THEATER REVIEW - THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Hills are still alive in fresh revival
Published: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
MARGARET QUAMME
For The Columbus Dispatch

      While putting on a new play is a challenge, putting on a musical that's been produced thousands of times might be even harder.
      Columbus Children's Theatre meets that challenge with Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music -- not by radically re-imagining the musical but by treating the material thoughtfully but not reverently.

Click image to see a larger photo Pictured (left to right) Kirstin Flaglor (Maria), Regain Goins (Liesl), Nicholas Swanson (Friedrich), Olivia Sergent (Louisa), Sam Thorpe (Kurt), Audrey McMahon (Brigitta), Jordan Griebner (Marta), Camille Mancuso (Gretl), and Dustin Harding (Captain Von Trapp.)

       The story of the novice who goes to work as a governess for a widower with seven children in the days before the takeover of Austria by Nazi Germany is probably familiar to everyone reading this, as are the musical's many songs: Climb Ev'ry Mountain, My Favorite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss, Sixteen Going on Seventeen.
      But director William Goldsmith doesn't mechanically trot this theatrical warhorse through its paces. Cutting through the potential kitsch and sentimentality, he finds characters with human flaws and needs.
      Kirstin Flaglor's Maria is fresh and vital, with a vulnerability many Maria's lack and an occasionally pleasing goofiness: She's as ready to jump on her bed as are her young charges.  Vocally, she's no belter, but her voice is pure and clear.
      As Capt. Von Trapp, Dustin Harding veers unpredictably between British and German accents, but he avoids making the stiff early Von Trapp a clown: The guy seems genuinely uncomfortable in his skin and in desperate need of the human warmth Maria provides.
      As Maria's romantic rival, Elsa, Kate Mock displays wit, sophistication and prickly beauty: Seeing why Von Trapp would be attracted to her is as easy as seeing why she's dead wrong for him.
      Regan Goins shines as eldest daughter Liesl, scared but enchanted to find herself on the edge of adulthood. The other six children have charm and individuality without sickening cuteness.
      Daniel Ellson finds the scared boy in Liesl's Nazi-sympathizer suitor Rolf, and Roddey Nagy's Nazi Franz exudes a quiet menace that adds an element of suspense.
      Like the musical, the set is solid rather than showy. Effective use is made of the aisles of the theater as well, through which a large chorus of nuns moves in some of the religiously inspired songs.
      Although much of the material will please younger children, the running time of almost three hours meant that many preschoolers were squirming by the end of Sunday's matinee.  The show is most appropriate for children 7 or older.
      The production puts music squarely at the center of the action: These are characters whose often-troubled lives are redeemed by song.
      The interpretation pays tribute to the musical's great score while adding a layer of realism to what otherwise might seem a sappy story.
 

The doctor (Roddey Nagy) is surrounded by the "invisible" dancers, clockwise from bottom left: Alanna Schultz, Debesu Selemon, Lida Linville, Jennifer Silva, Abby Purdum, Clara Hirsch, Claire Sinard and Meredith Zahn

THEATER REVIEW - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Story makes 'Pageant' a performance worth revisiting
Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2007
DENNIS THOMPSON

      Columbus Children's Theatre is bringing back an old holiday favorite with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
      This is one of those shows they could do every year and it would be fine with me. For a while, they did, and I was surprised to find that CCT hasn't offered this show since 2003.
      It seemed an odd Christmas season if they did not, and apparently many of you agree, as there were several sold-out performances before the show even opened.

Pictured clockwise from bottom left: Gabrielle Bullard as "Lily," Abby Purdum as "Jessie," Debesu Selemon as "Millie," Meredith Zahn as "Ellen," and (center) John Feather as "Max Wendel, The Hobo."

       Set in the 1950s, Barbara Robinson's play tells the story of the Herdmans, a rough family of young bullies, and the havoc they spread at a church where they have wormed their way into the annual Christmas pageant.
This story is both funny and heartwarming. It touches on childhood issues, as the Herdmans are recognizable to anyone who was ever bullied as a child.
      The "fish out of water" moments, when the Herdmans seemingly take over the well-ordered church, provide much of the comedy.
      But it's the closing moments, when the Herdmans grasp the true meaning of the Christmas story, that never fail to move me no matter how many times I witness them.
      Having seen this show so often with so many different casts over the years, there's always a character here and there that I remember as being stronger in different renditions. However, each production captures the soul of the piece, and this one is no exception.
      The anchors of the story are the Bradley family. Grace, the mom, ends up directing the pageant, to the chagrin of her husband, Bob, who just wants to stay home. Charlie is the young son who inadvertently gets the Herdmans involved in the first place, while daughter Beth ties things together as the narrator.
      Marnie Kerby's Grace has the balance of patience and frustration while Todd Rupp's Bob blends detachment with occasional wisdom.
      Kennedy Blake Farrow's Beth is the calm in the storm, particularly when she tries to reason with Emily Schwerdtfeger's pious Alice Wendleken. Matthew Barr is a frantic Charlie.
      Jalen Carter, Alex Gerlaugh, and Evan Hively combine fearsomely as the rough-edged Leroy, Claudia, and Ollie Herdman.
      But it's the other two Herdmans who stand out. Anna Dick is Gladys, the youngest, who is a spitfire Angel of the Lord, and Camila Quinones is Imogene, the roughest but the one who is moved the most while playing Mary.
      There is a whole bevy of children and adults who add to the texture of the piece. David Anthony Brown as young Elmer Hopkins has some wonderful, laugh-out-loud moments in the way he bursts out thoughts.
      Director William Goldsmith manages the movements of the large cast, highlights the comedy, then brings our focus to the poignancy.
      I'm getting to the point where I could probably recite this piece myself, but I'll never tire of seeing it.
This is likely the most entertaining and warmest hour you could spend over the holidays.
 

