The Mousetrap is a traditional Agatha Christie whodunit play in two acts. The location is a bed and breakfast inn at an English countryside. It is a snowy evening, and the guests and innkeepers are trapped in the inn. There is murder, deception, and intrigue as the audience tries to guess the killer’s identity before he (or she) strikes again. The Mousetrap has run continuously in the West End of London since 1952.

The Lazy Susan presented a well-performed, commendable production of the Mousetrap on Friday evening. The pacing was smooth, with actors using most of the very wide stage easily.

Two of the most unusual characters in Agatha Christie’s story were Mr. Paravicini (Lyle Blake Smythers) and Christopher Wren (Casey Fero) Fero’s laugh was unsettling, but at the same time contagious and you could not help chuckling as you watched Wren giddily bounce around the stage. Yet as always with Dame Christie, Wren held a dark secret that Wren tried to hide from the rest of the cast. Mr. Paravicini was equally funny, but in a creepier way. His antics included sneaking up on people and emphasizing certain words using a strange accent. The audience seemed to enjoy his time on stage as much as Wren’s and the pair provided for much comedic relief.

Mollie and Giles Ralston, the owners of Monkswell Manor, were played by Victoria Gowland and Giorgio Mazzarelli. Giles was very protective of Mollie and was always willing to step in and keep her from distressing situations. The actors seemed perhaps a bit nervous with each other at first, but warmed up as the evening continued. Gowland had some great emotional moments towards the end of the play that enhanced her character.

Miss Casewell was a down-to-earth person who played the straight-man in the show. She was played by Amy Wolf. Wolf had her secrets, but kept them safe. Instead she used her energy to annoy Mrs. Boyle played by Missy Person Ward. This was fun for Wolf and highly annoying to Ward who gave an excellent performance of one already annoyed and disagreeable about everything. The other residents either ignored Mrs. Boyle or, in the case of Miss Casewell, proved just as annoying and thus managed to out-annoy Mrs. Boyle. Major Metcalf was a likable fellow played convincingly by Jan Forbes. No Agatha Christie play would be complete without a police inspector to round out the evening. Detective Sergeant Trotter was played in Friday’s performance by understudy Christopher Shaw. Shaw played his part believably and with strong emotions.

The set for The Mousetrap was well done, with bright colors. The Lazy Susan’s unique space is very wide and not deep, which sometimes causes problems in blocking or sight lines. But Director Jeffrey B. Davis made good use of the space by ignoring a quarter of the space on stage left, and allowing the actors to move easily about the room. Occasionally it was hard to hear the actors when they were warming themselves at the fireplace.

The Lazy Susan’s Mousetrap is a good Agatha Christie piece that will keep you guessing up ’til the end.

Cast

• Mollie Ralston: Victoria Gowland
• Giles Ralston: Giorgio Mazzarelli
• Christopher Wren: Casey Fero
• Mrs. Boyle: Missy Person Ward
• Major Metcalf: Jan Forbes
• Miss Casewell: Amy Wolf
• Mr. Paravicini: Lyle Blake Smythers
• Detective Sgt. Trotter: Chris Damanda

Understudies

• Mollie Ralston: Kimberly Pyle
• Giles Ralston: Ian Neville/Christopher Shaw
• Christopher Wren: Ian Neville
• Mrs. Boyle: Catherine Kidwell
• Major Metcalf: Eric Trumbull
• Miss Casewell: Samantha Nichols
• Mr. Paravicini: Reggie M. Eusebio
• Detective Sgt. Trotter: Christopher Shaw

Production Staff

• Director: Jeffrey B. Davis
• Assistant Director: Reggie M. Eusebio
• Stage Manager: George Rouse
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Costume Coordination: Reggie M. Eusebio, Jennifer M. Pelath
• Producers: Harold E. Gates, Glenn D. Gates
• Set Construction: Philip Viar, Eric Redmond, George Rouse
• Set Decoration: Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw
• Technical Staff: Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

There are many different versions of A Christmas Carol. People have used a variety of methods to inject something fresh into the story employing everything from puppets to switching time periods. Although the show has some faults, Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol is ultimately enjoyable thanks in large part to its infusion of traditional music.

The story presented here is a very traditional version. Ebenezer Scrooge, the richest and meanest man in town, hates Christmas. Scrooge mistreats his employees, his nephew and all who come in his path proclaiming the happiness of Christmas. One night he is visited by the ghost of his departed friend and business partner, Jacob Marley. He warns Scrooge that three ghosts will visit him that night. Scrooge must decide how he’s to spend the rest of his life based on what they show and tell him. In this version, there is a very annoying device where characters echo the narrator. It’s very confusing, as it seems to not really have a purpose except to interrupt. Also the show’s Narrator will periodically stop the action on stage in the manner of “oh, it didn’t really happen this way… it happened like this.” Then the actors re-act parts of the scenes over. This became very tedious and sometimes took away from the genuine emotion of the moment. The audience is forced to wonder at many junctures is this really the way the story will stay? Also the scene where the ghost of Marley arrives was filled with too much confusion. The Nightfigures were distracting with their whispering noises and their movement.

