:: The Suburban Times ::

Von Trapps entrap Lakewood Playhouse's audience
By Lynn Geyer

Laughter, songs and courage are alive in the Lakewood Playhouse production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical, "The Sound of Music."

This story of the von Trapp family, of how a young novitiate brought out their singing ability and captured not only the hearts of the family's seven children but also their father, is one of the most beloved in American musical theatre.

Director Scott Campbell does justice to the story. He has brought the hills of Austria to the Playhouse in grandeur and spirit with the aid of Doug Kerr's very flexible, versatile set. With more than more than a dozen set changes, this is no easy task, but Kerr's design is perfect for the intimate theatre. It even includes changing the loft to the Alps to house Music Director Larry Trop and his two musical accompanists, Hanna Jepson and Jack Lake.

Stephanie Kreige is Choreographer, Kristen Zetterstrom designed lights and Larry Rankos does an excellent job on costume design.

Campbell's choreography of the actors completing the set changes is a joy to watch. Whether it is the novices, children or servants who shift around the four bench/wall/alter/bed pieces, French doors or stained-glass window, it all glides together like magic.

Magic is also a good description of the lovely voices which run throughout the production beginning with the nuns and postulates chanting "Dixit Dominus" to the final reprise of "Climb Every Mountain."

The holy sisters are Cynthia Bettes, Molly Callender, Tori Dunlap, Brittany Henderson, Chelsea Hill, Ginny McClure, Gretchen Phillips, Carol Richmond and Robin Sutton.

Others in the ensemble who round out the subordinates necessary to support the story are Stuart Campion as Baron Elberfeld, Chris Cline and David Robertson as Nazi Soldiers and Millie Hensley and Emily Trop who are understudies for the younger girls.

Darrel Shephard is Herr Zeller, the dastardly Nazi leader; Patrick Gerrells is Franz the butler, his inside man who spies on the family. They are so good it is easy to hate them both.

Richmond doubles nicely as Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper who chooses no sides other than those on her kitchen table.

Christopher Gilbert is Captain von Trapp. His acting is better than his singing, yet, when he vocalizes "Edelweiss," one can hear the pride and love of country in his voice.

Then there are the children: Olivia Seward is Liesl; Hunter Larson plays Freiderich; Kat Christensen is Louisa, Anna Rose LeMaster is Brigitta, Justin Niedermeyer is Kurt, Hannah Thoreson is Marta and Claire Thoreson plays the youngest child, Gretl. Steve Barnett is Rolf Gruber, Liesl's sweet-sixteen love interest.

Each young thespian turns in fine acting and singing performances; some have stronger voices than others, Seward, (Hannah) Thoreson and Niedermeyer stand a bit apart.

Marie Kelly is Elsa Schraeder, Capt. von Trapp's short-term fiancée. Kelly's voice is lovely; her acting is excellent.

Ted Fredericks almost steals the show as Uncle Max Detweiler, the entrepreneur who arranges for the music Festival. Fredericks is glib and elfin as he pops in and out of the show.

And Maria. Adrienne Grieco is the very animated novitiate with the charming voice who steals the hearts of the children, the Captain and the audience. At times, her voice is almost too soft for this intimate theatre, but when she belts out the strong high notes, she can be heard outside the closed doors.

The most pleasant surprise is Frances Rankos as the Mother Abbess. This well-known costume designer bowled me over when she began to sing "Climb Every Mountain." It is seldom one is privileged to hear such a beautifully trained voice coming from one not widely known for singing. Rankos is wonderful.

Lakewood Playhouse's Managing Artistic Director Marcus Walker opens his welcome speech with the admonition to the audience, "Refrain from singing along (with the songs) — at least out loud." Good advice during the performance. But once you see the show, you will be singing and enjoying the songs for weeks to come.

Lakewood Playhouse presents HOLES
By Lynn Geyer

Lakewood Playhouse continues its 2007-2008 Season with Louis Sachar’s stage adaptation of his critically acclaimed story, HOLES.

The Lakewood Playhouse is proud to bring the adaptation of this popular book and Disney motion picture to our main stage season. HOLES follows the misfortune of a teen-age boy, Stanley Yelnats, the Fourth, who is thrown into Camp Greenlake, a detention camp in the middle of a desert for allegedly stealing a very expensive pair of sneakers. There, he is given chores by a Warden to dig holes along with a new found juvenile friend, Zero, for treasure that was buried years ago by Kissin' Kate Barlow, a notorious bandit. This is a story about tolerance, friendships, discoveries and legacies, morality and justice. It is a comedy-drama adventure for the entire family!

HOLES opens October 19 and performs through November 11. Our free preview is October 18. Our Pay What You Can performance is October 25 and Actor’s Benefit matinee is November 10. Regular tickets are $20 general admission. $17 senior and military discount $14 under 25 years of age $12 under 15 years of age. Please inquire about group rates and our special school day performances.

Author Louis Sachar won both the Newbery and a National Book Award for Young People's Literature—both for the book. Adapting HOLES for the stage, Sachar has masterfully retold his story creating an ensemble of funny and engaging characters. These characters are brought to life by a wide range of talented actors young to older on Lakewood Playhouse’s intimate arena stage.

