Being the Stephen Sondheim fan that I am, I freaked out when I saw the poster for A Little Night Music lit up in the window display of the Performance Network the other day. I lept on the opportunity to buy tickets and am so excited to see the show.
After a little researching on Wikipedia, A Little Night Music is a show by Sondheim and the book was written by Hugh Wheeler. The show tells the story of several romantic love lifes, featuring young lovers and their sequential other halves. The song list includes many famous numbers, including “Send in the Clowns.”
I’ve never seen a Performance Network show, so I’m super excited to see how they pull of the classic work. November 15 – December 30 they’ll be showing the performance, so grab your tickets soon!!
Get a load of this. Bat Boy the musical was seriously the highlight of my weekend, no doubt. Granted, I am seeing Hairspray tomorrow, put on by Musket, so stay-tuned to what I say of their performance tomorrow night, but as of right now, Bat Boy is the best thing ever. I know you aren’t going to believe me, but honestly just go see it. Unfortunately for you, you can’t because it’s sold out, but there’s a REASON why it’s sold out! Next time, get on the ball earlier because it was epic and awesome and I want everyone to see it.
So what could Bat Boy possibly be about, if not Batman? Well, it’s based on a true story about a boy found in a cave, raised by bats. Not sure how the true story plays out, but in the musical, he is discovered to be a bloodsucking vampire, conformed to society with the love and support of the family that takes him in. He learns to speak, dress, and apply his knowledge at school with his friend, Shelley. Without giving too much away, he and Shelley fall in love when tragedy strikes. Truth is revealed, and crumbles the world of Shelley and Bat Boy (given the name Edgar). More tragedy and horror conclude the show, and the curtain falls on a resounding message: “Love your Bat Boy.”
So I know you’re thinking, why explain anymore? We are already convinced it is the best show ever! I know, but for those that may still be suspicious, I will continue. First off, the lead playing Bat Boy/Edgar was absolutely the best. A Musical Theatre major I am always eager to see performing, Ryan Vasquez, soared to new heights in his interpretation of the role. Literally climbing along the stage railings as well as flying to notes above and beyond a normal male singer’s range, he was incredible. The anguish and torture within Bat Boy as he lies, shaking in the cage he is imprisoned within for the first several scenes of the play is palpable amongst the audience. I shivered as he did, mesmerized in the view of a world through his eyes; those of a damaged, abandoned child that crawled out of a cave into overzealous West Virginia. Bravo, Vasquez, you were superb.
The songs were phenomenal as well. Taking on a rock opera and at times pop-like synchronization, they were upbeat to leave you stomping with the beat or weeping over the poetic lines. My favorites included the opening number, “Touch me, Bat Boy” and also the song at the conclusion of the first act, “Comfort and Joy.” Those, among many others, were a few that stood out to me as particularly rockin’.
Picture this: you’re looking onto a stage, covered with black, billowy fabric made to replicate rocks at the mouth of a cave. Deeper are metallic railings, creating ladders and arches across the back of the stage. That was the set of the show, and it was so haunting. I felt as if I were in the cave, looking out; or perhaps better yet, that this story took place within its own little cave, set apart from the rest of humanity in a small town in West Virginia.
Bottom line – Bat Boy was epic. I would totally see it again if I had the time. Staging was superb, costumes of course were fantastic, and the vocal talents of the young individuals of our Musical Theatre Department never cease to amaze. Can’t wait for what’s next.
As embarrassing as this is to admit, Thursday night was actually my third time seeing Legally Blonde the musical. I love the show, as goes without saying, but this production was especially special. First off, my friend was playing the character Vivian and she was phenomenal. Second, the girl playing Elle Woods, the lead, was perhaps the best Elle I’ve ever seen. She not only looked the part, but absolutely rocked the vocals.
The songs were wonderfully executed and well backed by the Greek Chorus when Elle needed a little bit of cheering up while away at Harvard. Even the side characters fleshed their parts out with finesse and originality, which is saying something considering I could practically recite the show in my sleep.
The set design was awesome too, especially for a community theater production. They maintained the structure of Delta Nu, Elle’s sorority house at UCLA, but added the Harvard flag once she was transported to law school. It was clever and low-budget, so both functional and well-serving. I thought it worked very well.
The two dogs in the show, as are always a highlight for the audience, were well-behaved and adorable. Everyone oo-ed and awe-ed when they came on stage, and giggled when they looked about ready to make their exit a beat too early. It was precious.
So all and all, a fantastic production. The vocal talent was superb and the choreography was spot on. I give it a hardy two-thumbs up and hope everyone who was curious, got to see it. It was well worth your evening.
This weekend only, come see Ann Arbor Civic Theatre’s production of Legally Blonde the Musical! November 15-18 and tickets are only $13 for students!
image from Wikipedia
Based on the movie which was based on a book, Legally Blonde tells the story of Elle Woods and her struggle to find herself and her career within the competitive and rigorous academic environment of Harvard Law School. Spunky and fun, this musical will lift your spirits with such classic hits as “Bend and Snap” and “Ireland.” It’s a show for everyone, so bring your girlfriends, boyfriends, significant others, and family to enjoy this fantastic performance.
