Though perhaps a touch dated, Bye Bye Birdie is still a fun upbeat musical sure to delight. With music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams, and book by Michael Stewart, the story looks at teen heart-throb Conrad Birdie who has been drafted into the army. His writer/producer/agent Albert Peterson has done all he can to keep Conrad swiveling his hips with a microphone instead of a machine gun, but his luck has run out. Assistant (and the true brains of the operation) Rose Alvarez figures out a way to send Conrad into the army with a big hit that will allow Albert and Rose to at last get married (it’s been eight years for Pete’s sake) and move to some small town where Albert can finally do what he has always wanted to do: be an English teacher. So off to Sweet Apple, Ohio to plant that ‘One Last Kiss’ on some swooning teenager and all would be right with the world. Well, maybe not, but much hilarity ensues as everyone involved grows up a bit.

Josh Wilson as Albert Peterson gave a strong performance as the producer/agent for Conrad Birdie. He had a strong connection and nice balance with his secretary Rose played by Holly McDade. McDade was fantastic, from her introductory resignation through to the happily ever after. McDade spent a lot of time and effort keeping Albert calm and keeping his mother away. Her dance numbers were full of energy. Although she tried, Mae Peterson played by Susy Moorstein (who also was the show’s Costumer) would not be denied her ability to butt in. Moorstein was hilarious as Mrs. Mae Peterson. She played the “woe is me” doting mother role expertly. She was so much fun to watch and her antics were quite entertaining.

Teenager Kim MacAfee (Megan Griggs) was chosen to receive the last kiss by Conrad Birdie. She was young, sweet and pretty innocent. The scene at the Ice House was a highlight as she butchered her attempts to appear worldly to Conrad. Conrad Birdie, played by Landon Dufrene, was scripted as worldly-wise, but many of his lines were treated with an innocence which did not receive the audience reaction that was expected. For example, his pleading with Albert to be allowed a night out missed some of the innuendo concerning his stress.

The song “The Telephone Hour” was nicely performed and choreographed, with extremely long telephone cords wrapping up the happy couple of Kim and Hugo. Jarret Baker’s set was focused on a huge rotating platform that gave a great deal of flexibility, representing Kim’s bedroom, Albert’s office, the Ed Sullivan studio, and other locations. All the scene changes were carried out fairly smoothly. Stacy King’s lighting design had a few dark spots on the sides of the playing area. Stan Harris’ sounds effects were effective, although sometimes came in a bit late or too soon. The huge cast of 37 fit nicely on the large stage at the Gregory Family Theatre in Manassas, Virginia.

One problem with Bye Bye Birdie is the script itself. There are many references in the script that audiences today just won’t understand. A few include “Getting pinned,” “terramycin,” “Shangri-La, Tibet” and “Mr. Luce, of Life magazine.” That said, the action performed under the overture featured several flashbacks to the 1950s: the hula hoop, jump rope, and cowboys.

Overall Bye Bye Birdie is a fun show with lots of spirit.

Photo Gallery

Danny Waldman (Hugo Peabody) and Megan Griggs (Kim Macafee)	Joshua Wilson (Albert Peterson) and Holly McDade (Rosie Alvarez)
Telephone Teens: Laura Kline; with Clare Baker (Ursula Merkle) and Alyssa Ryberg in rear	Susy Moorstein (Mae Peterson) and Joshua Wilson (Albert Peterson)
Alyssa Ryberg, Laura Kline, Megan Griggs (Kim Macafee), and Clare Baker (Ursula Merkle)	Clare Baker (Ursula Merkle), Landon Dufrene (Conrad Birdie), Tina Mullins, Don Wilson Back, left to right – Holly McDade (Rosie Alvarez) and Joshua Wilson (Albert Peterson)
Teen girls go crazy over Conrad Birdie	Owen Orwig (Randolph Macafee), Dave Ermlick ( Mr. Macafee), Danica Shook (Mrs. Macafee), and Megan Griggs (Kim Macafee)

Photos by David Harback

Cast

• Teen Ensemble: Amber Faye Armstrong
• Mrs. Merkle, Adult Ensemble: Candi Baker
• Ursula Merkle: Clare Baker
• Young Girl: Victoria Baker
• Adult Ensemble: Sarah Barlow
• Mr. Johnson, Stage Manager, Shriner: Dan Bellotte
• Adult Ensemble, Dance Captain, Wigs: Katy Churma
• Adult Ensemble: Marissa Dolcich
• Conrad Birdie: Landon Dufrene
• Teen Ensemble: Amber Elston
• Harry MacAfee: Dave Ermlick
• Reporter, Shriner, Adult Ensemble: Jonathan Faircolth
• Audio Tech, Maude, Adult Ensemble: Zach Fletcher
• Kim MacAfee: Megan Griggs
• Teen Ensemble: Carleigh Hopkins
• Teen Ensemble: Laura Kline
• Adult Ensemble: Jennifer LePaige
• Shriner, Teen Ensemble: Alden Lester
• Rose Alvarez: Holly McDade
• Mae Peterson: Susy Moorstein
• Mayor’s Wife, Adult Ensemble: Tina Mullins
• Teen Ensemble: Declan Murphy
• Teen Ensemble: Gwenyth Murphy
• Randolph MacAfee: Owen Orwig
• Harvey Johnson, Teen Ensemble: Tyler Parowski
• Adult Ensemble: Stephanie Powlen
• Reporter, Cameraman, Shriner, Police officer: Paul Rubenstein
• Teen Ensemble: Alyssa Ryberg
• Teen Ensemble: Sarah Jane Scott
• Doris MacAfee: Danica Shook
• Little Girl: Taylor Shook
• Gloria Rasputin, Adult Ensemble: Caroline Simpson
• Voice of Ed Sullivan: Jay Tilley
• Shriner, Teen Ensemble: Kyle Turnage
• Adult Ensemble: Cana Wade
• Hugo Peabody: Danny Wa;dman
• Mayor, Adult Ensemble: Don Wilson
• Albert Peterson: Josh Wilson

