Musical theatre – Page 4

REVIEW: Into The Woods

March 30, 2015March 30, 2015 Chelsea Zabel

For those unfamiliar with the musical Into the Woods,

Mostly, the show follows a narrator telling the story of Cinderella, Jack (of the beanstalk), Little Red Ridinghood, a witch, a baker, and the baker’s wife. Their lives intertwine in the first act as the baker and his wife go on a quest to find objects to lift a spell that was placed on the baker by the witch. The end of Act 1 sees everyone getting exactly the happy ending they wished for, and Act 2 shows that the world is darker and more complicated than simply granting wishes.

This show is consistently one of my favorites (I have been familiar with it for nearly a decade), and Musket’s performance on Sunday afternoon offered a refreshing take on this beloved musical.

The large tree set pieces moved smoothly between engaging forest arrangements, despite reaching higher on the stage than the eye could see. Fog machines lived inside a few of the trees as well as upstage, and the liberal use of fog was much appreciated by this audience member. What’s the point of doing a show that takes place in the woods if you don’t fill the stage with fog at every available chance? That’s a trick question, because there is no point.

The orchestra played very well, especially considering the stamina that’s needed for a Sondheim score: even in scenes with the most dialogue, a song is not far behind. The cast was full of beautiful singers who excelled with the music as well.

A special commendation to the person or people behind deciding on Milky White’s costume. (Milky White is Jack’s best friend/cow whom he trades for magic beans.) Whether or not the designer was aware of the internet phenomenon of Low Budget Milky Whites, this trouble was avoided by dressing the cow actor simply in white clothes and wisely leaving it to him, the other actors, and the audience to project cow-ness onto the scenes.

The whole cast, obviously, was phenomenal. I was seriously impressed by how much fun they all seemed to be having. It’s hard to keep your energy up in a show that’s 2 hours and 45 minutes, especially for your last show, and especially when it’s a matinee, but if this cast was feeling tired it was impossible to tell. Their enthusiasm for the story was infectious.

If you’ve never seen a performance by Musket, I would recommend that you make an effort to see what they can do.

P.S. If anyone from the production is reading this, the narrator was the baker’s son, right? That’s what the ending was telling me? It was different from what I’m to, so I imagine that the difference meant something. He was wearing the same shirt as Jack, and the same hat as the baker/the mysterious man. And the baker gave him the story…because he’s the son! Right? If not, I’m sorry for reading too much into things, but if so, that was a beautiful ending.

PREVIEW: Into The Woods

March 21, 2015March 21, 2015 Chelsea Zabel

You’ve seen the movie, now see it live: Musket is presenting Into The Woods on March 27 and 28 at 8pm and March 29 at 2pm!

The entirely student-run theater organization will be performing the Sondheim musical at the Power Center for Performing Arts.

Don’t wait until the last midnight to get tickets! Buy yours in advance from the League Ticket Office for $7 for students and $13 for adults. At the door they’ll be $10 for students and $15 for adults.

REVIEW: Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical

February 24, 2014February 24, 2014 Natalie Minor

To say that Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical blew it out of the water would be quite an understatement. Set in the small New England town of Sweet Ann Harbor, this original musical introduces us to four orphaned adventurers fascinated with the sea beyond their small town. After a time jump they find themselves reunited in adulthood in the midst of a search for the man who pulled the plug on Periscopia, an underwater utopia the friends dreamed of searching for as kids. The residents of this underwater world, an eccentric bunch who eat bubbles and have an affinity for prom dresses and leather, make waves as they settle in Sweet Ann Harbor, intent on creating a new home for themselves. Chaos ensues when it is revealed that one of our orphaned friends is more connected to the crime than he lets on, and we see the true meaning of friendship as he races to prevent one of his own from taking the fall.