The play moves back and forth between three different time periods: 19th century Europe, early 1900s wild west and the present interweaving the life stories of the boy Stanley with his ancestors many of whom were also named Stanley Yelnats (which is of course Stanley spelled backwards.)

The cast features young actors Henry Walker, Joshua Dinwiddie, Izaic Yorks, Alex Domine, Jonathan Hogue, Lex Gernon, Joseph Allegro and Hunter Larsen. Filling out the adult roles are Scott Brown, Blake York, Christie Flynn, Aaron Rudd, Sandra Billingsley, Mari Finch, Justin Carlton, Valerie Jolibois, Ronee Collins, Jeff Brown and Toni Murray.

HOLES is directed by Naarah McDonald who masterfully staged THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK for us last season.

Seeing this play in-the-round will be a rare treat as audiences are up-close and a part of the characters’ world even to the point of being wary of the deadly yellow-spotted lizards of Camp Green Lake.

Make Seussical the musical your holiday choose-ical
By Lynn Geyer

Seussical, based on the beloved characters created by Dr. Seuss, brought to life by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Eric Idle, comes to the Lakewood Playhouse with a cacophony of sight and sound.

At first glance, when entering the theatre, it appears that someone has torn the pages from a Seuss book and papered the walls of the intimate stage with their illustrations!

In reality, it is the whimsical brilliance of set designer Scott Campbell who has created the world of Dr. Seuss, from the Forest of Noor down to the tiny world of Who. Campbell's fantastic design has been brought to life by the artistry of Noah Struthers' brush hand.

The lights dim and after a brief interlude with JoJo and the maniacal Cat in the Hat, the stage is aglow with the cast of 22 dancing and singing about the space resplendent in costumes created by the highly imaginative talent of Frances Rankos.

From there, it just gets better and better.

Choreographer Katharine M. Stricker sees that no one stands still for more than a moment and although all actors seem to be doing their own thing, they amazingly merge into a coordinated company as fluidly natural as a creek flows into the river.

Terry O'Hara conducts the orchestra and plays keyboard while Taylor Richmond is on drums, Kelly Nathanson plays reeds, Patrick O'Hara slides trombone and Mason Gillespie strums guitar. Happily, O'Hara never lets the music overwhelm the singers, allowing every voice to be heard.

This is truly an ensemble show, and in an ensemble — especially one of this number — it is difficult to point out the best performances. All are admirable from the trio of birds, who resemble a Greek chorus, to the tiny Who folk floating on a speck of dust caught up in the wind.

Kat Christensen, Lanita Hudson and Rachel Lind make up the bird trio, Lex Gernon, is the Grinch. Tori Gernon, Beth Meberg (who is also Dance Captain), Henry Nettleton, Kendra Phillips and Paige Teeny are animals of the forest. They all pop up hither and yon in various parts defined by additions to costume or makeup.

Reuben Walker, Dan Crossman and Solomon Sanders as the Wickersham Brothers and the monkeys of Noor turn in notable performances. They are remarkably agile in dance and acrobatics while still being able to sing as they bound up and down ladders and bounce about the stage.

The Mayor of Who is Ted Fredericks; his wife is Christel Gillespie. They look, act and sing their roles to perfection. Elizabeth Richmond is a sexy, frivolous Mayzie who sticks Horton with her egg while she dances off to Palm Beach.

Karen Christensen is incredible and conniving as the Cat. Her acting and vocal ability makes it easy to understand how she won the role.

Rich Frias is General Ghenghis Kahn Schmitz. It is ironic that the most laughs in the show come when he appears on stage touting the need for war. His character is drawn from the worst traits of stereotypical military men akin to Gen. Buck Turgidson in "Dr. Strangelove."

Peter Gernon is JoJo, the focus of the Cat's antics. The young lead handles the role with both the acting and vocal aplomb of a seasoned professional.

Stephanie Nace is Gertrude, the soulful bird with a one-feathered tail. Nace is a born comedienne, not to mention that she looks, acts and sings more like a bird than Tweety!

The strongest voice belongs to Cynthia Bettes, the Sour Kangaroo. When she opens her mouth and belts out an accusation against Horton, even the casual pedestrian outside the theatre can surely hear her and take heed. Young Sariah Brumet as her joey ably assists Bettes.

Then there's Horton.
Managing Artistic Director Marcus Walker has proven himself a true renaissance man, as he not only directs Seussical, he performs the lead role of Horton, the elephant. This seemingly impossible task magical Marcus manages magnificently! His voice is perfectly clear, sometimes plaintive, sometimes jubilant but always filled with compassion and love.

The unsung hero of the production is Chad Russell, the stage manager. Seldom do back stage personnel get credit when it is due. However, this time the position cannot be overlooked. Russell runs the show; he tends the actors, cues the crew and ensures everything melds into an audience-pleasing experience.

Theodor Giesel, better known as Dr Seuss, wrote all his zany stories with a lesson to be learned by all. The musical follows suit.

Seuss wanted everyone to learn to use their imagination; he wanted children to never give up — that anything they set their minds to was possible. He wanted children and adults to realize that the size of a person doesn’t matter in the scheme of life.

With lyrics like "The thinks you can think," "It's possible," and "A person's a person no matter how small," one is sure to leave the theatre remembering the music.

