Patti D’Beck’s masterful interpretation of this timeless musical classic (Phantom based on the novel The Phantom of The Opera by Guston Leroux) will leave you breathless. As I sit back contemplating the phenomenal performances by the leading man and delightful gentleman Patrick A’Hearn as well as astonishing Quinn Vogt-Welch, I see myself emerged once again into the world of this dark love story.

The play is set in Paris at the turn of the 20th century. The story begins with the introduction of Christine Daee, played by the captivating Quinn Vogt-Welch, as seller of songs in a late afternoon on the Avene de l’Opera in Paris. Amongst the people walking nearby her voice is heard by the Count de Chandon, played by Nathaniel Austin Mason. He tells her that her voice is fantastic but for opera it may need some training, so he sends her to Gerar Carrie, who is played by the notable Robert Beard. So once at the Opera House she discovers that maybe she’s not the first to have ever been forwarded to the theater and that maybe her dreams have not come through just yet.

The costumes designed by Gaye Law are nothing short of Broadway, much like the leading roles in this amazing production. The sets, designed by Aaron P. Mastin and dressed by Barbara Cochran and Stefannie Smith, will make you feel the tone and emotion in every scene. With quick, impressive and sometimes very creative scene changes the show flows masterfully. Senior Audio Technician Joshua Watson has done an extraordinary job with sound playback and distribution. I highly doubt there was a single spot in the Riverside Theater that audio didn’t travel perfectly and without any type of feedback.

The Riverside Center Dinner Theater is a lovely place and with one fantastic group of the most attentive and courteous staff I’ve had ever had the pleasure to meet. From the minute you walk into the Riverside Center, you can almost feel that majestic feeling that only wonderful productions have. The staff, the ensemble, the leading actor and production team at the Riverside Center Dinner will guarantee you have not only a wonderful experience dining, but a living memory of absolute brilliance.

Director’s Notes

The story of the phantom of the opera has been a fascination for millions of people since it first appeared in print. The original novel was written by Gaston Leroux and published in 1911, followed by a silent film with Lon Chaney released in 1925 and later re-release with a “talkie” soundtrack in 1929. As the character of Phantom has continued to enthrall the public, a list of new versions keeps appearing. These include films in 1943, rock-and roll variation called Phantom of the Paradise. 1984, Ken Hill’s stage spoof toured England. Then Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version debuted in London in 1986 and on Broadway in January 1988. The Webber film version followed in 2004.

Riverside Center is presenting the Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston version. A Kopit TV miniseries (non-musical) aired in 1990, and the Kopit-Yeston musical debuted in Houston in 1992. In 1983 composer lyricist Maury Yeston and librettist Kopt, after winning several Tony Awards for Nine, decided to collaborate with director Geoffrey Holder. At that time Mr. Holder held the rights to Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera. Yeston and Kopit decided to place the emphasis on characters’ relationships instead of spectacle. They wanted the audience to learn more about the Phantom’s origins and thus help to clarify his motivations. While they continued to work, the copyright lapsed in Europe and became in the “public domain.” And once Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version became such a hit, Kopit, Yeston and Holder abandoned their project.

However, Kopit did sell his treatment as four-hour, non-musical miniseries, telecast in 1990 and actually filmed in the Paris Opera House itself, starring Charles Dance, Teri Polom and Burt Lacaster. Due to the enthusiastic response, the Kopit-Yeston musical version Phantom was mounted in 1991, resulting in well over 170 productions worldwide, including a multi-year in Germany. This musical has become one of the most successful in history without having first played Broadway. We are delighted to present you this version – Phantom.

Photo Gallery

Photos provided by Riverside Dinner Theater

Cast

• The Phantom: Patrick A’Hearn
• Christine Daee: Quinn Vogt-Welch
• The Count De Chandon: Nathaniel Austin Mason
• Gerard Carriere: Robert Beard
• Cholet: Jason J. Michael
• Carlotta: Andrea Kahane
• Jean-Claude: Steven L. Thompson
• Inspector Ledux: Michael R. Colby
• Belladova (ballet): Christin Barksdale Pristas
• Belladova (Vocals): Mary Anne Furey
• Young Erik: Max Nicholson
• Ensemble: Sydni Bornschein, Zach Bullock, Melynda Burdette, Catherine Cata, Thomas Cleary, Lee Cooper, Autumn East, Mary Anne Furey, Temple Hammen, Carol Hagy, Richard Halenda, Meg Kenny, Jeffrey Kyer, Jonathan Litalien, Kendall Mostafavi, Max Nicholson, Josh Otten, Christin Pristas, Andrew Prowant, Rachel Simpson, Analisa Wall, Tyler Wilson.
• Ensemble Swings: Nancy Collie-Beard, Rebecca Law, Rachel Shrader, Samuel Elton , Ian Stearns

