Category Archives: Reviews

November 4, 2014 · 6:35 pm

DRIVING MISS DAISY Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Dale Hodges as Daisy Wertham & Reggie Willis as Hoke. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Dale Hodges as Daisy Wertham & Reggie Willis as Hoke. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

DRIVING MISS DAISY presented by The Carnegie through Nov. 16. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening Sunday performance.

You had me at Dale Hodges as Miss Daisy.

When new seasons are announced in the spring, there are always a few productions that immediately fall into the “must see” category. As expected, seeing this favorite local actress in the iconic role of Daisy Wertham, does not disappoint. Also giving strong performances are Reggie Willis as Hoke and Randy Lee Bailey as Boolie.

Dale Hodges as Daisy Wertham & Randy Lee Bailey as Boolie. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Dale Hodges as Daisy Wertham & Randy Lee Bailey as Boolie. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

“Keep it simple” seems to be the mantra for the show and it works well. The minimum set (designed by Kristen Robinson) works well for the various locations of the show. The passage of time is acknowledged by the bits of news and music (excellent sound design by Jason Sebastian) that the ever-present radio plays between scenes. Time also passes visually, as son Boolie swaps out the radio with a more modern one, several times over the course of the show.

Dale Hodges as Daisy Wertham & Reggie Willis as Hoke. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Dale Hodges as Daisy Wertham & Reggie Willis as Hoke. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Wig Master Daniel Townsend and assistant Michael Seagraves do great work with Daisy’s various styles. Daryl Harris did the costume and makeup design. His costumes worked really well for all the characters and appropriate to the time period. The only costume that did not work for me was the shiny gold dress that Daisy wore to the Martin Luther King Jr. event. It seemed out of character, especially with her ongoing concern that others would think she was putting on airs.

Director Mark Lutwak does an excellent job of blocking the show and bringing emotionally-true and believable performances from all three actors. Reggie Willis has great comic timing as Hoke and his friendship with his employer begins and grows naturally. It has been several years since I’ve seen a production of DRIVING MISS DAISY, and the first where I have been a contemporary of Boolie. Bailey had the right balance of love, concern and exasperation that hit home. The final few scenes of the play packed the perfect payoff.

Randy Lee Bailey as Boolie & Reggie Willis as Hoke. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Randy Lee Bailey as Boolie & Reggie Willis as Hoke. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Hodges and Willis do a good job of physically aging their characters as the years passed. There was one cross, during a blackout, by Hodges that seemed a bit more spry than it should have been.

Simply staged and superbly acted, The Carnegie’s DRIVING MISS DAISY is a moving 90 minutes, full of heart and laughter.

My rating: 4.75 out of 5

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October 29, 2014 · 6:31 pm

INTO THE WOODS Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Leslie Turner as Cinderella's Stepmother, Grace Eichler as Florinda, Erin Nicole Donahue as Cinderella & Jeni Bayer Schwiers as Lucinda. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Leslie Turner as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Grace Eichler as Florinda, Erin Nicole Donahue as Cinderella & Jeni Bayer Schwiers as Lucinda. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

INTO THE WOODS presented by Covedale Center for the Performing Arts through Nov. 16. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening Sunday performance.

Stephen Sondheim’s INTO THE WOODS is a personal favorite of mine, so it’s always fun to catch a new, local production. The Covedale Center does an excellent job of bringing this musical fairy-tale mash-up to life.

The musical opens with inter-woven scenes taking place in three houses. One belonging to Cinderella, one to the Baker and his wife, and the third home to Jack (of beanstalk fame) and his mother. Even though space is very tight, director Matthew Wilson does a great job of blocking which keeps the focus where it needs to be, without it looking like the cast is struggling in the space. And then the curtain opens revealing the woods.

Rodger Pille as The Baker & Michelle Wells as The Witch. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Rodger Pille as The Baker & Michelle Wells as The Witch. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Every production I have ever seen of INTO THE WOODS has been staged as a load-in/load-out set. This is the first time I have seen the woods built in a dedicated theater. Set designer Brett Bowling and his crew have created an elaborate set that is impressive to say the least. Multiple levels and exits, a long bridge, a stump and an angled fallen tree that can be walked on…so many options that Wilson takes complete advantage of in his staging.

INTO THE WOODS offers several unique design challenges and it is always interesting to see how each production handles them. Bowling has made many, smart decisions to meet the challenge. For the cow, Milky White, a puppet is used and given life by puppeteer Elizabeth Molloy to great effect. The Witch’s magic staff, the delivery of Cinderella’s dress, the freeing of Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, the goose, and the growing beanstalk at the end of act one were great.

Erin Nicole Donahue as Cinderella, Allison Muennich as The Baker's Wife & Elizabeth Molloy as Milky White. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Erin Nicole Donahue as Cinderella, Allison Muennich as The Baker’s Wife & Elizabeth Molloy as Milky White. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The show boasts an excellent cast that can handle the vocal demands of the show.The five person orchestra, under the direction of Michael Kennedy sounded great, and best of all, the sound design by Denny Reed and the sound execution allows audience members to hear it all. The only exception was the difficult “You’re Fault” which seemed a bit off in the timing, causing it to sound a bit “mumbly.” Also, the Witch’s transformation could have used a sound effect or music queue to enhance the moment.

