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Theatre
Newsletter: September 2004
December 6, Edition 4 – ’04-'05
518 West Locust St. Davenport, IA 52804
Department Chair: Kristofer Eitrheim – (563)
333-6255, EitrheimKristoferJ@sau.edu
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Corinne Johnson – (563)
333-6427, JohnsonCorinneS@sau.edu
Newsletter Editor: Jenny Stodd, SAU Junior,
SAUTheatreNews@Yahoo.com
Contributing Journalist: Daniel Sheridan, SAU
Senior / Jamie Booher, SAU Junior
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Jungle Book Wrap-Up
2. Chosen partners and pieces for
the American College Theatre Festival
3. Senior/Graduation Spotlight :
Matt Erkel
4. Blithe Spirit Auditions
5. Study Abroad Information :
Theatre In Ireland
6. Way to go : Marianna Caldwell
7. Super Staff : Brad Frazee
8. Theatre Around the QCA
9. February Auditions
10. Players At Dawn spring
applications
11. Reviews of London Theatre
12. Freshman Spotlight :
Christine Goodall
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JUNGLE
FEVER
The Jungle Book rocked the walls
of Allaert Auditorium in the annual children’s show last
weekend. With
performances from December 1-5, many youngsters and their
parents invaded the theatre to hear the story of Mowgli and
his animal friends. The
show increased ticket sales from the previous years, selling
out over three performances.
The children’s show is also a great
way to keep alumni involved with the activities of Galvin
Fine Arts Center. On
Saturday, December 4, alumni and their children were given
tickets to the performance and there was even a pre-show tea
party for the children to attend.
Performances during the week were
reserved for grade school classes to attend.
Teachers were also given an educational packet that
incorporates the show into educational material they could
share with their students before attending The Jungle
Book. The
children were given a chance to meet and greet the cast of
the show as they exited the theatre.
This was Stage Manager Amanda Bourn’s
first attempt at a children’s show and a musical.
Although it was a challenging experience to
coordinate working with the director, the musical director,
and the cast’s schedule, “everyone got along great,”
Bourn commented.
The Jungle Book proved to be
another success for the SAU Theatre Department and one that
left a lasting impression on the schools and audiences that
became a part of this classic tale.
============================================================
Swing
Your Partner Round n’ Round
Don’t worry, the SAU Theatre
Department has not started a line dancing class.
However, each winter, the St. Ambrose University
Theatre Department takes nominated students and their
partners to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition at
the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival (KC/ACTF).
SAU is a part of District Five of this Festival,
which includes colleges in the states of Iowa, Nebraska,
Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In addition to the many theatrical aspects of this Festival,
there is one main attraction:
the Irene Ryan Acting Competition.
Irene Ryan was the actor who played
Granny on the television show “Beverley Hillbillies.”
According to KC/ACTF, “The main focus of the Irene
Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions is to celebrate the
nation’s finest student actors and the craft that enables
them to create compelling and truthful characterizations.” This year, SAU is taking six of its finest actors who have
been nominated by respondants who have seen their work in
the past year. Ted
Stephens III, Matt Erkel (both nominated from Rumors),
Daniel DP Sheridan, Rusty K. Koll (both nominated from Our
Town), Marianna Caldwell and Scott Peake (both nominated
for H.M.S. Pinafore) will all be traveling to compete
in the scholarship competition.
For the 2005 competition, nominees must
prepare a two-person scene, lasting a maximum of three
minutes in the preliminary round (the scene may or may not
include singing). In
the semi-final round, they must perform the same scene and
an additional two-person scene with the same partner, not
exceeding five minutes (again, either of these scenes can
involve music). In
the final round, they add a monologue (or a solo musical
number) to the same two scenes, and have a maximum of six
minutes to present all three.
This month, the SAU Theatre Newsletter
has gone behind the scenes and taken a look at our nominees
and the pieces they have chosen.
The nominees have had to choose their scenes and
monologues (or songs) on their own, or with the help of
faculty advisor Michael Kennedy.
Each will perform their pieces at a showing in the
studio theatre on December 13th, 2003 (Daniel
Sheridan, studying in London, will be absent for the first
showing). A
second showing will occur shortly before the students depart
for St. Louis in January.
