Thanks once again to our number one understudy for fast reviews, Tom Klunzinger. I couldn’t objectively review this one, being wrapped up in it all… Jane

HARVEY
by T.E. Klunzinger

One of the enduring strengths of the gently whimsical, Pulitzer-Prize-winning Harvey is that it’s very much of its time… and yet it’s not. It seems to be set in the 1940’s when it premiered; yet there’s no mention of World War II or other troubles. So at its heart it’s about real, regular people and their reaction to an improbable situation. 
    This Starlight Dinner Theatre production, now playing at Grand Ledge High School through May 7, preserves the play’s soft magic, first seen with the wonderfully detailed Dowd family library. (The other side of the expansive set, at Chumley’s Rest, is, well, clinical.)
    We are soon apprised of the situation: Veta Louise Simmons (Jane Zussman) and her emotionally anxious daughter Myrtle Mae (Laura Croff) have become social outcasts due to her brother Elwood’s annoying habit of introducing everyone in their small town to his good friend, a large, invisible white rabbit named Harvey. So Veta Louise decides to have Elwood committed to the local sanitarium and her plan spirals out of control from there.
    To those who grew up with the film of James Stewart’s laconic Elwood P. Dowd – referred to by one character as “calm” - Chris Klaver’s portrayal may seem a tad high-strung; but his cadences grow on you to the point where you hardly notice. And he is in any case always serenely confident of his relaxed world view.
    And too, if you embraced Josephine Hull’s fluttery Veta Louise, you may find Jane Zussman’s characterization to be more commanding in her increasing distraction; but this too is a logical reflection of her own Mother Dowd’s enduring strength.
    Laura Croff is consistently, hilariously nubile as the young Myrtle Mae, Greg Pratt is boisterously gruff as the orderly Duane Wilson, and Mark Polzin and Bob Robinson, as the Drs. Sanderson and Chumley, embody the good, bad and confused sides of the then-budding science of psychiatry.
    Stephanie Spagnuolo, Mark Zussman, Susan Chmurynsky, Gary Mitchell and the indomitable Lee Helder lend their spice, wit and clarity to the smaller roles.
    A couple of hints: As you choose your “general seating” you might want to sit more towards audience right, as the later scenes take place on the sanitarium set. Also, driving to Grand Ledge High School, turning left/west from Jenne Street into the parking lot(s), you must not be distracted by the construction but drive straight west, all the way past the bleachers and tennis courts, then bear right to arrive at the correct Lower West Entrance at the center rear of the school.
    Oh, and, as to the essential point of whether or not Harvey is just a figment of Elwood’s imagination… you’ll have to decide that for yourself.

Harvey continues Saturday night (dinner 6:30; show 7:30) and Sunday matinee (dessert 1:30; show 2pm) (NOTE: no second weekend matinee due to Mother’s Day) also Friday/Saturday May 6-7. Dinner is lasagna in the lobby and must be reserved at least two days ahead. Walk ins available for show-only. 
Details/reservations at 517-599-2779 and http://Starlightdinnertheatre.com

ART - Such a strange and intriguing comedy-drama-character study - food for thought and your funny bone, as well — on the main stage at Riverwalk Theatre.

Translated by Christopher Hampton, this piece was originally in French, by a Yasmina Reza, a woman, painting a comically realistic portrait of three men, and their competing, conflicting, bonding and scoffing, pride and prejudice, identity and ridiculosity. (That SHOULD be a word.) It has Seinfeld-ian accents, as these three banter and bash each other over whether purchasing a white-on-white “piece of shit” painting is a $200.000 franc mistake.

Director, Scot Pohl, had been waiting since the pre-covid times to make his directing debut with this quirky show. He inquired about the possibility of casting one or more of the characters as a woman. The author said, no. The conflict between competition and bonding among males deserves its own arena. 

Serge is the proud art collector, defending the “modern” virtues of his purchase. Newcomer Alan Greenberg portrays him with an art snob’s zeal perhaps masking a need for approval. Marc, mocks and laughs, played by semi-newcomer Andrew Stewart, who impressed as the “tough cop” in Lobby Hero. He also delivers on this complicated character. We identify with his mockery, and also his attempts at reconciliation.

Marc reports to Ivan (Joe Clark) and Ivan attempts the challenge of middle ground and shared laughter — but later bursts in with a platter of personal mother/stepmother catfights over whose name goes on the wedding invitations — perhaps questioning what is really worth getting upset about? His rant is frantic but lucid and adds laughs, lest you be taking all this art debate too seriously.

Because in the end, it’s about friendship, and how/whether we are who we are based on who our friends are, or whether friendship deserves a well-meaning lie once in awhile in order to remain a sanctuary in an otherwise burdensome life.

I loved the “exit music” a familiar song —but in French — to go along with the location of the show. I finally recognized it and laughed, in tribute to the white is white painting. A colorful exclamation point on this ART. (Los Bravos 1966)

Black is black
I want my baby back
It's grey, it's grey
Since she went away, oh oh
What can I do
'Cause I-I-I-I-I
I'm feelin' blue
​
ART continues at Riverwalk Thur-Sun through May 1
Reservations at 517-482-5700
or http://RiverwalkTheatre.com

P.S. Jeff Boerger's photographic lobby ART is another plus to attending this show!