This show features a large ensemble, which ranges in its abilities from very poor to very good. There was a major problem with the dialects in that not everyone had a dialect and not everyone who had one maintained it. Also, there were several instances where volume was a problem and some actors seemed unable to project loud enough to be heard. Lyle Smythers turned in a very nice performance as Ebenezer Scrooge. Smythers showed a good range of emotions and physicality that reflected the changes of his character. Ron Curameng was a standout as both Mr. Fezziwig and Old Joe with his animated face and boisterous energy. Holden Browne was an adorable Tiny Tim. Denise Bennett and Erika Zwiren were wonderful in their respective roles of Elder Sister and Younger Sister, providing a delightful with scene filled with humor. And Timothy Adams was a wonderful Bob Cratchit, and he handled the role with a great amount of earnestness.

The technical elements of this show were executed very well for the most part. The set was painted to look like a small English town with stone house fronts. The space was very well utilized even during scenes with lots of actors or dancing. The costumes were suggestive of the period and in most cases very lovely. The carolers looked Christmas card perfect. However, the Nightfigures were terribly outfitted with masks and costumes that were more like Halloween costumes than spirits. Some of the hairstyles seemed a little out of period. In particular, Belle’s hairstyle looked like a very modern hairpiece and nothing that suggested the period at all. The lighting design was especially lovely during the scenes where Scrooge flies with the spirits. It gave the audience a sense of flight and fantasy.

Hans Bachmann succeeded as director and adapter in creating a version of A Christmas Carol that is heartwarming and joyful at times. Scenes with the parties or holiday celebrations were very joyous and lively. The traditional music woven throughout gave the piece an engaging feeling. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” is especially well used at several different points in the script. Carolers before the show and during intermission added lots of warmth and energy. It also helped the audience really get into the Christmas spirit. However, the show seems to struggle at times from the conventions that the script feels labored with. The charm of the cast with their whole-hearted energy and the pieces’ great use of music make A Christmas Carol a show that is ultimately entertaining.

Cast

• Narrator: Chris Damanda
• Ebenezer Scrooge: Lyle Smythers
• Youngest Scrooge: Forest Browne
• Young Scrooge: Casey Fero
• Jacob Marley: Jan Forbes
• Ghost of Christmas Past: Aria Curameng
• Ghost of Christmas Present: Kevin Wiggins
• Ghost of Christmas Future: Samantha Nichols
• Bob Cratchit: Timothy Adams
• Mrs. Cratchit: Amy Wolf
• Martha Cratchit: Aria Curameng
• Belinda Cratchit: Jayne Saxon Zirkle
• Peter Cratchit: Jesse Forbes
• Tiny Tim: Holden Browne
• Fezziwig: Ron Curameng
• *Mrs. Fezziwig: Tricia Jarrell/Cathy Kidwell
• Fezziwig’s Daughter: Erika Zwiren
• Fan: Katherine Lipovsky
• Dick Wilkins: George Rouse
• Belle: Rebecca Cznadel
• *Bell’s Husband: Paul Caffrey/Benjamin Horem
• Belle’s Daughter: Jayne Saxon Zirkle
• Fred: Terry Barr
• Mrs. Fred: Katherine Lipovsky
• *Topper: Paul Caffrey/Benjamin Horem
• Elder Sister Denise Bennett
• Younger Sister: Erika Zwiren
• Caroline: Tori Gowland
• Arthur: Justin Mohay
• *Charwoman: Tricia Jarrell/Cathy Kidwell
• Laundress: Denise Bennett
• Undertaker: Jan Forbes
• Old Joe: Ron Curameng
• Solicitors: Frank Bennett/GeorgeRouse
• Businessmen: Frank Bennett/Tori Gowland/Justing Mohay/George Rouse/Paul Caffrey/Benjamin Horem
• Nightfigures: Paul Caffrey/Becky Cznadel/Tori Gowland/Benjamin Horem/Samantha Nichols
• Carolers: Terry Barr/Denise Bennett/Ron Curameng/Rebbeca Cznadel/Casey Fero/*Cathy Kidwell/*Tricia Farrell/Katherine Lipovsky/Justin Mohay
• Understudies/Swings: Tori Gowland (Belle)/Heather Harris/ Melissa Person Ward? Jayne Saxon Zirkle (TinyTim)
• *The various roles portrayed by Tricia Jarrell & Cathy Kidwell, and the various roles portrayed by Paul Caffrey and Benjamin Horem will be announced on the night of each performance
• The night of the performance seen in this review the roles were played by Cathy Kidwell, Paul Caffrey and Benjamin Horem

Crew

• Directed by: Hans Bachmann
• Stage Manager George Rouse
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Musical Director: John Edward Niles
• Set Construction: Nathaniel Montgomery, George Rouse, Linda Shaw
• Set Painting: Jennifer Pelath
• Lighting Design: Aaron Forbes, Jeanne Forbes
• Sound: Giorgio Mazzarelli

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Hans Bachman’s Nunsense is comic and clever with a great focus on storytelling. The “Order of the Little Sisters of Triangle” was once a thriving convent of seventy-one, now reduced to nineteen after a tragic cooking accident. Forty-eight nuns were successfully interred, but four remain in the convent freezer because the budget was blown on a blue-ray player and a flat screen TV.

And that’s just the set up.

The show itself is the benefit put on to raise funds for the funerals of the four frozen sisters. As such, the audience becomes a conglomerate character in the production. Audience participation is one of the distinctive qualities of the show, which plays very well with a dinner theater; the more dynamic the audience, the more the actors have to work with.

