Review

About a week ago, I went to see Wild Party by Andrew Lippa at OhLook! Performing Arts Center. My voice teacher played the lead role, Queenie, and I had been waiting to see this production for about a year. It was a condensed version because it was an hour long version that they took to competition. 
The story consists of exactly what it's titled, a wild party. Queenie is in an abusive relationship with Burrs, and begins to fall for Black during the party. Throughout the story though she comes to wonder if she likes the abuse she suffers from Burrs. All actors remain onstage throughout the entirety of the show. The show is very sexual, but is able to execute that theme is a classy way, but still straightforward rather than alluding. It had the ability of being tastefully crude. 
   This theater is where I am doing Rent at the moment, and also where I did Sound of Music last year. It's a 70 seat, black box type theater.  It always amazes me what great quality the shows are there.  The artistic director and her husband are both successful opera singers, and are able to put together shows in a low stress yet professional environment. 
   The set for this show was simple (as it was the competition set), yet was very reminiscent of a New York studio from the 20's.  It was very realistic and organized which allowed  for a clear set up and progression of the story. The costumes were also very simple, but risqué which furthered the overall theme. 
   The actors in this show all had incredible and consistent voices and acting.   They stayed constant with the 20's setting , but the provocativity of the show implied it's contemporary style. The ensemble was positioned in a way that they were active and kept a story of their own, but was never distracting nor did they detract from the main plot. The numbers were uniquely choreographed so that they were in keeping with the show. However, they also were able to highlight dance talent. 
   Every character, even non principals, had their own character and humor about them. The intimate setting of the theater allowed  the audience to really become engulfed with the party itself.  It was the perfect example of organized chaos. The genius of this piece was in really illustrating the overbearing eccentric nature of the characters and party while also keeping it all clear. Stephanie Hall who played Queenie, did a wonderful job of capturing all the dynamic emotions of the show: the confusion, the passion, the anger, the desperation, and the broken nature of Queenie. 

Lunchtime Performance

1.  It was hard, since I hadn't had any rehearsal time before because I was gone before and after spring break. Cell Block Tango went well. I think that's because all of the girls loved the number, there was better audience feedback, and since it was a small group there was more of a connection between us so we could problem solve better throughout the number. I think it really helped to have a simple number where there wasn't a ton going on because in that venue, lots of movement just muddies the performance, especially to a crowd that isn't extremely interested. 
2. I think next time I would wear sunglasses that fit, so I don't have to keep pushing them up. Also, having more rehearsal time would help. 
3. My friends liked cell block because they knew it. I feel like with a general audience that isn't super into MT, you have to give them numbers that they know and love so it is enjoyable. More obscure songs work great for an MT dedicated audience, but in this kind of setting I think it's important to do more classic numbers. 

Musical Theater Review: Stagger Lee

Stagger Lee  recently premiered at Dallas Theater Center.  The story focuses on an African American family/friends that were trying to find a home among many decades. Billy and his wife Delilah set out to find the balance between quality orf life and community respect and acceptance. Throughout the show, about every scene, the setting would move forward into another decade with a continuation of the same characters. Along with this setting change, the style of music would change as well which helped keep the audience attentive and interested.
The cast was incredible, their talent was astounding and their believability and story telling capabilities carried the show. From where I was seated , I couldn't see the set as a whole very well, as I was looking down on the stage from the side.
The use of dance throughout the show was very interesting as it touched on so many different styles, that all remained true to African American culture.  The concept as a whole provided very unique insight into the treatment of African Americans throughout history and location, and the persistence that was necessary in order for them to keep their livelihood going. The music was beautiful and was worked into the show very naturally. However, sometimes it was hard to understand the lyrics which added a little difficulty to following the show, but not that big of an impact.
The show was very original and was executed beautifully, hopefully it will go on to be a great success.

Theatre Review #2: A Christmas Carol

I was very impressed with this production of A Christmas Carol.   It's always a joy to see Chamblee Ferguson, as he is a fearless actor who captures every essence of a character. The production as a whole was very grand.  The set was very versatile and set the tone for the show as a whole. The way they incorporated the bed was very interesting as it added levels and movement throughout the show. The show kepty attention the whole time, and I never checked out. I thought the music was incorporated into the traditional play very well. There were a few times when I wish they hadn't been so modern (ex. Ghost of Christmas Present).  The levels in the show, regarding tone, were incredible. Between the peaceful yet intimidating nature of Christmas Past, the peppiness of Christmas present, and the creepy honesty of the Ghost of Christmas yet to come.  I thought the show as a whole was full of talent and was incredibly well directed and well executed. I highly suggest seeing it.

Character Wants

Character Name: Julie Jordan
Main Objective: lure Billy, capture his interest and trust, figure him out
Wants: convince Billy she isn't afraid because she doesn't want to seem inferior. She wants to appear accepting, yet innocent. She's also lost in her own imagination picturing her life with Billy. She also wants to be weary because she doesn't want to get hurt by him.

Arts in the Park

Theater Review #1: ROCKY HORROR

Last Saturday I saw The Rocky Horror Show at Dallas Theater Center.  This was my first time seeing the show live.  I thought it was done extremely well. The design of the costume and sets was new and inventive.  The designers did an excellent job at maintaining the feeling of the original while incorporating a design independent of the previous productions.  Speaking specifically of costumes, there were some bold choices made.  Frank n’ Furter did not sport his iconic black hair, but rather a large blonde curly wig.  This led to an even more drastic choice of making Rocky have dark hair, and not wear his usual gold shorts.  The production maintained the tradition of Rocky Horror without sacrificing new ideas in order to remain completely loyal.

            The staging was did a good job at holding the audience’s attention.  Whenever a part of the stage would move, or they would bring on a new set piece there lied some fascination regarding the cleverness that backed the idea. The only fault I would find with the staging is that it was rather repetitive, however this did not bother me during the performance. There was a very interesting use of a camera on stage.  I thought this was cleverly ironic.  Usually with Rocky Horror, the movie plays in the background and the performers imitate the action on screen.  In this performance, the action of screen was copying that onstage. 

            The choreography and ensemble had a fresher feel to them than that of the movie. They seemed more updated which allowed for the audience to believe in the timelessness of the show because they did not feel stuck in a 60’s vibe.  The choreography did a great job at adding another dimension to the show.  There were certain things that stood out because they didn’t quite set right to fans of the show.  The Time Warp moves seemed slightly altered from the original.  It was very subtle, yet it was enough to dampen the sense of community that usually comes from that number.  

            Regarding the casting and character development, there were so many minute details that really added to the background of the show and plot.  Frank ‘n Furter gave a great performance and turned the character into a very likeable and relatable one.  He almost made it seem as if all evil aspects of him were only due to immaturity or impulse with no real evil intentions.  I thought this was a great character choice because it made the audience root for him.  From what I could tell, there was some adlibbing in the show.  This added to the audience connection, as well as the comedy of the show.  It allowed for more audience interaction.  Since it is the kind of show that is an “event”, many people hold specific memories with it.  It is the kind of experience that needs to have an atmosphere behind it, and many people take it upon themselves to create this atmosphere themselves.  The show was open, and gave an opportunity to audience members to make the experience into what they wanted, which was a very open environment.