Don’t tell anyone that I ate a scone in the back of the Power Center- I know its not allowed. I grabbed one as I was leaving class last Monday evening, bypassing dinner, and rushing to a dress rehearsal of the opera ‘Don Giovanni.’ I am in a Romance Languages seminar called ‘Don Juan’ and my professor scored us special access to the final run through and I was so glad she did because I was out of town for the actual performance. I have never witnessed a dress rehearsal of such an extravagant production. It was very interesting to watch such a dramatic performance in such a small and relaxed audience.
I know nothing about opera and have never been to one before, but because of this course I am very familiar with the story of Don Giovanni. I have read multiple versions on French, Spanish, Italian, and English, seen clips of several theatrical renditions and films, and now the opera. So I certainly understood what was happening on onstage. But even if I hadn’t studied the tale beforehand, I think it would have been very easy to follow along for several reasons.
First of all, the Italian lyrics, written by DaPonte, were translated by director/professor Robert Swedberg into sur-titles that flashed above the stage throughout the show. Second, the actors were excellent in their facial expressions. I may not have understood their language but the cadence of their voices and the gestures of their bodies made very transparent renderings of emotion. And lastly, the story is folkloric and archetypal. It may be a negative stereotype of a man- a libertine who philanders just a little too much- but it is a caricature that everyone can recognize and laugh both with and at.
Before the opera, Robert Swedberg visited our class to discuss his process of translation to the stage. One key comment he made that liberated me to enjoy the production was this: “In opera, you must suspend your disbelief.” It takes a leap of faith to dive in swim around with the performers, but once you release realistic expectations it is very fun and free. In real life, these people would not be singing to each other spectacularly, nor would they be reciting the same thing over and over again for twenty minutes without interruption. They would not be gesturing like puppets or disguising their identities without question or coming back from the dead to belt one last aria. After three hours of engaging in the colorful, brightly lit story, I learned that in this particular kind of theater the audience must not resist the escape into fantasy if they want to enjoy the experience.
In debriefing the performance in class today, my classmates expressed mixed reactions. On the one hand, the singing was impressive, extravagant, and almost super human. The acting was dynamic and the story came alive on stage in certain ways that it cannot on paper. On the other hand, some translations seemed confounded. For example, it was unclear that the story was set in New Orleans and exhibited no indication of this outside the explanation in the program. That detail seemed to be confusing. But then again, I suppose you are bound to find at least some disagreement with the production among a class of students learning every detail about this particular tale.
The most contested issue among the audience I shared the opera with was that at the end Don Giovanni is dragged to Hell by demonic, sexy women dressed in body suits that made them appear unmistakably nude. Huh?! In other versions, a masculine, God-like/King-like figure has the final say on Don Giovanni’s damnation. Robert Swedberg explained that this direction is a way of circumnavigating mechanics of the staging (there is no trap door that could appear to lower Don Giovanni into Hell). In this opera version, it is the women who seem to be seeking the long-awaited revenge. This alteration changes the tone and the message of the story greatly! Is Don Giovanni being punished for his treatment specifically of women or toward societal standards as a whole, including men?
Ladies? Gentlemen? What do we think?
Next time a U of M venue puts on an opera, I highly recommend attending! It’s not something I ever imagined myself being fond of but I was very entertained and impressed by the art form. And if you want to learn more about the Don Juan story, my suggestion is to start with Johnny Depp.
It’s the classic story of that guy who gets around. Don Juan, Dom Juan, Johnny Depp, Don Giovanni, it’s always the same old thing. In Spain, in France, in Italy, and now at U of M, the story repeats itself one more time. This weekend, The School of Music, Theater, and Dance will perform the age old tale of Don Giovanni, a ‘legendary lover’ who ‘makes one too many notches on his bedpost.’ The opera masterpiece is directed by Prof. Robert Swedberg and stars both graduate and undergraduate students from the department. With music by Mozart and lyrics by Lorenzo da Ponte, this piece is one of the most famous operas ever performed. The libretto will be sung in its original language- Italian- but fear not, surtitles will be projected above the stage to guide all you English speakers out there.
I am currently enrolled in a Romance Languages seminar devoted entirely to this elusive and seductive character, Don Juan. As part of the course, we will be attending the opera. We are also engaging with both the actors and the players behind the scenes. Prof. Swedberg visited our class last week to discuss the process of creating such an opera. He spoke of the liberties he took in adapting the story for a modern audience. For example, the plot takes plays in New Orleans instead of Italy, and in the end Don Juan is dragged to hell by…well I don’t want to ruin the surprise but there is a slightly alternate ending the the original tale. It sounds like it will be a dramatic and exciting performance, sure to please. I’ve never been to an opera at U of M so you can certainly count on seeing me there!
The show will be held at The Power Center on:
November 8 at 7:30 pm//November 9 and 10 at 8 pm//November 11 at 2 pm
For more information about the performance, including buying tickets, click here.