The stage is set like a jukebox-joint which might make you think you’re at the wrong theater. The sisters quickly explain that everything is for the school’s production of Grease. Set pieces are mobile and utilized multiple times (except an exercise bike which just looks odd). Creative lighting breaks up some visual monotony and adds valuable dimension to the show. The costumes are authentic Catholic habits, complete with veil, wimple, and scapular. Big movements and fancy footwork compensate for the absence of nuanced physicality in the roomy garb.

The actors were believable and spirited, although the pacing flagged a few times. Sister Mary Regina (Tricia Jarrell) was the stolid Reverend Mother with a mischievous streak. Her “unexpected discovery” began hysterically, and then persisted past laughter into awkward audience silence. Sister Mary Hubert (Diane Pollock) has a terrific solo voice with gospel qualities which adds rich tones to ensemble numbers. Sister Mary Amnesia (Kristen Jepperson) was the leader in audience interaction, but her dramatic pauses needed to be shorter. Sister Robert Anne (Julie Sowers) was a firecracker with a terrific build-up and a weak follow-through. Her character’s much-anticipated solo number “I Just Want to Be a Star” suffered from low energy and weak blocking. Sister Mary Leo (Kyna Hollis) is a lovely nun-who-wants-to-be-a-ballet-dancer despite the restrictions of her habit.

Good vocal blending and great stand-alone solo voices keep the audience pleasantly entertained. However, recorded accompaniment detracts by causing actors to channel creative energy into mechanically staying with the recording. Live music would have contributed greatly to the quality and energy of the show.

If you’re looking for a unique event with your family, a large group (discounts available by arrangement), or just a date night with your significant other, Nunsense at the Lazy Susan is a great option. Think about it–for the cost of dinner and a movie, you can have a full buffet, live interactive show, and reasonably priced mixed drinks. You probably won’t remember a movie plot in six months, but the dinner theater experience is unforgettable.

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Big River is the musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” told with a rousing country, blue-grass inspired score. It is a good family musical (although some may be uncomfortable with the realistic portrayal of racist beliefs in the 1840s south) with a great message about looking beneath a person’s exterior. The Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre has created a solid production with a few extraordinary performances that make the show well-worth attending.

Lazy Susan does not have a very large staging area and didn’t seem to have quite the same set budget as some other theaters, but they did an excellent job of creating a simplistic, clean, and functional set for the production. They made really nice of use of sliding scrims. The lighting followed the same pattern of being simple but largely effective. The costumes were very appropriate; however, several of the women’s hairstyles could have used better attention to detail and period appropriateness.

One of my favorite things about Lazy Susan was the return of old-fashioned projection. The actors did not wear microphones and made themselves heard at all times in speaking and in song. It was very refreshing to see the actors fill the room with their voices alone, even when they were competing with Mother Nature creating a very loud storm outside of the theater.

The cast varied greatly in their ability. Many of the actors and actress charged with the supporting and ensemble roles were not very strong. Two notable exceptions, who did stand out in a myriad of smaller roles, were Anthony Williams and Ian David Neville.

On the other hand, most of the principals were exceptional. Stephen Hock’s Huckleberry Finn was charismatic. He had great natural instincts for comedic timing and a beautiful tenor. Kevin Wiggins’ Jim was an excellent counterpart with his beautiful gospel-style vocals and heartfelt simplicity in his character. An absolutely show-stealing performance was given by the amazing Giorgio Mazzarelli as The King. He played an over-the-top character was subtle nuance and finesse. Also, very good was Lyle Blake Smythers as The Duke. Together, the duo made a pair of very entertaining bad guys. As Tom Sawyer and Mary Jane Wilkes, Casey Fero and Dani Stoller respectively gave strong performances and vocals as well.

Overall, these standout performances by the leading actors made the production a definite success. Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre did a good job of putting on an overall entertaining production of a great show.

Cast of Characters:

• Mark Twain: Jeffrey Bryce Davidson
• Huckleberry Finn: Stephen Hock
• Widow Douglas: Cathy Kidwell
• Miss Watson: Amy Wolf
• Jim: Kevin Wiggins
• Tom Sawyer: Casey Fero
• Ben Rodgers: Anthony Williams
• Jo Harper: Ian David Neville
• Simon: Michael Shields
• Dick: Daniel Reip
• Pap Finn: Hans Bachmann/Eric Trumbull
• Judge Thatcher: James Howard
• Strange Woman: Amy Wolf
• The King: Giorgio Mazzarelli
• The Duke: Lyle Blake Smythers
• Hank: Daniel Reip
• Andi: Amanda Spellman
• Lafe: Ian David Neville
• A Young Fool: Ian David Neville
• Mary Jane Wilkes: Dani Stoller
• Susan Wilkes: Amy Wolf
• Joanna Wilkes: Amanda Spellman
• Counselor Robinson: Jeffrey Bryce Davidson
• Alice, the Wilkes’ Slave: Diane Pollock
• Alice’s Son: Michael Shields
• Sheriff Bell: Daniel Reip
• Harvey Wilkes: James Howard
• Sally Phelps: Cathy Kidwell
• Silas Phelps: James Howard
• Doctor: Jeffrey Bryce Davidson
• Hired Hands: Ian David Neville, Daniel Reip
• Male Swing: Aaron Richardson, Christopher Shaw
• Female Swing: Ann Davis, Mira Demirkan