Production Team

• Producer/Artistic Director: Rollin E. Wehman
• Associate Artistic Director: Patrick A’Hearn
• Production Director: Patti D’Beck
• Associate Director: Valerie Accetta
• Music Director: Jason J. Michael
• Scenic Design: Aaron P. Mastin
• Costume Designer/Coordination: Gayle Law
• Lighting Design: Phil Carlucci
• Properties Coordination: Kylie Clark
• Set Dressing: Barbara Escamilla Cochran
• Set Dressing: Stefannie Smith
• Production Manager: Carole Shrader

Disclaimer: Riverside Dinner Theater provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Arts you redty tu vatch diz sho? If so, you better be ok with dark humor. Mein Kampf written by George Tabori and directed by Robert McNamara tells the story of Herlz played by the delightful Stas Wronka when he lived in Vienna before the second World War and he meets a young misbehaved, inconsiderate, loud, obnoxious, rude, mean, arrogant, pompous, ridiculous Adolf Hitler played by the absolutely brilliant Cameron McNary.

This story of dark silly humor, political slander, love, and even a bizarre cooking lesson by the Fuehrer’s main man played by Joseph Carlson has everything you think you’re going to get when you see the posters and the set. Oh the set, talk about setting the mood of the story. The set, designed by Michael Setpowany, has all the right components to place you right there, in a humble neighborhood in ole Vienna, Austria. Costumes designed by Alisa Mandel are carefully put together to fit the scenes and the characters. The amazing amount of detail and character depth they add to each individual part of the cast is nothing short of perfect.

Mein Kampf, with its dark witty comedy, conveys this perfect sense of inequality and loneliness as the main character ‘Shlomo’ battles the primeval urges to be with an adorable Austrian girl played by the very talented Hannah Cassidy Burkhauser. Between debating the old books with his other scholar friend played by Stephen Lorne Williams, selling Bibles at night and trying to write his memoirs which he has coincidently named “Mein Kampf,” Hertz tries to teach young Hitler about some very basic values in life, from not putting his socks in the coffee pot to love for himself.

Hertz begins “mothering” Hitler, hoping his good sense and moral value would rub off on him, but at last Hitler is too much of a stubborn mule to get anything Hertz is trying to make him see. Thus the transition from a mediocre bohemian into the monster he was begins.

Cameron McNary’s take on Adolf Hitler is absolutely hysterical, every “vord,” every expression, and all his temper tantrums making him a thrill to watch. His comedic timing and emphasis outlandish expression make the Fuehrer the most neurotic and over the top character I’ve seen in the whole Fringe Festival, and though what seems like mouthfuls of dialogue he was able to sweep right through it with no problem at all.

Ellie Nicoll, who plays Frau Death, had the stage presence of a duchess. With every careful move and tone in her delivery she made a devastatingly daunting Death.

Director Robert McNamara has definitely hit the nail in the head on this one, with an amazing amount of detail, great comedic choreography, fantastic cast, and a brilliant use of props, light and sound. Mein Kampf is an experience you will never forget.

Production Team

• Director: Robert McNamara
• Stage Manager: Kaity Cookson
• Assistant Director: Sun King Davis
• Sound Design: James Bigbee Garver
• Light Designer: Andrew F. Griffin
• Dramaturg: Gabriele Jakobi
• Production Manager: Amy Kellet
• Assistant Stage Manager: Kaitlin Loftur-Thun
• Costume Designer: Alisa Mandel
• Literary Manager: Anne Nottage
• Projection Designer: Klyph Stantford
• Scenic Designer: Michael Stepowany

Cast

• Gary Baker
• Hannah Cassidy Kurkhauser
• Tom Byrne
• Joseph Carlson
• Brandon Mitchell
• Cameron McNary
• Elle Nicoll
• Stephen lorne Williams
• Stas Wronka

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Are you ready to take a walk on the wild side? You better be, buy the ticket take the ride. Artist’s Initiative ‘Sweet Painted Lady’ is the story of Jack, a young Voice actor played by Michael Perrie Jr., living in New York City with his girlfriend the art dealer played by Mo O’Rourke. When drug abuse takes the better of Jack, he begins hallucinating about a painting his girlfriend bought him.