Production/Creative

• Producer: Melissa Jo York-Tilley
• Director: Don Peterson
• Choreographer: Danica Shook
• Assistant Choreographer: Katy Chmura
• Vocal Director: Beth Atkins
• Music Director: Laura Boyles
• Stage Manager: Mary Ann Hall
• Assistant Stage Manager: Rebecca Jackson
• Assistant Stage Manager: Tigan Harrison
• Set Designer: Jarret Baker
• Lighting Designer: Stacy King
• Costume Designer: Susy Moorstein
• Sound Effects Designer: Stan Harris
• Sound Effects Coordinator: Jon Roberts
• Properties/Set Dressing: Don Peterson
• Production Photographer: Leland Shook
• Fight Choreographer: Carl Brandt Long
• Master Electrician: Will McLeod
• Sound Operator: Veronica Thomas
• Sound Operator: Amanda Carter
• Sound Operator: Laura Baughman
• Light Board Operator: Michael D. O’Connor
• Light Board Operator: Michael Kwan
• Technical Assistant: Anna Fernandez
• Logo Designer: Jeff Maurer
• Technical Props: Bob Shon
• Set Construction and Painting: Jarret Baker, Barbara Baker, Bob Baker, Jason Baker
• Properties: Candi Baker, Sarah Barlow, Caroline Kline, Laura Griggs
• Makeup Assistance: Theresa Lester, Karen Parowski
• Hair and Makeup: Cast
• Wigs: Katy Chmura

Orchestra

• Piano: Meredyth Stirling
• Guitar: William Schillinger
• Percussion: Marie Juliano
• Bass: Theresa Arnold

Disclaimer: Prince William Little Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

The Upper Room Theatre Ministry has put together another stellar production with their Muny version of The Wizard of Oz. This version is based on Frank L. Braum’s novel and the music and songs of the 1939 movie adaptation. This version has more choral numbers, ballet, no Prof. Marvel, Toto or Miss Gultch, and may leave you wondering as to whether they really get back over the rainbow at the end of the show.

The cast and crew gave an amazing performance. Tons of energy and total dedication to the emotions of the story of a girl who wanted to find out what happens over the rainbow. However she soon realizes that Kansas is not so bad after all and longs to return home.

Dorothy Gale was played by Sarah Zapiain. Sarah was eager, and played Dorothy with much sincerity and emotion. She had a big smile and a strong voice, with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” the highlight of the first act.

Joseph Duran as the Scarecrow did some absolutely amazing gymnastic moves as he was rescued from his post. He seemed to be one big pretzel that could leap, stretch, roll, and tumble any which way, all while keeping time to the music and smiling. Alex Taylor as the Tinman, was a bit more reserved, but still defended Dorothy from the Jitterbugs, ghosts, and anything else that stood in her way. Last, but not least and perhaps the funniest of all Dorothy’s comrades is the Lion played by James Majewski. Lion had probably the best expressions and the most comedic anxiety of the group. Always ready to turn tail (pun intended) he later proved himself to be a champion of the forest and the Land of Oz.

Both the Good Witch (Maria Davis) and the Wicked Witch (Leslie Zapiain) had strong characters. Maria Davis performed two ballet numbers that were complex and well choreographed. Leslie Zapiain had the most evil laugh and her green makeup made her appear all the more sinister.

The crew was great and the set changes were smooth. The bridge scene was a delight, as it rotated under Dorothy and the Scarecrow as they crossed it on their way to the Emerald City. The bridge’s revolve was a stunning effect. The computer animated “Great and Powerful Oz” was also very well executed, timed to move with the actors as they cowered beneath him.

Many of the dance scenes in the second act, though well performed, seemed to go on a bit long, a problem with this version of the script. The Dance of the Ghosts was a feature, with Allan Rush as the skeleton Tibia. There were a few minor opening night mic problems, but those will surely be corrected. The orchestra was admirable, and never overpowered the singers’ voices. The set was fabulous, with beautiful backdrops and very functional set pieces. The witch’s appearances were perfectly executed in huge clouds of smoke that quickly were removed from the playing area. Jessica Kresge’s costumes were wonderful. Pay close attention to the cauldron late in the show!

A wonderful production that was well cast, sung, and danced. It is not the Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow,” but is a great family-friendly production nonetheless.

Director’s Note

The Scarecrow seeks brains, the Tin Man seeks a heart, the Lion seeks courage while Dorothy seeks a way back to Kansas. Jesus tells us those who seek will find and if we knock, the door will be opened. He gives each of us the gifts we need, if only we take the time to discover them and use them. The Wizard helps the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion discover that the gifts they journeyed after were with them all along. In the end, it is the Wizard’s sacrifice of his rule in the Emerald City that allows Dorothy to be led back home. The Wizard of Oz has been a delightful production to be a part of as we open the All Saints’ P.A.C. My prayer is that in some small way, we can always be reminded that God gives us the gifts we need to faithfully follow the road and eventually be led back home. Blessings to you and your family!

Photo Gallery

Dorothy in Kansas	Munchkin Land
Off to See the Wizard	Good Witch Ballet
In Witch’s Lair	Wizard