Production Staff

• Produced by Harold E. Gates & Glenn D. Gates
• Director: Jeffrey Davis
• Stage Manager: George Rouse
• Choreographer: Kathleen McCormack
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Musical Director: Rosie Dyer
• Costumers: Jennifer M. Pelath & Reggie M. Eusebio
• Set Construction: Eric Redmond, Philip Viar
• Scenic Painting/Set Dressing: Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw
• Technical Staff: Aaron Forbes, Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes, Gregory Lee

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Me and My Girl is a musical with book and lyrics by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber. Similar to My Fair Lady, Me and My Girl tells the story of a cockney lad who suddenly inherits an earldom with all the trimmings. He must give up his ties to his old life, which include his girlfriend, to learn how to become a refined gentleman. This is a funny, lighthearted comedy with the right touch of song and dance to make you smile.

Ryan Schaffer seemed very much to enjoy his role as Bill Snibson. His quirkiness as he sailed around (and sometimes through) various props and set pieces was amusing. Snyder was full of energy, never still in one place. His kindness and compassion was clear for his girlfriend whom he refused to abandon, Sally Smith, played by Kristen Jepperson. Jepperson came across as a no nonsense girl who was very down to earth. She had a soft spot for Bill and was willing to sacrifice her happiness in order to help him. Her tap numbers were strong and her voice carried for the most part out to the audience. Katherine Lipovsky as Lady Jacqueline Carstone was the embodiment of a snooty English lady. Her desire for Bill to become the Earl drove her throughout the show, yet her compassion and desire for love herself broke through as she realized that Bill couldn’t be happy without Sally. Lyle Blake Smythers as Sir John Tremane was a realist and a hopeless romantic throughout. He supported and cared for Sally, even to the point of helping her with langauge lessons from a professor he knew that had done it before, one of several amusing references to My Fair Lady.

Overall the technical aspects for the show were solid. As you are eating your dinner you are looking at the set, made up of a car obviously built out of smaller building blocks. During the opening song, the car is dismantled and the parts used as props. And in the second act, Schaffer bemoans the history of his family he’s learning, but luckily the painting of his ancestors come to help him in a fun number. There were a few times when the action was happening in the center section of the stage and the lights may have come up late. One scary moment occurred when the set was rotated on its lazy susan (hence the name of the theater), the lights came up on the actors, and then the set moved some more. No one was hurt and the actors went right on as if nothing had happened (except for the brief look of terror on some faces). The ensemble cast had an energy and looked like they were having a great time. Kathleen McCormack’s choreography was very energetic, and included several different styles of dance.

This is a fun, upbeat show appropriate for the whole family.

Cast

• Bill Snibson: Ryan Schaffer
• Sally Smith: Kristen Jepperson
• Lady Jaqueline Carstone: Katherine Lipovsky
• The Hon. Gerald Bolingbroke: Casey Fero
• Cedric Parchester, Family Solicitor: Eric Trumbull
• Maria, Duchess of Dene: Tricia Jarrell, Cathy Kidwell
• Sir John Tremane: Lyle Blake Smythers
• Lord Battersby: Frank Bennett
• Lady Battersby/Mrs. Brown: Denise Bennett
• Charles Hethersett, The Butler: Aaron Richardson
• Ensemble: Kimberely Braswell, Michael Colby, Brittany Dunbar,Kathleen McCormack, Samantha Nichols, George Rouse, Kayce Schaffer, Russell Silber, Joshua Smith, Amy Wolf

Understudies & Swings

• Bill Snibson: Michael Colby
• Sally Smith: Kathleen McCormack
• Jaqueline Carstone: Amy Wolf
• Gerald Bolingbroke: Joshua Smith
• Maria, Duchess of Dene: Denise Bennett
• Cedric Parcester: Frank Bennett
• Lady Battersby: Samantha Nichols

Production Staff

• Director: Hans Bachmann
• Musical Director: John Edward Niles
• Choreographer: Kathleen McCormack
• Vocal Director: Lori Roddy
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Stage Manager: George Rouse
• Set Construction: George Rouse
• Set Painting/Set Dressing: Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw
• Technical Staff: Aaron Forbes, Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes, Greg Lee

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Greater Tuna is a series of vignettes centered around radio station OKKK in the podunk town of Tuna, Texas. There is no Tuna, Texas in real life, but one thing that is real are the laughs generated by the two characters Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie who in turn each play nine different members of the Tuna community.

All of the characters in the play were played by actors Robert Biedermann and Matthew Randall, or by Lyle Smythers and Jeffrey Davis. The performance we attended featured Biedermann and Randall. Their opening morning news report set the tone for the first act and though they had a nice speaking style and timing, they still seemed a bit stiff towards each other, as if they had to warm up some to each other’s style. Both succeeded in making each of their other characters fairly unique. Randall had different body language and mannerisms when he moved from Charlene to Stanley which made the roles all the more believable and humorous. Biedermann managed to change, too, but it was not as believable. There were a few extended scenes when a character’s lines were apparently played from a recording while the actors were offstage. I’m not sure if that was to allow for an extended costume change, but it did slow the show’s pace and minimize the humor.