The nominees and their partners and pieces are as
follows:
Nominee:
Ted Stephens III
Show nominated from:
Rumors (playing Glen Cooper)
1st Piece:
Scene from Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
2nd Piece:
Scene from Eastern Standard by Richard
Greenberg
3rd Piece: Singing "Solilloquy" from the musical Carousel
Partner:
Trina Gillen (’04), currently studying at Loras
College in Dubuque, IA
Why he chose these pieces: Stephens has always been fascinated with Hedda Gabler
and just recently re-read it in search of his KC/ACTF
pieces. The
scene Stephens chose is a powerful one, “a pivotal moment
in the show that also works well as a stand-alone scene.”
When Stephens speaks about the Greenberg script, he
states, “unlike my first scene this character has lost
power—he is dying—and is trying to make his wishes known
as his fate draws near.”
To wrap it all up, Stephens has chosen to sing,
thinking that with his two strong theatrical pieces, a song
shows more versitality.
Why he chose his partner: “First, I’m old, 26,” Stephens explains with a
laugh. “I
needed a person who matched in physical maturity to me.”
Gillen was also his scene partner when Stephens
traveled to KC/ACTF last year, and enjoyed working with her.
How he feels about the changes in
the competition: Since
this is Stephens’ third nomination to the Festival, he
admits he was a little “wigged out” at first about the
changes in the competition.
However, he thinks it is really what acting is about,
working with other people on stage, that is.
“The changes make it so you have to make the judge
want to see more and more and more.”
Nominee:
Marianna Caldwell (SAU sophomore)
Show nominated from:
H.M.S. Pinafore (playing Little Buttercup)
1st Piece:
Scene from The Misanthrope by Moliere
2nd Piece:
Scene from Antigone by Sophocles
3rd Piece:
Undecided as of yet
Partner:
Julie Arensdorf (SAU Sophomore)
Why she chose her pieces: Caldwell
first chose The Misanthrope due to the fact that she
loves the script, and hopes to perform the full version
someday.
Why she chose her partner: When Caldwell attended Augustana College last spring, she
performed in two SAU productions with Arensdorf, and had the
opportunity to play off of her in character roles.
“There’s a lot we can do together, especially
considering our height differences.”
Overall, Caldwell and Arensdorf just have fun
performing together.
This is Caldwell’s first KC/ACTF
Irene Ryan nomination
Nominee:
Scott Peake (SAU Junior)
Show Nominated from:
H.M.S. Pinafore (playing Sir Joseph
Porter)
1st Piece:
“He’ll Never Know”, a scene into a song,
from the musical A Year With Frog and Toad by
Robert and William Reale
2nd Piece:
Scene from Beyond the Horizon by Eugene
O’Neill
3rd Piece:
An original monologue
Partner:
Sean Pankuch (SAU Junior)
Why he chose his pieces:
Peake chose Frog and Toad because it’s
something that suits his style and character very well, as
well as being different from the “typical” ACTF scene.
The O’Neill piece contrasts the first piece, but
also suits his character well.
He chose to use a self-written monologue because,
“I wrote it! Who
knows me better than me?!”
Why he chose his partner: Peake chose Pankuch because he needed a partner who could
sing, but also because they look so different.
“I think he’ll be a good foil for me,” says
Peake.
This is Peake’s first KC/ACTF
nomination
Nominee:
Rusty Koll (SAU senior)
Show nominated from:
Our Town (playing the Stage Manager)
1st Piece: Scene from
The Mystery of Attraction by Marlane Meyar
2nd Piece: Scene from
Othello by William Shakespeare
3rd Piece: Monologue
from Old Times by Harold Pinter
Partner:
Andrew Harvey (SAU sophomore)
Why he chose his pieces:
Koll explained that his choices were made to show
contrast in the variety of roles he is able to play.
The first is comedic, something Koll is familiar
with; the second is a villain, a role he doesn’t play
often but feels strongly about; as for the monologue, Koll
explains, “The monologue just fits me like a glove.”
Why he chose his partner: Koll chose Harvey based on the characters in his scenes.
“The guy would play a great Roderigo (his
counterpart in the Shakespeare scene) someday.
He’s also someone I genuinely enjoy working
with.”
