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VTA presents Traces

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Victoria Theatre Association is bringing the exciting production “Traces” to Dayton starting December 6 through December 18.  From the Traces website:

Traces takes place in a make-shift shelter, an unknown catastrophe waiting outside the doors of tarp and gaffer tape. The seven characters constructed this clubhouse to live to the fullest what they believe could be their last moments, hoping to leave nothing unsaid or undone. In the face of this impending disaster they have determined that creation is the only antidote to destruction, and their brand of creation is the fleeting impulses and desires that extend through their bodies and unfurl onto stage – the story is told through music, song, dance, speech, illustration, and high-risk acrobatics. The characters use every mode of expression available to them, hoping to leave a lasting mark… to leave their traces as best they can.

As they tell the stories of their past and share their various personal strengths and weaknesses, the audience gets to know these seven performers from every possible angle. The familiarity grows, and the acrobatics – a seemingly “inhuman” element – takes on a startlingly human nature. At its heart, Traces celebrates seven individuals, their particular bond and their particular talents; their risk-taking; the ultimate affirmation of life; and their unbridled energy, proof of a collective pounding pulse.

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Traces is a production of the Montreal troupe Les 7 doigts de la main  which translates to “the 7 fingers of the hand” – representing the seven founding directors of the company and a twist on a French idiom (“the five fingers of the hand”) used to describe distinct parts united tightly, moving in coordination towards one common goal.  7 Fingers was founded in 2002 with a simple mission – bring circus to a human scale.  Traces, one of several shows under the 7 Fingers belt, is “a circus that lets its freak flag fly” (NYT).  Unlike mega-productions like Cirque du Soleil (where the founders of 7 Fingers came from), the performers in Traces share their own personal stories in an intimate setting as they combine acrobatics with contemporary dance and urban elements like basketball and skateboarding.

DaytonMostMetro.com is proud to be a media sponsor for Traces, starting at the Victoria Theatre on December 6th.  Tickets are on sale at TicketCenterStage.com.

TICKET CONTEST

We’re giving away THREE PAIRS OF TICKETS to see Traces!  Just fill out the form below for a chance to win – we have one pair of tickets for each of the following shows: 12/6, 12/7 and 12/8.  Winners will be announced on Friday December 2 at 2pm.  Good luck!

(contest closed)

Congratulations to our following winners!

Amy Forsthoefel

Trang Lickliter

Sarah Muench

Getting a ‘Handel’ on the True Spirit of Christmas

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DPO presents Messiah in original seasonal setting

Here’s a quick tutorial on Christmas:

Definition – “Christ’s Mass”; a holiday to memorialize the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity.

Meaning – the celebration of God coming into the world in human form to do penance for mankind’s sins.

Impact – Each year, Christmas and Easter are the periods of highest church attendance.

Decorations – Greenery, such as branches from evergreen plants, ivy, and holly; nativity scenes; the traditional colors of green (symbolizing eternal life) and red (symbolizing the blood Jesus shed at his crucifixion); and the evergreen Christmas tree, which keeps its leaves in the winter.

Songs – Christmas carols, which first appeared in English in 1426, and completely secular Christmas seasonal songs that emerged in the late 18th century. (Deck The Halls and Jingle Bells).

Meals – A traditional Christmas family meal with each country having its own, special menu.

Cards – the first commercial Christmas card dates from 1843 in London.

Figures – Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus; Père Noël; the Wiehnachtsmann; Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas; the Christkind; Kris Kringle; Joulupukki; Babbo Natale; Saint Basil; and Father Frost.

Writings – Clement Moore’s poem A Visit From St. Nicholas (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) and Charles Dickens’s novel A Christmas Carol (It’s where the greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ comes from).

Here endeth the tutorial.

DPO and the DPO Chamber Choir will present Handel’s Messiah
December ­11 at 4pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 125 North Wilkinson Street

Religious holidays such as Christmas have always inspired the composition of sacred songs and hymns for use in church services. For example, in 1741, George Frederick Handel composed an oratorio for another church holiday – Easter. Handel was a German composer, who received his musical training in Italy and spent most of his life in England.

A bit of a loose cannon, Handel – eighteen and frustrated with the musical chauvinism where he lived, actually dueled with another composer over opera music. Eventually, he became become court composer, and his patron at court, the Elector of Hanover, became King George I of England. A few years later Handel recognized his chance and moved to England. Permanently.