Michael Perrie Jr., author of this twisted piece, gives us a look into what it would look like to overdose and hallucinate the beautiful blue painted lady into real life. His performance is excellent, his comedic timing is great and over all you can see Michael deep into the world of his own creation and believing it. Emily Deveron Vere Nicoll plays this blue painted goddess and what presence she has! Her voice alone commands not only poor twisted Jack but the whole audience to instantly fall in love with her. Her take on this character is absolutely brilliant, from her simple mannerisms to her gentle allure demand for attention. Mo O’Rourke who plays the girlfriend does a great job as well, you can see the conviction and doubt in her eyes while see tries to deny all the crazy allegations Jack makes about his hallucinations with the painting. Anna Fagan who plays the drug dealer has a great sense of comedic timing, making her brief appearances all very memorable.

Director Lacey Reiley has definitely made this world plausible, with the use of simple set pieces and props. Well-choreographed sequences the show’s rhythm moves along like clock work. Costumes designed by Brittany Graham fit eloquently the essence of every character; lighting designed by Cara Antico does a fantastic job of engulfing into the hallucinations of the sweet painted lady. And finally the music, also composed by Michael Perrie Jr., adds an intense depth to the play. Although the music is only used during intermissions, it would have added a great deal of suspense if it had played during some scenes.

Production Team

• Light Design: Cara Antico
• Stage Manager: Toni Goldberg
• Costume Design: Brittany Graham
• Sound Design: Michael Perrie Jr.
• Director: Lacy Reiley

Cast

• Emily Deveron Vere Nicoll
• Mo O’Rourke
• Michael Perrie Jr.

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Did you enjoy those parody movies like Airplane? Then add a lot of salty language and you have pretty much the same thing. The Comedy Academy, Inc.’s production of HeHEE! by Harry M. Bagdasian & Liam Brennan tells the story of a young group of mal-behaved teenagers. Through hard work and comedy, alongside their appointed instructor Hyrum Sniker (Jeffrey Rosen), this group of unfits will learn the meaning of unity and… “down with the man.”

The show is basically a parody of “The Breakfast Club” in the world of “Glee.” There might be something wrong with the age appropriate rating on the Capital Fringe website; because, this show has been rated 13 & up yet the performance included heavy use of “inappropriate language.” Not to mention the theme of the story and its way of unfolding seemed targeted towards an older audience. There are suggestive themes and some high brow bureaucratic humor. The costumes and props designed by Tish Hall do however, set the tone for the show by giving you an insight of each character’s persona.

Light and sound fit the overall flow of the show. Although the transitions were a bit rough the show flowed in a steady pace. There were moments during the performance that the show lost its flow by introducing loose or forced plot points into the story. Overall this hurt the flow of the progression of the story.

The cast definitely has that “awkward” vibe that you would imagine a group of teenage misfits would have, even the ensemble of “grown-ups” have their own “awkward” persona. The whole cast has great chemistry on stage, no doubt everyone portrays their character with conviction. If it were not for the script’s ridiculous amount of swearing, I mean it’s like Tarantino had two or three words to throw down onto this, the show would have had a lot more value.

Production Team

• Director: Harry M. Bagdasian
• Assistants to the Director: Liam Brennan and Josh Rosen
• Costumes & Props: Tish Hall
• Tech Director/Lighting Designer: James P. Mulhern III
• Light Board Operator: Lily Whitman
• Sound Operator: Sean McConnell

Cast

• Miriam Finley
• Conor Brennan
• Peter Walderhaug
• Maura Russel
• Liam Brennan
• Anne Chernikoff
• Erica Shortall
• Jeffrey Hacker
• Austen Villemez
• Sara Mozersky
• Jeffrey Rosen

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Jesus le MOMO written by JR Foley and directed by Adi Stein, is a mind teaser for those of you seeking to tinker with the ‘ole noggin. This mind-bending story of a priest (Tyrler Budde) and his covenant that are suddenly visited by a tormented spirit Le MOMO, played by Liz Salamon.

The show has a great usage of the limited space it has, and in spite of that it creates a fantastic atmosphere that envelops you into the story. Sound and lighting designed by Elliot James create the perfect over all experience to the show, with each element carefully taken to match the flow of the show. And that goes as well for the ensemble, each one of them working in unity without ever loosing a beat. They work perfectly in unison making them a perfectly well oiled machine.