The second act allowed the actors to settle into their roles a bit more . That and a long 30 minute intermission allowed the two men to have better timing and rhythm in the second act. The crowd also seemed more responsive the first act and then perhaps tired once the newness of the “shtick” comedy wore off. The two men did an excellent job of improving the various props such as a dog leash for poor Yippy and the news reports and papers at the radio station broadcast booth. They were handled as if they were real.

The set was fairly static, wih only a few pieces, such as the table, chairs and oversized radio moving onstage. The very wide stage was used well, with most of the action taking plce at the center, although when the house is very full audience memebrs sitting on the far left and right will have a difficult time seeing the show. One creative set piece was the outhouse that allowed for costume changes to be made, as well as allowing for the characters to exit. There were some interesting lighting choices made that at times seemed to make the dark theatre even darker, especially on stage right as several scenes the actors were not in any light at all. The Lighting Designer was Jeanne Forbes.

With its small cast and only using the center area of the stage I have to wonder if Greater Tuna was a wise decision for the Lazy Susan’s season. It seems that most dinner theater productions are larger casts and more elaborate sets.

This show is a comedy that pokes fun at mainstream everything and should be taken in that vein. (No pun intended). It is appropriate for ages 13 and up as it does humorously touch on some adult themes such as drug use and segregation.

Photo Gallery

Matthew Randall as Vera Carp (on table)	Robert Biedermann as Sherriff Givens and Matthew Randall as Stanley Bumiller
Matthew Randall as Arles Struvie and Robert Biedermann as Thurston Willlis

Photos provided by the Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre.

Cast

• Team Tuna:
  • Thurston Wheelis, Elmer Watkins, Bertha Bumiller, Yippy, Leonard Childers, Pearl Burras, R. R. Snavely, Rev. Spikes, Sherrif Givens, Hank Bumiller: Lyle Smythers
  • Arles Struvie, Didi Snavely, Harold Dean Lattimer, Petey Fisk, Jody Bumiller, Charlene Bumiller, Stanely Bumiller, Chad Hartford, Phinas Blye, Vera Carp: Jeffrey Davis
• Team Texas:
  • Thurston Wheelis, Elmer Watkins, Bertha Bumiller, Yippy, Leonard Childers, Pearl Burras, R. R. Snavely, Rev. Spikes, Sherrif Givens, Hank Bumiller: Robert Biedermann
  • Arles Struvie, Didi Snavely, Harold Dean Lattimer, Petey Fisk, Jody Bumiller, Charlene Bumiller, Stanely Bumiller, Chad Hartford, Phinas Blye, Vera Carp: Matthew Randall

Crew

• Director: Frank Shutts II
• Producers: Harold E. Gates
• Glen D. Gates
• Assistant to the Director: Mary Beth Smith-Toomey
• Stage Manager: George Rouse
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Costumers: Reggie M. Eusebio/Jennifer Pelath
• Dressers: Reggie M. Eusebio, Samantha Nichols, Jennifer Pelath, George Rouse, Mary Beth Smith-Toomey
• Scenic Painter: Myke Taister
• Set Painting/Set Dressing: Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw
• Technical Staff: Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review, which included dinner and the show. LSDT also covered our drink expense.

Mike: This is Mike Clark with ShowBizRadio. I am talking with Hans Bachmann, who played the role of Charlie Anderson. Tell me a little about Shenandoah. What is the story?

Hans: Shenandoah was originally written to be an anti-war story. I think it was originally done on Broadway right after the Vietnam war. It is an anti-war story about a man who during the Civil War was a Virginia farmer who decided he was not going to get involved in the war. I guess he was the first true conscientious objector. He is going to keep his family out of the war by not joining the South or the North and eventually, as war does, it drags him into it and he experiences a lot of personal loss in his family and of his ideals. It is an interesting story that way.

Mike: The second act was much heavier than the first act. The first act was joyful and fun and then all of a sudden the second act…

Hans: Turns very dark.

Mike: Turns very dark. So is that hard to work?

Hans: It’s good in one way because it keeps the audience in a very uplifted mood for the first act. And the second act when it gets dark it just keeps going. It has a quick resolution toward the end. It does not drag out forever, but it does get very dark. The hardest part for him is his youngest son, who was born the night his wife died, who he relates to the most and feels closest to of all his sons, is carried off by the Union army because he was just wearing this little Confederate cap that he picked up somewhere. The rest of the second act is trying to find his son. Desperately going from Union camp to train depot and the loss that he suffers.

Mike: Is it hard for you to tap into the emotions you need to get those emotions that we can see?

Hans: No, it’s basically going through the emotions in the moment of it. It comes every night. I’m always thankful. I never think about it. I try to never think because I’m always terrified that I’m going to sabotage it somehow.

It is interesting because the part of Papa Charlie is kind of a self assured know it all. He has all the answers. He is keeping his family out of the war and all of that. At the very end he is just totally broken down. He realizes he does not have all the answers. He goes back to his wife’s grave asking her desperately to help him because he has no answers anymore. I think just the whole weight of the show crashes down on me at that point and takes me there.

Mike: Is the religious aspect at the very end where Martha has the church bells ring…

Hans: I love that. That is uplifting for me. That is what makes all the hard and heavy parts worthwhile. He asks her for an answer and she gives it to him as she always did which is you need to find the answers with the Lord. Going back to church and you will find them there. It does provide him with some resolution and with as happy an ending as he can possibly have in the show.