The sacred, non-dramatic oratorio he had written for Easter was entitled Messiah.

Here’s a quick tutorial on oratorios:

Embodiment – a large musical composition with arias, performed by an orchestra, a choir, soloists, and various distinguishable characters.

Performance – little or no interaction between the characters; no props or elaborate costumes.

Subject Matter – sacred topics, making it appropriate for performance in the church.

Here endeth the tutorial.

Handel was down on his luck. His last two works, both operas, were duds, and he was ready to chuck it all and head back to Chauvinist heaven when Charles Jennens, a collaborator of his on the oratorio Saul, saved him the bother.

Jennens had written a libretto (text for an extended musical work) based around the birth and Passion of Christ. He gave it to Handel, who wrote a score for it in a little over three weeks. The completed work, text and music, bore the name Messiah.

Messiah has three parts: the Prophecy of the Messiah and its fulfillment, the events from the Passion to the triumph of the Resurrection, and the role of the Messiah in life after death. None of the characters have names. The words express the drama. The Hallelujah Chorus of Messiah has become both a musical, and a spiritual, icon.

Today, orchestras and choruses perform Messiah in churches at Christmas almost as much as at Easter. Why?

Because Christmas, as a religious holiday, has been held hostage. It has become a prisoner of war.

In the U.S. there has been a tendency to replace the greeting Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. Allegations abound that any specific mention of the term “Christmas” or its religious aspects are increasingly suppressed, avoided, or deterred by a number of advertisers and retailers.

Christmas is typically the largest annual economic stimulus for many nations around the world. Sales increase dramatically in almost all retail areas, and shops introduce new products as people purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies. In the U.S., the Christmas shopping season starts as early as October. It has been calculated that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the Christmas/holiday shopping season.

Some Christian and non-Christians have claimed all this crass commercialization to be an affront to Christmas.

In several Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia they’ve managed a compromise between religious and secular beliefs. Current tradition maintains that Santa makes the toys, which he then gives to the Baby Jesus to deliver to children’s homes.

In Dayton, no one is making any compromises. At least no one at the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. On Sunday, December ­11 at 4pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 125 North Wilkinson Street, the DPO and the DPO Chamber Choir will present Handel’s Messiah.

Soprano Megan Bell, alto Julia Bentley, tenor Matt Morgan, and bass Curtis Streetman will join DPO Music Director Neal Gittleman and DPO Chamber Choir Director Hank Dahlman for the performance of this revered holiday classic.

And this statement of faith and love at Christmas time, the season of faith and love.

Golden Dragon Acrobats – Family Fun at the Victoria Theatre

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Victoria Theatre Association announces the 2011-2012 PNC Family Series presentation of Golden Dragon Acrobats December 3 & 4 at 1pm and 3:30pm in the historic Victoria Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, via phone 937.228.3630 or online.
Bring the whole family to Victoria Theatre for an amazing experience with the Golden Dragon Acrobats! From contortionists to an eight-person bicycle balancing act to breath-taking acrobatic ballet, Golden Dragon Acrobats will “wow” the audience with their amazing skills.  And while you’re there, check out the Wintergarden Wonderland for holiday fun!
Direct from China world-renowned impresario Danny Chang, choreographer Angela Chang and their Golden Dragon Acrobats combine award-winning acrobatics, traditional Chinese dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty. The award-winning Golden Dragon Acrobats center their show on 25 centuries of honored Asian skills and traditions. Their dazzling performances received standing ovations and critical acclaim on Broadway as well as two New York Drama Desk nominations for Unique Theatrical Experience and Best Choreography.
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The PNC Family Series is the largest and oldest performing arts series for children in the Miami Valley. For over 25 years, Victoria Theatre Association has presented quality, entertaining programs for families and friends of all ages. Don’t miss out on fun craft activities beginning one hour before each performance on both Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets for Golden Dragon Acrobats are priced at a family-friendly $20 for adults and $18 for children (ages 12 and under). Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage, and may be purchased at the Schuster Center box office in downtown Dayton or by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

DMM Ticket Contest

We have a family four-pack to give away for the show on December 3, 2011 at 1pm courtesy of Victoria Theatre Association!  Simply fill out the form below to be entered for a chance to win.  We’ll announce winners here and on our On Stage Dayton Facebook page on Wednesday November 30 at 2pm – good luck!

(contest closed)

Congratulations to Heather Dabbs – she is our random winner!