Photos provided by Upper Room Theatre

Cast

• Dorothy: Sarah Zapiain
• Scarecrow: Joseph Duran
• Tinman: Alex Taylor
• Lion: James Majewski
• Good Witch: Maria Davis
• Wicked Witch: Leslie Zapiain
• Aunt Em/Gloria: Emily Dwornik
• Lord Growlie/Uncle Henry: Samuel Bookwalter
• Peeping Munchkin/Visitor Witch 1: Nicole Kardaras
• Munchkin 2/Visitor Witch 2: Katie Miller
• Munchkin Farmer/General: Connor Kleb
• Munchkin Mayor/General: Patrick Koehr
• Braggart Munchkin/Oz Lady: Diana Allocco
• Sneezing Munchkin/Oz Girl: Gabrielle Buonocore
• Farmhand/Father Munchkin 1/ForeGeneral: Patrick Hilleary
• Farmhand/Father Munchkin 2/General: Brian Teller
• Farmhands/Mother Munchkin/Ozian: Kelli Hutchison
• Farmhand/Coroner Munchkin/General: Ben Jacobeen
• Munchkin 1/Oz Girl: Magali Palmer-Young
• Farmhand/Jitterbug/General /Ghost: Christian Kleb
• Farmhand/Jitterbug/Private/Ghost: Joe Zapiain
• Jitterbug/General/Tibia: Allan Rush
• Farmwife/Jitterbug/General/Ghost: Alayna Nagurny
• Farmwife/Jitterbug/General/Ghost: Kayleen Nagurny
• Farmwife/Jitterbug/General/Ghost: Kelly Rush
• Farmwife/Jitterbug/General/Ghost: Teresa Elmore
• Farmwife/Jitterbug/General/Ghost: Rachel Rollins
• Farmhand/Tot Munchkin 1/Oz Girl: Jeanne Myers
• Farmhand/Tot Munchkin 2/Oz Girl: Kathryn Knoerl
• Farmhand/Tot Munchkin 3/Oz Girl: Maria Zambrana
• Farmhand/Tough Munchkin 1/General/Ozmas: Brian Majewski
• Farmhand/Tough Munchkin 2/General: Jack Geiran
• Farmhand/Tough Munchkin 3/General: Jim Harbour
• Munchkin/Ozianl: Martin Kelly
• Munchkin/Ozian: Jude Vandevoorde
• Farmhands/Munchkins/Ozian: Marisa Michak
• Farmhands/Munchkins/Ozian: Hannah Foster
• Farmhands/Munchkins/Ozian: Marie Tessier
• Farmhands/Munchkins/Ozian: Kirstin Kleb
• Farmhands/Munchkins/Ozian: Esther Tennyson
• Farmhands/Munchkins/Ozian: Haylea Wisniewski
• Miniature Witch: Anne Tessier
• Wizard: Fr. Jeb Donelan
• Wizard’s Voice: Matt Moore
• Miniature Witch: Anne Tessier

Artistic Team

• Director/Producer: Rob Tessier
• Choreographer: Vickie Taylor
• Music Director: Cathy Drummond
• Vocal Director: Chris Zavadowski
• Production Stage Manager: Brian Sledz
• Deck Stage Manager: Elizabeth Perretta
• Assistant Director: Melissa Land
• Assistant Choreographer: Teresa Elmore
• Accompanist: Brian Nagurney

Technical & Design Team

• Technical Director/Set & Crew Director John Sledz
• Asst Technical Director: Andrew Heller
• Asst Tech Director: Dale Walsh
• Master Carpenter: Mark Heller
• Costume Designer: Jessica Kresge
• Costume Director/Munchkin Designer Kelsey Kleb
• Assistant Costume Builders: Mary Myers, Eileen Callahan, Eileen Hilleary, Joan Lopacki, Maggie Palmer, Connie Zaipian
• Properties Master: Jay Wells
• Assistant Props Master: Jenny Branly
• Scenic Art Director: Bernadette Wunderly
• Asst Scenic Art: Monica Loesel
• Lighting Designer: Dan Martin
• Sound Designer: Harry Post
• Make-Up/Hair Designer: Kyna Hollis
• General Manager: Cathy Sledz
• House Managers: Jane Carroll, Veronica Rollins
• Concessions Director: Myra Hayde
• Publicity Directors: Janis DeVore, Chris Zavadowski
• Poster Design/Oz Video Production Matt Moore
• Program Designer: Joan Lopacki

Orchestra

• Clarinet: Allen Howe
• Keyboard: Brian Nagurny
• Trombone: Chris Carroll
• French Horn: Chris Short
• Trumpet: Dave Russell
• Bassoon: Donna Peck
• Cello: Fernando Argont
• Violin: Gina Quintiliani
• Bass: Justin Christian
• French Horn: Kyle James
• Violin: Mel Waddy
• Saxophone: Mike Morch
• Violin: Gwendolyn Pfouts
• Drums: Phil Quinan
• Trumpet: Shaun Hydock
• Clarinet: Steven Darling
• Violin: Susan Bardenhagen
• Percussion: Wil Humpfries

Disclaimer: Upper Room Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Vpstart Crow does have some outstanding debts, so they are asking for donations “if the Crow ever enriched your life through involvement in a play or being an entertained audience member.” Currently their PayPal link isn’t working, but once it is, we’ll provide a link.

In community theater, directors often lack the luxury of being able to cast ideal physical types in key roles. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, it is crucial that the central character, Lennie, be a big, powerful, physically imposing and intimidating man. The script repeatedly refers to him as such, and Lennie’s inability to appreciate his own physical strength leads him toward his final disaster. Playing the role in Prince William Little Theater’s current production, Leland Shook is no bigger than his friend George or even his antagonist Curley, requiring of the audience a greater-than-desirable suspension of disbelief.

This is no knock on Shook’s performance. Smiling, sweet, forgetful, uncomprehending, quick to anger, Shook explores all of Lennie’s emotional dimensions, including his fatal love of petting soft things and his childlike desire to have George tell and retell the dream they share of future happiness on a small farm. His verbal hesitations and stammers add to the portrait of someone frustrated by his inability to make himself understood.

Matt Jordan has the difficult task of knitting together George’s need for Lennie’s companionship, his protectiveness of Lenny, and his frequent anger at Lennie and desire to be free from the responsibility of caring for him. The script allows him few opportunities to integrate these feelings: it’s one thing or another, forcing the actor to switch back and forth between moods.

So why does George stick with Lenny? Jordan’s performance makes clear that, like virtually all the characters in the play, George is consumed with loneliness; Lennie is George’s best insurance against a totally solitary life. Lennie also gives George the opportunity to articulate his dreams for a better life. George’s dream comes fully alive only as he recites it to Lennie. While there is no apparent homoerotic subtext to their relationship, either as written or performed, George and Lennie’s dream in many ways parallels that of a traditional marriage: a cute little country home, where George is the head of household and Lennie tends the garden and cares for the rabbits.

Ultimately, the deepest tragedy of the play belongs to George. Having killed Lennie, even though out of kindness, George has also knowingly killed his only dream. What’s left except to go out for a drink?

George and Lennie live in a bleak world of Depression-era migrant farm work, in which not only loneliness but also mean-spiritedness dominate the characters’ lives. George treats Lennie meanly at times. Carlson (Lanny Henzell) insists on shooting an old dog who is the only companion of Candy (Dell Pendergrast). When the fatal shot is heard from offstage, Pendergrast’s Candy, already curled up in depressed defeat, twitches as though he himself had been shot. No one consoles him.

