To Life!

Simplicity truly can be the best way to do things. Marriott Theatre always can find a way to make shows work and Fiddler on The Roof works! Let's jump right in with the cast. Paula Scrfonio as Golde is wonderful. The three daughters, Dara Cameron as Hodel, Jessie Mueller as Tzeitel, and Laura Scheinbaum as Chava, are perfect together on stage as they are apart. Motel, played by Andrew Keltz is a joy to watch on stage. Even with this great cast on stage, Fiddler requires a great Tevye and Ross Lehman is just that. Mr. Lehman's witty charm, command of the stage, and emotion poured into every scene makes the audience fall in love with him.

Okay, okay, enough! Here is why it works. The set is simple, beautiful, and practical. The multi-levels, beams, and fences set the mood of a time where possessions matter little and family mattered everything. The vocals are great. The staging is great. The dancing is great! The cast is having fun!

Opening night audience is always something special. The mood in the theatre is different, more alive maybe. Over-all, this is a great show to see. A true re-thought musical by Marriott. This posting is short and sweet as I don't have much to say. My biggest complaint is that there where a few line mess ups. I suggest seeing this show. I know I will be going again very soon!

Fiddler on The Roof plays at The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire though April 25th, 2010. www.marriotttheatre.com

The 101 Dalmatians Musical

Actors on stilts! I never really got over this fact. It was a good idea, but the illusion just made all the "people" look like they could not walk! The 101 Dalmatians Musical must likely is not the greatest choice for a musical. If I were 7, I think I would have gotten wrapped up in the world they created on stage. All the actors on stage, did a fine job. There were a few vocal problems, maybe just this performance, but they all did great with what they had (which was not much). The kids in the show really did the best job. At least they had dance numbers. Choreographers beware, adults on 12 inch stilts creates limited mobility! Most numbers consisted of standing in place with limited arm movement. My play date, Penny, left the theatre singing "Be a Little Bit Braver," not to my liking. Mainly due to the fact that this song showed up in the show 3 times, creating the only possible choice for an audience member to remember.

Sara Gettelfinger did a fine job with Cruella De Vil, but Cruella is such a one-dimension character it would be hard to screw up. She likes fur, she steals puppies, wants to kill puppies, losses puppies, and then dies, THE END. Part of me wishes that I would have been able to see Rachel York play the role, as I have seen her on stage before, but she recently dropped the show. Wonder why?

The parts of Jasper and Jinx (played by Michael Thomas Holmes and Robert Anthony Jones) had the show stopping number in the second act, "Having the Crime of Our Lives." Well, it would have been a show stopper if the average age of the audience was not 12. This number may have had the most "choreography" for anyone in the stilts.

I not going to bad mouth this show, other reviews have all ready done that. I think this is a great show for the family, but dont expect anything out of it. The live dogs are way too cute, the songs are so-so, and the jokes are bad.

The 101 Dalmatian Musical plays though February 28th at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago.www.broadwayinchicago.com

First one!

It seems that all my friends have blogs these days and I guess I felt a little left out. Since, I work in the luxurious world of theatre, I thought it best to write about theatre.

I truly do enjoy going to the theatre. It is always a fun event, from what to wear, who to go with, where to eat, finding parking, and then the actually show. In any given week, I see tours, regional, college/high school, community, children's, and other types of theater. The thing that has bothered me for awhile is that no one reviews short-running 'community shows." Now, I understand that a one-weekend run may not be worth reviewing if your paper is weekly or if you happen to catch the last performance. But, I do think it is important for people to know what their community produces.

So, I am going to write about the shows I see in hopes that the Chicago-land area gets a better idea of the quality and quantity of theatrical houses in and around their communities.