An Epic Tale Reborn

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Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg’s Tony Award-winning “Les Miserables,” one of the most internationally beloved musicals of our time adapted from the novel by Victor Hugo, returns to Dayton as a freshly reconceived epic impressively heightened by an outstanding array of vocal and visual pleasures.

This 25th anniversary production, presented at the Schuster Center courtesy of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Good Samaritan and Miami Valley Hospitals Broadway Series, uniquely shines without the familiar trademarks “Les Mis” audiences have grown accustomed to such as the revolving turntable or Trevor Nunn and John Caird’s original whirlwind stagecraft. Co-directors Laurence Connor and James Powell, firmly intent to keep the action just under three hours, refreshingly dial down any morsel of spectacle to effectively place the libretto and score front and center with a great sense of urgency that serves the sweeping if melodramatic tale, which chronicles the redemptive journey of ex-convict Jean Valjean in 19th century France. Connor and Powell, embracing the novel idea of color blind casting, have particularly found new ways to approach the emotional potency that fills practically every scene. For example, in “Turning,” the women of Paris remember the fallen rebels by placing candles on the ground which are subsequently carried away by the deceased men during the haunting “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” passionately rendered by Max Quinlan as Marius. The production’s conceptual allure extends to the evocative contributions of set designer Matt Kinley whose work, inspired by Hugo’s paintings, nicely compliments the action rather than appearing showy or distracting. Fifty-Nine Productions is responsible for a striking series of cinematic projections which rank among the finest I have seen since viewing the Broadway premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s short-lived “The Woman in White” in 2005. The fantastic sight of the sewers in Act 2 alone is worth the price of admission.

Authentically clothed by Tony winner Andreane Neofitou with additional designs by Christine Rowland, the uniformly terrific cast, clearly propelling the sung-through score to spine-tingling proportions under the steady guidance of musical director Robert Billig, avoids bombastic urges with sharp, expressive portrayals. Sublime tenor J. Mark McVey, an appealing source of conviction, warmth and vitality as Valjean, duly receives the biggest applause of the night for his absolutely heartfelt rendition of the signature tune “Bring Him Home,” initially interpreted as a pensive lullaby yet climaxing as a powerful plea. Robust baritone Andrew Varela is an excellently imposing presence as Inspector Javert, Valjean’s relentless nemesis. Chasten Harmon, a heartbreaking Eponine, delivers a dynamically poignant “On My Own” and an equally stunning “A Little Fall of Rain” so gripping you will feel every inch of Eponine’s tragic fate. As the delightfully dastardly Thenardiers, Richard Vida and a particularly magnetic Shawna M. Hamic breezily insert a few comical Fagin-esque twists and turns into their rousing version of “Master of the House.” Jenny Latimer, as Cosette, creates a strong bond with Quinlan. Jeremy Hays, a fiery Enjolras, leads a stellar “Do You Hear The People Sing.” Understudy Cornelia Luna, as the ill-fated Fatine, supplies a beautifully sincere rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream.” Lucia Giannetta briefly dazzles opposite Luna as an outspoken Factory Girl.

“Les Mis” purists might have qualms with the artistic makeover on display, but the material, a richly woven tapestry of faith, forgiveness, love, loss, and valiance, certainly remains as captivating and compelling as ever.

“Les Miserables” continues through November 27 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets. Performances are Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Act One: 93 minutes; Act Two: 65 minutes. Tickets are $40-$101. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

Dayton Playhouse Presents “Scrooge!”

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Emily Cypher (Tiny Tim), Shannon Eastman (Kathy Cratchit) and Scrooge (David Shough)

The Dayton Playhouse is proud to bring the holiday musical “Scrooge!” to the stage December 9 – 18.  The play is being directed byJennifer Lockwood, with musical director Ron Kindell, and choreographer Debra Strauss.

Renowned writer-composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse has adapted the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol, into the hit musical “Scrooge!”  The musical closely follows the classic story with the miserly Ebenezer undergoing a profound experience of redemption over the course of a Christmas Eve night, after being visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.  Lockwood has assembled a talented cast to perform this beautiful adaptation.