Curley (Andrew Tippie), a nasty peckerwood type, is constantly spoiling for a fight, particularly interested in goading Lennie to violence. Curley’s wife (Erin Cooper) torments her husband with constant flirtations with the other men. Denied any chance to chase her dream of making it in Hollywood, however unrealistic, she too is driven by loneliness, creating havoc for herself and others. As Cooper plays her, she is reminiscent of Mayella Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Steinbeck’s treatment of the wife — who is not given a character name — is one of the most disturbing aspects of the play. All the other men reject her, in the harshest terms, as a slut and a troublemaker, whom they want to go away. One of the evening’s most striking images occurs when, after Lennie accidentally kills her, the other men enter, see her body, and express not the slightest sorrow over her death. Even her husband’s reaction is not to grieve her loss, but is simply to vow to kill Lennie. Lennie’s Aunt Clara, who has died some years before, is the only woman spoken of kindly in the script, in which the characters, and perhaps Steinbeck himself, fully embrace the good woman/whore dichotomy.

As Crooks, the black stablehand, Sharif Folks suffers the meanness of racist exclusion practiced by the other men. While he starkly expresses his own loneliness, Crooks is no more welcoming to others for the experience. For someone who is supposed to he hampered by a bad back, Folks is a bit too physically energetic at times. The most fully realized and convincing performance of the night belongs to Larry Keeling as Slim, a mule driver whose depth of understanding and decency give him a quiet authority far beyond that of the other characters. Keeling’s low-key, thoroughly grounded characterization could be used as a clinic for how naturalistic acting is supposed to work.

As befits the simple surroundings of the farm, the show’s set consists of a series of posts and beams framing a few beds, tables etc. There are occasional projections of the moon or clouds on an upstage cyc. The sound design consists mostly of repeated recordings of dogs howling and other night sounds between scenes and, very oddly, classical music before the show and during intermission. The world of Of Mice and Men seems about as far away from that of chamber music as one can imagine. When George shoots Lennie at the end if the play, the fatal gunshot was done through a recording, rather than using the gun in George’s hand, probably fortunately for Shook’s eardrums.

Even in more recent plays and musicals, a common theme has been the difficulty, or perhaps impossibility, of achieving “The American Dream.” “The American Dream” song in Miss Saigon, “Another National Anthem” and Sam Byck’s monologues in Assassins, and, in a quite different direction, Glengarry Glen Ross all concern the persistence of that dream and the sometimes violent frustration resulting from failure to achieve it. In 1937, when Steinbeck wrote the Of Mice and Men, the scale of that dream available to the likes of George and Lennie had been reduced to something very limited. Steinbeck’s success, and that of this production, is to make understandable the emotional impact of the loss of even that tiny dream.

Director’s Notes

Of Mice and Men is based on the novel written by Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck. Set in Northern California during the Great Depression, the book was published in 1937. The play was first presented by Sam H. Harris at the Music Box Theatre in New York on November 23, 1937. It is based on Steinbeck’s own experiences as a bindlestiff, ie, a hobo, especially one who carries a bedroll, in the 1920’s. The title is taken from Robert Burns’ poem “To A Mouse,” which read: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men/Gang aft agley.” (The best laid schemes of mice and men/Often go awry.) Of Mice and Men was Steinbeck’s first attempt at writing in the form of novel-play, termed a “play-novelette” by one critic. It is intended to be both a novella and a script for a play. He wanted to write a novel that could be played from its lines, or a play that could be read like a novel.

Surviving during the Great Depression was tough. Men were always looking for work just to survive. Finding companionship was a special gift that not everyone was lucky enough to find. During the Great Depression in Soledad, CA, two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with dreams of living off the “fat of the land,” have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. There they meet many different types of people, some kind, some hurtful, and some downright dangerous. This classic play takes through a world filled with hope, loneliness and the dream of achieving something better in life. The words in this play still resonate today, so many years after they were written, showing us how things were and how they still are for so many…making me very appreciative of the friends in my life and all those I meet during my journey.

In working on this production, we had many wonderful discussions which led all of the actors to add layers to their characters which went deep into their souls. I must admit, we also had some times when we laughed at some joke or amusing thought shard with each other that helped to break the tension of a particularly difficult scene that we’d been working on for awhile. It was both the in-depth discussions and laughter that drew everyone close together. Cast, crew and staff all worked very hard and I cannot thank them enough for all the time they put in to bring the lines of this script to life for all of you.

“There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water.”

Photo Gallery

Photos provided by Prince William Little Theatre

Cast

• George: Matt Jordan
• Lennie: Leland Shook
• Candy: Dell Pendergrast
• The Boss: Don Wilson
• Curley: Andrew Tippie
• Curley’s Wife: Erin Cooper
• Slim: Larry Keeling
• Carlson: Lanny Henzell
• White: Rodrigo Pool
• Crooks: Sharif Folks

Production Staff

• Director: Zina Bleck
• Producer: Zina Bleck
• Assistant Director: Becky Farrris
• Stage Manager: Denise Mattingly
• Set Design: Jarrett Baker
• Lighting Design: Stacy King
• Set Construction & Painting: Jarrett Baker
• Set Dressing: Zina Bleck, Katherine Blondin, Becky Farris & Rodrigo Pool
• Fight Choreography: Leland Shook
• Costume Design: Susy Moorstein
• Hair and Make-up: The Cast
• Special Effect Make-Up (Candy’s arm): Lenny Henzell
• Properties: Zina Bleck, Katherine Blondin, Becky Farris & Rodrigo Pool

Disclaimer: Prince William Little Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic play, playing on Broadway for three years in the early 1940’s. The Brewster sisters have decided their mission in life is to help lonely old men into the next world by serving them their “special” elderberry wine. Mortimer, the nephew of the spinsters, has recently decided to marry, and his long-lost brother Jonathan returns to make the Brewster home his base of operations for his new “business” venture. Meanwhile Mortimer’s other brother Teddy believes he is actually Teddy Roosevelt. Mortimer discovers his aunt’s plans and has to deal with juggling the police and his family.

