling it implies, as true sisters. The actors their behavior – in relative privacy, their extroverted/introverted dichotomy is more obvious, while in their side show and vaudeville performances, they act almost completely in sync.

The rest of the cast matches LaFever and Meyers’ acting talent. Buddy (Tarif Pappu) plays Violet’s love interest, a choreographer who wants the twins to make it big as much as he wants to shine on stage himself. Pappu charges the role with the innocence and kindness it requires, gradually changing his pity for affection over the course of the play. Terry (Sean Okuniewicz) is the most business-minded of the main cast, with Okuniewicz obscuring whether he’s helping the Hiltons for the money or out of a genuine sense of care. The most complex character, narratively speaking, is Jake (Edward Clark), the former sideshow cannibal who follows the twins through their show business career; his protective nature and cautiousness about anything new, combined with Clark’s incredible singing voice, creates an unforgettable character.

Side Show at Foothill has many excellent attributes, but perhaps the best is that I genuinely did not know what was going to happen next. The intriguing plot and musical structure, combined with the acting company’s heartfelt performances and excellent singing, provokes a genuine sense of suspense. Side Show is highly recommended for anyone who loves musicals and wants to see something a little bit different. Side Show is not to be missed.