Hearing the very first minutely affected syllable breathed through a totally dark theatre, I knew that I was in for something special as an audience member of Speak Easy Stage Company’s final production of the season, Tony award winning, The Drowsy Chaperone.  Our narrator, “Man in chair”, is quick to bring us into the particulars of his world; a place where a treasured classic musical can transform a room right before our eyes, can stop and start at his whim, and can lay a foundation for the hysterical- though sometimes shockingly heart-rending, tale of a day in his life.

“I know him!”  I exclaimed in a whispered hush to my companion- but I didn’t mean that I know perfectly-cast, Will McGarrahan, I meant that I am intimately familiar with the man he portrays.  He lives inside of me, and inside of so many other musical theatre lovers- a person who understands the tranformative ability of a beautiful score, the cleansing properties of a perfectly cast love-song, the glee of a clever tap-dance number, and the emotional satisfaction of a grand finale where everyone lives “happily ever after” and then reprises that last stirring chorus after the curtain call! I cannot begin to recall the number of times I have tried to explain my passion for musical theatre to someone who doesn’t quite “get it’, and to feel the silly frustration when they don’t understand why it is so poignant that Lea Salonga should play BOTH Eponine and Fantine  in different productions of Les Miserables.  I too have tasted the “poopoo platter of tunes” and feel the longing to share its flavor with the world outside. That is what is so perfectly touching about this treasure of a musical.

Speak Easy’s production value is as high as ever with this selection.  Jenna McFarland Lord’s opening set is so impressively detailed that it is hard to imagine it is only one small part of the entire picture.  The ingenious moment where the bed comes out of the man’s stove- with the Chaperone aboard- is a show stopper!  Every detail of the costumes by Seth Bodie (I’m a big fan!) was lush and over-the-top, bathed in period color and set perfectly against the vivid and clever light design of Karen Perlow.  Of the dozens of Speak Easy shows I have seen throughout the years, I found the cohesion of production elements in this particular production to go above and beyond the norm.  Directors David Connolly and Nicholas James Connell should be proud of how dedicated their production team was to truly showcasing the expertise of their actors and directing style.

It is hard to name one person as a standout in this extremely talented cast.  David Christensen’s Robert Martin was charming and doltish, a man you’d want to hug and simultaneously smack upside the head.  Sarah Drake plays “Kitty” with an effervescent enthusiasm that completely enchants the audience from her first off-key squeak. Thomas Derrah as “Aldopho”, the smarmy European, could not be better cast.  What a hysterical combination of swagger, accent, and comic timing!  Add to that the droll and languid musings of “Drowsy Chaperone,” Karen MacDonald and the punches just keep right on rolling.  This musical cast would not be complete without seductive starlet, “Janet Van De Graaff” played by Speakeasy alum, McCaela Donovan.  This is the role that Donovan was born to play.  She was, in every way, a show stopper.  What a beautiful, poised, and passionate woman.  I was blown away by this indisputable triple threat.  This nod to a fantastic ensemble would not be complete though, without re-mentioning Will McGarrahan in the roll of “Man in Chair”.  Despite the colorful, over-the-top stage shenanigans that sprang to life all around him, I couldn’t take my eyes off of McGarrahan throughout the production.  I wanted to see and enjoy his reaction to the musical even more than I wanted to watch it unfold myself.  He was tender and approachable, passionate and clever, a little flirty and suggestive, all without having to leave his chair for more than a few moments.  I wanted to leave my seat and sit with him.  I wanted to proclaim my excitement and allegiance to him- he was, in essence, the star of BOTH shows.  This was perfect casting.

I cannot implore you more, as a reviewer and a lover of all things musical theatre, run, do not walk, to see this production.  This one is once in a lifetime.

As Speak Easy’s 20th anniversary season draws to a close, I cannot help but want to express my gratitude for the many wonderful productions (and the few not-so-wonderful ones) I have seen throughout the years.  I look forward to what is ahead for the company in the next 20 seasons.

Karen MacDonald as The Chaperone and Will McGarrahan as Man in Chair in a scene from the SpeakEasy Stage Company production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, . Photo: Stratton McCrady.

