White Christmas at Riverwalk Theatre is a feel-good panorama of nostalgia — a 50's style musical extravaganza, with 74 participants onstage, backstage and in the orchestra, which is holed away in the adjoining Rehearsal Hall, directed by maestro/keyboardist John Dale Smith via video link. (This enables better balance between singers and orchestra using a mixer - thanks, Steve Edwards/Matt Ottinger.) The musicians showed up on stage to take their bow during curtain call, in case anyone assumed the orchestra was a prerecorded Broadway soundtrack.

Director Jane Falion has masterminded this well oiled machine of a musical, with considerable help from choreographer Karyn Perry. The group musical numbers and tap dancing were wonderful. Aspects that elevated this show and let its energy flow may have gone unnoticed: deft scene changes and lightning costume changes — and there were a lot of both. (Kudos to Costumer Kristine Maier and her large crew.) I'm sure the "show" backstage would have been impressive to see, as well!

The leads were adorable, the "stars" of Lansing theatre, Joe Quick and Adam Woolsey - with Racheal Raymer and Rachel Dalton bringing their own star quality, though the ladies haven't quite the list of leads as their gentlemen friends. All four "sang and danced their way into the hearts of America" in bright-eyed 50's style.

Kelly Stuible and Kyra McComber brought charm and humor, as well as a funny Ken Beachler playing against type. (It made me chuckle that his "real" mellifluous announcer voice was heard offstage in the elegant ballroom scene, while on stage, he shuffled and "ayupped" in overalls as Ezekiel.) Doak Bloss brought subtlety and heart as the crusty but lovable General for whom the show must go on.

White Christmas is not enTiREly sold out, as rumor has it (the center section probably is, but the show is well blocked for the sides, as well.) You DEFinitely should phone ahead for reservations and arrive EARLY for best parking. There is extra parking in the gravel lot behind R.E. Olds Museum at the end of the circle on Museum Drive. If you park in the lot behind Knight Cap, you can walk along the River Trail to the Riverwalk door.

7pm Wed/Thur; 8pm Fri/Sat; 2pm Sun -- PLUS added 7pm show on Sunday, Dec. 15
www.riverwalktheatre.com
$20/$18 student/senior/$10 for kids 12 and younger.482-5700 -- reservations STRONGly recommended

If you want to read a better review than this one, check out Teresa Dawe's much appreciated online rave:
http://lansingonlinenews.com/news/stone-soup-riverwalk-theatre-thrills-with-white-christmas/

Of course, Tom Klunzinger kindly wrote an early review of Tom Ferris's charming Sleepy Hollow at Riverwalk -- but today it passed the grandchildren test, as my two 5-year-olds and one 7-year-old enjoyed the classic tale and deemed it funny and "not too scary" (though there was some apprehensive lap-sitting involved.)

This is a fresh new script that's a treat for all ages (school age and up... maybe even the brave 4 year old?) and blends the elegant, period-piece charm of Washington Irving's story with the fast-paced, funny style of our modern kids' shows - including the popular "chase scene," this time with two wonderful horse-bike-puppets (designed and built by Tom Ferris, Leroy Cupp and Bruce Bennett.)

The "gently haunted village" in the Black Box stage is a theatrical bonus and entertaining "preshow," as audience members arriving early can follow the map on the back of their programs, interact with actors in period costumes, and then be guided through the tunnel to the main auditorium.

Alex Freeman was gallant and engaging as our host, Washington Irving. David Bolton was adorably gawky, gluttonous and fearful as Ichabod Crane, oblivious to the challenges of Brom Bones (Brett Robertson) who was brawny if not brilliant as the rebuffed bully. His "boys," Kyle Sodman, Robert Aultz, and Jason Herington, were an entertaining bunch. Mike Erwine and Kris Pecora were the cutest set of parents to Yvonne Gonzales, recently bumped up to the role of the sought-after Katrina, due to the sudden illness of Heather Harper. (Best wished to Heather; I'm not sure WHO will be playing Katrina next weekend, but both are lovely, and Yvonne charmed her way through the role as if she'd been playing it from the beginning.) Kudos to the all-purpose Tom Ferris who choreographed some fun slapstick moves, as well as adding his touch to all aspects of the show.