In conjunction with the production of “Scrooge!”, the Playhouse will host a toy/collectibles raffle.  One of the toys is a reproduction of a toy automobile, which was made inDaytonin 1902.  The original toy was made by DP Clark Toy Company.  The reproduction was made and donated by Dick Cummings and Burt Saidel, both of Oakwood.  Cummings and Saidel are active volunteers atCarillonParkand have worked on many of the restorations at the park.  Cummings and his wife Dorothy have donated 190Daytonantique toys toCarillonPark.   Other items in the raffle will include a Breyer’s Winter Belle – 2011 Holiday Horse collectible donated by Dan Hall and a Victorian doll donated by Blue Turtle Toys.

Dayton Playhouse Cast of "Scrooge!"

Performances of “Scrooge!” will take place at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH45414.  Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday performances are at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $10 for students, $14 for seniors and $15 for adults.  Tickets can be purchased at www.daytonplayhouse.org, or by calling the Playhouse box office 937-424-8477.  The box office is staffed by volunteers Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2-5 p.m.

(from Dayton Playhouse)

 

Victoria Theatre Association Presents: Les Miserables

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(Read our On Stage Dayton review of Les Misérables by Russell Florence, Jr.)

Victoria Theatre Association announces the cast for Cameron Mackintosh’s new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables premiere Dayton engagement at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster  Performing Arts Center, November 22-27, 2011. The all new production of Les Misérables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.  To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketcenterstage.com, call 937-228-3630, or visit Ticket Center Stage Box Office, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center. Ticket prices start at $40.00.  For more information on the production, engagement dates, and locations please visit www.LesMis.com. For a video sneak peek of the New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables, please visit www.LesMis.com/watch.

J. Mark McVey portrays the fugitive Jean Valjean.  He is joined by Andrew Varela as Javert, Richard Vida as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Chasten Harmon as Éponine, Max Quinlan as Marius and Jenny Latimer as Cosette.  Maya Jade Frank and Juliana Simone alternate in the role of Little Cosette/Young Éponine.  Anthony Pierini and Sam Poon alternate in the role of Gavroche.

The New York Times calls Les Misérables “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original.”  The Star-Ledger says “a dynamically re-imagined hit.  This Les Misérables has improved with age” and NY1-TV proclaims “this new production actually exceeds the original. The storytelling is clearer, the perspective grittier and the motivations more honest. Musical theatre fans can rejoice: Les Miz is born again.”

“I’m delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before,” said producer Cameron Mackintosh. “Over the years I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections.  The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told.”

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit.  The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Master Of The House” and many more.

Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. The original Les Misérables orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker.  The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions.

Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the World’s Longest-Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London’s West End.

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In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical Les Misérables made theatrical history with an international first – three different productions in London at the same time. The Original Production (still playing to packed houses at the Queen’s Theatre), the acclaimed New 25th Anniversary Production at the Barbican (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Arena.  The O2 Concert was presented in over 500 cinemas throughout the United States on November 17, 2010 and is now available on Blu-ray DVD through Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Broadway production of Les Misérables originally opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987 and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990 running for 6,680 performances.  The US National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006.  Broadway audiences welcomed Les Miz back to New York on November 9, 2006 where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008. To date, Les Misérables remains the 3rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.

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Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the soon to be released live recording of the New 25th Anniversary Production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing a film of Les Misérables with Working Title and Universal.

Les Misérables is welcomed by Victoria Theatre Association, with the help of Leadership Sponsors WHIO-TV and the WinWholesale and The Win Group of Companies; and, Performance Sponsors WHIO AM/FM and K 99.1.

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TICKET CONTEST

We have a pair of tickets to see Les Misérables on November 23, courtesy of Victoria Theatre Association!  Just fill out the form below and you’ll be entered to win in our drawing on Friday November 18th.  Check back here on the 18th to see if you’ve won – GOOD LUCK!

Contest Closed

Congratulations to Amanda Barhorst, she is our winner!

Worlds Collide In The Bayou

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Malachi-Phree J. Pate – Yvette Williams – J. Miguel Conrado Rojas (photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

Long before the critically acclaimed Tony Kushner joined the pantheon of great American playwrights with his iconic “Angels in America” saga, he was raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana by musical parents (his father and mother favored woodwinds) who employed an African-American maid. Decades later, exceptionally assisted by composer Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”), Kushner loosely chronicled his impressionable 1960s childhood by providing book and lyrics for the compelling sung-through musical “Caroline, or Change,” a thoroughly engaging, stunningly whimsical tale of personal strife, cultural shifts, race relations, and domestic economics that garnered numerous 2004 Tony Award nominations and currently receives an outstanding local premiere courtesy of the Human Race Theatre Company.