The doctor (Roddey Nagy) is surrounded by the "invisible" dancers, clockwise from bottom left: Alanna Schultz, Debesu Selemon, Lida Linville, Jennifer Silva, Abby Purdum, Clara Hirsch, Claire Sinard and Meredith Zahn

THEATER REVIEW - The Hobo and the Miracle
Fantasy should delight youngsters
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Margaret Quamme
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

      One of the hidden gems of summer is the annual production by the Columbus Children’s Theatre's pre-professional company.
       The group of thespians, ages 16 to 21, takes advantage of a large pool of central Ohio students, many of whom study theater at college and return home for the summer.

Pictured clockwise from bottom left: Gabrielle Bullard as "Lily," Abby Purdum as "Jessie," Debesu Selemon as "Millie," Meredith Zahn as "Ellen," and (center) John Feather as "Max Wendel, The Hobo."

       Magic is common in children's theater, but true mystery is rare.
       So it's rewarding to see an appreciation of life's strangeness at the center of the outstanding new Columbus Children's Theatre production,
The Hobo and the Miracle.
       Though it's a recent work, John Kaasik's one-act play, which is accompanied by his original music, seems like a timeless fable. It's set 100 years ago during a week in the winter when homeless Max Wendel (John Feather), nursing a bottle of whiskey in the park, is astonished to see 10 young ballerinas.
       Something bad will happen if he doesn't direct them in a performance in the park, they tell him, and he reluctantly takes up the challenge.
       While he is instructing the girls -- who remain invisible to those around him -- he meets young Robert (Cody Westbrook), who invites him home for supper.
       Robert's skeptical mother (Tory Matsos) gets a doctor (Roddey Nagy) involved in the case, and the ballet performance is thrown into jeopardy.
       Kaasik's well-structured play finally satisfies curiosity about the identity of the dancers and their mission, but, to its credit, doesn't try to explain its deeper philosophical questions.
       William Goldsmith's sensitive direction breathes life into the fantasy: The production is both grounded in realism -- with each of the girls having a distinct, thoroughly non-angelic personality -- and open to the ethereal, as the simple, delicate dances transform a mundane world.
       As Max, Feather is at the center of this world. His performance is impeccable, warm and credible without ever crossing the line into sentimentality.
It's easy to understand why Westbrook's stolid Robert would be so willing to believe that what Max is seeing is real: Audience members at Thursday's opening night were casting their eyes in the direction of the at-first-unseen dancers Max was addressing.
       Matsos' mother nicely represents the adult world, both caring and hemmed in by convention.
       As Ellen, the leader of the ballerinas, Meredith Zahn displays spunk and determination, while Debesu Selemon shows both grace and a flair for comedy as the feistiest member of the group.
       Abby Purdum whines convincingly as reluctant Jessie, and Gabrielle Bullard, as the youngest ballerina and the only one capable of making herself seen by anyone except Max, is poignantly dogged.
       The dances have been choreographed by BalletMet Dance Academy teachers Susan Powers and Kathleen Pyrch, and the six nonspeaking ballerinas are students at the academy.
       Together, the 10 dancers perform numbers both otherworldly and touchingly human.
       Columbus Children's Theatre has taken a risk by performing a relatively unknown work with no tie-in to a book or fairy tale. Any theatergoer would be fortunate to take advantage of the company's leap of faith.Many of these students have grown up performing at Columbus Children's Theatre, and it's exciting for a longtime viewer to see how they have matured and evolved as actors.
 

The doctor (Roddey Nagy) is surrounded by the "invisible" dancers, clockwise from bottom left: Alanna Schultz, Debesu Selemon, Lida Linville, Jennifer Silva, Abby Purdum, Clara Hirsch, Claire Sinard and Meredith Zahn

THEATER REVIEW | JUNIE B. JONES AND A LITTLE MONKEY BUSINESS
Charming show true to book
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Margaret Quamme
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

      Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business doesn't have any grand goals or overarching social agendas.
      Its biggest conflicts: A kid who lives in a loving family must deal with her mother's pregnancy and the small trials of life in kindergarten.

Ted Amore (as Grampa) and Meredith Post (as Junie B.)