At the heart of this seaside tale is an important message about the journey into adulthood and to finding identity. The orphans we follow throughout the play see their lives develop in ways they hadn’t expected, and some have trouble coming to terms with how things have panned out. Yet by the end they have discovered where it is they are meant to be, whether it is sailing the seas or raising kids in a small port town. It seems that this struggle is analogous to the futures faced by many of the cast and crew of the production, as well as many in the audience. The play finishes with a number about how Sweet Ann Harbor will always be there for the characters to return to, and a tear was brought to the eyes of many seniors in attendance. The song transcends the musical and serves as a message to the graduating class about the place many will think of as home as they start their journey beyond college.

As writer Tyler Dean finishes his theater career here and embarks on an adventure to bigger and better things, the song serves as a farewell to him as well, and also as a grounding connection to a home where he found great success. In the same theater where he and partner-in-crime Mike Tooman have grown and sparked, we see their final original production fittingly cap off their time here.

Beyond the core message of the play was a highly enjoyable cast of characters and deviously catchy soundtrack – I pity the poor soul who thought he could make it out of that theater without at least one of those tunes banging around in his head. From the retired sailor turned pigeon whisperer who sings about his ability to see the future in bird droppings to the fully choreographed pop zinger about the glamorous city of Periscopia, each piece takes on a life of its own. If you don’t trust me on this you can see for yourself in the coming months – Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical is set to hit YouTube just as Dean and Tooman’s previous work Zombie Farm: A New Musical did, and a soundtrack is in the works.

PREVIEW: Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical

February 21, 2014February 21, 2014 Natalie Minor

If you’re looking for a refreshing new musical created by some of our very own University of Michigan students, Sea Legs: A New Nautical Musical may be just what you need. Prepare to follow four orphaned friends as they meet travelers from an underwater utopia determined to avenge their destroyed home. What will happen when our four friends who long for a journey on the sea find an adventure in their own backyard? You’ll have to go on the voyage with them to find out!

WHO: Basement Arts

WHAT: Sea Legs: A Nautical New Musical

WHEN: Friday, February 21^st at 7pm
Saturday, February 22^nd at 3pm and 7pm

WHERE: Studio 1, Walgreens Drama Center

COST: Free!

Still not convinced? Writers Tyler Dean and Michael Tooman are also the creators of Zombie Farm: A Musical, which you can find on YouTube here.

REVIEW: A Little Night Music

October 13, 2013December 7, 2013 csatter

Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s classic musical A Little Night Music is brought to life in a new production by the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. A Little Night Music presents the story of long lost lovers Desiree Armfelt and Fredrik Egerman, who, after 14 years, 2 children, and 1 new marriage find themselves together again. Of course life, and love, is never simple and this play seeks to discover what happens when the past and present collide during a summer weekend in the country.

Although slow to start, A Little Night Music found its stride during the very end of the first act and presented an interesting reflection on the nature of love and what can happen when love is lost but not forgotten. The strength of the production was the portrayal of the two leads, Desiree (Eleanor Todd) and Fredrik (Conor McGiffin), and the humourous supporting couple Count Carl-Magnus (Elias Wygodny) and his wife Charlotte (Jordana Grolnick). Todd and McGiffin had great on-stage chemistry and the ease with which they bantered and laughed with each other made all of their scenes together extremely enjoyable. Although they represented a different kind of love, the characters of Carl-Magnus and Charlotte were similarly fun to watch. Wygodny’s portrayal of jealous lover and mostly proper soldier Carl-Magnus was intriguing and humorous, and Grolnick’s deadpanned depressive one-liners provided a hilarity that often stole the scene. Together Wygodny and Grolnick presented a wonderfully amusing couple who shone in every scene they were a part of.

While the music was mostly enjoyable and the bits of witty dialogue were definitely appreciated, the overall production was not completely compelling and oftentimes I found myself wishing we were at the closing number. The plot itself was rather predictable and there were moments full of exposition and almost no action, which made it hard to be fully invested in what was happening onstage. Although not all of the cast’s individual performances were as strong as the leads, they did perform well as an ensemble, which made up for some of the awkward and duller moments.

