NOISES OFF once again earns its title “beloved backstage farce” as this wild and wacky extravaganza graces the Riverwalk Stage for the third time. I believe it’s the only script to hold that record. I imagined that the late, great Bob Gras (who directed the 1996 and 2005 versions) was laughing down from that Big Backstage In The Sky as Michael Frayn’s classic script came to crazy life once more at Riverwalk.

Director Michael Hays was blessed with The Set Master Leroy Cupp designing this demanding, turn-around set, with its two levels and many, slam-able doors — aided by all the Scene Shop Pros, Tom Ferris, Leon Green, Bob Nees, and many others. He also employed, to great effect, the talents of “Stunt and Scuffle Choreographer” Connor Kelly. The set took a good deal of abuse from the stunts and scuffles, and lived to spin again.

The entire cast was hilarious, inhabiting the motley characters in this show about a show - and its accompanying backstage disasters and personal dramas. Of particular note was Nita Haberlein as Dotty Ottley/Mrs. Claggett who made her stage debut with this show in this very demanding and funny role! Kudos to her… and hope she’ll dare to come back; it will only get easier! 

Newcomers to RWT, if not to the stage, were David Bilbey as Gary Lajeune/Roger Tramplemaine delivering his wonderful never-quite-getting-to-the-point dialogue with an inarticulate finesse — and Maureen Sawdon who displayed the most presence of mind in a state of stage-disaster as Belinda Blair/Flavia Brent — and Gabe Weeks was charmingly awkward as the sleep-deprived tech guy Tim Allgood, reluctant understudy to the burglar.

Cassie Little was the perfect “bad-actor” bimbo, artfully oblivious in her scanties. Greg Pratt exploited his whistling s’s and adorable insecurity into Frederick Fellowes/Phillip Brent. John Liskey portrayed the lovable drunk Selsdon Bowbray/Burgler. Erin Hoffman injected some seething sass into her all-purpose Stage Manager, Poppy. Director Lloyd Dallas, played by the masterful Dave Dunckel, lost his grip on “leadership” of this motley crew early on, swept up and tripped up in his romantic exploits.

NOISES OFF is one of those Must-See shows for real Theatre People  — so reMEMber. TOMORROW (Friday) IS THE GLUT PRESHOW POTLUCK RECEPTION at 7pm. Mike says the center section is almost full - so be sure to PHONE FOR A RESERVATION - (517-482-5700) and bring your finger-food to share (or juice or pop to add to the “mystery punch”) and I will SEE YOU THERE tomorrow. There is no need to RSVP for the reception; but it IS a good idea to have a reserved seat for the show.

Noises Off is not short (with two intermissions for set-turning) but you hardly notice because the pace is so fast. It runs through December 9.

www.riverwalktheatre.com

A HUNTING SHACK CHRISTMAS at Williamston Theatre is one of those hilarious, heartwarming joke-fests in the spirit of the Tuna shows and Escanaba in Da Moonlight. And I noticed David Wayne Parker, of Escanaba fame, was fight choreographer! Playwright Jessica Lind Peterson has channeled a little yooper spirit in this farce, set in Minnesoooota, not THAT far from da U.P. eh? with the prerequisite lilting accent —spoken with superlative eloquence by the amazing Sandra Birch as June. 

Patrick Loos is engaging, sincere and funny as our “narrator”. He is also the heart of the show, as the mysteriously troubled Charlie — off on a vaguely explained mission to the old Hunting Shack. Through flashbacks, we get a picture of his marriage to the spunky Jennifer, well played by Sharon Combs.

The “shack” is a beautiful Bartley H. Bauer concoction of log-cabin with stuffed deer heads, furs, and even a scary moose skull/rack. Charlie finds the shack already inhabited by aunt/uncle/cousin, the folksy June, Big Paul (John Lepard) and Ham (Aral Gribble)— and the proverbial hijinks begin. 

Big Paul has an understated, oblivious charm and some secrets up his sleeve. He is frequently forced to feed the “swear jar” in an unsuccessful attempt by June to clean up his language.

Ham (Aral) is a delight, enamored of his online honey, Helga — and scrapping with his cousin Charlie in assorted adorable ways. 

There IS a “plot” but it has enough surprises best experienced in real time. Suffice it to say, it’s that down-home humor that winds up being about the strength, support and idiocy that is family.

This laugh-fest runs through December 23.
http://williamstontheatre.org

​Thanks to Guest Reviewer (and opera aficionado and composer) T.E. Klunzinger, for the following review:

DIE FLEDERMAUS
by T.E. Klunzinger
 
MSU Opera Theatre’s Melanie Helton has given us a thoroughly delightful production of “Die Fledermaus” which is as lively, colorful and fun as any other musical you’re likely to see this season. And let’s be clear about this: it’s an operetta, not a “grand” opera, the difference being that there are spoken passages as in “Oklahoma!,” for example, with everything in English including the surtitles.
 
This means that the singers must be good actors as well, and they are, but it’s difficult to give particular praise simply because the four performances are, as always, mostly double-cast (A-B- A-B) except for William Johnson who has now sung two successive nights as Alfredo due to the sudden illness of the other guy, Nicholas Hudak.
 
It must be realized that with the first production of this now-classic by Johann Strauss II (“the Waltz King”) being nearly 150 years ago, doing this show is sort of like doing Shakespeare: you start with the music and if you’re any good, you bring it to life through the staging.
 
As Ms. Helton is quite good, particularly with the party that is Act Two which starts with the (rented) costumes getting their own applause. Since the theme of Prince Orlofsky’s party is “chacun a son gout,” (“to each his own taste”) it has become traditional to throw pretty much anything into it; here we get a couple of Victor Herbert songs including “Prima Donna” which predates the Lloyd Webber version by about 75 years. Then in Act Three we get snatches from “Les Miz” and “Psycho”(!) and a duet from “La Boheme.”
 
This kind of show was really the “musical comedy” of its day, with a typically flimsy plot on which to hang the memorable Strauss music in three-quarter time; this production fully plays everything for fun, with the audience being totally in on the joke(s).  The cast of 27 works very well with the 45-piece MSU Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hal France. 
 
Technical credits are a tad murky, but I should note the simple settings are strongly complemented by the flexible mood lighting and the projections such as Orlovsky’s ballroom.
 
“Die Fledermaus” has only two shows remaining at Fairchild Theatre, Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, with a brief lecture 45 minutes before each performance. See it if you can!


https://www.music.msu.edu/event-listing/johann-strauss-ii-die-fledermaus