Black Coffee a good brew of mystery and comedy
By Lynn Geyer

Agatha Christie's "Black Coffee" is the 2006 - 2007 season opener for the Lakewood Playhouse.

This is one of Christie's lesser-done works and the only play featuring the incomparable Hercule Poirot. We find ourselves in the library of the English country home of the renowned scientist Sir Claud Amory. In typical Christie fashion, we are introduced to the family, each with his own reason to wish to see the demise of Sir Claud. This, coupled with the disappearance of a secret formula taken from Sir Claud's safe, makes the obvious victim known moments into the play.

Poirot's appearance and the twists and turns of the plot are what keep the audience from knowing the identity of the murderer until seconds before the final curtain.

As many of the plays of Christie's period, this one is very wordy and can become a bit tedious at times. However, I will admit, I was surprised to find the 55 minutes until the first act curtain seemed to speed by. This is partly due to the great amount of comic relief written into the play and partly to the way Director John Munn deftly handled the presentation of the comedic element.

The cast is solid - some are stronger than others. Some have very good accents, some with just a hint; others lack what the American ear would call an accent at all.

Michael Osier is Sir Claud; he is suitably gruff and demanding. Jim Hickman plays the butler Tredwell as staunch and sturdy as required.

Tim Goebel is Richard, Sir Claud's dutiful son, trapped between his father's thumb and his Italian/English wife's desires to live a life of their own. Goebel was last seen at Lakewood in Christie's "Appointment With Death," where he played the dutiful son, trapped between his mother's thumb and his wife's desires to live a life of their own. But I repeat myself, as does Christie, as does Goebel. The difference is that Goebel does it so very well.

Emilie Rommel is Richard's wife, Lucia. She looks the part and acts the part. Unfortunately, she is too soft spoken for the somewhat vacuous space at the Playhouse, so some of her words are lost in the first act; she improved during the second.

Joel Nicholas plays Dr. Carelli, her nemesis; he is as sleazy and conniving as any nemesis can be. However, his Italian accent drifts between German and the lower Eastside. Allison Strickman ably plays the part of Raynor, Sir Claud's assistant. She is lovely to look at and has one of the better English accents.

We briefly see a capable Jim Patrick as Dr. Graham. Christian Doyle plays Inspector Japp. His character is lightly sprinkled with Cockney sort of like a genteel Inspector La Strade.

Grady Hicks must be commended if not for his acting prowess, then for his dedication. As Constable Johnson, Hicks appears three times in the last few minutes of the play, at the edge of the stage speaking three words. However, he is charming in the all too brief role.

The final two women and men in the cast are the highlights of the show.

Deya Ozburn is Barbara Amory, Sir Claud's vampish daughter. She drinks to excess, flirts with anything in pants and flaunts her attributes about the stage with aplomb. Carol Richmond is her maiden aunt Caroline Amory. Richmond is delightful as the oft times puzzled, sometimes scatter-brained, ever "foot-in-mouth" sister of the deceased lord.

Elliot Weiner is Capt. Arthur Hastings, Poirot's Watson. He is by far one of the strongest members of the cast. His characterization is down pat, his accent is perfect and his look is grand.

Michael Dresdner is Hercule Poirot. He takes the stage from the moment he enters and never relinquishes it. His portrayal of the genius detective is so perfect and so blatantly subtle one can actually hear "the little gray cells" working.

The set, designed by Erin Chanfrau, is that of a typical English country home, albeit I found the light fixtures juxtaposed on either side of the French doors somewhat out of place. Frances Rankos did a fine job on costuming the production.

I found only one flaw in Munn's otherwise excellent direction; that being that all of the "usual suspects," while being questioned, are told to sit in the chair in which the murdered man succumbed. I do believe they would object to this or at least show some sign of repugnance at the thought of occupying the same seat of the dearly departed.

While waiting for curtain, the audience can enjoy the pictorial artistry of Ed Kane. Kane, who also employs paint and sketching, displays some of his photographic work on the Playhouse walls. They are quaintly peaceful with an old world quality.

"Black Coffee" continues through October 1. Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 and Sunday matinees at 2 with a special Pay-What-You-Can night set for Thursday, September 14. An additional Actor Appreciation performance is scheduled for Thursday, September 28. All profits from that production will be divided among the cast and crew as a special tribute to their tireless efforts to entertain our community.

All in all, "Black Coffee" is truly everyone's cup of tea! Enjoy it with relish.

Three Musketeers

In keeping with the high standards Managing Artistic Director Marcus Walker has established, the Lakewood Playhouse's current production of "The Three Musketeers" ranks high on the list of quality entertainment.

This swashbuckling saga of love, intrigue and deception is as thrilling now as in 1844 when Alexandre Dumas wrote it.

A regular contributor to the Playhouse, Erin Chanfrau's adaptation of the classic tale is enhanced by her elegantly simplistic set design and Frances Rankos' costume design. Director Scott Campbell brings it all to life assisted by Fight Director Bob Borwick. Between them, they deftly handle the basic problems of sword wielding actors within a foil's length of enthralled audience members with gracefully choreographed fight scenes.

Sporting a cast of 18 doing close to 30 roles, there are times when the stage gets a bit crowded. However, because of Campbell's direction and the actors' ease of movement, the audience never feels compromised.