Parking can be tricky during the day at Riverwalk, since Impression 5 is open, but remember, you can park in the gravel lot at the end of the Museum-Drive loop behind the RE Olds Museum. Come early for best parking as well to allow time to tour the gently-haunted-village. Show starts at 7pm Fri; 2 & 4:30 Sat; and 2pm Sunday - The village opens about a half hour before each show. This is one the whole family will enjoy. Time to get properly revved for Halloween!

www.riverwalktheatre.com
482-5700

THANKS to another volunteer reviewer offering to report to you GLUT folk, when I can't attend my usual opening night. Tom Klunzinger offers his take on SLEEPY HOLLOW at Riverwalk now through the 27th. www.riverwalktheatre.com - 482-5700. General seating for this one - but reservations DO guarantee admission. Here's Tom's review:

Riverwalk's current attraction of "Sleepy Hollow" is first and foremost a children's show, but it's also much more than that: a unique "experience" in the village of Sleepy Hollow BEFORE the show, then a trip down the rabbit hole into the auditorium for the show itself.

And a fine show it is, with a fun script and excellent pacing by Tom Ferris, a literate performance by A.S. Freeman as (narrator) Washington Irving plus David Bolton as an appropriately geeky and gawky schoolteacher Ichabod Crane. As village hotshot Brom Bones, Brett Robertson conjures up the classic Gaston from "Beauty & the Beast."

Special note must be made of Yvonne Gonzales who stepped into the lead role of Katrina Van Tassel on THURSDAY NIGHT after Heather Harper was admitted to the hospital. Ms. Gonzales was charming and effortless as the village sweetheart, seeming as if she'd been doing the role for weeks.

As well, the many good villagers added to the evening's fun, particuarly in the exended dance(!) portion. And Chris Kennedy - an Okemos Barn veteran and Jeff Kennedy's mother(!) - has returned to CCP with a fabulous array of colorful period costumes.

Extra kudos to Carol Ferris for her concept and execution of Sleepy Hollow Village!

Oh, and, the many children present seemed to have lots of fun too.

Seating is General Admission ($7 adult, $5 children) AND you must allow a half-hour or so for the Village before the show, so arrive by 1:30 or 4:00 on Saturday, 1:30 on Sunday (or 6:30 next Friday, etc.).

T.E. Klunzinger

Now I can see why Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing won all those Tonys. There's lots of food for thought in this complex, witty, layered, script. It's one of those where you walk out saying, "I think I'd like to READ this." The assorted pithy questions and observations clip by faster than we can fully absorb them. What makes love "real" — and how do you know? I see now how the cricket bat analogy (that made NO sense in the promotional blurb) illustrates how relationships may look "real" but just don't hit the ball that far.

That analogy, and various other references, set the show in England, and the challenge of the accents was well met in most cases. The "theatre" situation (these are actors/actresses/playwright) with its built-in pretense, is another analogy for questioning what is "real." Trust, compromise, disillusionment, forgiveness...knowing and being known... I see this play, set in 1982, as part of the aftermath of the "free love" 60s/70s when we realized the pitfalls of trying to be that "free."

Director Leo Poroshin has tackled a big challenge with this show  and most of it works well. The set and lighting are beautiful, but perhaps too realistic, requiring many scene changes that add to the playing time, despite their efficiency. Tod Humphrey and Angharad McGaughey are at the center of the multiply crossed affairs/commitments/bargains(?) and both do an excellent job of bringing us with them. Kudos also to Adam Bright, Joseph Mull, Amelia Rogocka and Charlotte Ruppert,  all good as the other spouses/daughter/actor complicators of this tangle of love, both real and unreal.

One weekend left of this fascinating show at Riverwalk's Black Box, Fri/Sat at 8pm and Sun at 2pm through the 13th. $12/$10
482-5700 for reservations, which assure admission (there are only 80 seats) though it's open seating. Get there early for best selection. www.riverwalktheatre.com