This is Koll’s first KC/ACTF
nomination
Nominee:
Daniel DP Sheridan (SAU Senior)
Show nominated from:
Our Town (playing George Gibbs)
1st Piece: Scene from
The Pillow Man by Martin McDonagh
2nd Piece: Scene from
Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
3rd Piece: Monologue
from Buried Child by Sam Shepard
Partner: Brian Golden, ‘04
theatre graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, MO
Why he chose his pieces:
Sheridan wanted a sharp contrast in characters as
well as pieces. He,
along with many of his fellow nominees, wanted to open with
his strongest piece and go from there.
“I was initially going to use a scene from History
Boys by Alan Bennet,” he explained, “but I
couldn’t get the rights.
The McDonagh piece is equally powerful.”
Why he chose his partner: Sheridan and Golden attended Davenport West High School
together, where they not only performed alongside each other
but also produced their own productions as well.
“I needed someone to play my elder and I had to
look outside the department for that,” Sheridan added.
“Brian is a sound and reliable actor and a great
friend.”
How he feels about changes in the
competition: This
is Sheridan’s third nomination, having gone to the
Festival in Denver last year, as well as competing through
the semi-final round in his Sophomore year.
“Unfortunately, the main con outweighs any pro of
the new rules,” Sheridan admits.
“You will not be able to show any contrast in the
preliminary round. To
be judged based on one piece when you have prepared three
seems limiting.” Sheridan
feels that the new rules have been made to make the
competition more enjoyable for the audience, and in the
process, have lost the balance of competition.
Nominee:
Matt Erkel (SAU Senior)
Show nominated from:
Rumors (playing Ernie)
1st Piece: Scene from Betrayal by Harold
Pinter
2nd Piece: Scene from This is a Play by
Daniel Macivor
3rd Piece: Undecided as of now
Partner:
Claire Richards (SAU Sophomore)
Why
he chose his pieces: Erkel
based his selection on his first piece from Betrayal.
“I really enjoy the Pinter piece,” he
commented, “and I feel that it’s the best thing I’ve
found so far to display myself.”
Why
he chose his partner: “Claire
is perfect for the first scene,” he explained.
Erkel went on to say that the way Festival rules are
set up for this year, you have to give it all you’ve got
in that first round, so he wanted to choose an actor who was
strong for his best scene and go from there.
This is Erkel’s first KC/ACTF
nomination
This year’s Kennedy
Center/American College Theatre Festival will take place on
January 17-22, 2005 in St. Louis Missouri, at both St. Louis
Community College and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Along with the nominees for the Irene Ryan
Scholarship Competition, members of the SAU Theatre
Callboard will attend, as well as professors from the
Theatre Department. However, anyone who is willing to pay the registration fee
(usually around $50) is welcome to join. Open spots are
always offered to Theatre Majors/Minors first, and although
space is now limited, more information can be obtained by
contacting Department Chair Kris Eitrheim.
St. Ambrose wishes these six nominees and their
partners the best of luck in January!
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Senior Salute
Name:
Matthew James Erkel
Hometown:
Marion, IA
Degree:
B.A. in Theatre and Radio/TV Communications
Previous
Productions at SAU:
Rhythm Ranch (Cactus Hatch), Private
Eyes (Adrian), My
Favorite Year (Sy), Betrayal
(Robert), “Pippi Longstocking” (Mighty Lars), Our
Town (Professor Willard/Joe Stoddard), Rumors
(Ernie), Gypsy (Herbie),
Macbeth (Siward)
Favorite
SAU experience? “Dan Hale winning the Irene Ryan
Acting Scholarship in 2003.”
Favorite
role? “Cactus
Hatch in Rhythm Ranch”
Latest
project? “Master
Electrician for ‘The Jungle Book’.”
Dream
job? “Pffff…an
actor!”
Favorite
Actor/Actress? “Kevin
Spacey”
Favorite
quote? N/A
Favorite
word/phrase? N/A
Least
favorite word/phrase?
“Potential.”
What
will you miss the most about SAU?
“The faculty.”
Matt
Erkel will graduate on December 18th, 2004, and
plans to avoid a life of manual labor.
Congratulations, Matt!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SPIRITS TAKE
OVER GALVIN
If any spirits come to Galvin, they are most likely actors.
In this case, they will be just that.
Blithe Spirit, written by Noel Coward,
will open the second semester for the SAU Theatre
Department. The
show is a “sophisticated comedy and very, very witty,”
according to director, Michael Kennedy.
But before there can be a performance there must be
auditions.
Blithe
Spirit calls for five women and two men in the cast.