Other than a few very funny slapstick moments (notably because when they occurred they were a surprise), this production was marked with problems and half-hearted efforts.

The acting overall was uneven. Bryan Friel made a strong effort as Mortimer, with a good chemistry with his fiancée Elaine (Chelsea Mayo), although he never quite managed to convey a sense of urgency at his crazy family’s predicaments. The aunts Abby (Carole Preston) and Martha (Dorothy) were mostly successful being little old ladies, although getting into and out of a sofa is a bit more difficult when you have arthritis. The police officers (Matt Stephan, Ben Jablonowski, and Chaz Pando) brought comic relief to the stage and were a nice team.

There were a few moments when an actor forgot his line, and the other actors onstage weren’t able to cover the mistake, leaving an awkward pause in the scene. The costumes were presentable, although the policeman’s uniforms looked remarkably like a priest’s outfit, complete with white collar. The patrolmen also didn’t wear a police badge.

The lighting design was bizarre. Possibly the design was attempting to represent the time of day through the lighting, but the entire performance was in a fairly dim light. Except for the scene changes, which were done in a full light. The final scene change (from overnight to morning) appeared to confuse the actors as well as the audience. Actors were also in shadow as they faced stage left.

Teddy played a bugle several times throughout the show. It may have been more effective to have a sound effect play than his warbled, muted attempt at a bugle call. One of the calls was supposed to cause a huge surprised reaction from the people in the living room, but the weak call didn’t match the reaction it generated.

The playing space of the Gregory Family Theater is huge. The set pieces were spread across the area resulting in a lot of extra work by the actors as they traversed the stage and tried to work with their fellow actors on the opposite side of the expanse. The set pieces were on platforms, which could have easily been positioned closer together, making for a better use of space.

There weren’t many props used in this production, but the dinner scene used no props at all. A Brewster sister carried the meal in, but since her hands were empty, it caused an odd reaction from the audience. Another notable prop was the body that was carried through the window. The laughter the “body” caused wasn’t the laughter expected. The moment had a lot of potential, but the distraction caused by the appearance of the “body” wasted the build-up to that point of the show.

Director Rachael Murray also made some interesting blocking choices, as several scenes had actors delivering their lines upstage away from the audience. The pacing was a bit slow at times, although that could be a byproduct of the large playing space.

This funny script deserves better than the weak, distracting technical treatment it received in this production.

From the Director

When I first read Arsenic and Old Lace, I wasn’t surprised. It didn’t strike me as a literary masterpiece. It wasn’t something particularly profound. But I laughed. A lot. And sometimes groaned. It’s a play that makes us laugh at what should-by all accounts-be considered morbid. Why do we laugh at something as serious as murder? What is wrong with us?

Upon several more readings, I began to se even more examples of things we shouldn’t laugh at. While Teddy’s Rooseveltian antics are a hoot, his aunts hint that his delusions stem from a sad, lost place. Abby and Martha grew up surrounded by death, and they seem to have narrowly escaped a gruesome childhood (albeit, with some unusual proclivities). Jonathan Brewster, who appears to have stepped right out of a horror movie, struggles with self-image and takes pleasure in torture. While Mortimer appears to be the most “normal” of the bunch, even he cannot seem to make sense of what is going on around him. We see him slowly lose his mind as the play progresses.

Sometimes, I think people take theatre too seriously-especially those of us who do it. Joseph Kesselring uses the character of Mortimer Brewster, theatre critic, to keep theatre in the forefront of our minds. Throughout Arsenic and Old Lace, Kesselring pokes fun not only at other plays, but also at his own. He reminds us to not take theatre so seriously. It can be deep, thoughtful, and heart-wrenching, but it can also be entertaining, fun, and irreverent.

On that note, if theatre is (as we fancy it to be) a reflection of life, is Kesselring perhaps telling us not to take life so seriously? After all, we could die at any moment and potentially end up as a corpse in a window-seat! Maybe we don’t have time to be serious. Maybe we have to laugh to get us through the more unseemly aspects of life.

I hope you’ll find more than a few laughs in our production. Enjoy them while you can. You never know when a kindly old lady might offer you a charitably potent glass of elderberry wine.

Enjoy the show!

Rachael Murray

Cast

• Abby Brewster: Carole Preston
• Martha Brewster: Dorothy Scheutze
• Teddy Brewster: John Klnk
• Reverend Harper: James Ginther
• Mortimer Brewster: Bryan Friel
• Elaine Harper: Chelsea Mayo
• Mr. Gibbs: Eric Trumbell
• Jonathan Brewster: Gene Schmiel
• Dr. Einstein: Bob Rosenberg
• Officer O’Hara: Matt Stephen
• Officer Brophy: Ben Jablonowski
• Officer Klein: Chaz Pando
• Lieutenant Rooney: Eric Trumbull
• Mr. Witherspoon: Geoffrey Baskir

Production Team

• Artistic Director: Lisa Anne Bailey
• Managing Director: Shellie Jablonowski
• Producer: Cory Okouchi
• Director: Rachael Murray
• Stage Manager: Cheryl Cordingly
• Set Construction: Dan Clark
• Set Designer: Maria Johnson
• Lighting Designer: Stephen Winkler
• Costume Designer: Ben Kelley
• Makeup: Kelly Verdon
• Poster Designer: Cory Okouchi
• Program Designer: Bob Smith

Disclaimer: Vpstart Crow provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

What is more all-American than a good con? Novels, plays, and movies are full of them: Tom Sawyer, The Music Man, The Sting, Elmer Gantry, The Talented Mr. Ripley, to name a few, not to mention real-life tricksters and fraudsters who became prominent parts of popular culture, from P.T. Barnum to Bernie Madoff. Two things are necessary to run a good con: a clever, psychologically astute con man and a mark who is not only credulous but willing, almost eager, to be deceived.

