SITV Brings the Funny with 'Comedy of Errors'

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

Shakespeare in the Vines’ “Comedy of Errors” offered an evening of pure comedy. From the 20th Century Fox opening to the rubber chicken sword fighting the production pulled out all the stops.
The show opens with Aegeon, played by Walter Savell, on trial in Ephesus. His monologue explains how his twin sons and their twin servants were separated by a storm years before. The rather lengthy monologue (the longest in the Shakespeare canon) was acted out by the ensemble. This began the slap-stick style as the ensemble yelled “yay” and “boo” in reaction to Aegeon’s story, holding up signs to encourage the audience to join in.
I have seen the opening monologue acted out in a few “Comedy of Errors” productions, but none were quite as energetic as SITV’s. And that was just the beginning of the show!
Director John Edward Clark also added an Arabian Nights theme that greatly catered to the slap-stick comedy. Clark should also be commended for his casting choices. Ninety percent of directing is casting and Clark did a fine job.
Every character had a quirk, and every scene was played out in well-timed comedic beats. What would have made the emphasis even better would be the use of sound effects or random instruments on stage. Someone could have used a kazoo or a slide whistle and only enhance the flavor of the show.
Though every actor brought great zeal to their characters, there are a few worth mentioning that truly went above and beyond.
David Caldwell, who played Antipholus of Syracuse, was in his element as the confused Antipholus who was continually taken to be his twin brother, that of Ephesus. Over the years Caldwell has truly grown as an actor and his comedic timing has gotten better and better. Add some rubber chicken sword fighting to the mix and you’ve got a gut buster.
Patrick Bailey, who played Dromio of Syracuse, had everyone rolling in the isles at Frangipani Winery as he told his master Antipholus of Luce, the kitchen wench that “assaulted” him. Having also seen SITV’s “Much Ado” earlier this season, it was refreshing to see the breath and depth of Bailey’s comedic stylings. His Dogberry had an entirley different flare than his Dromio, and both were very well executed. (Note: as a director I was saddened to see that Bailey would be leaving the area this fall, but happy to see that he would be pursuing a bachelor’s in English. Bailey, minor or double major in theatre, your chops shouldn’t be wasted.)
Christopher “Kit” Fugrad also appeared to be right at home as the other Dromio (of Ephesus). Fugrad egged on the audience to repeat after him, acted utterly confused by his master’s ever-changing mind and tried not be beaten by all who he offended. Like the aforementioned, Fugrad is another actor that embodies the comedic style as if it were second skin. It is always a joy to watch actors who do not appear to be “acting” on stage, but living in the moment. This is actor Zen, this is perfection.
Annalice Heinz played a sweet and silly Luciana, the love of Antipholus of Syracuse. Heinz was the perfect foil to Brittany Richardson’s hot-headed Adriana, who spent the majority of the play seeking out her husband, Antiphlus of Ephesus, played by Joe Arriaga.
But, I have to say, that Chelsea Pope was the topping on the cake of this production as the conjurer Pinch. Pope smiled wildly and cooed inappropriately at the confused Antipholi. Just her presence on stage made the entire audience giggle. The show was more of a spoof, but, as a fervent Shakespeare fan, it was a real treat.

Shakespeare in the Vines’ “Comedy of Errors” continues 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, August 28 and 29 at the Frangipani Winery in Temecula. Information/Tickets: www.shakespeareinthevines.org.

