"Das Barbecu"

July 30, 2016 — "Das Barbecu," a musical comedy with book and lyrics by Jim Luigs and music by Scott Warrender, relocates Wagner's Ring to present-day Texas and transforms it into a rollicking, high-energy hootenanny, replacing Wagner's arias with country and western, jazz and Texas swing. This is a challenging production for any company. Five actors each play multiple roles. I counted a total of twenty-two different characters.

Blair Hundertmark directed this show for The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire, in the company's 86th season. Taylor Shubert was the choreographer. Emily Cohn was the musical director and conductor. Emily Nichols designed a nice rustic set. Mary Selvoski had many costumes to design for this production, and her work was impressive.

Cheryl Mullings, in one of her roles as narrator, carefully explains the plot points because the audience needs help following the action in the fast-paced show. Her powerful voice in song and dialog easily carries to the far reaches of the theater. Tall, athletic Jared Troilo plays his multiple roles, principally Siegfried, with boundless energy. Portly Darryl Winslow hams it up delightfully in the roles of Wotan, Gunther, Hagen, a Texas Ranger and a giant. Darcie Champagne and Rachel Alexa Norman play, among other roles, Brunnhilde and Gutrune, respectively, each believing Siegfried is engaged to her.

The Haynes Family Foundation sponsors this season for The Barnstormers, "Das Barbecu" is sponsored in support of the Tamworth Farmers Market.

"Sylvia"

July 12, 2016 — The Barnstormers are in their 86th year this season, and their current home, Tamworth, New Hampshire, is celebrating its 250th anniversary, having been incorporated in 1766.  I traveled to the Barnstormers for the first time this season to see A. R. Gurney's "Sylvia."

Do you talk to your dog? Does your dog talk back? In Gurney's cleverly conceived comedy, "Sylvia," the dog is played by a human, and has conversations, some loving, some acrimonious, with the humans in her life. Other than that, she behaves...well...like a dog. Shayna Vercillo is Sylvia, a stray dog picked up by Greg (Blair Hundertmark) one day on a walk in the park. Greg is captivated by Sylvia and she bonds with him. Greg's wife, Kate (Madeleine Maby), is not so smitten with Sylvia.

Greg's devotion to Sylvia eventually puts his marriage in jeopardy. He has a chance meeting with a stranger in the dog park (Doug Shapiro), who's full of "expert" advice on how to manage a dog and marriage, his dog advice the more reliable. For example, he urges Greg to wait until Sylvia is in heat once before having her spayed so she'll have a female identity.

Later, Shapiro has his second turn as Kate's friend Phyllis (yes, Phyllis! Shapiro in drag alone was worth the price of admission). Phyllis' encounter with Sylvia is a disaster and is the last straw in Kate's view.

Still later, Greg and Kate have a session with a marriage counselor (Shapiro again, this time of uncertain gender). Their session leaves the counselor so confused, he escapes for a meeting with his (her?) own shrink.

Hundertmark and Maby, both good actors who make frequent appearances at the Barnstormers, were over-shadowed in this production by Vercillo's over-the-top performance as Sylvia, and Shapiro, one of the funniest men in New Hampshire theater, was way over-the-top, as usual, in his three roles.

Directed by Paul Mroczka, with an attractive set by Randall Parsons, the play, through all the chaos and laughs, has its tender moments. Check out Doug Shapiro's website. He's a very funny guy:

http://www.dougshapiro.com

"Raining Aluminum"

July 8, 2016 — I think it was playwright Noel Coward who said of acting, "Just remember your lines and don't bump into the furniture." Well, Coward should have seen this flawless opening night performance of "Raining Aluminum" at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. Under the direction of Matt Cahoon, theatre KAPOW's manipulation of props, some quite large, went beyond anything Coward envisioned when he made his dismissive comment about acting. And as for remembering lines, Carey Cahoon's lengthy technical explanation of the process of detonation and explosion was a tour de force in memorization.

Also in the cast in this unique and creative production were Peter Josephson, Candace Gatzoulis and Rachael Chapin Longo. Music was provided by Cynthia MacLeod on fiddle and accordion and Nat Ward on guitar. Kelly Smith was the dramaturg. Puppets were used under the guidance of Vit Hořejš. Tayva Young was responsible for lighting design.