Walking into the Wheelock Family Theater, I was immediately surrounded by children of all ages, bouncing with anticipation, as they waited for Annie to take the stage.  Patten leather shoes, hair bows and the occasional matching pajama set (after all, this was a late night!) immediately brought me back to my own childhood, and I was all too happy to get caught up in their infectious excitement.  I have always loved Annie; its message of love, human connection and of course, the delightfully memorable music.

For those of you who don’t know the story of Annie (are you still out there?), it centers on little orphan Annie, who was left at a NYC orphanage at the time of the great depression. Oliver Warbucks, a famous billionaire, takes Annie in for the Christmas holiday as an act of charity.  Her positive outlook and street wits win over the stern businessman; however, a con artist pretending to be Annie’s parents surface when Warbucks tries to help Annie fulfill her dream of being reunited with her family.

When I think of Annie, I think of a spunky orphan, smart and rebellious, but also tender and optimistic.  It’s not easy to capture such a well known character and Grace Bakeman’s portrayal of Annie was solid. I felt her interactions with the other orphan’s and “Daddy” Warbucks were the most genuine, while her exchanges with FDR and even Grace felt a bit forced and bordered on over-acting.  I was a bit disappointed with her vocal range, missing the high notes on “Tomorrow,” and softening some of the measures that I am used to hearing belted out. When in her range, Bakeman’s voice was strong and sweet. The stand out performance for me was Timothy John Smith as Oliver Warbucks. His portrayal of the billionaire tycoon was comical, yet heartwarming and his strong voice stood out among the cast.  Oliver Warbucks assistant, Grace, played by Aimee K. Doherty, had an adorably bubbly personality and her voice was crisp and sweet.  Contrasting Grace, Miss Hannigan, placed by Cheryl McMahon, was truly nasty. Her acting was slimy and sneaky, though her singing voice did not measure up to the character she was embodying. I adored Audrey Hedequist as Molly. This young girl was the smallest of the orphan children, but her silliness was contagious and you could not help but smile at her antics on stage.

I appreciated director Jane Staab’s use of radio to help tell this tale of human strength, courage and conviction.  The multi-purpose set complimented the idea of listening and using your imagination perfectly. There were just enough visual cues through the props and set to evoke a sense of time and place.  Orphan bunk beds turned into skyscrapers and skyscrapers turned into the prison-like windows in the orphanage. An oversized chandelier was all that that was needed to ensure that audience knew they were now in Warbucks mansion.

I loved that the orchestra was placed on stage, instead of being tucked away in the pit.  Their placement did not interfere with the actors and in a number of the musical scenes, including “Fully Dressed” and “N.Y.C.” they truly added to the show. Costume designer Lisa Simpson’s aesthetic stayed true to the period and I appreciated the well tailored suits on the men and the grittiness of the coats and hats on the homeless.  I also enoyed Laurel Conrad’s light choreography, especially during the “Fully Dressed” number.  The tap dancing Boylan Sisters timing was perfect on the radio commercial and July’s rousing solo during the orphan’s dance number had the crowed cheering. The dancing wait staff in “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here,” helped convey the excitement of Annie’s arrival into this previous sterile environment.

I truly enjoyed my time at Wheelock Community Theater.  Obviously edited for a young audience, I felt the only scene out of place was “Hooverville,” where Annie encounters a homeless community, but I can understand the attempt to set the scene of the Great Depression.  As usual, Wheelock’s attention to diversity added to the family friendly atmosphere and the experienced cast was supported by an incredibly talented ensemble.  I truly hope as much thought goes into the production of the upcoming Secret Garden, if so, I will forward to another trip down memory lane.

Turtle Lane’s intimate playing space was not at its best this past week as it ended its month long run of Mel Brooks’ The Producers.  The normally intimate 120 seat theatre was awkwardly crammed with tables and oddly placed chairs.  In this “cabaret style”, sight lines were terrible and it was impossible to get up without bumping into someone.  I was given a pair of tickets in which my companion had to sit in front of me, rather than beside me, forcing us to awkwardly constrict ourselves in order to share a word between the acts.  I found the whole thing to be rather distracting, which is a shame, because I rather enjoyed this classic production and did not welcome the disturbances and annoyance of the seating arrangement.  A quick glance around the room confirmed that everyone else was uncomfortable and awkwardly placed as well.