This play has more scenes than you can shake a proverbial stick at — but the audience is never lost for location or time lapses. One striking example is when Comtesse de Winter is in her cell — the lights dim, wooden blocks beat off each second, the lights come up, she is in a different position, down again, up again, and so on. The audience feels the passage of days.

This is a strong cast. Each actor firmly establishes character — even those with minor and multiple parts are so chameleon-like, it takes a minute to realize they have been seen before in a different role.

These include Eric Grimes as Jussac and John Felton, Val Kirkwood as D'Artangnan's mother, Mme d'Astree and Mme Coquenard, Dave Van Arnam as M. Bonacieux and a cardinal's guardsman, Josh Johnson and Emily Olson who pop up here and there in various garb. All show alacrity and acting prowess.

Luke Amundson is a regal Louis XIII; Vanessa Clayton is suitably love-forlorn as Queen Anne and dutiful as the Abbess; Austin Farwell is stalwart as the queen's illicit lover, the Duke of Buckingham. Julie Haakenson is vampish and conniving as de Winter; Tiffani Schmidt is a feisty Constance Bonacieux who loves her queen and D'Artangnan but not her husband. Frank Thompson is powerful as de Treville, captain of the musketeers who bears an uncanny resemblance to D'Artangnan's father.

Marty Mackenzie is striking as Cardinal Richelieu; he plays him with graceful pomp and sleazy undertones. Richard Emerson is an imposing figure as de Rochefort, the captain of the cardinal's guard; he turns in an admirable performance.

Donavon Johnson is Planchet, D'Artangnan's newfound servant. It is a delight to watch his comic machinations. He is all over the stage, as deftly serving beverages as thwarting foil-wielding guardsmen attacking his master — very nice job.

Christian Doyle is Athos, Jeff Hansen plays Aramis, Scott Brown is Porthos and Brian Lewis is the fourth musketeer, D'Artangnan.

It is difficult to determine any difference in the acting skills of this quartet. Each is unique in his demeanor, taking on the persona of the individual characters. Doyle is steadfast and humorous. Hansen is pious and humorous. Brown is ruckus and humorous. Lewis is serious, determined, foolish and — humorous. All four are excellent actors who are quite comfortable with the ungainly costumes and swordplay.

"The Three Musketeers" is a well-mounted production, directed with imagination and acted with panache. It is truly suitable for the whole family. In fact, with the quick-paced action and sword wielding, even the youngest little leaguer will applaud the performance.

Fiddler On The Roof
By Dave Sclair

It takes a lot of guts to put on a stage production when virtually everyone you can expect to attend has seen one version or another of the show, knows the story line and recognizes all the music.

And, to take on such a challenge in a very small theater with the largest cast you've ever utilized and do it in-the-round, makes it even more amazing.

When you consider all those factors it certainly is a welcome to surprise to learn that the show is not only an excellent production but an outstanding one!

Lakewood Playhouse has tackled Fiddler on the Roof and under the direction of Marcus Walker, who is also the theater's artistic director, it has put together a performance of a quality that far surpasses the modest theater and its facilities.

Utilizing nothing more than a wagon with a couple of milk containers, some benches and a lot of imagination, the 30 plus members of the cast plus a live musical ensemble bring the audience to life in Anatevka, Russia in 1905.

Michael Slease in the lead role of Tevya has an outstanding, strong voice and on-stage presence. His acting, speaking, singing and dancing are all reminiscent of the Broadway performances by leading actors.

Along with Slease, other outstanding performances come from Carol Richmond as Golda, Tevya's wife; Debbie Birkey as Yenta, the matchmaker and village gossip; and Becca Campion, Keri Costello and Ali Criss as Tevya and Golda's three daughters. All three "daughters" have beautiful voices and their performances belie their youth.

Birkey deserves special mention for playing her role to the hilt. Her never-ending talking and matchmaking efforts bring smiles to the audience.

If there is one negative to the production it comes from the musical ensemble sometimes nearly drowning out the performers, but that's rare and not an unusual situation for a small theatre like the Lakewood Playhouse.

It would be easy to go through the entire cast and laud each person individually for their performance and also for their interacting with the audience. In a small theater with the large cast, players frequently sit on steps in the seating area, stand in hallways beside seats and sometimes even use the stairs and trap doors to surprise the audience and involve them.

The Lakewood Playhouse production of Fiddler on the Roof is another excellent job by a dedicated staff and a wealth of community talent.

The show started March 31 and will run through the end of April with performances Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. The Playhouse is located on the northside of Lakewood Towne Center next to the bus transfer station.

Lilies bloom at Lakewood Playhouse

Lakewood Playhouse's new production is Lilies of the Field, the faith-filled tale of a young East Coast black man who wakes up one morning and decides it's time he takes Horace Greeley's advice. So, he loads up his aging station wagon and heads west.

Somewhere in the Southwest, our hero, one Homer Smith, stumbles on a group of women toiling in the fields. Being a gentleman and a "good Christian" Homer decides to stop and help. The fact that he's temporarily out of cash and figures this is an excellent opportunity to plump up his depleted wallet plays a definite role in Homer's decision.