Set in Lake Charles during November and December of 1963, “Caroline” sharply centers on abrasive, divorced African-American maid Caroline Thibodeaux, a hard-working, churchgoing mother of four earning $30 per week from an emotionally scarred Jewish family consisting of recent widower Stuart, his supportive new wife Rose and their young son Noah. Idolized, befriended and innocently pestered by Noah, Caroline (splendidly portrayed by Tanesha Gary of the original Broadway cast) routinely finds solace in the family’s scorching basement while conversing with her faithful posse: a washing machine, radio and dryer. These soulfully inanimate devices provide revealing commentary on a variety of situations chipping away at Caroline’s spirit, particularly her meager finances, troubling history as a battered wife and the danger of defying her employers. Following news of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, situations swell when Rose asks Caroline to keep any spare change she finds in Noah’s pants pockets. What begins as a simple exercise ultimately sparks a clash that brings Caroline, surviving on her last nerve, to a pivotal breaking point psychologically and spiritually.

Unsurprisingly, Kushner’s musical theater debut is not without his standard polemic impulses. His insightful if prolonged libretto, greatly benefitting from its civil rights era backdrop, specifically overreaches when Rose’s outspoken father arrives for Hanukkah and eventually berates the cause of African-American non-violence. Even so, this musical character study, warmly and atmospherically directed by Scott Stoney, is not defiantly agenda-driven, marking a stylistic departure for the sociopolitical Kushner. He creates colliding worlds beyond Northerners and Southerners or whites and blacks. Most significantly, he depicts the judgmental mentality within the black community in terms of class, opportunity, religion and terminology. In turn, profound drama arises, particularly when Caroline, virtually living at a standstill at the age of 39, finds herself at odds with the bold progressiveness of her old friend-turned-college student Dotty Moffett (the wonderfully earthy Taprena Augustine) and her spirited, rebellious daughter Emmie (the absolutely radiant Yvette Williams). In a dynamic, verbally heated sequence, strikingly accented by the anthropomorphoric appearances of the Moon (the winsome Tonya Thompson) and the Bus (booming baritone Dwelvan David, who also portrays the Dryer), Dotty bluntly responds to a furious Caroline with a poetic retort recalling August Wilson: “Sorry you is sick and shame/Sorry you drinkin’ misery tea/Sorry your life ain’t what it should be.” Soon after, their wounds begin to heal in “Moon Trio,” a truly ravishing, quasi-operatic number within a melodically sublime, lyrically beguiling score flavorfully encompassing Yiddish Klezmer, blues, gospel, familiar holiday strains, and Motown-inspired R&B.

Whether humorously dreaming of Nat King Cole in “Gonna Pass Me a Law” or executing a powerhouse rendition of Caroline’s emotional aria “Lot’s Wife,” Tanesha Gary, masterly comprehending the vocally demanding complexities of the score, firmly humanizes a character some might perceive as excessively cold, prideful or standoffish. (A male equivalent would be Leo Frank, the protagonist of the underrated Jason Robert Brown/Alfred Uhry musical “Parade”.) In a refreshing departure from Tony nominee Tonya Pinkins’ imposing yet harsh portrayal, Gary doesn’t overplay Caroline’s tough rigidity, which can be intimidating and downright chilling, most notably in her climatic Act 2 exchange with Noah (the endearing, focused Brendan Plate). Caroline, suffocated by her stubbornness, may never be the life of the party, but she isn’t a woman made of stone. In every inch of Gary’s skillful performance, it is possible to connect on some level with the substantial weight of Caroline’s painful struggles and deep disenchantment which keep her from experiencing and obtaining her idea of fulfillment.

Additionally luminous within the intimate world of “Caroline” are the pleasant Brittany Campbell as the Washing Machine, amiable Adrienne Gibbons Oehlers as Rose, a convincingly detached Bruce Sabath (of the 2007 Tony Award-winning actor/musician revival of “Company”) as Stuart, the delightfully compatible Kay Bosse and K.L. Storer as Grandma and Grandpa Gellman, the vigorous Saul Caplan as Mr. Stopnick, the adorable Malachi-Phree J. Pate and J. Miguel Conrado Rojas (who winningly step into the spotlight for the infectious “Roosevelt Petrucius Coleslaw”), respectively, as Caroline’s young sons Jackie and Joe, and the terrifically magnetic Ashanti J’Aria, Kimberly Shay Hamby and Shawn Storms as the Radio. J’Aria, Hamby and Storms, supplying a lovely version of the beautifully harmonic gem “Salty Teardrops” late in Act 2, synchronize in the aisles with fetching finesse thanks to choreographer Teressa Wylie, who captures the girl group essence of the 1960s with similar pizzazz in Wright State University’s current production of “Hairspray.” Dan Gray’s attractive set effectively incorporating a turntable, Kristine Kearney’s fine period costumes, John Rensel’s expert lighting design, Nathan D. Dean’s crisp sound design evocatively summoning the outdoors, and music director Scot Woolley’s commendable offstage orchestra also heighten the production’s immense appeal.