Thank goodness the cast and crew of The Producers put on a solid performance to distract me from the train-wreck that was “seating” for this show.  Though the opening scene was rocky (I blame that more on a poorly constructed opening song than on the performer’s themselves), Scott Giangrande as Max Bialystock quickly and deftly stole the stage in a brilliantly sung monologue (“The King of Old Broadway”) that evoked the inspiration of Nathan Lane himself.  Robert DeVivo held his own against Giangrande offering brilliant comic timing and a very pleasant singing voice.  The two gentlemen laid the foundation for a spot on cast of characters to parade across the stage leaving the audience in stitches.  Even the children in the audience, who missed the more sophisticated jokes, seemed to get a big kick out of the slapstick and spectacle that the production team put together.

In a show that gets a large part of its humor from jokes about Hitler, nothing in the production struck me as unnecessarily offensive, and that in itself, is a huge feat. Seeing Kevin Cirone’s portrayal of the Führer-obsessed Franz Liebkind was really a treat.  He was so committed that the audience could easily get caught up in his fervor.  James Fitzpatrick and Gary Ryan play perfectly against one another, as Roger DeBris and Carmen Ghia- they are believable as lovers AND as artistic partners.  Julie Lyon brought an absolutely darling Ulla to life, her dancing was fantastic, her singing was cheerful and contagious, and the Swedish accent was quite a treat!  As a cast of characters, Turtle Lane’s group was extremely strong.

The ensemble gave a stellar performance as well.  Throughout the production, I was delighted by Deb Poppel (whose portrayal of a chorus girl may have gotten the biggest laugh of the night) and Monica Stein, both were taking their smaller roles quite seriously, completely engaged with the audience at all times.  Emma Putnam (you wear a sausage with style), Rebecca Gastfriend and Mallory Jenkins were stand-outs in the dance ensemble (nice kicks, ladies!) and the entire men’s ensemble were so funny during “I Wanna be a Producer” that I was having a hard time catching my breath.  I have mentioned before my affinity for tap dancing, and these folks were stellar throughout!

The costumes and set also looked excellent- I appreciated the smooth set transitions which were very well covered by the lighting.  Granted I did get up to get a seltzer during intermission, but I was totally surprised by the “Swedish paint job” that opened act two.  It looked awesome and I actually took some time to wonder how they did it without me noticing!  I also LOVED the costume design by Richard Itczak and Kimmerie H.O. Jones, especially the coordinating ensembles of Roger’s team.  I nearly choked on my water when Shirley came out on stage in her purple flannel.  The over-the-top “Springtime for Hitler” costumes were also a riot.  Richard Danehy created a fantastic bird cage complete with moveable, ‘saluting’ doves that is worthy of noting as well.

For the strength of the production itself, I really was disappointed by the lack of thought put into seating, and a few other housekeeping notes as well.  The program was extremely busy and difficult to read, and the characters were not even properly labeled- two actors are billed for each production and there is no way of knowing which one you are seeing, there wasn’t even an announcement.  For a reviewer, giving appropriate credit is key and I didn’t think it was necessary that I should have to go out to the photo board and try to match up faces with my memory.  I was disappointed because I had a lot of good things to say about this production but I just could not let these management pieces go unnoticed.

Overall, though, way to go cast and crew of The Producers, I had a really great Thursday night and will look forward to your upcoming season!

Kevin Cirone as Franz

Call me a theatre snob, (no, really, go ahead, I’m still 60k in debt for my Master’s in Theatre, it is the least you can do) but there just aren’t a lot of opportunities for me to see shows in Boston that I have never seen or heard much about.  That is why I jumped at the opportunity to review SpeakEasy Stage Company’s, Jerry Springer: The Opera.  I did not know a thing about it before I walked through the familiar doors of the Calderwood Pavilion this afternoon.  Despite the fact that I was attending a Sunday Matinee, the house was still completely packed, and not with the usual blue-haired crowd one expects to see at a matinee.  The abundance of enthusiastic twenty-something’s left a pleasant expectation of things to come.