The "ladies" turn out to be a group of nuns with a mother superior Hell-bent (pardon the expression) on building a chapel in this seemingly God-forsaken outpost - and therein lies our tale.

Director Stacey Gassman has staged this narrative play in the round, utilizing all of the Playhouse's unique black-box intimacy. Her actors move about the set in an ethereal manner.

David Dear is Smith, the young man who proves that "…one man can do impossible things when he decides he has to." Dear is quite believable in his role and seems to enjoy the part. Jeanne Ross plays Smith's nemesis/divine light, Mother Maria Marthe. Ross holds the dignity the role requires, but her demeanor seems a bit too gentle for the determined leader of the flock.

Our gaggle of nuns is ably led by Season Luben as Sister Albertine, the only one with more than a handful of lines. Luben directs the other three sisters' moves. Sisters Elizabeth, Agnes and Gertrud, played respectively by Ashley Miller, Alice Montgomery and Christine Buoy, form a quasi Greek chorus. All the ladies of the cloth aid in set changes on the ingeniously simple revolving stage designed by Scott Campbell and Art Frick.

John Pfaffe is believable as the hardboiled boss-man with a heart of gold who Smith hires out to in order to fill his empty stomach and the nun's equally empty lauder.

Special kudos to Michael Sanchez who doubles as Father Gomez and Jose, the local restaurateur. Sanchez has developed two decidedly different personae for the two roles. Although the good Father is a bit too quiet and saintly, Jose makes up with verve and gusto.

The pace was a bit off during preview night, as is expected, but the cast will find its tempo by opening night and audiences will be rewarded with an entertaining evening of inspirational theater liberally sprinkled with comic interludes.

Lilies of the Field, adapted for the stage by F. Andrew Leslie from the novel by William Barrett, continues at the Lakewood Playhouse Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 13 with a pay-what-you-can night on Oct. 27. For reservations or more information, call 253-588-0042.

The Lakewood Playhouse is located in the northeast section of the Lakewood Towne Center, next to the Pierce Transit terminal.

Those of you who regularly attend the productions at Lakewood Playhouse will not be surprised that the current production, “Lilies of the Field” is another hit. Directed by Stacy Gassman and featuring David Dear and Jeanne Ross, this is the story of a young African American man who gets out of the service and decides to enjoy his freedom. In the process, he comes upon a group of German nuns, trying to establish a farm and build a chapel in the Southwest. How he becomes involved in their cause and discovers the meaning of “faith” is the heart of the story, but there is much more.

The play is produced “in the round” a special feature of performances at Lakewood Playhouse. The audience surrounds the play and in the process, becomes part of the play. If you have not experienced theater in the round, take the opportunity to do so. Few playhouses are designed to permit this kind of special performance.

Those of you who saw Sidney Poitier in his Oscar winning performance in the motion picture will not be disappointed in the performance of David Dear as Homer Smith, the hero of the story. Smith, with 13 years of experience in local theater, brings the role all of the levels both physical and emotional required of the role. Jeanne Ross, who has appeared in many Lakewood productions, inhabits the role of Mother Maria Marthe, the strong-willed German nun who understands the power of faith to overcome “impossible” obstacles. If you miss this performance, the next production at Lakewood Playhouse is the ever-popular “Annie” opening Dec. 9. Call the playhouse at 588-0042

:: Seattle Performs ::

Amadeus

April 19, 2007

This is an excellent production, staged simply and effectively in the round by director Scott Campbell and boasting a cast that is always competent and sometimes brilliant.

According to the director's notes, this production follows one of the later incarnations of Peter Schaffer's oft-revised script, this one with more focus on composer/Mozart rival Antonio Salieri's relationship with God. As a successful but ultimately unsatisfied court musician painfully aware of his own mediocrity, Salieri's world is shaken to the core when the young whippersnapper Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart enters the scene (played to a childlike, annoying, aggravatingly ridiculous "T" by Bryan K. Bender). It is fascinating to watch the transformation as Salieri's relationship with Mozart changes from petty jealousy to outright obsession, eventually becoming a personal vendetta against God, who he believes has spurned him by endowing such divine musical genius on Mozart. Much meaning is wrung out of the origins of the name "Amadeus."

Scott C. Brown as Salieri is absolutely riveting. With brooding intensity he lucidly expresses Salieri's inner turmoil as he is constantly amazed by the pure genius of Mozart's gift while simultaneously becoming more bent on destroying him. He rapturously describes a piece of Mozart's as the music plays softly below him, his passion leaving the audience in a spellbound ecstasy, as if encountering the (now familiar) piece for the first time. Every word is enthralling.

The play is also not without its comic moments. Steve Tarry's breezy royalty and his band of earnest officials provide plenty of laughs, as do Salieri's deadpan accounts of his many awkward social encounters. Lauren Wood's bubbly, simple and somewhat silly Constanze (Mozart's wife) provides an amusing and later touching glimpse into Mozart's home life and the most persuasive counter to Salieri's view of Mozart as God's personal spite against him.

Lakewood Playhouse has mounted some excellent productions in recent years, and this is easily one of the most compelling. As Joe Boling used to say, "this is worth the drive down south." Really.