Mike: You are only two weeks into the run so far. It’s very early and it is going until July?

Hans: It runs until July.

Mike: Are you performing the entire run?

Hans: I’m very blessed to have someone sharing this role with me. A very good actor, Mike Baker. He is very renowned in the area. He is also a television personality. He is on Bravo and things like that. He does an extraordinary job as well. We alternate weeks. One week he’ll do it and the next week I’ll do it. Unfortunately because I’ve had so many conflicts going through this run that it was not really right for me to do the whole run.

Mike: Is it hard to keep the character fresh or does it get stale?

Hans: No, because something happens every night. Like tonight one of the actors forgot to make an entrance and I was standing on stage thinking about how to improv a monologue real quick on the fly and praying, “Light booth, please just take the lights down.” Something always happens to make it always fresh. Some night you say a line a certain way and suddenly it changes the dynamic of the entire rest of the show.

Mike: How about the fact that there are several parts that are double cast? Is that tough on each actor because you have to relate differently?

Hans: It is interesting because it sets up a different rhythm. You develop a rhythm with one actor and then when another actor come in you just have to keep working on the rhythm. It must be hardest for the cast in general because I know that Mike and I approach the role similarly, but differently enough that they have to deal with a really big change in rhythm when the other Pap Charlie comes in.

Mike: What other work have you done in the DC area?

Hans: I have worked in almost all of the professional theaters, Arena, Folger, Shakespeare, Ford’s, Signature. I’ve directed around the area at a lot of the community theaters and here and at some of the professional theaters as well. Also if you are up late at night you can also see some of my science fiction films as well. I did two sci-fi films that run in rotation very late at night on the SyFy Channel or on ShowTime.

Mike: So what do you prefer to do, acting or directing?

Hans: They are so different. Acting is a lot of self gratification. Performing up there and in one way manipulating the audience to have the emotions that you are hoping to draw out of them. Directing is very parental. You sit back here and they are your children up there and you hope they do well and you are so proud of them when they do well. Plus I tend to be a little obsessive compulsive so it is wonderful having control over the whole thing.

Mike: Something we have been seeing a lot of lately are good directors at theaters breed good directors and then other theaters who do not have as high a quality of directors kind of breed that. So how do you become a good director? What are some hints or tips?

Hans: I think I was very lucky to start out as an actor. My very first role I kind of fell into it. For extra credit I auditioned for Romeo and Juliet. I was going to write a paper on it for my English class. It was for a local professional theater in Ohio. The next thing I knew I went through the process and they were calling my parents and asking if we could cast him as Romeo. I had no idea what I was doing. But starting as an actor you know of all the insecurities and things that actors deal with so that when you are not on the director’s side you can go up there and understand exactly why they are having a problem with that and then you can try to help them through that. So I think I was very fortunate starting as an actor because I can understand what pitfalls they all experience up there.

Mike: A lot of directors are collaborators with everybody else and others are dictators with “this is what you gotta do.”

Hans: Well, I have a very strong vision. I spend months ahead of time before I start and I keep reading the script and reading the script over and over until I kind of get this mini movie that kind of pops up into my head and then I try to just grab that mini movie and throw it out there and try to recreate it on the stage. Sometimes actors will come up with something that is great that I did not think about so then we explore it and work with it. There are certain times when I have this vision. A lot of directing is casting and then the other half is pretty pictures. So it becomes “you don’t understand, I’m making a pretty picture here so do what I ask you to do and you will see it. It will make sense.”

Mike: So that trust has to go both ways.

Hans: Yes, and I think I elicit trust from my actors that when I ask them to do something that they are not 100% sure of they will give it to me. I am also not the kind that I will give them four or five chances to do it and if they are just not going to get it then I sit them down and we think of something else. “This is not working for you, let’s try something.” And I work with them until we find something that does work. I always tell my actors that my motto is that I want to make sure that you are comfortable 100% of the time on stage. Because the moment you are up on stage and you are uncomfortable, the audience is going to see that. So that is my goal for them.

Mike: So how long does the rehearsal process take? I’m sure it is different for each show, but in general.

Hans: Here, it is usually about a two and a half month rehearsal process with rehearsals only on Monday nights, Saturday mornings and early afternoons and Sunday morning and early afternoons. Because a lot of the actors who are in the next show are currently working in the next show that is running which means they are tied up Tuesdays through Sundays the other times.

The schedule forces you to really ask everybody to concentrate and focus in on what they need to do. I have been lucky not only on this show to be blessed to be with so many talented people, but I have been very lucky to have people come and audition to be in my shows, too.

Mike: What do you see as a difference from community theater and professional theater? That is something that we are struggling with. People that look on our site for shows, they do not care. They just want to see what is near them.

Hans: And the remarkable thing about this area is that community theater is the quality level of professional theater almost throughout the rest of the country in a lot of ways. I mean you go to a show at Arlington Players or you go to Little Theatre of Alexandria. Their quality of shows are equivalent to even the small theatrical company in the area. The line of demarkation is blurred I think here because there are so many good people. For instance like Mike Baker and myself. We do professional theater and then if there is a really great show we want to do then we will do it in the community theatre and back and forth. The talent pool is just amazing. The bar for professional theater in Washington is really very high.