Seated comfortably in my chair, I immediately took in the delightful stage details that made the set look startlingly like the Jerry Springer television show, from the exposed brick (impeccably crafted by Eric Levenson and crew) to the ominous warehouse fan.  From light’s up, surrounded by a chorus of voices imploring “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry” the audience is treated to a delightful romp through the pomp and circumstance of the famous (and infamous) day-time talk show.  From the montage of “audience members”; the pregnant teen, the hick-with-a rat tail, to the bevy of guests including cross dressers, jilted lovers, drug addicts, want-to-be exotic dancers, and KKK enthusiasts, to the unforgettable crew of body guards, camera men, and yes, even the man himself- there truly is no cliché left un-celebrated.  While act one fleshes out the “Jerry Springer Show Experience”, act two brings us to the bowels of hell, where the Devil himself makes an offer to Jerry (who is shot by a stray bullet meant for a KKK member in act one) that he cannot refuse; either propagate a show inviting Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mother, Adam, Eve, and God to discourse with Satan- or be forced to fornicate with some rather unpleasant looking barbed wire instruments.  Through the circus of the Holy Family vs the Family From Hell, Jerry tries to impart his wisdom on those around him- leaving the audience, both fictitious and real, with one final parting thought before the music swells and he is led off to the next world by his guide, a woman dressed in Shirley Templesque finery, leaving his beloved head of security, Steve, weeping on the studio floor.

I was not disappointed by this premiere production.  The vocals, on the whole, were strong.  Particular stand-outs vocally were Ariana Valdes as Peaches/Baby Jane, and Joelle Lurie as Shawntel/Eve (who in my opinion, stole the show- bravo!) as well as an unexpectedly delightful and sparkly solo for Luke Grooms in his portrayal of God in act two.   Additional props must be given to the excellent ensemble who kept me engaged throughout, especially Matthew Varelia, who I could not take my eyes off of the entire time (I loved when he gave the pregnant woman’s belly a motor boat in the opening number and my companion LOVED when he implored a guest to “kiss your mom”).  Timothy John Smith did a reasonably creepy job as Satan in act two, and though his voice was not the strongest, his “angry look” was a great fit and was a great contrast to his “warm up man” role in act one.  Michael Fennimore played an almost flawless Jerry, evoking both his vocal tone and his mannerisms, and gave him the almost vapid “everyman” quality that we have come to expect from the talk show host.  I was disappointed, however, by Jared Troilo’s portrayal of Tremont, the cross dressing, gay guest in the first act.  Besides his voice being off pitch throughout, he did a lot of shouting and vague wiggling as “choreography”.  It is such a fun part in the show and I was hoping for so much more character and vitality from Troilo.  He almost looked bored.  My only other point of contention was that while I appreciated Seth Bodie’s costume designs on the whole, they did impede movement and make things look difficult and awkward several times.  I wanted to see Shawntell dance on her poll but it was impossible in the get-up she was in, and Brian Richard Robinson’s portrayal of Jesus (hysterical as it was) was impeded by having to constantly reposition the pieces of his robe.

I often say to myself, you know what I need to see more in Operas?  Tap dancing.  So a final word about the production is my sincere thanks for the delightful tap numbers that were staged in act two and post curtain call.  There is nothing like seeing a dozen people dressed as KKK members doing a little soft shoe (by the way, props to cast and crew for shooting that hysterical KKK video in The Eagle, of all places!).  Watching them pick up their robes to reveal the pants and bare legs of the ensemble was a treat.  The post curtain call homage to Jerry Springer was the perfect way to end the show, tap shoes blazing, blond wigs bobbing, I left with a huge smile on my face.

SpeakEasy Stage Company still has over a week’s worth of performances left in this run, Wednesday through Saturday 5/20 – 5/30.  You shouldn’t miss it.  It’s worth a trip out to the South End.  Beware all you commuters, though, parking is limited!  Tickets at http://www.speakeasystage.com/

Joelle Lurie as Shawntel