-anonymous

Three Musketeers

May 23, 2006

I want to start out saying that as warm as the theatre was the night I saw this play, the action onstage was even hotter! I have not seen stage combat (with swords) that well done. And that is not all.

We all know the story, but Scott Campbell's direction and a truly talented cast have turned Erin Chanfrau's adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas tale into compelling drama, action and humor. Love, honor, intrigue and, of course, swordplay sweep us across the centuries and the Atlantic to a romantic time where Kings and Cardinals ruled the seats of power in Europe.

Once again, the casting, led by Brian Lewis as D'Artagnan, is fantastic. The cast of 18 carries the 30 or so characters very well, with each of the many scenes blending seamlessly into another. The Musketeers, played by Christian Doyle as Athos, Scott C. Brown as Porthos, and Jeff Hanson as Aramis are amazing, complimenting each other in a way that sometimes makes you truly believe the are who they say they are. Other notables in the cast are Marty MacKenzie as Cardinal Richelieu, the scheming power behind the throne, Frank Thompson as Treville, the father figure to all the Musketeers, Julie Haakenson as the evil Milady DeWinter, and Rick Emerson as Rochefort, the henchman of the Cardinal.

The costuming by Frances Rankos is great and the simplistic set(also by Chanfrau) is perfect for all the scenes. We never lose sight of where we are in the story.

Overall, this is a story and play for the entire family. Enough action for the youngest playgoers, and enough great acting and plot to satisfy the most jaded audience members.

Go see this show! You will believe...'All for one, and one for all'.

-anonymous

:: The Volcano ::

‘Sound of music’ hits the right note
Dec 13, 2007 by Steve Dunkelberger

There are a few times in history when there is a perfect marriage between particular people and the times in which they live. Winston Churchill was the absolute right person for Britain during the early days of World War II. He managed to keep his country together in the face of an imminent invasion, hard times and promises of harder times to come. Or George Washington and his role as first president, when he argued for elections instead of following his ego and taking charge of a new country he gambled everything to form.

The South Sound has such a person in Scott Campbell. The artistic managing director of Lakewood Playhouse is pulling his shift as director for "The Sound of Music," which opened last week.

The show tells the musical story of Maria, a young nun from an Austrian abbey, and her service to Capt. Georg Von Trapp’s seven hurting, yet sweet-hearted children. Maria and the captain then fall in love, get married, and make a daring escape with their entire family from Nazi-occupied Austria.

The Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein show is a tough play to stage since everyone in the audience most certainly has not only seen the movie but will likely fight the urge to sing along with each of the songs. Theatergoers likely have such a high expectation for the show that anything short of magic will be a letdown. They don’t have to worry about this show. It is magic.

What makes it magical is not that it follows the movie scene by scene to the point that it feels like Julie Andrews is listed on the playbill. People could watch the movie if they wanted that. Campbell stayed true to the story, included the deleted songs from the movie, and added his own little touches.

Part of the magic is the simple but effective staging. The theater-in-the-round stage allows audiences to sit on all sides of the stage, so there can’t be much of a backdrop. Changing scenes too much makes for a long and slow show since time would be wasted with set changes.

Campbell showed his mastery of the stage by figuring out how to keep changes quick but complete with a judicious selection of set pieces. But he also had the sense to let the actors explore their characters outside of what they might have seen on the silver screen.

Adrienne Grieco, who plays Maria, found a way to make the iconic role her own while still being true to the expectations of the audience. She rocked the role by tapping into the bright eyed nun-to-be inside of her rather than simply mimic the role made famous by Andrews decades ago.

Christopher Gilbert was absolutely and completely convincing as a retired Austrian navy captain with a gaggle of children and pain from the death of his wife with little tools to move on with his life.

The roster of notable performances runs the playbill.

‘Holes’ has very few gaps. Here’s the dirt on lakewood’s latest play
Oct 25, 2007 by Steve Dunkelberger

I must be honest. I was a little worried about "Holes" when I first saw the stage.

In an effort for full disclosure, I’ll give you the full story: My daughter is showing signs of liking being on the stage as much as she does watching shows, so she auditioned for "Sound of Music" at Lakewood Playhouse earlier this year. She didn’t get the part, but I thought — being the compassionate dad I am — that she would find comfort in working backstage on the show. Lakewood Playhouse is the closest theater to my house, so that seemed the most practical although she has already participated in theater programs at Tacoma Little Theatre and Metro Parks.

Anyway, I signed her up to be an usher at the next Lakewood show as a way to introduce her to all of the other jobs associated with putting on a show in hopes that she would find something that interests her. So after a shift of vacuuming the theater lobby, folding programs and tearing tickets before the show, I put on my reviewer hat with my wide-eyed thespian by my side.

We had talked about the show on our drive to the theater. We had seen Disney’s movie version of the show and wondered out loud how the director was going to stage scenes of digging holes in a dry lake bed when the floor was solid concrete. And then there were the flashbacks that peppered the show, drawing viewers from modern times to the Old West and back again. It seemed like the director faced some staging challenges, my daughter and I thought. Such discussions beforehand always make for good car rides home since we end up talking about our expectations and the reality of the director’s vision.

Anyway, a red flag sprung up in my head when we took our seats and scanned the stage only to find the scene of a dry lake bed on the floor. There was not a grain of sand to be found.