Thanks once again to guest reviewer, Tom Klunzinger:

MONSIEUR D’EON IS A WOMAN
by T.E. Klunzinger

J. Edgar Hoover, we are told, liked to dress up in women’s clothes, had a longtime boyfriend, but was clearly a man. Or so the rumor mill had it. This true story of 18th-Century France, now playing through Sunday at MSU’s Pasant Theatre, has very much those same basic elements, including the rumor mill, except… it’s kind of lacking as a satisfying play.

This is not for lack of trying: the many costumes by Mona Jahani and lighting by Lilian Meyers are seriously gorgeous, and the musical interludes with sometimes-curious choreography by Jaylin Coleman are enough to make you think that just maybe, despite all expectations, this is going to become the musical you want it to be. And director Deric McNish keeps the ensemble of 20 actors playing 50 roles moving along smartly.

Perhaps the problem lies in the linear nature of the script: our hero is sent to Russia, then to England, then back to France, then back to England, then back to France – have we seen that scene before? Flashback storytelling is a much better structure with which to focus on the action highlights and skip over the tedious parts.

Or perhaps the problem is in the uneven dialogue, which jumps back and forth between smart-ass remarks and passionate declaiming, so that you’re never exactly sure what kind of a show this is supposed to be.

The athletic Stefon Funderburke plays the title character as a heroic soldier and skillful spy, but totally without any hint of femininity that might have started the court tongues wagging. There are occasional references to his being a virgin, but the gossip only starts when he puts on a dress to escape from England back to France. Really?

As well, the many actors play up to four roles each, with no attempt to be gender-specific – maybe the script specifies that, or maybe it’s what college theater is supposed to be these days. I simply found it confusing.

On the other hand, there are many joys throughout: Emilio Pido is all commanding authority as Louis XV, and as Ben Franklin, his faux-tango with D’Eon is sublime. Jacob Squire’s Louis XVI made me want to delay the guillotine a bit, and his fight choreography for the big and little battle scenes was very well done.

Keara Hayes as Joan of Arc made you take notice every time she appeared, and Blaze Herdegen was deftly distinctive as a soldier, philosopher and drunken Prince Regent.

All in all, this is definitely worth a trip to the Pasant, if only to enjoy the enjoy the great energy and talent to be seen on the stage. But I’d still like to see it as a musical.

Tickets are available online at 
http://whartoncenter.com
at the Wharton Center box office, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.
 
Continues on the Pasant Stage at Wharton Center:
        
Friday, April 22, 2022, at 8 p.m.        
Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 2 p.m. 
Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 8 p.m. 
*Sunday, April 24, 2022. at 2 p.m. 

* Pre-Show Discussion with director Deric McNish Sunday, April 24, at 1:15 p.m. 

For more information on the show and other MSU Department of Theatre productions, visit:https://theatre.msu.edu/productions/21-22/

This is a weird one… as if you couldn’t guess from the title. The Impracticality of Modern Day Mastodons is a funny, fantastical script by Rachel Teagle investigating the complex pros and cons of aspirations and dreams. When people are magically transformed into “what they wanted to be when they grew up” there are a lot of princesses and cowboys and the like, but Jess wants to be a mastodon. The joy and freedom of such “impractical” choices is celebrated. 

Most productions of this script have included a huge, elaborate, mastodon puppet. Director Rob Roznowski talked to the playwright about her script being performed as one of MSU’s “storefront” shows which feature minimal props/set/costumes. He says in his director’s note, "the playwright was intrigued to see if the show could be successful without a 19’ puppet. We’ll see what you think.”

Well, I think it worked very well. Jewell Redman embodied the mastodon using her arms as tusks and “walking large” and sometimes being joined by the entire cast forming a literally large mastodon shape, intimidating in unison. Though a big puppet would be fun, I think I would miss Jewell’s expressive face.

The entire cast was an excellentm, energetic ensemble, with all but Jewell in multiple roles. Ben Corsi was almost unrecognizable transformed from his thwarted-reporter role to a super spy. Joshua Powles was a perfect foil to the giddy newscaster Sam Campbell. Kim Seabright Martin was pleasantly intimidating as Delores the career counselor. Garret Tinney was both touching and over-the-top with his multiple characters. Garret also played violin duets with Sam playing a toy piano, strangely lovely. Sam and Garret are also credited with composing this “musical score.”

Kudos to the cast and director Rob for bringing this script to life under the restrictions of “storefront” no frills. The pantomime and the cast-created sound effects were fun and effective.

If you’re in the mood for a wild ride exploring purpose and identity check out this fun show at Studio 60 in the basement of the MSU Auditorium, just past the Arena theatre. It only has three more shows and deserves a bigger audience than was there tonight! Only THREE more shows; ends Saturday.
https://theatre.msu.edu/mastodons/