Liz Salmon’s performance as Le MOMO, a male French apparition, is absolutely brilliant, during the whole show she never ceases to believe her character and the drive it demands, especially when she’s throwing her temper tantrums. There were however, instances in the show that she was bit quiet.

Le MOMO makes you think, above anything else about the philosophical inquiries of this twisted dark comedy. If you are familiar at all with playwright Antonin Artaud you’ll notice a recurring theme, never underestimate the power of delusion. To someone whose dreams and illusions were as real as reality itself, Jesus Le MOMO never stops pursuing that same twisted philosophy.

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

“What happened in Vegas stays in this show.” Partially. Leanne Linsky’s Lady Luck is a Whore is a compilation of funny and sarcastic sketches highlighting Leanne’s most “embarrassing moments.” In this quirky show Leanne Linsky tries to give us a glimpse of what it is like to be inside her satirical mind. From one night stands with Frank Sinatra Jr. to two divorces and a creepy relationship with a puppet.

In this solo-comedy’s collection of jokes and puns Leanne does her best to illustrate the lower points of her life in a sardonic way. Written and performed by Leanne Linsky and directed by Trish Vignola, the show has its high points and its low points. The highlight of the show is Leanne’s performance, she does a great job creating peculiar characters or perhaps imitating the various people in her life that have shaped her into the person she is today. The low points of the show are the technical difficulties and some “shoot and miss jokes.” There are a few sketches that require a playback recording of herself, which I can imagine have been done with the built-in microphone in her computer because the audio quality is pretty bad. And every once in a while during her show she would tell jokes that either wouldn’t land with the audience or would sound like personal inside jokes.

There’s great level of originality in her material however, and the personal delivery of each story or sketch feels genuine, but at times it does sound memorized. The biggest problem with this show is the lack of continuity. The jokes are great, the impersonations are funny, but there is a black out transition at the end of every joke. After the 7th joke the show loses its sense of unity and slowly begins to feel like a collection of jokes rather than one ongoing story. This causes the audience to not connect with the performer.

If perhaps the show had one unified theme and sense of unity, this solo performance act would be a fantastic piece of stand up comedy, but as different sketches it kind of gravitates towards losing the audience. Overall it’s a funny show with witty comedy and fun twist without a sense of identity.

Production Team

• Director: Trish Vignola

Cast

• Leanne Linsky

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

A LaGoDi Production of LapBand Texas is a country-style comedy-drama with a twist or better yet… carbs. The show tells the story of an over-weight mother and her two daughters as they all struggle dealing with each other’s personal disorders. When the mother played by the very talented Michael Brassfield has a heart attack, her and her two daughters re-evaluate their relationship as well as their own lives.

The show has a slow flow in transitions and the story seems to stretch too much into the mundane. The dialogue is written to set a mood into the lives of everyday dialogue, but the story seems unexciting to come together. The stage was stale with a bunch of trash thrown into the beginning of the scene to be then moved away in scene transition. Costumes designed by Jessica DiBattista seem carelessly put together. Michael Brassfield’s costume for example, he had to fit a fat suit into something that seemed to be designed specifically not for that purpose. You could tell he was wearing a fat suit for the sake of looking like an overweight southern woman, but you could also make the argument that he looked like a dis-proportioned body builder with a rare disease that caused him to have gigantic tumors all around his body. At one point he wore a kimono, which seemed to fit better with the fat suit.

Laura Westman’s performance as the main character of the story seems at times difficult for even her to believe. She plays two roles and the other character she plays feels oddly familiar to her main role. The Music, written by Cullen Ruff, is mildly amusing and it doesn’t create the emotional breaking point in the story I think it was suppose to create. Maggie Dempsey’s performance as supporting actress however is absolutely brilliant. She perfectly embodies both characters she plays in the show, demonstrating a wide range of abilities; she pretty much carries the show.

Production Team

• Costumes: Jessica Dibattista
• Music: Cullen Ruff

Cast

• Maggie Dempsey
• Patrick Murray
• David Carter
• Michael Brassfield
• Laura Westman

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

How do you say deep nostalgic thought in Russian? No clue, but I bet Dylan Fresco could tell you something about that in his solo performance of Domino’s Pizza Saved My Life. Dylan takes us on a nostalgic and thought-provoking trip down memory lane, exploring his grandfather’s past and his life decisions, to the current events of his life. All of this accompanied by anecdotes, history lessons and a delightful set of ballads in different Russian dialects.