Overall A Little Night Music was an interesting production. Although somewhat predictable, it did have humourous moments and some well sung songs, including the most recognizable “Send in the Clowns.” I’m glad to have seen it once, and am looking forward to see what the School of Music, Theatre, & Dance do next.

The School of Music, Theatre & Dance, brings Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s classic musical A Little Night Music to life in a new production. A Little Night Music presents the story of long lost lovers Desiree Armfelt and Fredrik Egerman, who, after 14 years, 2 children, and 1 new marriage find themselves together again. Of course life, and love, is never simple and this play seeks to discover what happens when the past and present collide during a summer weekend in the country.

Although slow to start, A Little Night Music found its stride during the very end of the first act and presented an interesting reflection on the nature of love and what can happen when love is lost but not forgotten. The strength of the production was the portrayal of the two leads, Desiree (Eleanor Todd) and Fredrik (Conor McGiffin), and the humorous supporting couple Count Carl-Magnus (Elias Wygodny) and his wife Charlotte (Jordana Grolnick). Todd and McGiffin had great on-stage chemistry and the ease with which they bantered and laughed with each other made all of their scenes together extremely enjoyable. Although they represented a different kind of love, the characters of Carl-Magnus and Charlotte were similarly fun to watch. Wygodny’s portrayal of jealous lover and mostly proper soldier Carl-Magnus was intriguing and humorous, and Grolnick’s deadpanned depressive one-liners provided a hilarity that often stole the scene. Together Wygodny and Grolnick presented a wonderfully amusing couple who shone in every scene they were a part of.

Overall A Little Night Music was an interesting production. Although somewhat predictable, it did have humorous moments and some well sung songs, including the most recognizable “Send in the Clowns.” I’m glad to have seen it once, and am looking forward to see what the School of Music, Theatre, & Dance does next.

REVIEW: MUSKET’s Hairspray

November 19, 2012November 19, 2012 Kayla Silverstein

Sunday afternoon, I had the privilege of seeing Hairspray put on by the wonderful cast and crew of MUSKET, an entirely student-run organization on campus devoted to musical theatre performance. It was spectacular! From the moment the brilliantly yellow curtain lifted above the stage, those drum beats playing that familiar rhythm, Tracy Turnblad tromped onto stage in all her sassy glory crying, “Good morning, Baltimore!” It was fantastic.

Everyone was so marvelously well cast. Tracy, played by rising-star sophomore Hillary Ginsberg, was magnificent. She played the role with enough sympathy and sang the notes with so much purity, the audience was greatly moved. Other highlights included Kaci Friss, playing the role of Penny Lou Pingleton, Tracy’s beloved and quirky best friend. Her awkward demeanor yet startling vocals were perfect for the role. Link Larkin, played by Mackenzie Or, sophomore BFA Musical Theatre student, winked and flashed the audience with his shnazzy style. He had many a girl slumped in her seat, swooning over his gorgeous pipes. And of course, Motor Mouth Maybelle was positively stellar, played by junior BFA Acting Performance major Melissa Golliday. Her performance of “I know where I’ve been” brought many audience members to tears.

It was interesting to discuss this performance with a friend of mine who’d seen in Friday evening. She said that she loved the production, of course, and the talent was incredible; however, she was struck by the plot. As she saw it, it was just another example of the white girl saving the day because she saw the black kids of the neighborhood “cool.” I thought she had a fair point and I admit to not having thought of it that way before she pointed it out. After the show, I felt as if the musical itself deals with the intense subject of African American segregation in America in the 1960s fairly well and leaving us with an overall positive message. Upon further reflection, I can see her point, but it is unclear to me how much they can do to absolve the issue within such an upbeat context.

All and all, major kudos to the production team of MUSKET. Heads up for their upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors next semester! Can’t wait!!

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