BONNIE AND CLYDE - is a HIT at Peppermint Creek - with both bullets and talent. Excellent performances and a sensitive musical by Frank Wildhorn with lyrics by Don Black and Book by Ivan Menchell, brings this doomed duo into our hearts, despite their many flaws and mistakes. It's all set against the deprivation of The Great Depression, and that background of desperation helps set up these outlaws as "celebrities" in their way. 

Seeing them first as children (well played by Zach Surdenik and the convincingly star-struck Kaleel Van Voorhees) helps us see the innocent beginnings of the lure of fame and violence. In the title roles, Brittany Nichol and Adam Woolsey seem meant for each other and set the bar high in acting, energy, singing and stage presence. Matt Bill and Mary Maurer are also excellent as Clyde's brother and sister-in-law. As the preacher, Tigiste Habtemariam and her congregation really raise the roof and bring heart and faith into the mix. Brent Decker and his orchestra's rendition of the wide variety of music is very good - as is Karyn Perry's choreography. The ensemble is uniformly good with many little highlights in the minor roles.

Special praise goes to director Katie Doyle and set designer Jeff Boerger (who also plays a small but pivotal role onstage). The logistics of the many scenes worked amazingly well with Jeff's beautiful, authentic barnwood set. It was realistic and evocative of the time period but at the same time flexible with simple, effective, fast-change devices (jail bars, café counter) that instantly created the many scenes required. The logistics of the violence and blood is well managed, so it's believable, in a theatrical way, but not so messy that it distracts us from the emotional spine of the show.

This is SELLING OUT - so make your reservations online now - and arrive early for the best seats. Continues through Sept. 29 Sept 19 - 22 & 26 - 29, 2013
Thursdays - Saturdays - 8pm
Sundays - 2pm - (and yes, it appears they DO have a Sunday matinee on the second weekend - not usual for PC.)

www.peppermintcreek.org

WIDOWS is a grim tale of the quiet rebellion of a group of peasant women whose husbands, sons and fathers have disappeared at the hands of a military junta in the service of the rich and powerful. It is grounded in author Ariel Dorfman's experience as a member of Salvador Allende’s administration in Chile; he went into exile when General Pinochet seized power. This script theatricizes and generalizes to make it about not only Chile but other conflicts where the powerless display devoted courage. The Dramaturg's note is a helpful summary of the history involved.

Director Ann Folino White commands a large cast (24) of dedicated actors led by Jacqueline Wheeler as the steadfast grandmother Sofia Fuentes. Her last scene with her grandson was moving. The set is an interesting, stylized pool, complete with real water, made rustic by wooden framing and pathways. The pool becomes the river where unrecognizable bodies wash up and are claimed by all the women as their lost men. 

I felt a disconnect between the play’s somewhat formal dialogue and the emotional events it depicted. It was not as affecting as it seemed to be trying to be, maybe because the characters served more as symbols of the world's injustice rather than people I could identify with.

A post-show discussion in collaboration with One Book; One Community will be this Thursday, Sept. 19 - and a pre-show talk with the director and cast will be held on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1:15 pm before the 2pm show at the Arena Theatre in the basement of the MSU Auditorium building.

Widows runs through Sept 22 - 7:30 Wed/Thur; 8 pm Fri/Sat; and 2pm Sat/Sun.
http://theatre.msu.edu/

The nearly full house at Riverwalk tonight was a testament to the affection audiences have for M*A*S*H* and its colorful characters. Most of us "of a certain age" know them well from the TV series, but there's only time for a taste of each in this episodic script. It was written in 1973, based on the original Richard Hooker novel (1968), movie (1970), and TV series (1972 to 1983.) As with most plays that are based on movies or TV, there are many scene changes which chop up the "flow" no matter how speedy and efficient the scene changers are. This type of script brings an extra challenge for actors to keep up the momentum and pace.

The set (Mark Mandenberg) lighting (Jessica Doyle) and sound (Heidi Mender) worked well together to evoke the time and place, and the multi-scene demands of the script. Costumes (Wendy Baugh) included an extensive wardrobe of dresses for Bobby Maldonado, who was fetching as "Klinger," hoping that cross dressing would get him a "section 8" discharge for being mentally unfit for service.

Kudos to first-time director Justin E. Brewer, well remembered as an actor, for taking on a show of this size, and commandeering this large cast of 25. Justin has a real appreciation of the military and has organized a tribute of photos of service people to "share the curtain call.” (Note that "Klinger" Bobby Maldonado's Marine photo is among them.)

M*A*S*H* continues through September 22, 7 pm Thur., 8 pm Fri./Sat., and 2 pm SundaysJudging from tonight's nearly full house, it would be good to call ahead for reservations!
482-5700
www.riverwalktheatre.com

Okay, I hope all you musical lovers have gas in your cars, because after your westward trip to Grand Ledge for Zombies, now you have to drive northeast to Owosso for a sensational rendition of URINETOWN. Like Zombies, Urinetown is fun and campy - but it is also a "really big show," one of my favorite scripts - funny, entertaining, smart, irreverent and thought-provoking - (featuring music/dance homages to Fiddler, West Side Story, and Les Miz.) Wikipedia says it "It satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics." This is the fourth time we've seen it (first time on Broadway) and this production is up there with the best. The set, by Mistie and Michael Jordan and Dirk Rennick, was made largely of recycled trash - a nice touch.

We were very impressed with last year's Into the Woods at Owosso Community Players, directed by the same Garrett Bradley, a professional director/choreographer who has come back to his home town to direct a few shows in recent years. He obviously knows his stuff. The choreography is outstanding; the voices and characterizations are excellent. "Hope" (Aubrey Hengesbach) is like a brunette Kristin Chenowith; "Bobby Strong" (Vinnie Lindquist) is heroically wonderful; Mike Windnagle is a folksy, ironic Officer Lockstock, breaking the fourth wall with his sidekick "Little Sally" (Faith Halick) who displays cutting charm as a little girl who speaks the truth.Tim Ruwart is despicable (or IS he?) as Caldwell B. Cladwell, president of Urine Good Company. "Penelope Pennywise" the tough, funny "missing link" between the powerful and the poor is ably played by Anna Owens. It was good to see former Lansing actor Steve Shelton back on stage as the corruptible but conflicted Senator Fipp. The whole cast is strong, with great choral singing as well as super dancing. Kudos to music director Chris Sprink and his four musicians.

It's about a 45 minute drive  to Owosso for us west-siders; less for you on the east side -  and The Studio Theater 114 E Main St.  is easy to find (right next to the famous Lebowsky auditorium that's being completely refurbished after its fire and hopes to be back in action in about a year.)

You can buy tickets online and actually choose your specific seat and print out your own tickets. And I'd do it SOON if I were you; this deserves to sell out. ($15 - and $7 - I think that's "student" not senior - can't find that on the website now, but anyway...)

Continues through September 15 - 8pm Fri/Sat; 3pm Sun.
www.owossoplayers.com
989-723-4003