I know staging a show with sand is troublesome. But Lakewood had done it for "To Gillian, on Her 37th Birthday" a few years ago, so I knew it could be done — although I’m sure custodians are still sweeping up sand from time to time. It just seems that having a sandbox with a few feet of dirt in it would have added a lot to the show. But alas, it was not to be. It wasn’t a fatal flaw, but it would have added so much.

The staging was minimalist to say the least; theater in the round has to be thus most of the time or otherwise risk blocking the view of someone in the seats. But there were a few great touches that made up for the few props and scenes. The fact that real water flowed from a watering hose at this corrupt boys detention facility in Texas was a nice touch — even if it accidentally sprayed on some of the audience members.

Standout performances of the mostly youth show are Henry Walker (Artistic Director Marcus Walker’s son) in the lead role of Stanley and Joseph Allegro as Zero. Standout performances from people who can vote are Scott C. Brown as Mr. Sir and Christie Flynn as the warden, who is hell-bent on getting the treasure that is buried somewhere in the desert.

Winners of the small roles don’t mean small actors are Jeffery Brown, whose brief performance as an onion peddler was simply magic, and Ronee Collins as the pioneer school teacher turned outlaw Kissing Kate Barlow. Her scene with Brown held the show together.

There were also some misfires in the show. Blake York, whom I’ve noted for his great work on "The Nerd" and "The Laramie Project,." But this timeone shot only blanks. He plays Mr. Pendanski, a camp counselor at the shovel-friendly detention facility. I couldn’t tell if he was a do-gooder, a villain or a mix of both because his delivery of key lines suggested all of the above.

Rock me, ‘Amadeus’ Lakewood knows the score of Mozart play
Apr 05, 2007 by Steve Dunkelberger

A lesser person would think that a play named "Amadeus" would be about that composer dude who wrote "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" before he had his first blemish and hammered out the score of some of the world’s best musical works before he had the obligation to shave his face. Certainly, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart deserves his props, but this play isn’t about him in the slightest, truth be told. He is just a bit actor in a play that bears his name.

When the Lakewood Playhouse announced last spring that it was staging "Amadeus," I thought of it as an odd choice for the otherwise meat-and-potatoes theater. But I’ll eat crow on this one. Lakewood Playhouse chose correctly.

The Oscar and Tony Award-winning story is a tale that pulls audiences in slowly, like a boa slowly and stealthily squeezing a mouse to death. The story loops around the audience and tightens ever so slowly and gradually as it follows the self-narrated story of Antonio Salieri, the accomplished and celebrated court conductor who sees trouble when a brilliant, young composer arrives in town.

Salieri is noted and talented, but he sees the brilliance that Mozart possesses and yearns to match it. But it is not to be, so Salieri grows jealous of the rising star. Bitterness sets in and crumbles the once great composer. The God-fearing Salieri considers Mozart’s music perfectly divine and begins questioning his faith over contemplation of the fact that although Mozart certainly has talent, he is also a vulgar and truly low person. Salieri spins into madness over the idea that God would give Mozart such talent and leave one of his true followers only a modest talent in the art of music.

The story is best known for the 1984 film version that won eight Oscars five years after the play version took to a stage. The trick to having this play work is to make sure Mozart doesn’t grab all of the attention, which is sort of tough since he is the only known person in the cast and the play is named after him.

Lakewood makes it work.

Its keystone is the depth of talent of Scott C. Brown in the role of Salieri. He is brilliant in the way he transforms between a younger to an older man with a few nuances in his body language as the play unfolds through a series of flashbacks and narratives.

The list of Brown’s favorite roles gives a glimpse of his mind. He likes the tough roles, and this ranks among them. He was Capt. Markinson in "A Few Good Men," Friar Lawrence in "Romeo and Juliet," the Creature in "Frankenstein" and Porthos in last year’s staging of "The Three Musketeers."

Bryan K. Bender, for the record, plays Mozart. He is OK — not bad, not great. He gets the job done.

I have to give a big shout out to Alex Lewingston, who not only plays the bit role of Teresa Salieri but also did a wonderful job with the costumes. They are amazingly intricate and add to the show the way few wardrobes ever do. This play hinges on the fact that it has to draw audiences into believing they are entering a long-ago time and a faraway place. Lewingston’s costumes do the job so well I think I got the plague just from sitting in the audience. This is a show to be seen and talked about.

Super "Seussical": Make way for the good doctor
by Steve Dunkelberger

Wow. Lakewood Playhouse's production of "Seussical, the Musical" is what all theater should be. It is the complete package of phenomenally effective scene design, solid music, great acting and a fun-lovingly crafted storyline that transports the audience to a different time and place and reality.

The English language has no words to describe what makes this show so magically marvelous. But I shall try.

I must admit that I had worried about this show. I didn't know if the wonder of the works of Dr. Seuss could be captured and presented on stage, let alone on one so small as the one found at Lakewood's theater. Wow, was I wrong.

The sets (designed by the Scott Campbell) were ripped from the world of Seuss and splashed onto the walls. The genius is complete. Angled stairs run from the stage and merge with the back wall, where a cartoon painting of stairs continues the illusion. Winding and colorful Seuss-like trees make up the jungle, and cartoon costumes bring the works of the master of childhood wonder to life.