Riverside Youth Theatre Equals Quality Youth Theatre

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

Broadway reviews are great for youth theatre because it gives many young thespians a chance to shine and grow rather than just a few leads. Riverside Youth Theatre’s “On Broadway Now!” production was not only an obvious thrill for the performers, but also for the audience.
The show featured various musical numbers from productions that were on Broadway in 2009. Shows included “Jersey Boys,” “Hair,” “Legally Blonde,” “Grease,” “Spamalot,” “Mary Poppins,” “Next to Normal,” “Shrek the Musical,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Young Frankenstein.” But the shows that I was really thrilled to see on the docket were “13” and “Spring Awakening.”
I was privileged to see the world premiere of “13” at the Mark Taper Forum in 2007 and the RYT “tween” cast looked to be having as much fun as that Broadway bound cast. This is important; the “fun” element really drives most musical theatre numbers, especially when they are about adolescents. And right from the start of “On Broadway Now!” the ensemble was loving every minute of their time on stage and the audience could feel it.
The show made me excited not only for the fabulous musical choices, but also the quantity of truly talented teens. It is companies like this that keep theatre alive by putting on quality shows that interest the youth and showcase their talent.
A few future stars to note include Anyssa Navarro, Melissa Smith, Hannah Wolgemuth, Eryn Moore and Maddison Rickard.
Navarro has a fabulous voice, and a clear passion for musical theatre. Her performance of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” was right on key and on emotion.
Smith has potential in both dance and leading lady work. She was precise in her movement and emotion even when she was merely part of the ensemble. But her performance of “Whispering” from Spring Awakening was truly moving.
Wolgemuth performed with great heart and verve. Every move that she made was done to the fullest. Moore was spunky and perfectly timed as the ditsy, yet somewhat witty El Woods. And Rickard is a small girl with a huge voice that was sadly undermined by bad head mics. I wish that I could have heard more of her song because what I did hear was so right on and full of so much soul.
But just because I am pointing out these individuals does not mean that no one else from the production deserves recognition. Actually, there are just far too many to point out. To quote one of my favorite shows, Nigel Lithgow on So You Think You Can Dance has often said that if a dancer doesn’t stick out in a bad way, it’s a good thing. I may point out a few, in my mind, stars, in the hopes that they recognize their own star quality and never give up on their art, but this is not to say that anyone else should give up because I did not mention them. As a young actress, I was not mentionable. In fact, I stuck out in a bad way. But that never stopped me from doing what I love.
On a slightly negative note, I wish that the “tween” ensemble had done “The Age of Aquarius” rather than just “Let the Sun Shine In” because they had the talent to do so. I also wish that the show had gone on longer. The ensemble could have sung “Summer Lovin’” from Grease and some more songs from “Next to Normal.”
But hey, you know it’s a great show when the critic wants more. I truly look forward to seeing more work from this company and all of these young stars.

