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Review: Loserville (OHS)

4/25/2015

We don’t usually get to High School shows, but made an exception for LOSERVILLE at Okemos High, Chad DeKatch’s final directing project before moving to become Creative Arts Director at Lift Church in Venice, Florida —and also to see DJ Shafer (that sweet little boy not that long ago in Caroline or Change and one of the stars of LCC’s recent “Steppin’ to the Bad Side”) change to HIS “bad side” to believably play the egotistical bully in Loserville. Fellow RWT Frankensteinian Mikaela Gould played Leia the “mean girl” with aplomb. Meghan Corbett was the missing link between girlfriend and computer geek, with some beautiful singing.

Loserville is a great show for high school because everyone is the right age, this one included a large chorus of singing and dancing (Karyn Perry, choreography) their way through geeky and energetic numbers. The SET was also choreographed with blinking, changing bands of light that were very effective. Mark Stice led a nice little pit band behind the light show. And the nods to Star Trek and Star Wars are fun.

Loserville continues next weekend, 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 pm Sunday
Okemos High School Theater, 2800 Jolly Rd, Okemos, MI 48864
Tickets available at http://www.okemostheatre.net/
$10 for students and seniors; $15 for adults

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Review: HAIR (MSU)

4/19/2015

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HAIR - America’s Tribal Love-Rock Musical is tripping out at MSU’s Pasant Stage inside Wharton Center.

It’s hard to write about this one, because there are so many layers… HAIR was the “soundtrack of my youth”; I had the whole album memorized. I saw it at LCC in the early 80’s and was appalled that I had become one of “them”: a grownup with kids. I remember being touched by anti-war aspect of the MSU version about 13 years ago; I seem to remember a funereal sequence, that was missing in the current production. Tonight, I’m confusing all of this… with a disillusionment built over time. The “victory” of getting rid of the draft has made it easier to wage perpetual war, without the protest generated by obligating every young man to serve, or scramble for some kind of deferment.

I believe this is the “revival” version of HAIR (2009), since there were a couple songs to which I did not know all the words. It was a little difficult to understand the words, too, due to the untamed nature of the music/singers. This version is energetic, “in your face” and seemed to me less “innocent” than the previous version. It’s always been a chaotic piece, raising issues of anti-war, free love, sex, drugs, enlightenment, self discovery, freedom, and brave hopes/illusions of the possibility of an “Age of Aquarius” complete with “harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding, no more falsehoods or derision, golden living dreams of vision, mystic crystal revelation and the mind’s true liberation…” (I did that all from memory; aren’t you impressed?)

The costuming will take you back with some fun, festive and full-on hippie attire. The infamous MSU “media” light effects (Shannon Schweitzer) were appropriately psychedelic and trippy, There is, of course, the nude scene, tastefully done — and a good amount of “free love” simulation that could also offend some. It manages to be both new and old, inspiring and depressing… I realize my own “baggage” may color this opinion, and encourage everyone to experience it in their own way.
HAIR continues:

*Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 7:30pm
**Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 7:30pm
Friday, April 24, 2015 at 8:00pm
Friday, April 24, 2015 at 11:59pm (Midnight Show)
Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 8:00pm
Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 2:00pm

* Director Pre-Show Discussion Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 1:15 PM
** Post-Show Discussion on Thursday, April 23, 2015 (Following the Performance)

Tickets are available from the Wharton Center Box Office, 1.800.WHARTON, whartoncenter.com

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Review: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds (IX)

4/19/2015

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Ixion Ensemble has taken on a tragic character study in Paul Zindel’s fascinating psychological script, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds. It was a treat to see mother and daughter PK and Kahlil Van Voorhees playing the self-centered, abusive, troubled mother Beatrice, and the shy, science-geek daughter, Tillie — (such a contrast to the happy, helpful extroverts whom we got to know when Kahlil played the perky elf in No-Hole Holiday.)
Grace Hinkley was excellent as the rebellious, epileptic and unstable sister Ruth. Judith Evans was perhaps a little to much fun as the out-of-it helpless boarder being “cared for” by mother Beatrice. Fellow science fair contestant Emily Stokes played just the sort we did NOT want to win.

The lack of theatrical lighting in the “Creative Corridor” art-gallery-ish performance space requires a little more suspension of disbelief than usual, when the troubled/helpless characters shift gears to efficiently move set/prop pieces in the non-blackouts between scenes. This further proves the “magic” of acting, but is a bit distracting. On the plus side, this intimate space brings us up close and personal to these complex characters (and their cute, black, pet bunny.) Kudos to PK for taking on this enormous and challenging role of Beatrice. Despite her depiction as the shy, victimized child, Kahlil’s optimistic vision of her place in the universe shone through her fascination with science and gave us hope for her future.

One more weekend for this show - 8pm Saturday and 7 pm Sunday
Creative Corridor is in “Reo Town” south of downtown at 1133 South Washington, a storefront on the east side of the street, just south of the art-graffiti-filled gap between buildings. There is a little sign/tent out on the sidewalk, and the address is on the door, but it is not the easiest place to find. There’s parking on the street, and tickets are available at the door $15. (517) 775-4246, ixiontheatre.com

Coming next to Ixion — world premiere of original “goddess” scripts “Mother’s Nature: A Collection of One-Act Plays” by Andrew Head, Terry Palczewski and O.G. Ueberroth, May 23-24 & 30-31.

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Review: BAD SIDE (LCC) is GOOD

4/17/2015

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Okay — ONE WEEKEND ONLY — you have TWO more chances to see Janine Novenske Smith’s latest super-musical-revue, STEPPIN’ TO THE BAD SIDE, at LCC’s Dart Auditorium. That place deserves be packed for this double-standing-ovation-worthy show.
Janine is only directing this Musical Scenes class revue once every two years now, so it’s even more important that you get your musical-theatre-dance-loving self to Dart Auditorium. (Maybe even drag along some nay-sayers — this could win them over.) The price is right - FREE - with $5-15 donations requested at the door for scholarships and support of LCC’s performing arts programs.
Creative staging and song selection/arrangement by Janine puts us in a run-down 1980’s night club, “The Bad Side,” where “temptations wait around every corner.” Using only song and dance, Janine creates a story arc, that feels like a “whole show,” leading to acceptance and redemption.
John Dale Smith’s band is terrific, as always, and Karyn Perry once again brings in exceptional, and uplifting choreography — in all senses of the word. Multiple songs from “The Life”, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, “Kinky Boots”, “Pippin” and others combine to build the show.
Everyone in this 16-member ensemble is very good — and a many are outstanding. My favorites included Katelyn Curtis, Matt Eldred, Rachael Raymer, Adam Woolsey, Brennan Hattaway, Prince Jerrell Spann and DJ Shafer. The costumes are pretty hot, too (Kate Koskinen) especially the first song in the second act!
Seriously: you’ll be sorry if you miss this one. 8 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday - April 18-19.http://www.lcc.edu/cma/events/

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Review: Loserville (OHS)

Review: HAIR (MSU)

Review: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds (IX)

Review: BAD SIDE (LCC) is GOOD

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