Audition dates and times are as follows:
Wednesday, December 8:
3-5 PM
Thursday, December 9:
5-7 PM
Friday, December 10:
TBA
Those
wishing to audition do not need to bring anything prepared
to the auditions, but they should be ready to read from the script.
Scripts may be checked out from Mr. Kennedy’s
office beginning on Monday, November 29th.
They will be available for check out in the mornings
between 8:30 and 9:00 (or by other special arrangement) and
may be kept for twenty-four hours.
“We are
looking for bright, upbeat characters,” Kennedy said.
There will be no accents used in this performance,
unlike the English accent that is called for in the script.
The cast list will be posted the Monday following
auditions. The
show runs from February 18-20, 2005.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITY
It is not too late to sign up for the
SAU Theatre in Ireland trip slated for May of 2005.
Although December 1st was the deadline for
top priority consideration, a few choice seats are still
available. Students
who are intending to earn credit for this study abroad tour
will need to register for THTR 386 Irish Theatre in the May
2005 interim term. The
course carries general education credit, and may also be
used by Theatre majors to complete their Theatre
requirements.
There will be several meetings during
the Spring 2005 term to prepare play reading lists for the
intensive course work that lies ahead.
The first week of the course will be held immediately
following graduation, from May 16 to May 20, 2005 (on-campus
students may make arrangements with Residence Life to remain
in their Spring 2005 residence during the week).
The remaining two weeks of the course
will take place in Ireland.
Students will fly from Chicago to Dublin on May 21,
2005, arriving in Dublin the following day.
Upon arrival in Dublin, students will
spend seven days and nights investigating various aspects of
Irish theatre, including the study of texts, visits to
related sites in the city of Dublin, and mandatory
attendance at four plays at such theatres as the Abbey, the
Gaiety, and the Gate. There
will be some free time for individual exploration, but the
main purpose of the time in Dublin is to enhance one’s
understanding of Irish theatre through exposure to relevant
sites in the city and surrounding countryside.
On Sunday, May 29, 2005, students will
make their way to Carlow, 50 miles south of Dublin City in
Ireland’s “sunny southeast”.
Carlow is a county town of 25,000 and SAU has
relationships there with Carlow College and the Carlow
Institute of Technology.
The group will spend two nights in Carlow,
experiencing the every day life of Irish people in a county
town. Faculty
and students at Carlow College will work together with the
two professors from SAU (Dr. Corinne Johnson and Michael
Kennedy) and discuss students’ impressions to date of the
plays under study.
On Tuesday, May 31, 2005, the group
will travel to Galway and experience the West of Ireland.
Students will have the opportunity to experience the
work of the Druid and Punchbag Theatre Companies, and to
explore such wonderful sites as the Aran Islands and
Galway’s downtown at night.
There will be plenty of opportunities for students to
sample traditional Irish music, and watch Irish people “be
Irish”, and Galway is a wonderful place to meet Irish
University students.
The group will return to Chicago on
June 4, 2005. For
more information, contact Study Abroad Director Jon Stauff
and (563) 333-6389 or check out the website at www.sau.edu/studyabroad//irishtheatre/info.html.
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WAY
TO GO!
SAU Sophomore Marianna Caldwell had her
first professional costume design gig this semester.
Recommended by costume shop manager Dianne Dye,
Caldwell assisted the costume design for Ghostlight Theatre
Company’s A Christmas Carol, which played late
November and early December at the Capitol Theatre in
Davenport, IA. In
the few weeks prior to the show, Caldwell could be seen
pulling costumes and running here and there to work on her
difficult job. Although
she admitted it was difficult, Caldwell always enjoys a job
in the theatre. The
faculty and staff of the SAU Theatre Department would like
to give Caldwell a big “Way To Go!”
**If you know of an SAU student or
faculty member involved in theatre around the Quad City
area, write to SAUTheatreNews@yahoo.com so we can
congratulate them in our newsletter.
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THE MAN WITH THE HAIR : BRAD FRAZEE
Walking
through Galvin Fine Arts Center, Brad Frazee is a hard face
(or head of hair) to miss.
Whether he is scaling the fly rail, focusing lights,
or sitting behind his desk in “the snack shop” (AKA Kris
Eitrheim’s office) Frazee calls Galvin his second home.
Frazee is the Assistant Technical Director for
Theatrical Events and the Technical Director for
Non-Theatrical Events at Galvin Fine Arts Center.