Performances are solid across the cast. My personal favorites include Erin Nicole Donahue as Cinderella, Allison Muennich as The Baker’s Wife, Megan Ainsley Callahan as Little Red Riding Hood, Michelle Wells as the Witch and the Tylers…Tyler Kuhlman as Rapunzel’s Prince and Tyler Alessi as Cinderella’s Prince. A sure sign that the show is hitting the right emotional notes is me getting a little misty-eyed during the final “No One is Alone.”

The special make-up for the Witch and the Wolf by Randy Fabert looked great.

The cast. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The cast. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Excellent work by costumer Caren Young. The costumes are colorful, well-fitting and detailed. Personal favorites include Cinderella’s ball gown, her Stepmother and step-sisters gawdy dresses, both Witch’s costumes (especially the green dress and purple-lined cloak that created a great silhouette when it moved), Little Red Riding Hood and both princes. I would have liked to have seen something under the Wolf’s vest, as the bare chest and arms looked too human.

As a whole, one of the best productions I have seen at the Covedale. Congratulations and I hope to see the momentum continue.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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October 29, 2014 · 4:23 pm

LEGALLY BLONDE Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Lawson Young as Elle & Chris Collins-Pisano as Emmett. Photography by Mark Lyons.

Lawson Young as Elle & Chris Collins-Pisano as Emmett. Photography by Mark Lyons.

LEGALLY BLONDE presented by UC College-Conservatory of Music through Nov. 2. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening Saturday matinee performance.

For their fall Mainstage performance, CCM Musical Theatre mounts a high-energy production of the movie-musical, LEGALLY BLONDE. Directed and choreographed by Diane Lala.

One thing you can always count on at CCM is great vocals. From ensemble to leads, the show sounded great, supported by the orchestra under the music direction of Craig Dalton. From my seat, I did encounter some sound execution issues with the balance between the cast and orchestra.

Lawson Young does well as Elle Woods. I did feel that she came off a bit tentative at times in the first act, but she really came into the role in act two. Young’s chemistry with Emmett, played by Chris Collins-Pisano, was believably and grew appropriately with the well-done “Take it Like a Man” serving as a natural turning point for their relationship. I would have like to have seen a bit more energy out of Emmett sooner in the show.

Photo by Mark Lyons.

Photo by Mark Lyons.

“There! Right There” was very funny from start to finish and a comedic highlight of the show for me.

Strong support work from the other legal interns: Emily Trumble as Vivienne, Ben Biggers as Warner and Gina Santare as Enid. I also enjoyed Adam Zeph as the loathsome Callahan.

Madeline Lynch does well as Paulette, but considering how big the character is in the movie, I would have liked to have seen Paulette be a bit more bawdy and not quite so sophisticated. Conversely, Paulette’s ex-boyfriend Dewey, played by Jay McGill, was taken to such a trailer-park-trash extreme that it strains the credibility of the two as a couple for ten years. Mills does a good job as Kyle, but his sexy strut needs work.

The choreography by Lala worked well, with the “Legally Blonde Remix” being a great production number. There were a couple of numbers that brought performers all the way downstage to the right and left of the orchestra pit, which blocked my sight-line for a couple of the numbers. That afternoon, the jump ropes were not being very cooperative for “Whipped into Shape.”

CCM_Legally Blonde6011

Photo by Mark Lyons.

I was very impressed by the set design of guest artist, Joe Leonard. The two towers in the opening number immediately brought Barbie’s Dream House to mind. The brick facade on the back side of the towers, in different combinations with the suspended bridge, the three archway walls with multiple inserts and other pieces did a great job of creating unique looks for the many different locations.

A very fun and entertaining show. Excellent work.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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October 26, 2014 · 1:16 am

SAFE HOUSE Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Please note: Beginning with this review, I’ve increased the size of the larger photos. Just click on any photo for a bigger version.

Clarissa (Deonna Bouye) and Frank (Shane Taylor) meet in secret to discuss their feelings for each other and future plans. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

Clarissa (Deonna Bouye) and Frank (Shane Taylor) meet in secret to discuss their feelings for each other and future plans. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

SAFE HOUSE presented by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park through Nov. 15. Click here for more information on the production.

A dramatic tale of two brothers takes over the Marx Theatre as the second show of the season. The play boasts a solid ensemble that brings this dark play to life.

For me, the first act did struggle a bit in both story and pacing. It contains much exposition to set up the show, and at times it seems to meander a bit, providing information in smaller portions on multiple fronts. The pacing does gain a nice momentum near the end of the act. In contrast, the second act begins and progresses much strongr. When the audience learns to what extreme brother Addison (LeRoy McClain) will go to attain his dream, it’s a proverbial gut-punch that sends an audible shock through the audience.