Dylan has a great way of story telling, which each detail and expression in his delivery, the show feels very personal. His stories ran a wide range of emotion but all of them at the end, connect to that same feeling of reflection and self-examination.

Director’s Note

Some of this material first appeared in a workshop with Penumbra Theater and Science Museum. I’m also grateful to Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council for the support they have provided me in the past. And I’m thankful to Jessica Finney, Minneapolis-based Director and educator, for being “Outside Eye.”

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Where can I possibly begin telling you about this epic tale of massive proportions? Red Knight Production’s of Medieval Story Land is, for the lack of better words EPIC. I was geeking out from the beginning to end. Not only because they had an orchestra composed of three amazing talented musicians, but the music composed by William Yanesh has that iconic sound the likes of Howard Shore and John Williams. And that’s just talking about the sound track!!

Scott Courland has created a group of hilarious characters the likes of “Monthy Python” and “Your Highness,” combined with the comedic timing of any Woody Allen play, the jokes are witty and side-splitting. Director Guillaume Tourniaire takes us into the world of Medieval Time, telling the story that follows the adventures of an elf named Todd played by Forrest Rilling, who’s easy-going, lovable attitude makes him a fantastic leading role for the kind of journey he’s about to embark. When a mysterious wizard played by Michael Galizia comes into the picture to enlighten Todd in his quest for destiny. Narrated by an alluding English jester played by Stephen Mead, who at times was a bit out staged by the band, this show has all the right components for an epic medieval adventure: wizards, dragons, magic, trolls, dwarfs, and the coolest choreographed sword fight scenes!

Choreography by Casey Kaleba, the fight scenes are gripping, fast paced and simply awesome. The costumes designed by Lois Dunlop are utterly enchanting.

Absolutely everyone in the ensemble has the stage presence and delivery equivalent to their epic characters. With great puns, hilarious comedy, and fantastic timing, I couldn’t possibly recommend this show more.

Production Team

• Playwright: Scott Courlander
• Director: Guillaume Tourniaire
• Producer: Scott Courlander
• Producer: Nick Hitchens
• Composer: William Yanesh
• Stage Manager: Kristen Skolnik
• Costume Design: Lois Dunlop
• Fight Director: Casey Kaleba
• Lighting Design: Jason Aufdem-Brinke
• Properties Master: Scott Courlander
• Director of Online Content: Katie Zitz
• Dragon Engineer: Fallon Schultz Hitchens
• Light Board Operator: Scott Courlander/Nick Hitchens
• Graphic Design: Rebecca Rice
• Poster/Postcard Design: Jacqueline Chenault
• Photography: Chelsie Lloyd
• Program Design: Katie Zitz

Cast

• Stephen Mead
• Forrest Rilling
• Marcus Clarke
• Michael Galizia
• Katie Zitz
• Joseph Michael Jones
• Justus Hammond
• Becca Korn
• Chelsie Lloyd
• Jaqueline Chenault
• Michael Cartwright

Orchestra

• William Yanesh
• Erik Pearson
• Brian Falkowski

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

What if The Three Stooges had a metaphorical mental breakdown and decided to go back to the classics and do Shakespeare? The answer is Delusions of Grandeur. Cleverly put together by Rich Potter, Matthew Pauli and Karen Beriss this knee slapping comedy will have you giggling like a mad hyena.

The show itself is charming and at moments cleverly silly, but their “shtick” might have had the audiences in tears a generation or two ago. They are clowns doing what clowns do best, goofy comedy. Some of the gags are old, some are old with a new spin, but a giant chicken suit and pies to the face never fail to amuse anyone. The strongest part of the show is driven by the actors’ facial expressions, especially Rich Potter whose over the top reactions and physical comedy is hilarious.

These stooges perform various sections of the show in wacky parody costumes, which help set the mood of the scenes. And, with the help of props the silliness never ends. Not to be taken too seriously and to be interpreted with the innocence of child’s sense of humor, Delusions of Grandeur aims to entertain children and adults alike.

Director’s Note

Normally Director’s Notes would go here.

There are three of us. We all had things we wanted to say. As with any collaborative work, we couldn’t agree on any of it.

Enjoy the show.

Production Crew

• Stage Manager: Jenna Ballard

Cast

• Rich Potter
• Matthew Pauli
• Karen Beriss

Disclaimer: Capital Fringe provided one complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.