Originally from the Quad Cities, Frazee now lives in
Eldridge, IA, just a short distance from St. Ambrose.
Frazee
graduated from SAU with a Theatre Major and kind of just
“stuck around.” He
has, however, been here for six years in his current
position. Originally,
Frazee shared the job part-time with another person.
Six years ago, the other part-time employee left,
leaving Frazee to become a full-time staff member.
Not much has
changed at Ambrose since Frazee first took the job. “There
are ups and there are downs, but basically everything just
stays the same,” Frazee said.
But if forced to choose one change, “it would have
to be the students.”
There is so
much going on at Galvin that choosing a favorite memory
proved difficult. “Do
I have to pick just one?” was Frazee’s reply.
This year has provided Frazee with his new mantra
though. It was inspired by a quote from Theatre Department
Chair Kris Eitrheim and made during a production meeting for
The Jungle Book: “Money is no object.” These are
now the words that Frazee tries to live by, although he is
often stopped by Eitrheim who claims that he has been
misquoted, and it was taken out of context.
Speaking of
money, Frazee says that “the snack bar will return if all
of the debts are paid off.”
Whatever your beliefs, it is no doubt that Eitrheim
and Frazee will be arguing about money for years to come.
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THEATRE
AROUND THE QCA THIS MONTH
Show:
A Holiday To
Remember
Producer:
Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse
Dates:
Now through 11/6/04
Wed. through Sat. Evenings @ 5:45pm (with show only
at 7:15pm)
Wed. Matinee @ 11:45am (with show only at 1:00pm)
Sun. Evenings @ 3:45pm (with show only at 5:15pm)
Tickets:
Prices range from $22.36 to $39.00 per ticket.
For reservations call (309) 786-7733 or go to
www.circa21.com
Location:
1828 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL.
Downtown in the District.
Note:
Company owner Denny Hitchcock is on the SAU Theatre
Advisory Board
Show:
Sleeping
Beauty: A Children’s Musical
Producer:
Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse
Dates:
Now through December 28th
AM shows @ 9am, Matinees @ 12:15pm for Show Only
Performances
Dinner shows @ 10:45am with buffet @ 11:15am
Tickets:
Dinner and Show: Adults $
14.50, Children $ 12.50
Show Only: Adults
$8.00, Children $8.00
For reservations call (309) 786-7733 or go to
www.circa21.com
Location:
1828 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL
Note:
Show times are different from normal main stage production times; see
the
Website or call the ticket office for specific dates
Show:
ComedySportz Quad Cities
Producer:
Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse
Dates:
Every
Friday and Saturday night at 7:00pm
Tickets:
$8 prepaid, $10 at the door
Location:
1818 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL.
Downtown in the District, next to Circa ’21.
Note:
SAU students Andrew Harvey, Daniel Sheridan and Don
Abbott are
ComedySportz players.
Check with them to catch them onstage.
Show:
She Loves Me
Producer:
Quad City Music Guild
Dates:
Dec. 10-11 @ 7:30pm, Dec. 12 @ 2pm
Tickets:
Adults $12.50, Children $8.00
Call (309) 762-6610 for reservations
Location:
Prospect Park Auditorium (off of 16th
Street by Southpark Mall), Moline, IL
Show:
Qed
Producer:
New Ground Theatre
Dates:
January 6-8 and 13-15 @ 7:30pm, January 9 and 16 @
2pm
Tickets:
$12 for adults; $10 for students and senior citizens
Call 563-326-PLAY or visit www.newgroundtheatre.org
Location:
Rivermont Collegiate; 1821 Sunset Drive; Bettendorf,
IA
Show:
Grace and
Glorie
Producer:
Playcrafter’s Barn Theatre
Dates:
January 7-9, 14-16, and 21-23
Tickets:
For more
information on tickets and times, see www.playcrafters.com
Or call (309) 762-0330
Location:
Playcrafter’s Barn Theatre, 4950 35th
Ave, Moline, IL
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WOULD YOU RATHER BE DEAD OR GO TO
PRIVATE SCHOOL?
Student directors Sue Brandt (Senior)
and Daniel Sheridan (Senior) would like to inform interested
actors of the audition dates for The Children’s Hour
(directed by Brandt) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are
Dead (directed by Sheridan). A one to two minute
monologue is recommended but not required; be prepared to
read from the script if auditioning for either show. Scripts
may be checked out in the Galvin Box Office when the spring
semester begins. Both
shows have large casts, with Brandt’s show needing more
women and Sheridan’s show needing more men.