In John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation, now on view at VpStart Crow in Manassas, the con man is Paul (Chaz D. Pando), a young, smart, adaptable, gay, needy, black man who weaves his way into the stereotypically empty lives of shallow, pretentious, affluent, white New Yorkers. Paul readily convinces them that he is the son of Sidney Poitier, who is coming to New York to cast a movie of Cats. With his dignified demeanor, soft-spoken words, and obvious intelligence, Pando’s Paul is someone who could be thought credible as a son of Poitier (though anyone’s belief in the preposterous Cats story can be understood only as comic exaggeration on the playwright’s part).

Paul is by far Guare’s most interesting character, who is always playing one made-up role after another, and who cannot stop playing a fictional role even when, near the end of the play, things are falling apart for him. Pando gives a very assured, controlled performance that is at the center of the production, portraying not only his character’s ability to cast a spell — as in a spectacular monologue on the meaning and implications of Catcher in the Rye — but also his inability to find an identity and reality of his own. Careless of the hurt he causes others, he has a streak of self-destructiveness, graphically shown as he stabs himself as part of the story he uses to gain entrée to the homes of other characters. A strong point of the Guare’s writing, and Pando’s interpretation, of the character is that his motivations remain elusive and enigmatic, though a desire for the lifestyle he sees among the wealthy is surely involved (his actual thefts barely get him out of petit larceny territory).

The product Paul sells is the appearance of meaningful human contact, instinctively tailored to the needs of each individual he encounters, and his marks can’t get enough. Paul’s initial targets are a wealthy art speculator, Flan Kittredge (Darren Maquardt), and his wife Ouisa (Lisa Anne Bailey). Flan, who knows and perhaps once truly loved art, now views it principally as a commodity. Ouisa, kin to “the ladies who lunch” of Sondheim’s great song from Company, finds few sources of satisfaction in her life. As Paul appeals to Flan’s eagerness to rub elbows with celebrity and Ouisa’s unmet need to be needed, the couple falls easily into his web.

It is Ouisa who explains the meaning of the play’s title, the notion that no one is more than six connections from anyone else in the world. I hope that Guare did not believe this to be a profound insight. Even if true, the idea is trivial, grist for little more than cocktail conversation. (There is, in fact, a “six degrees” party game, focused on actor Kevin Bacon.) An example: I am occasionally part of meetings involving the Secretary of Transportation, who in turn attends Cabinet meetings. I suppose this means that I am only two degrees removed from President Obama. So what? This has no real meaning in my life, let alone the President’s.

Marquardt’s brusque Flan ultimately is not deeply affected emotionally by the play’s events, content to bask in financial success and the thrill of taking risks as a commodities trader in art. Ouisa, on the other hand, comes to need almost desperately the feeling of connection she gets from Paul. Especially in what appears to be an elaborate rescue fantasy, spun out in a long phone call during which Paul continues to play, almost woo, her, she finds a sense of the authentic experience of life she otherwise lacks, including in her relationship with her sitcom-type bratty children. This leads Ouisa to ask serious questions about her marriage and the way she has lived her life, which Bailey expresses in the form of Ouisa’s over-the-top rant to her husband near the play’s conclusion.

The show includes a number of smaller character roles. Among them, Matt Marcus stands out as Trent, a gay college student who is bewitched by Paul and gives him the information about his friends’ families that enables Paul’s con. David Schmidt, as a South African businessman who finances Flan’s latest art deal; Mike Rudden as Rick, Paul’s most tragic mark; and Sarah Farris as Elizabeth, Rick’s girlfriend (and the only potential victim grounded enough to resist Paul’s blandishments) also deserve mention. Other roles, while competently acted, are often little more than types.

The show is performed in the round, in an intimate space that affords excellent sight lines. Director Rob Batarla moves the cast smartly around the set, ensuring that patrons on all sides get the benefit of direct address by the actors. One scene, where parents and children swirl rapidly in circles around the furniture, seemed overly busy, and there were a few scenes (e.g., the Paul-Trent scene) that could have benefited from a more measured pace.

As befits a production in the round, the set is simple, consisting of a living room sofa and chairs (one hopes that a high-end art dealer would have more tasteful furniture than the Kittridges’ tiger-stripe upholstery). Kudos to Jean Gentry’s props design for use of good period cordless telephones. The lighting design is simple but effective, with specials in the corners of the playing area augmenting the general area lighting. The sound design makes extensive use of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, creating an appropriate tone of refinement for the play’s upper class milieu.

When the play premiered in 1990, it garnered some excellent reviews, including a rave from the New York Times‘ Frank Rich. Perhaps the topical impact of the play has diminished in subsequent decades, but while Gaure wrote some interesting characters and intelligent, sometimes witty, dialogue, the depths that Rich found in the original production were not apparent in the VpStart Crow version. While falling short of the “instant classic” claims for the play, the production’s very competent acting and strong pacing will hold an audience’s interest.

Director’s Note

Look around the theater and I bet you are connected to everyone in the room by at least six degrees. Well, probably less. You may know someone in the show. And the lady over to your left knows someone too. You two are three degrees apart. See how easy it is? Or is it scary? For me personally, I am four degrees to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, five degrees to Academy Award winner Catherine Zeta-Jones, and only two degrees to former Vice-President Al Gore. And those are just the ones I know! Speaking of Facebook, a recent report noted that because of the social media website, the actuality of degrees of connection has decreased to 4.74. We are all closer than ever.

With elements of comedy and tragedy, John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation is, at its core, the telling of a story about this basic human need for connection and, because we are telling the story in the round, you will get to live the story from every angle. We have also taken some theatrical liberties in story telling that I hope you appreciate, all in an effort to enhance the story telling.

On a personal note, I would like to extend many thanks to a lot of people who made this production possible. I have been wanting to stage this show for over 10 years now, and I am very pleased with this group of actors and collaborators who helped me bring this show to life.

Enjoy the show!