The one-hour play, over twenty months from conception to finished product, ties together two horrific human disasters, the Halifax, Nova Scotia, explosion of 1917 and the attacks of 9/11. There's nothing I can describe that wouldn't be a spoiler. Every moment of the play should be experienced without advance knowledge. New Hampshire is fortunate to have such a talented group as theatre KAPOW. Their fine work deserves a much broader audience.

"Annapurna"

July 6, 2016 — It was opening night and the New England premiere of Sharr White's new play, "Annapurna," at the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Only two actors held the stage for 90 minutes without intermission in an intense drama, often funny, sometimes poignant, by turns angry and compassionate. Gus Kaikkonen, the Players artistic director, as Ulysses, and Lisa Bostnar, who appears in many Players productions, as Emma, were mesmerizing in the range of emotions demanded by the script. The production was directed for the Players by Keith Stevens.

Emma, unexpected and unannounced, loaded with baggage, barges into Ulysses' realistically cluttered, messy trailer, the creation of scenic designer Charles Morgan and props designer Jessica Ayala. Ulysses is wearing nothing but an apron, occasionally revealing glimpses of his bare backside, much to Emma's disgust. Some of the funniest lines occur during this early portion of the play.

But as the play progresses, a dark side to these two very damaged individuals' relationship is revealed to us. They were once married. Emma's surprise entrance was their first meeting in twenty years. Ulysses is currently suffering from late-stage lung cancer. A poet, he hasn't published in many years. He has a history of drinking. Emma disappeared from his life, along with their five-year-old son, without warning or explanation, twenty years ago. Now here she stands in his run-down trailer in the Colorado mountains. There's much to account for. Forgiveness can be difficult, but not impossible. By the end, Ulysses and Emma have learned much, and so have we, the audience. The origin of the title, "Annapurna," is also revealed.

Unlike movies and television, where facial expressions can tell a lot about a character's feelings, actors on a live stage have to depend more on voice and body language, their faces not as visible to the audience, especially in the farther reaches of the theater. Both actors in this play were excellent, but from my seat just three rows back from the stage, Bostnar's expressions said volumes about her hurt and anger. She has appeared in movies and TV, and usually several productions at the Players during the summer. I always love to watch this gifted actress.

At curtain call, the audience showed their appreciation with a standing ovation for fine performances and the difficulty for only two actors carrying a play.

"How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"

June 30, 2016 — I love the rusticity of this little theater, the rafters so low I instinctively duck as I walk in (although actually there's plenty of clearance), the rough, uneven floor boards, and the cow bell they ring to alert patrons the show is about to start, and again when it resumes after intermission. This year is the 84th anniversary of the New London Barn Playhouse. It's the oldest continuously operating summer theater in New Hampshire and it's on the New Hampshire Registry of Historic Sites.

The Barn, in the years I've been attending their shows, has been particularly good at staging musicals. Tonight's show was not among its best efforts in my opinion, but overall it was a pleasing show and an appreciative audience responded enthusiastically. "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" opened on Broadway in 1961 and won eight Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize. With songs by Frank Loesser and libretto by Abe Burrows, it ran for 1,417 performances. Having spent the last twenty years of my career as a middle manager in a business environment, I can attest to the fact the 1961 play is still relevant today. The politics and rivalries haven't changed that much.

J. Pierrepont Finch (Daniel Schwartzberg), starting out as a window washer, follows the steps in a tutorial on how to move up in the business world as he climbs the corporate ladder at the World Wide Wicket Company. The powerful-voiced Ethan Watermeier portrays company president J. B. Biggley. Michael Hornig does a nice comic turn as Biggley's conniving nephew and Finch's main rival. Rosemary Pilkington (Allsun O'Malley) is Finch's oft-neglected love interest. Kelsey Seaman is perfect in the role of the flamboyant, sexy Hedy LaRue. I won't attempt to name the entire cast of more than twenty here, but all did a commendable job. Some of the solos were a bit uninspiring, and the orchestra at times sounded like an off-speed recording. The show was at its best in the big production numbers involving the entire cast, particularly near the end of the show.

Maggie Burrows directed this performance for the Barn. Jonathan K. Parks was the music director, and choreography was by Mike Kirsch. Jordan Janota designed the colorful set, and the performers moved their own props in and out between scenes.

"See you on the porch" is the Barn's well-known invitation, and I'll be seeing them at least a couple more times this season at this, one of my favorite New Hampshire theaters.