Bracken (Wilbur Edwin Henry, second from right) confronts Addison (LeRoy McClain, left) about whether he has seen a runaway slave as Dorcas (Stephanie Berry) and Frank (Shane Taylor) listen. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

Bracken (Wilbur Edwin Henry, second from right) confronts Addison (LeRoy McClain, left) about whether he has seen a runaway slave as Dorcas (Stephanie Berry) and Frank (Shane Taylor) listen. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

Favorite moments include: Shannon Dorsey as escaped slave Roxie, sharing her story of why she became a runaway; Stephanie Berry as the brothers’ aunt, Dorcas, as she pleads with Deputy Bracken (Wilbur Edwin Henry) to help her nephew; the good-byes in the shed, and the final scene with brothers Addison and Frank (Shane Taylor) at the river.

One issue for me is that when Frank becomes upset and begins yell/taking rather fast, I lost much of what was being said. The scene with Bracken and Dorcas mentioned above, was staged heavily to audience right, that those of us audience left were unable to see the actors faces for a bit too long.

Addison (LeRoy McClain, center) returns home as his brother Frank (Shane Taylor) and his aunt Dorcas (Stephanie Berry) work in the family’s shoe business. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

Addison (LeRoy McClain, center) returns home as his brother Frank (Shane Taylor) and his aunt Dorcas (Stephanie Berry) work in the family’s shoe business. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

The set by Tony Cisek works well and is visually interesting. The slated walls allow the audience to see through to the outside of the house, including the tall trees standing upstage. The wood floor’s pattern, transitioning from house to river, was nicely done. The latter was enhanced by Michael Gilliam’s lighting to turn it into a flowing river late in the play. I was a bit confused by the shoes and boots hanging above the set, until their presence was explained late into the play.

SAFE HOUSE is an impactful and heart-breaking tale of the oppression of slavery from the viewpoint of two brothers, who are free people of color, with opposing ideologies.

My rating: 4.0 out of 5

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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October 26, 2014 · 12:33 am

THE WEDDING SINGER Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Kathyrn Miller as Julia & Noah Berry as Robbie. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Kathyrn Miller as Julia & Noah Berry as Robbie. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

THE WEDDING SINGER presented by Northern Kentucky Theatre through Nov. 2. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening Friday performance.

As their second show of the season, NKU Theatre and Dance tackles THE WEDDING SINGER based on the 1998 film of the same name.

Noah Berry and Kathryn Miller make a cute couple and have a good, easy chemistry as Robbie Hart and Julia Sullivan . “If I Told You” and “Grow Old With You” not only sounded great, but also hit the correct emotional notes. Miller nails “Someday” and it was a favorite of the show. As a whole, the soloists did well with their numbers and the ensemble sounded strong. The number “Pop!” seemed a little off, as if the tempo was a bit fast and the singers were struggling to keep up and getting solo lines in between the lyrics.

Xander Wells as Sammy & Ellie Chancellor as Holly. Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Xander Wells as Sammy & Ellie Chancellor as Holly. Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Overall, the choreography by Tracey Bonner is energetic, well-executed and fun to watch, but I did have a few issues. The opening number, “It’s Your Wedding Day,” was very busy with many of the couples doing unique choreography at the same time. All this different movement drew focus away from Robbie during his solo. Also, across several numbers, the cast was instructed to change their stance multiple times to the beat of the music, which came off a bit repetitive. It worked best during the “puppet” section (nice concept) of “All About the Green.”

Iconic ’80s quotes such as “Where’s the beef?” and “Kiss my grits” fell a little flat. These phrases have a cadence that the actors didn’t reference in their delivery. Speaking of the ’80s, the guy’s hairstyles didn’t reflect the time period very well. Unless they were going for “the wet look” guys didn’t use hair products and mullets were very popular.

Mary Kate Vanegas as Rosie & Chris Darnell as Fake Mr. T. Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Mary Kate Vanegas as Rosie & Chris Darnell as Fake Mr. T. Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Costumes, designed by Ronnie Chamberlain, worked for the most part. I did think the celebrity lookalikes were the best I’ve seen in a production to date, and the cast did a good job of referencing those people. Fake Tina Turner taking out Glen was very funny.

The set was spartan but functional. I thought the upright bed and moving skyline were fun touches.

Taylor Greatbatch as George. Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Taylor Greatbatch as George. Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The biggest problem for the production was the sound execution. The orchestra sounded great and was just shy of being too loud. Thankfully the leads could be heard over them, until any backup singers came in. The ensemble seemed to be at that same volume and their voices tended to overpower the leads. I was also confused why Linda’s solo “Let Me Come Home” had reverb when it wasn’t a dream sequence. Early in the first act, there was a “chiming” noise coming from the speaker near my seat that was distracting. This wasn’t corrected for several long minutes.

Overall, congratulations to director Michael W. Hatton, the cast and crew for a fun and entertaining trip back to my high school years.

My rating: 4.0 out of 5

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