For more information on RYT check out www.riversideyouththeatre.org

Operation Shakespearean Adaptation

By Yvonne Flack
For the Real Critics Blog

As a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, “Much Ado About Nothing” director Kit Fugrad had the perfect inspiration for his adaptation of the Bard’s classic comedy—a personal, but equally universal, experience in an ongoing military conflict.
It is 2009 and Don Pedro, played by Christopher Vienna, and his troops have returned home from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The scene is a common one—a barbeque with friends and family, beer, jests and budding love between Don Pedro’s right-hand man Claudio, aptly played by David Caldwell, and the young and beautiful Hero, played by Shanti Ryle.
Doing a concept piece with Shakespeare is a tricky balancing act between fidelity to the Bard’s original and the need to fully carry out the adaptation and produce a coherent piece of theatre. This balancing act becomes even more crucial when adapting comedies, as they always center around one or more marriages—a tricky thing to do post-women’s lib, as Shakespeare’s heroines are often jostled around by the men who control their lives.
Fugrad’s adaptation of the script was an honorable one, though it sometimes did not go far enough or failed to overcome some of the play’s inherent ties to the period in which it was written.
Most of the possessor-like control over Hero was removed from the character of Leonato, and Todd Meyer portrayed a convincing concerned contemporary father in the role. This contemporary concern crumbled into the 17th century, however, in his harsh reaction to Hero’s denouncement in the second half of the play where, as mandated by Shakespeare’s original, he laments that he would rather see Hero die than have her live as a sullied and impure woman—an unrealistic reaction in the 21st century.
Not only were the traditional Shakespearean male/female hierarchies removed, but, for the most part, the class and royalty hierarchies were removed as well. Don Pedro, a prince in Shakespeare’s original, became a captain in Fugrad’s adaptation, though the adaptation was inconsistent in that he was also referred to as “the Prince” on occasion. Don John was, however, still referred to as “the bastard” in a way that evoked the Early Modern belief that children born out of wedlock were somehow less than their legitimate siblings. This conundrum could have easily been avoided through the inflection of the actors and the simple replacement of the word “the” in describing him to “a” or “that.” In the 21st century, the difference between the brothers should not have been one of legitimacy, but rather one of character.
Other contemporizations helped round out the adaptation and bring about the reality of the world that the actors, director, and technicians were creating. The incorporation of live contemporary music, and the utilization of Caldwell’s musical skills, both vocally and as a guitarist, were a welcome addition to the show, though one of the song choices left me a bit perplexed. America’s “Horse With No Name” opened the second half of the play, and despite the references to a desert, here presumed to be the deserts of the Middle East, I could not help thinking about the long-held belief that the song is about the experience of being on heroine. Either way, it seemed to be an odd thing to be thinking about the night before one is going to get married; perhaps a love song would have been a more appropriate choice.
But the best musical numbers and references were yet to come. In Caldwell’s best musical performance of the night, Claudio lamented at Hero’s tomb with “The Other Side,” a song that seems as if it could have been written specifically for Much Ado. And as Benedick tries to compose a sonnet to his new-found love, Beatrice, played by Laurel Mueller, he inadvertently comes up with the lyrics for “L.O.V.E” beginning with, “L is for the way you look at me,” to the obvious enjoyment of the crowd.
Benedick’s turnaround from sworn bachelor to pining poet is often the comedic highlight of the play. As bachelor, Benedick, played by Justin Girard, was a slightly inebriated, man’s man, swearing off love to any woman. This swaggering Benedick was a clever character choice, offering a level of excuse for his many misogynistic monologues and anti-love ramblings. But as soon as Don Pedro, Claudio, Hero, Leonato and Ursula contrive to bring him together with the sworn bachelorette, and his mental equal, Beatrice, he crumbles into a man hopelessly in love.
By speaking of Beatrice’s fictitious love within earshot of the sworn bachelor, the men engineer the entrapment of Benedick. This scene is generally the peak of Shakespeare’s comedic genius, as the audience can visibly see Benedick crumble from his bachelor ways into stubborn, but undeniable love. But this audience could not see the majority of Benedick’s reactions as he hid behind a chair in the audience for nearly the entire scene. While the plotting of Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato is funny, the real humor in the scene lies in Benedick’s reactions to what they are saying and their obvious enjoyment as they see him fall into their trap. This scene simply focused on the conspirators and missed the potential for rolling laughter that can be found through Benedick’s part in the scene.
Likewise, the Beatrice entrapment scene fell flat compared to its great potential to entice uproarious laughter in the audience. Beatrice was blocked peeking around a pole and, again, what was being said about the supposed love that Benedick bore her took the foreground of the scene. The source of the humor in this scene should, as in the scene with Benedick, build off of Beatrice's reaction to her newfound knowledge and budding love for Benedick.
While Mueller had an obvious understanding of what she was saying, and delivered her lines in a clear and appropriately contemporary way, her reactions in this scene were, like much of her character throughout the play, so casual, that they failed to entice a large enough reaction from the audience to make the scene memorable.
The real side-splitting comedy of this production came, surprisingly, amidst the tragedy of the second half with the well-meaning, but slightly dangerous, bumbling of Dogberry and his band of not-so-merry men (and woman). Recent high school graduate, Patrick Bailey, emerged as a star of this production in the narcoleptic, red-plastic-bat-toting role of Dogberry. In his battle to fight the crime and corruption of Borachio and his cohorts, Dogberry’s men frequently fell victim to the wild flailing of his plastic bat and Dogberry’s right-hand woman Verges, played by Chelsea Cohen, was seen with more and more bandages from the many injuries she sustained in his service. From the ridiculously official use of his childish prop, to the narcoleptic fits that left him falling to the floor as dead weight, this Dogberry was a character to remember.
The delicious wines of the Frangipani Winery, the starry summer evening sky, the quaint sound of coyotes in the distance, and, of course, the production itself, made Shakespeare in the Vines’ “Much Ado About Nothing” an enjoyable experience, despite some of the pitfalls in the adaptation.

Up next Shakespeare in the Vines presents "The Comedy of Errors," Aug. 13 through 29 at Frangipani Estate Winery. Check out www.shakespeareinthevines.org for details.