Audition dates are as follows:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: Wednesday Feb. 2nd 5-7pm
Thursday Feb. 3rd
6:30-8:30pm
Friday Feb. 4th
6-8pm
The Children’s Hour
Wednesday, Feb. 2nd
6-8pm
Thursday, Feb. 3rd
6:30-8:30pm
Friday, Feb. 4th
5-7pm
**Reminder: You
are able to audition for both shows!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUNRISE,
SCENES SET
Players @ Dawn has finished another
semester and is gearing up to begin the next round.
The next topic covered will be acting scenes.
Members will choose a scene and will work with a
partner on developing that scene.
Group leader, Andrew Harvey hopes that people leave
the session “knowing how to fully develop and understand a
character as well as the importance of making bold
choices.” The
scenes will be performed every three to four weeks on a
Friday afternoon for faculty and students who are interested
in seeing the progress of the group.
Applicants do not necessarily have to
consider themselves actors to participate.
The only requirement is that they are “reliable,
dependable and fully committed,” said Harvey.
Applications must be filled out in
order to join. To
receive an application or more information, contact Andrew
Harvey at HarveyAndrewR@sau.edu.
Applications must be returned by January, 3rd
either via email or in person.
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REVIEWS
OF LONDON THEATRE
Digital
Design Dazzles
Andrew
Lloyd Webber’s new musical The
Woman in White at the Palace Theatre has created an
innovative medium that could change the face of scenic
design. The
show was a fast-paced mystery that traveled throughout
England, from old railway stations to countryside Georgian
manners to the ghettos of London and beyond.
In order to capture all of these locales, production
and video designer William Dudley turned to the use of
multimedia and the digital age, but was also equipped with
an extensive background in conventional scenic design.
A
projection screen wrapped from the far extremes of the
proscenium to the upstage in a sort of half circle.
Virtually, the entire set consisted of a digital
creation that was projected onto the screen, complemented by
lights and sound. The
scale was so grand that it felt as if the audience was
enveloped in this world and after the first hour it became
an incredibly natural part of the show and no longer
upstaged the performance.
The actors could move in and out of these walls
through different doors that had images of doors displayed
upon them, never being swallowed by the light that generated
the image. The
screens were also dissected in three parts and would move in
and around on the giant turntable sill remaining from the
original production of Les Miserables. It was
truly an innovative and thrilling experience; but like
puppets won the Tony’s this year, it will likely be a rave
that will stay limited to specific shows.
(For an eight-minute highlight of the show, visit
www.womaninwhitethemusical.com)
CHICAGO
SHOULD STAY IN ILLINOIS
After
the first act of Chicago
at the Adelphi Theatre, I thought I had certainly stepped
into the fundraising performance that was to be staged soon
with singers from the British version of the TV show
American Idol. The
characters were so underdeveloped and stale with an awkward
applause from the audience every time an actor came on that
it must have been a benefit.
I asked the ice-cream vendor if this was the case,
and he said, “No. These
are the real performers.”
Not wavering in my belief it was at least an
understudy performance, I asked an usher, and he asserted
the fact that it was the main cast.
Set in
downtown Chicago during the roaring twenties where jazz and
sex ruled the nights, the show would be engaging and
seductive. Yet
the disengaging elements poured out like a long sour note
from a saxophone or a kid who could never play in the first
place. Mama
Morton, the keeper of the all-female prison on death row,
sang her songs glued to the floor.
Billy Flinn, the conniving lawyer who claims, “All
I care about is love”, never did his famous tap dance
number. Velma
Kelly, the vaudeville dancer who’s voluptuous performances
were known all over Chicago, was not alluring or sexy and
appeared to be cast due to lack of options.
The jazz band, who were seated onstage and dominated
more than complimented the mood, were lead by a conductor
who would flail back and forth to show off his uncensored
energy. The
most frustrating part of this sore-thumb performance was
that he was not even in time with the rest of his band.
All this was topped by the fact that it was clearly a
long running show without an accent coach. The accents varied from British, Canadian, southern belle,
Brooklyn, East Coast, and some conglomerate of them weaving
in and out of each other.
The
direction lacked pace and was overemphasized by its long | 