Mike: So how about dinner theater? You have a different dynamic from people sitting in chairs looking at you. So how does that work as an actor or director?

Hans: Unfortunately I think a lot of people look down on this venue. I think the quality and professionalism here is equivalent to any other theater venue this size with these resources. The hardest thing I think is that the tables are right up at the edge and you are doing something and suddenly you catch somebody’s eye and all of a sudden it’s like, “oh no. There goes the fourth wall.” It’s great because when they are not looking at you you can look down and see them smiling and enjoying the show. It is great. I do like working in this venue. I am lucky that I have been doing a lot of shows here lately. I don’t know if you have had a chance to come back the last two Christmases to see The Christmas Carol that we did?

Mike: No, we have not been able to do that.

Hans: I had written that back when I was in college.

Mike: Oh really?

Hans: Glen the owner and producer of the theater said he was considering doing A Christmas Carol. I told him I wrote one a long time ago. I don’t know if it’s any good. Let me dig it out. So I dug it out and Glen was like, “Wow, this isn’t very bad at all.” So it gave me the opportunity to have actually be doing a show that I had written a long time ago.

Mike: Did you direct that one?

Hans: I directed that one and there was a rewrite or two.

Mike: So you were busy on both ends.

Hans: Back then I found Christmas Carols that were written at the time Dickens wrote “Christmas Carol” so I incorporated them. So it is like a play with music. It is like a musical, but it has all the traditional Christmas Carols so I also helped orchestrate all of those on my computer late at night.

Mike: Are you wanting to write other things?

Hans: I have written a couple of other things. You write rather avant garde things in college that would not be good for here.

Mike: Thank you for chatting with us today.

Hans: Thank you. You were a wonderful audience.

Cast

• Charlie Anderson: Hans Bachman, Mike Baker
• Jacob Anderson: Aaron Richardson
• James Anderson: Ryan Schaffer
• Nathan Anderson: Michael Colby
• John Anderson: Ian Neville
• Henry Anderson: Casey Fero
• Robert Anderson: Forrest Browne, Ben Cherington
• Jenny Anderson: Katheen McCormack
• Anne Anderson: Katherine Lipovsky
• Sam: Joshua Smith
• Gabriel: Dejan Campbell, Jamila Velanur
• Men’s Ensemble: Terry Barr, Greg Bingle, Jeffrey Brice Davidson, James Howard, Bruce Levy, George Rouse, Lyle Blake Smythers, Anthony Turchiano
• Women’s Ensemble: Dayna Fernandes, Samantha Nichols, Amy Wolf

Understudies and Swings

• Male Swing: Tim Adams
• Jenny Anderson: Dayna Fernandes
• Anne Anderson: Amy Wolf

Crew

• Director: Kevin McCormack
• Producers: Harold and Glen Gates
• Stag Manager: George Rouse
• Choreographer: Kathleen McCormack
• Costumers: Jennifer Pelath, Reggie Eusebiio
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Musical Director: John Edward Niles
• Vocal Director: Lori Roddy
• Set Construction: Reggie M. Eusebio, Aaron Richardson, George Rousse
• Set Painting/Set Dressing: Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw
• Technical Staff: Aaron Forbes, Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes, Gregory Lee

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this interview.

Smoke on the Mountain is a Saturday evening church service of personal “testimonies” pieced together with gospel music. It is driven by characters rather than plot, which can be a liability when not all the characters are engaging. The music was generally good. Visually, set design and dressing were decent, but costumes left something to be desired. Lazy Susan did not deliver the “expert” Broadway-scale production that its site claims.

Individual characters telling their stories gave the evening a disjointed feeling. There was no real conflict, climax, or overarching moral to be found. The actors and audience were led through an aimless Saturday night singing to its lackluster conclusion. This show caters to a niche crowd of folks who can recognize and appreciate Baptist denominational rules.

I didn’t like this production’s interpretation of the script, it was too weak and slow. The evening had a lot of sitting without much action or movement. There was a lot of soul in the script and I’m not sure it was done justice by a cast of white folks with fake southern drawls.

George Rouse (Pastor Mervin Oglethorpe) looked dead on his feet through the entire performance. His eyes followed other characters robotically which had the effect of being downright creepy. Kathleen McCormack (Denise) did not have a lot of facial expression and her body acting was very minimal. Cathy Kidwell‘s portrayal of Vera Sanders left me puzzled, because I could never quite figure out her character’s personality. However, her recorded-piano-playing acting was very convincing. Jan Forbes (Burl Sanders) and Jeffrey Bryce Davidson (Stanley Sanders) both appeared comfortable in their roles and made their characters believable. Despite minimal dialogue, Katherine Lipovsky (June Sanders) was my favorite actor. Her facial expressions and silent acting made her character the most engaging.

Soloists were good in voice quality, pitch, and tone, but not always in volume. Ensemble numbers were especially nice because the voices of the singers blended pleasantly. I’ve observed far too often that a group of very good soloists can make a bad ensemble, but that was happily not the case here.

The vocalists had obviously practiced a lot with the authentic sounding, old-timey piano recording. Their comfort was evident and made for some delightful performances. The Sanders men played their guitars onstage. Forbes also played two other stringed instruments which demonstrated his versatility and reinforced the musical nature of the Sanders family.