'1776' Shines at Redlands Bowl

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

As an American, it is often easy to forget how difficult it was for our country to gain freedom and become the nation it is today. “1776” reminds us of that journey and the varied kinds of people and ideas that had to come together in order to create a perfect union.
The story follows John Adams and his fight for his new country’s independence. Adams was played by David Leslie Scott who exemplified the perfect hot headedness that Adams was known for.
“It’s a revolution,” Adams said, “we are going to have to offend somebody.”
Adams may have offended more than just his opposition. The script, by Peter Stone, is ripe with innuendo, more than would be expected (or accepted) in the late 1700s, but Adams and his compatriots are quite amusing. At the same time, a play about the beginnings of a nation makes for a dense story that should be carefully followed and the humor helps to break up the political jargon.
“1776” even beat “Hair” and “Promises, Promises” for both the Tony and New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for best musical in 1969. This was likely because of the script and not the music, by Sherman Edwards, (or because “Hair” was too much “of the time”). Ben Brantley noted his confusion by this bit of trivia in his 1997 New York Times review of a local “1776” production. “’1776,’ was the show that nobody expected to like when it opened in 1969, not exactly a banner year for Yankee Doodle patriotism,” Brantley noted.
But “1776” is definitely worth seeing; the subject matter alone sets a precedent for the work and producer/director Diana Schleiger Combs really did the play and the venue justice. The Redlands Bowl production (in true Redlands Bowl form) had a full orchestra in the pit and some masterful singers on stage that made Edwards’ music much more memorable.
Jason Livesay, who previously played the Beast in the Bowl’s “Beauty and the Beast,” played Thomas Jefferson, offering a few wonderful operatic moments and some great humor. Julie Rosser was a brilliant Abigail Adams in her speech, song and limited action. And Joe Musil was appropriately smug and determined as the conservative John Dickinson.
But the entire cast was magnificent, which is why it is always upsetting that the Bowl only produces the summer musical for one weekend. This year, however, the musical will continue its run at Rialto Community Players in late August.
It was also exciting to see Riley Farms get so involved with the production. Several of the actors are now, or have been, living historians at the Revolutionary War farm in Oak Glen and their performances, coupled with Cherie Riley’s costuming, added great authenticity to the production. David Leslie Thomas acts as Riley’s John Adams, so it was nice to see him continue the part on stage.
Kerry Jones also deserves praise for the set design and decoration. The massive Bowl stage is not easy to decorate and she successfully pulled off the exquisite Chamber of the Continental Congress with some strategically placed, shuttered, free-standing windows. The windows were very functional, often being opened and closed because of the summer heat and/or flies.
But what was truly moving was the end of the show. Seeing all of the signatures on the Declaration of Independence projected onto the back wall of the Bowl stage as each representative signed the document was enough to make any American citizen shed a tear.

“1776” continues at Rialto Community Players, Aug. 22 through Sept. 6. Call (909) 873-8514 for more information.

Big Laughs Highlight Fairytale Collage

By Gabriel Morales

For the Real Critics Blog

Absurdism was the word of the day at Chino Community Children's Theatre production of "Into the Woods," a classic fairytale mash-up by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. About two decades before Shrek, Lapine and Sondheim created an entertaining world where the larger-than-life characters and the logic-bending, natural law-shattering plot devices of numerous fairytales collide, conflict and eventually coalesce against a common threat.
Aptly directed by Jenn McHugh, the production works best when its young cast (14-22 years old) is fully commited to the ridiculousness of their characters and situations. Whether chasing after Jack's stuffed castor-riding cow, yanking at Rapunzel's lengthy yarn locks, pulling Red Riding Hood cloak and make up intact from the disembowled Wolf, or cutting off plastic phalanges to fit into Cinderella's gold high-heeled slipper, the juvenile players bring the funny with fearless dedication to the text.
There are several standouts among the motley crew of fantastical friends. The smooth dancing Big Bad Wolf and the sassy sprite Red Riding Hood have great exchanges, from their well-choreographed first meeting to her mess-free resurrection from his nightgowned carcass. The smarmy dynamic duo of Princes -- one wild-eyed with an Ace Ventura pompadour, the other face pinched with a stuffy Ivy League drawl -- never fail with their aisle-rushing, maiden-ravaging antics. Then there's the black-clad disgruntled Stage Hand who manages to steal scene after scene with dispassionate prop schlepping, plot-assistng cue cards and brazen stuffed animal abuse -- all without saying a word. Then there's the Baker's Wife, who certainly deserves a name of her own. Her well-trained voice, expert comedic timing and subtle poignancy are award-worthy.