       Based on Barbara Park's popular series of easy readers about a spunky girl's take on life, Junie B. has been adapted with faithful flair into a one-act musical by Joan Cushing.
      The 70-minute Columbus Children’s Theatre's production, which should please those old enough to read the books and their younger siblings, deftly walks the line between comedy and realism.
      Director Pamela Hill, who directed the equally well-balanced A Christmas Story for the group last year, has a light touch and the ability to work well with children and adults: She lets her child actors express themselves without going overboard and keeps the adults likeably restrained and low-key.
      In the crucial role of Junie B., Meredith Post has a natural dramatic style and plenty of determination, and stays well in character.
      She is supported by equally strong characters, each of whom gets some deserved time in the spotlight: Emily Cipriani is endearing as self-satisfied Lucille, whose wealthy Nanny keeps her supplied with princess costumes, and Sydni Randle sparkles as That Grace, who can't resist showing off her running shoes. Gabe Garnes, as Crybaby William, has a comically convincing meltdown over two dead crickets, and Matthew Barr, as rambunctious Meanie Jim, has mastered a look of disgust over female antics.
      Janet Fruth, a preschool teacher herself, lends a droll edge to the teacher called only "Mrs." and offers an equally no-nonsense take on Junie B.'s lively grandmother. She can do more with an eyebrow or two than many actors can do with their whole faces.
      Ted Amore is sweet but unsentimental as the grandfather to whom Junie B. turns when she's lonely. The duet that the two perform about the pleasures of fixing a toilet is a highlight of the show.
      Simple, catchy songs are performed to recorded music, and Amy Marie Lang's clever choreography adds pizzazz without pretension. Carla Chaffin's simple sets take Junie B. from home to school and to Grandpa's house without fuss.
      Briefly lowered lights allow Junie B. to interject her interpretations of what she sees and hears: " 'We'll see' means 'No,' " she explains.
      Junie B. might smooth life's rough edges a little too easily, but it's a charming, buoyant portrayal of the life of one feisty little girl, and it shouldn't disappoint the character's many fans.

THEATER REVIEW - INTO THE WOODS
Young troupe excels in complex musical
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Margaret Quamme
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

      One of the hidden gems of summer is the annual production by the Columbus Children's Theatre pre-professional company.
       The group of thespians, ages 16 to 21, takes advantage of a large pool of central Ohio students, many of whom study theater at college and return home for the summer.

Aileen Targett as "Little Red Riding Hood," and Adam Conn as "The Wolf"

       Many of these students have grown up performing at Columbus Children's Theatre, and it's exciting for a longtime viewer to see how they have matured and evolved as actors.
Into the Woods is both a natural and a surprising choice for the company. Stephen Sondheim's comic and moving two-act musical draws on the same fairy tales that are the lifeblood of children's theater: Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin and Jack and the Beanstalk. But it weaves them into a musically sophisticated and lyrically complex meditation on moral relativism.
       The cast is uniformly strong, both musically and dramatically, but certain members of the ensemble stand out.
       Aileen Targett's Little Red Riding Hood is a marvel of greedy innocence and pluck.
Philip Tobin preens and poses to humorous effect as Cinderella's Prince, and the duets in which he and Rapunzel's Prince (Patrick Mullen II) one-up each other on the struggles of pursuing princesses (Agony and its reprise) are two highlights of the show.
       Emily Asbury is touching as the Baker's Wife, tossed and turned by fortune, and David Bahgat clearly demonstrates the maturing of her husband.
       Kelsey Hopkins is particularly effective as a conflicted Cinderella, and her understated, humane delivery of the climactic No One Is Alone makes it all the more powerful.
       William Goldsmith's direction makes the most of the comedy in the musical while drawing out its emotional side as well. The staging capitalizes on the intimate size of the theater and its thrust stage.
       The lighting, also designed by Goldsmith, is often low, playing up the forest setting and the confusion of the characters.
       Edith Dinger's simple but effective set features abstract trees constructed of metal pipe arranged at jagged angles.
       Stephanie Stephens' excellent musical direction deserves special mention. Into the Woods has a demanding score, often involving several intersecting voices. Not only are the actors' voices strong and supple, but the lyrics are also precise and clear, even when sung at top speed or the heights of emotion.
       The singing is accompanied by a six-piece band under the direction of Jeff Hamm, whose timing is impeccable. The band is just large enough to support the singers without overwhelming them.
       The company has made the unusual suggestion that parents consider taking children younger than 12 to see the first act, then leaving at intermission. This might be an option, although the first act is lengthy and violent enough in its own right, as it features the unadulterated versions of its fairy tales. It's also going to be clear to any self-respecting kid that he's missing part of the play (probably the good part).
       It might make more sense to leave those younger than 10 or so at home. Parents should be prepared to discuss with older kids the more-mature second half, which deals with what happens after "happily ever after." It raises questions well worth discussing.

• The pre-professional company of Columbus Children's Theatre will present at 3 and 7:30 p.m. today, and 3 p.m. Sunday -- and Thursday through July 15 and July 19-22 -- in the Park Street Theatre, 512 N. Park St. Tickets cost $15, or $10 for children, students and senior citizens. Call 614-224-6672 or visit www.colschildrens theatre.org.

Emily Asbury as "The Baker's Wife" and Tess Emerson as "The Witch"