Visually, the set was well constructed. There was no question that it was a little, old-time church. The way it was dressed confused me as it seemed odd to have random chairs onstage that were never used for anything. An antique pulpit gave the production an added sense of authenticity, but blocked the whole upstage area and forced the actors to the front six feet of the stage.

The costumes were all right, but not fabulous. For a professional dinner theater, costuming seemed rather thrown together. There was no continuity of dress in style, color, or personality among the Sanders family. Pastor Oglethorpe’s costume was very appropriate, especially his waistcoat. As with its acting, this production had its trials sprinkled with blessing.

The idea behind Smoke on the Mountain is quaint, but not for a dinner theater. The Lazy Susan promised a Broadway quality production, but I would not pay to see this on Broadway any day.

Since Lazy Susan is a dinner theater, I suppose it behooves me to address the “dinner” aspect of the evening. The bar opens at 6pm for cocktails (if you like citrus, you should try the Magna Grande), but dinner is not served until 7pm with the show following at 8:30pm (or earlier if the house is small). The food was not quite “atrocious” as had been reported to me, but the buffet was hit-and-miss. Everything was palatable, but those with discerning tastes may find the selection wanting.

Cast

• Pastor Mervin Oglethorpe: George Rouse
• Burl Sanders: Jan Forbes
• Vera Sanders: Cathy Kidwell
• Stanley Sanders: Jeffrey Bryce Davidson
• Denise Sanders: Kathleen McCormack
• June Sanders: Katherine Lipovsky

Production Staff

• Director: Jim Mumford
• Producers: Harold E. Gates, Glenn D. Gates
• Stage Manager: George Rouse
• Musical & Vocal Director: John Edward Niles
• American Sign Language Consultant: Amy Fournier
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Set Construction: Reggie Eusebio, Aaron Richardson
• Set Painting/Set Dressing: Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw
• Technical Staff: Aaron Forbes, Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes
• Costumes: Reggie Eusebio, Jennifer Pelath

Disclaimer: Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Little Shop of Horrors is a musical with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menkin. It is the story of a strange plant that finds a home in a florist shop on Skid Row. Its thirst for blood threatens to take over the world.

The cast of Little Shop gave a good solid performance. They had the songs down and the choreography seemed to come as second nature. The Audrey II Puppet was brought down from New York and designed by Martin P. Robinson.

Seymour (Ryan Schaffer) had a quirkiness about him that engaged the audience and made you feel his pain and guilt. The love of his life Audrey (Kathleen McCormick) did well with keeping the New York accent throughout the evening. In her song “Somewhere That’s Green” she portrayed a sincerity that really brought out the emotion in the song. She portrayed the roll as a small town girl trying to make it in the big city, but kept getting knocked around (literally) by life.

The floral shop owner, Mr. Mushnik, was played by Carl Bowman. As Seymour was quirky and awkward, Mr. Mushnik was just plain uptight. Bowman’s mannerisms and facial expressions were classic. He brought an energy to the role of Mushnik through his interactions with both Audrey and Seymour.

One interesting thing was the volume of the performance. The canned music was soft and although none of the performers ever really belted it out (except for maybe “Suddenly, Seymour”) there were times when the singers were louder than the music and may have thrown the tempo off.

The Lazy Susan set is wide, but not terribly deep. This set used three areas that either rotated or slid back and forth in place. The area on stage right could be rotated to become a dentist office or part of the alley on Skid Row. The center section was the florist shop and the actors were good about using the door to go out and keeping that fourth wall separate. The cast rotated the set effectively. Special lighting, designed by Jeanne Forbes, for the solos also helped heighten the mood.

Janelle Delany as Chiffon, Dena Kolb as Crystal, and Christina Sanchez as Ronette	Ryan Schaffer as Seymour Krelborn and Carl Bowman as Mr. Mushnik
Ryan Schaffer as Seymour Krelborn and Audrey II, as voiced by Antonio Bullock and puppeteered by George Rouse

Photos by Hans Bachmann for the Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre

Cast

• Seymour: Ryan Schaffer/Mark Hamburger
• Audrey: Kathleen McCormick/Tara Leigh Moore
• Audrey II (Voice) Antonio Bullock
• Manipulation: George Rouse
• Chiffon: Janelle Delany
• Crystal: Dena Kolb/Richelle (Rikki) Howie
• Ronnette: Christina Sanchez
• Mr.Mushnik: Carl Bowman
• Orin Scrivello/Mr. Martin/M.Luce: Christopher Culosi
• Bernstein/Ensemble: Katherine Lipovsky
• Skip Snip/Ensemble: Tony Turchiano
• Understudies
• Audrey II: Patrick Doneghy
• Chiffon: Tracy Lu
• Ronnette: Katherine Lipovsky
• Mr. Mushnik: Lyle Blake Smythers
• Orin Scrivello: Tony Turchiano
• Bernstein: Tracy Lu

Crew

• Director: Hans Bachmann
• Producers: Harold E. Gates, Glenn D. Gates
• Assistant Director: Jeffrey Davis
• Stage Manager: George Rouse
• Lighting Designer: Jeanne Forbes
• Musical & Vocal Director: John Edward Niles
• Costumer: Hans Bachmann
• Set: Reggie Eusebio, Aaron Richardson, George Rouse, Linda Shaw, Josh Smith
• Tech: Reggie Eusebio, Aaron Forbes, Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes, Danielle McBride