Rob Batarla

Cast

• Ouisa: Lisa Bailey
• Flan: Darren Marquardt
• Geoffrey: David Schmidt
• Paul: Chaz Pando
• Hustler: Kevin Walker
• Kitty: Carole Preston
• Larkin: Eric Trumbull
• Detective: Shellie Jablonowski
• Tess: Kimberlee Wolfson
• Woody: Ben Jablonowski
• Ben: Joshua Dickinson
• Dr. Fine: Geoffrey Baskir
• Doug: Clemente Santiago
• Police/Doorman: Dan Clark
• Trent: Matt Marcus
• Rick: Mike Rudden
• Elizabeth: Sarah Ferris

Production Team

• Director: Rob Batarla
• Assistant Director: Rachel Murray
• Producer: Jean Gentry
• Stage Manager: Leandra Lynn
• Assistant Stage Manager: Rachel Thompson
• Technical Director: Dan Clark
• Set Designer: Rob Batarla
• Lighting Designer: Ryan Johnston
• Sound Designer: Rob Batarla
• Properties: Jean Gentry

Disclaimer: VpStart Crow provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

SBR: Why did you want to do this show?

Rob: I wanted to do this show for a long time, ever since I first read it–probably about 10 or 15 years ago. Mainly, it’s because it is an incredible story. Theatre tells a story. That’s the whole point of it. But the way that John Guare does Six Degrees of Separation, the way he tells the story is very appealing. We fast forward; we go to the past. So the story-telling element of this show is fantastic, to me. Also, it’s based on a true story, so that’s interesting, and it’s somewhat edgy, which I like.

SBR: How do you think this show might resonate with your audience?

Rob: I’m hopeful that the audience will enjoy the story as much as I do, and they’ll be captivated by what’s going on with Paul and Flan and Ouisa, and the people around them.

SBR: You’re staging this production in-the-round. Talk about some of the challenges with that.

Rob: When you’re in-the-round, there’s audience on all four sides, so at every moment of the play, someone’s back is to someone–an actor’s back is to an audience member. So, that can be a little challenging for the audience, because they obviously want to see what’s going on, but the benefit of it is that audience members will get to see things from a different perspective. Everyone will see a slightly different show based on what they’re able to see. The challenge for us was to make sure that every person gets a valid show. You can’t favor one side. During the rehearsal process, my comment was, “Every person who sits somewhere in the theater paid the same price.” The show that we give to the west side has to be the same as the show we give to the north side. So, there were definitely challenges with blocking and making sure that the show was fair to the audience. I think this type of show lends itself very well to theatre-in-the-round. It’s about telling a story. The actors do talk directly to the audience, so putting it in-the-round and putting the audience so close to the actors actually works very well for this production.

SBR: Why do you think Six Degrees of Separation is an “instant classic” in VpStart’s season?

Rob: VpStart Crow focuses on classic theatre. We do a Shakespeare show each year, things like that. Last year, we implemented something called an “instant classic,” which was a show that, fifty years from now, theatres that do classic theatre would be doing shows like this. Last year we did a Neil Simon play; next year we’re doing Doubt; this year we chose Six Degrees. Why do I think it’s an instant classic? Because I think it’s just a really damn good show, and I think fifty years from now companies that look back and do “classic” theatre–theatre that is good and stands the test of time–I believe this show is one of them.

SBR: There is partial nudity in this show. Do you think it may offend some?

Rob: I think you always run the risk that any theatre will offend anyone. The original Broadway production of this show had full nudity in it. We sort of scaled back. We do have some nudity; it’s partial. I’m hoping that it doesn’t offend people. I think the person who would come see this show would hopefully not be the type of person that would be offended by that. I believe we’ve done it tastefully. It’s not excessive; it’s not overtly sexual; it’s not superfluous. It’s not like we just decided to throw some naked people on the stage just to do it. I have seen shows where that happens. I think it’s appropriate. It’s not long in the scene. It doesn’t go on for a long period of time. But it is important to the plot, and it was in the script, and we decided to go forward with that.

SBR: Some people may be skittish when they see it has partial nudity and adult language. Should they have a little faith and see it anyway?

Rob: It’s not a David Mamet play: The F word isn’t every other word of the show. There is some adult language in it. At the heart of the matter, it is a production telling a story about human connection, and the way the characters go through and experience these connections and tell this story–that’s what it’s about. It’s not a salacious sex show with foul language throughout it. It is an adult show. It does have some adult themes, and it does have a little nudity and some language. But that’s not the crux of the show.

Vpstart Crow’s Six Degrees of Separation opens this weekend. The show runs May 11-13 and May 18-20. Show times are 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 2pm on Sundays. For more information, visit www.vpstartcrow.com.

The company plans to produce three shows, in October 2012, Feburary 2013 and May 2013. Directors are encouraged to submit inquiries, resumes and 1-2 page proposals to Pam Cribbs jmemom -at- comcast.net by January 15, 2012.

The award-winning Manassas-based company, now in its 28th year, will begin reviewing proposals and interviewing directors in March, 2012. All shows will be performed at the Gregory Theater at the Hylton Performing Arts Center at the George Mason University campus in Manassas.

More information on PWLT is available at PWLT.org.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a play based off a book by Barbara Robinson, tells the story of a church’s attempt to produce their annual Christmas pageant. The problems pile up though: the director is in the hospital, the replacement director’s kids don’t want to be in the show, and the toughest kids in the town do. This amusing show will be well received by kids with a few touches for adults.

Watching the “good” kids deal with the “bad” kids (the Herdmans) was quite believable. Julie Desmedt as Beth Bradley was sincere and open to other interpretations of the Christmas story (“well, she was pregnant!”) While she never put the other “good” kids in their place, she helped make the magic of the nativity’s effect on Imogene Herdman (Hannah Ivester) real.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is definitely aimed at kids, especially in the way it treats the adults of the story. They are a mishmash of ineptitude, showing signs of pride, fear, drunkenness, and laziness. The exception is the cheerful Grace Bradley (Deb Gregoire). Gregoire allowed her character to persevere in the face of adversity, never quite losing her temper as her production wheeled out of control.

The set (designed by Rob Batarla) featured two main scenes, the Bradley home and the church auditorium. Batarla’s design made good use of the enormous playing area of the theater, allowing the audience to be able to more easily focus on the action. Ryan Johnston’s lights were effective at directing the audience’s focus, as there were many small scenes performed on the outer edge or along the very front of the playing area. The costumes were appropriate, with nice detail given to the Herdman children’s appearance.

The pay what you can performance was the first public performance ever for most of the cast. There were a few rough spots, most notably the lack of volume from several actors, both children and adults. There were also a few delays during scene changes. Playing Christmas music could have covered the delays. Over time I expect these problems will diminish.