'Brush Up Your Shakespeare'

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

The Riverside Community Players’ production of “Kiss Me Kate” was full of fabulous singers, but not many Shakespearean actors. The show is unique in that the actors are portraying characters in a play within a play and are also expected to sing, dance and perform Shakespeare.
The show follows a touring theatre group as they perform a musical version of “Taming of The Shrew.” The audience not only sees pieces of the musical, but also what’s going on backstage between old and new lovers.
To be fair, I prefer Shakespearean productions to musical theatre and am more inclined to focus on the Shakespearean moments when watching such a production as “Kiss Me Kate.” I also expected to see some strong Shakespeare scenes from Director Patrick Brien who directed the well received production of “Macbeth” for the Inland Empire Shakespeare Festival last summer. But the Shakespeare moments in “Kiss Me Kate” were rather lackluster.
Looking through the program, all of the lead actors have a laundry list of music and musical theatre credits, but many of them have only dabbled in Shakespeare, making Brien’s work that much more important. People are enlivened by the jazzy music of this show and appeared to love the beautiful voices of the ensemble, but a certain amount of momentum dropped when the Shakespearean scenes took place. The Kate and Petruchio scene, for example, wasn’t at all the dynamic scene one would expect it to be. Those of us that have seen the 1976 William Ball version of “Taming of the Shrew” know the true potential of that scene, but Brien’s version was slow and static.
The problems with this scene, and the other Shakespeare scenes in the show, are not, however, the sole fault of Brien. When I attended the show I was sitting next to an elderly couple. The man was obviously hard of hearing because his wife would often tell him what was happening in the play, including offering her own critiques. “I don’t think that he knows his lines,” I heard her say during a Petruchio scene, played by Peter Romero. Like many of the performers in the show, Romero has a beautiful singing voice and, based on his bio, he has had a good deal of experience in musical theatre, but he seemed to struggle with the Shakespeare scenes.
On the up side, Charissa Hogeland, who played Bianca/Lois Lane, has a very bright future ahead of her after she graduates from UCLA. Hogeland was pure perfection as Bianca and also played the company flirt very well.
Maxwell Snodgrass and Aaron Wolgemuth were an excellent comedic duo as the First and Second Men who are looking to get some money they are owed and end up in the play within the play singing one of the more memorable numbers, “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”
The production was genuinely enjoyable when it came to the musical numbers. Choreographer Hollee Hennebelle did a good job of keeping the musical staging lively. It was when the actors weren’t singing and dancing that the play really dragged.

'In the Worlds of Words and Wards'

By Darcie Flansburg
The Real Critics Editor/Publisher

It was obvious that a story about a woman’s last two hours of life before dying of cancer would be a tear jerker, but on top of a succinct and well written play, “Wit” director Tom Hurst had a strong cast for this Chino Community Theatre production.
Hurst’s first act of genius was casting Susan Bray as the lead role, Professor Vivian Bearing. In addition to being a phenomenal actress, Bray is also a cancer survivor, giving her performance even more authenticity. Bray, who is best known for her performances as Sister Mary Amnesia in “Nunsense” and “Nunsense II,” is also an aggressive actress who commands the stage with a keen presence. This style was very necessary for the no-nonsense Vivian Bearing.
Bray transitioned smoothly from flashbacks as a 17th century poetry professor to the banality and monotony of chemotherapy to the utter pain of her last few moments of life. And Hurst’s direction moved the rest of the ensemble fluidly around Bray, making the brief story very tight and smooth.
The character of Professor Bearing dominates the play, but the ensemble helps to illustrate Bearing’s story and create a little humor within the framework of a very poetical, yet rational, journey.
Spencer Mansouri played Dr. Jason Posner. Mansouri has really grown as an actor over the past few years and has become a truly unique comedic actor. The character of Posner didn’t have a real sense of humor, but what he represented within the medical industry was morbidly funny.
Allana Matheis played nurse Susie, one of the few characters that seemed to garner any kind of sympathy for Bearing and her gruff exterior. Susie wanted nothing but the best for her patients including Bearing and that was evident, particularly in her face and inflection of tone; heartfelt, but not overly sentimental. Matheis’ performance was sweet and sincere.
Usually a set designer, with plenty of ITL awards in tow, Hurst also designed the set for “Wit.” It was a truly functional set with a folding center wall that moved to reveal two locations, the interior of Bearing’s hospital room and an office, utilized by several characters as their own.
Hurst smartly used sound effects to create the illusion of the various pieces of equipment needed for the treatment, with just a few essential pieces in use on stage.
Chino Community Theatre’s one act of “Wit” was a clever revealing of one woman’s last moments before the unknown. Bray smartly portrayed Bearing through the proven final stages of life into the abyss of the afterlife where all that was left was silence and an enchanting white light.