Adding to that magic is the music of a simple, yet effective quartet led by Terry O'Hara.

The acting in "family shows" can easily fall under par since many of the roles in these shows call for children. Since many children don't have the acting experience to truly own their roles, the acting suffers. This is SO NOT THE CASE in this show.

Lakewood's investment in children's theater programs pays off in this show with a deep pool of young talent the likes of which I have never seen. Each member of the cast is solid, solid, solid - the acting was filled with nuance and pride and energy and enthusiasm. Everyone looked as if they were born into their roles.

Standouts are hard to find since everyone was so wonderful. But with the bar set high, a few rose even above that.

Of course, Karen Christensen shined as the Cat in the Hat. That is to be expected. Others included Peter Gernon as Jojo. What a marvelous performance. Wow. He brings to this role a true childlike air of wonder, but he possesses a commanding acting style and presence that dwarfs the abilities of thespians twice his age.

Sariah Brumet's portrayal of Cindy Loo Who and the small kangaroo is a textbook example of the idea that small roles add extreme value to shows. She might have maybe 10 lines, but each time she takes the stage she brings that little something-something that creates fun.

Stephanie C. Nace owns the stage each time her role as Gertrude McFuzz enters the stage lights. What a joy she is to watch.

The playbill lists dozens of actors and crew tapped to create this wonder. They succeeded in what I thought would be impossible. Dr. Seuss's stories came alive.

This show is not just a rundown of stories about Cat in the Hat and the residents of Whoville. It is a magical story in its own right as it weaves in and out of the storylines of each of the Seuss books. It is a show that must be seen. Anyone who has ever read Dr. Seuss books and dreamed of jumping into that fictional world now has the chance to do just that. See this show. See it now. See it often. Thank me for the recommendation later. I can wait. This show cannot.

Christie's "Black Coffee" goes down smooth
by Steve Dunkelberger

Lakewood Playhouse started its season with Agatha Christie's "Black Coffee," where Belgian inspector Hercule Poirot looks into the case involving the death of physicist Sir Claude Amory, who came up with a formula for an atom bomb only to die after sipping from a cup of poisoned coffee. The play was written in 1934, a full decade before the atomic bomb's use would become reality.

The script offers classic Christie with several twists and turns before the killer and the plot is fully revealed.

"Agatha Christie delighted fans with this first of her stage adaptations," says Artistic Director Marcus Walker. "The intimacy of the Lakewood stage puts the audience smack dab in the middle of mystery and murder."

Although running a bit wordy and long - stretching to more than two and a half hours - the show works well because it is so well anchored by Inspector Poirot (played by Michael Dresdner). He is quite possibly the best actor I've seen in that role. His performance was complete, total and absolutely authentically quirky. Brilliant. He owned that character from lights up to curtain call.

The surrounding stock of actors was also solid. South Sound mainstay Michael Osier even did well as a dead guy, but he's great in every role he takes. Another standout was the Italian, Dr. Caravelli (Joel Nicholas). The role was typical Christie in that the character was a bit over the top. But Nicholas pulled it off with nuance and style. His bio lists the role of the emcee of "Cabaret" as a recent undertaking. That show must have rocked if Nicholas brought the same sense to that role as he did to this one.

This is not a show to passively watch. It's too heady for that. It has to be absorbed and digested, almost interactively to fully appreciate.

The play is directed by South Sound theater veteran John Munn.

All for one and one for all
Once more into the fray for Athos, Porthos et al

Lakewood [Playhouse] stages an original version of Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers," adapted by Lakewood's own Erin Chanfrau, whom I've known since high school. This is a show that could have easily been a disaster. Adaptations are tough sometimes. But it worked, and it worked well. Very well, in fact.

The play has just enough sword fighting to keep the adrenaline pumping while enough of an intricate storyline to keep the tension as tight as the piano wire at an Elton John concert. The script walks a solid balance between keeping theatergoers aware that the play takes place in France and not subjecting them to a constant flow of bad accents. Just the right hints of the language of love work wonders.

The story follows the adventures of D'Artagnan (ably played by Brian Lewis), who finds himself on a quest for the monarch after coming to Paris in hopes of becoming a famed musketeer. The enemy in this twist is the creepy Cardinal Richelieu (Marty Mackensie). And then there is the friendship D'Artagnan develops with the three musketeers Athos (Christian Doyle), Porthos (Scott C. Brown) and Aramis (Jeff Hanson). True, the valiant trio of swashbucklers centers this tale with their honor code and stuff, but frankly it's the darker side of this show that makes it work so well. In this time of the "DaVinci Code" talking smack about the church, this show feeds into the conspiracy theories of corrupt cardinals and power-hungry underlings like the Comte de Rochefort (Richard Emerson).

Associate Managing Artistic Director Scott Campbell's directing seems natural and dynamic. I was a bit worried about taking my daughter to the show because I thought it might be a bit too heady and a tad too violent for a first grader. But she was riveted by the action and got just enough of the dialogue to follow the storyline. And as all parents know, it takes a bit of energy and intrigue to keep the mind of a child entertained for the run of a two-hour show. This show does it and charges the conversation on the way home. This is a show worth seeing.