In general, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a silly little show, and Vpstart Crow and Studio Works VA have created an enjoyable, family friendly hour of theater.

The Cast

• Gladys Herdman: Kai Amado
• Reverend Hopkins: Geoffrey Baskir
• Jack Slocum: Shane Dean
• Mrs. Slocum: Shelly Dean
• Hobie Clark: Taylor Dean
• Beth Bradley: Julie Desmedt
• Edna McCarthy: Meg Desmedt
• Ralph Herdman: John Dubbelde, Jr.
• Fireman: John Dubbelde, Sr.
• Mrs. Armstrong: Lisa Dubbelde
• Claudia Herdman: Meg Dubbelde
• Ollie Herdman: Audrey Gregoire
• Grace Bradley: Deb Gregoire
• Bob Bradley: Marcus Gregoire
• Imogene Herdman: Hannah Ivester
• Maxine: Rebekah Ivester
• Elmer Hopkins: Tanner Jaksa
• Leroy Herdman: Ethan Porter
• Fireman: Garth Porter
• Alice Wendleken: Hannagh Smith
• Mrs. Clausing: Angela Tracy
• Charlie Bradley: Ryan Tracy
• Mrs. Clark: Linda Whitaker
• Girl’s Chorus: Eilis Cribbs, Betty Gregoire, Lizzy Nicholas
• Understudy: Alice Wedleken: Sabrina Hostetter

The Production Team

• Artistic Director: Rob Batarla
• Managing Director: Clemente Santiago III
• Producer: Denise Smith
• Director: Rob Batarla and Kye-Won Kopko
• Stage Manager: Clemente Santiago III
• Technical Director: Dan Clark
• Set Designer: Rob Batarla
• Lighting Designer: Ryan Johnston
• Sound Designer: Rob Batarla
• Costumes: The Cast and Crew
• Hair and Makeup- Mary Price
• Poster Designer: Cory Okouchi
• Program Designer: Bob Smith

Disclaimer: Vpstart Crow provided a complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Farce. It’s a really funny word. It instantly transports the person reading or hearing the word to another world where dead mean dance in kick lines and no one’s life is ever boring.

Out of Order by Ray Cooney, currently being performed by Rooftop Productions in Manassas, is a fun romp through London in the 1980’s. Richard Willey is Junior Government Minister and “lap dog” for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party. As the play opens he’s carefully arranging a getaway with a pretty secretary from the House of Commons. He’s set the stage for romance, there’s only one problem – a dead body in the window. The story that ensues is very engaging and classic fun farce. There’s lots of door slamming, mistaken identities, and confusion that make it a treat to watch. Opening night seemed to be slightly hampered by several timing issues with a few actors and a few sound cue problems.

The timing was much more spot on by Act Two and the sound cue glitches were handled nicely by the actors. Overall, Out of Order proved to be a very funny tale that was well performed by its cast.

Bob Cohen led the cast as Richard Willey, the Junior Minister who was the mastermind of the evening’s plans. Mr. Cohen played Willey with a lusty Prince Charles feel that really connected well with the role showing just the right balance of British propriety and lust for life. Josh Bartosch played Willey’s Primary Parliamentary Secretary, George Pidgden. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Bartosh interacted well together however there were several times when timing seemed to be an issue. Bartosch really shone in the second act with some impressive bits of physical comedy mingled with romance. Nora Zanger’s potential romantic liaison Jane Worthington was very nervous, often distractingly so with lots of fluttering in place. Ian Wade’s portrayal of waiter Harold Cromwell was stellar. Every exchange he had with another character was always interesting with a measure of either bumble or scamp. Wade made impact from his first appearance where he didn’t even speak and continued to lead the comedy dynamic throughout the show. Darren Marquardt had the most difficult part playing the Body. His physical movements were so relaxed and weighted that he truly appeared to be a corpse. Mr. Marquardt’s performance was one of the high notes of the evening due to his commitment to physicality. The actor’s dialects ranged from fairly good to spotty and some actors seemed to make no attempt at all.

The set was designed to resemble a suite in The Westminster Hotel. The space was used very smartly to give actors the needed doors and window for their hijinks. The tasteful tapestry furniture gave the stage a feeling of tradition and warmth expected in an established London hotel. The main focal point of the stage is guillotine like window, which provided the backdrop for many comedic twists. However it did seem difficult for the ladies to climb out of as they were almost always in dresses and negligees. The door that was the entrance of the suite seemed to give a little trouble closing and staying closed. The costumes for the piece were very suitably executed. The wedding suit worn by the Body was a particular standout.

Out of Order is a quick-witted comedy, which was ultimately well executed and provides a happy escape into the world of politics. The world is currently so downtrodden with economics woes that a trip across the pond with a merry band of players is a most welcome reprieve.

Cast

• Richard Willey: Bob Cohen
• Manager: Joe Bersack
• Waiter (Harold Cromwell): Ian Wade
• Jane Worthington: Nora Zanger
• Body: Darren Marquadt
• George Pigden: Josh Bartosch
• Maid: Sallie Willows
• Ronnie Worthington: Chaz Pando
• Pamela Willey: Carolyn Cameron
• Nurse Gladys Foster: Debra Ovall

Crew

• Director: Vincent Worthington
• Costumer: Katherine Williamson
• Prop Mistress/ Set Dresser: Patti Taylor
• Set Designer: Vincent Worthington
• Technical Advisor: DK Stewart
• Sound Design: Dale Wash
• Lighting Design: Jeben Marhsall
• Stage Manager: Brooke Angel
• Dialect Coach: Bob Cohen
• Set Painting: Vincent Worthington, DK Stewart, Sarah Scott, Carolyn Cameron & Randy Chapman
• Set Construction: Vincent Worthington, DK Stewart & Phil Caplinger
• Stage Crew: Debra Ovall, Carolyn Cameron & Sallie Willows
• Executive Producer: Anne Ridgway
• Assistant to the Execituve Producer: Kim Love
• Graphic Designer/Photographer: Louise Noakes

Disclaimer: Rooftop Productions provided three complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.