Only two more days to access Evolve Theatrics’ "Tomfoolery With the Pandemic Players” video musical revue based on the music and lyrics of 50’s-60’s satirist, Tom Lehrer. I remember some of these songs from back in the day and am both heartened and disheartened that many of our American foibles have maintained their foible-ocity to this day. Helpful explanatory material is added to frame the songs.

This show is a step up from the COVID separation shows, in that the cast was able to perform/record together, in person, complete with fun, group choreography and some of that chemistry we’ve been missing. This is not a fancy, Matt-Ottinger production, in terms of editing effects and camera angles, but it does feature a variety of locations and an enthusiastic cast of characters, making the most of their variable vocal abilities, spitting out those inimitable Lehrer lyrics. 

I assume Evolve’s leader Helen Hart is the director/choreographer, though she doesn’t appear in the cast bios at: https://www.evolvetheatrics.com/tomfoolery-cast-list.html The cast includes Phil Hart, Bill Henson Monica Hiris, Elizabeth Johnson, Lorena Krauss,  Michelle Smith, Tracy Smith, Jocelyn Snitgen, Marty Snitgen, Abigail Tykocki, Nathan Tykocki. I was most impressed with the Tycockis’ performances, especially their lovingly singing about how they plan to hate each other when they get old — and Bill Henson was adorable, as “The Old Dope Peddler” (in the mode of that “Old Lamplighter” song.)

This revue is free of charge, as a "thank you" to Evolve's patrons for their ongoing support throughout the pandemic. (Watch for Matilda, LIVE, in August.)

To receive your FREE link to see "Tomfoolery", send an email to: [email protected] The production will be available for viewing online through June 27, this Sunday! 
http://www.evolvetheatrics.com

I Googled to confirm what I heard in the show, that Tom Lehrer is still alive, at 93, and came across this fetching little number on Youtube, performed by the man, himself, which is NOT included in the Tomfoolery show, but I remember it fondly(fiercely?) and it further demonstrates his imagination, voice and piano skills and wicked sense of humor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TytGOeiW0aE

Wharton Center’s 36th AnnualYoung Playwrights Festival’s monologuesare impressive! They were written by twelve very talented mid Michigan high school students, directed by MSU grad students and acted by MSU undergrads (and this old lady who graduated lo-o-o-ng ago.)

Bert Goldstein, Director of Wharton Center’s Institute for Arts and Creativity introduces this collection, crediting all collaborators in this project, adapting theatre to COVID performance restrictions. The writing is insightful, and a little scary at times — some of it pretty dark - but engaging. Mine was one of the “lighter” ones, but still threw in a little war and death and all that fun stuff. Seriously, though, this is well worth your hour and seventeen minutes of attention. You may be haunted by a few of these afterward.

Kudos to all involved, especially the authors (Kiera Zager, Yasmine Yaworski, Joselyn Acevedo, Alexander Curry, Anthony Spidel, Nathaniel Myers, McKenna Emerson, Isabelle Terhune, Ryhan Batts, My’kiri Polk, Dakota Brown and Aurelio Delgado) Each gave a brief intro to the monologue they wrote. 

It was interesting to “meet” these playwrights onscreen but I was struck by how “plain” their intros were, compared to the intense sincerity of the actors performing the monologues. I credit the difference to actors' talent and also the directors (Eloy F. Gomez Orfila, Derek Donaher, Cameron Micheal Chase) who helped pace, interpret and suggest locations/motivations/accessories to make the moments more real. The actors were excellent, and all the more impressive when some became entirely different people in different monologues: Ben Barber, Savanna Cowley, Jay Golden, Marshall Ross, Sydney Jo Schneider, Sarah Weitecha, - and me, Jane Zussman. 

Hard to say if I joined the actors in “excellence” since it’s a little embarrassing to watch yourself… and it was not too far a stretch for me to play a grandma babbling on to her granddaughter on a Zoom call. I enjoyed working with Eloy — and it was a bucket-list experience for me to participate in one of the Lansing-area video-theatre responses to the COVID lockdown.

You do have to “reserve” a ticket, thereby agreeing to experience “adult content/language” - but the Young Playwright Monologues are FREE of charge and intriguing. Watch the monologues at any time from June 21-27, 2021. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/young-playwrights-festival-tickets-158499485227

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