“Change come fast and change come slow but change come Caroline Thibodeaux,” warns the Moon. Transition, in all forms, is an inescapable fact of life uniquely addressed in the remarkably relevant “Caroline, or Change,” which blew me away when I saw its off-Broadway incarnation and subsequent Broadway transfer. Without question, the Human Race has created an equally unforgettable, must see presentation.

“Caroline, or Change” continues through Nov. 20 at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St. Performances are Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 60 minutes; Act Two: 65 minutes. A special post-show discussion will be held following the Nov. 13 performance. Tickets are $15.50-$40. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.humanracetheatre.org

Between a Rock and an Eternally Hard Place

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DPO presents a musical metaphor for our technology-dependent world

When I was a kid, it wasn’t all that unusual for one kid to call down his or her wrath on another. If you were really P-O’d at Bobby or Suzy, you might say something like, “I hope you fall down a deep well full of spiders that crawl in your ears and up your nose and suck your brains right out of your skull.”

Talk about spite.

And before you think such curses are child’s play, consider this: folklore is crammed with stories of people who actually did things as bad as that…and worse. For example….

In Greek mythology, there was a god named Prometheus, who committed an unpardonable crime – he brought fire to the world. For his crime, he was bound to a rock, where a giant bird picked away at his vitals in perpetuity. (They were eternally renewed and eternally destroyed each day.) Yeeeech!

After all, what was there for the gods to be so upset about? It was fire, for Pete’s sake. It heats homes, cooks food, melts metal. All good things. But obviously the gods had a different take on it.

And a brilliant American musical composer had a different take on it as well. He saw fire as representing technology, technology that has expanded for the last 500 years and drastically changed our society. Need an example?

Not quite 50 years ago, most businesses hired top- and middle-management personnel (mostly men) and supplied each with a secretary (mostly women), who performed all the clerical duties for the manager. Then technology, in the form of room-sized computers with all their support machinery (keypunch machines, optical character readers) changed the nature of the secretaries’ clerical duties to mostly those of a data entry clerk.

Not long after, managers found computer terminals on their desks replete with word processing and spreadsheet software. And looked up to see their secretaries were no longer there. An entire segment of the country’s workforce had disappeared; the company retained one secretary in each department, gave her the title of Administrative Assistant, and tasked her with hassling the various managers’ travel itineraries. In a short while, even she would disappear.

And the managers, both male and female now and armed with the new technology, became quasi-secretaries. As time passed and computer technology became infinitely smaller and more powerful it became all too prevalent for companies to dismiss large portions of their managerial staff and double the workload of those remaining. Why? To save money and increase profits.

And because they could.

Their managerial staff each had computers of their own so small that, if the managers couldn’t get all their work done in the 60-80 hours they spent in the office each week, they could simply take their computers (and their smart phones and tablets) home with them and do their work there. On their “free” time.

The American composer to whom I referred earlier is William Bolcom, a professor of composition at the University of Michigan. And his musical portrayal of the story of Prometheus follows in the footsteps of such other brilliant composers as Ludwig von Beethoven and Franz Liszt. But with a decidedly 21-st Century twist.

“We in the West have brought ourselves to a level of technical sophistication unknown to any other era,” Bolcom wrote in 2010. “We’ve wedged our way into almost-divine capability, unlike Prometheus who as a god was born with it – but at a price. We are now all Prometheus, chained to our rock of technological dependency; there is no question that our unprecedented advance has given the world enormous benefits we have no desire of relinquishing – nor should we – but we are enjoined to see the dark side of this bounty.”

And Bolcom’s Prometheus is a dark, and challenging, work.

Its musical materials are twisted, dissonant, uneven. The pianist represents Prometheus, and the chorus sings the text of Lord Byron’s poem of the same name. The orchestra is frenzied and explosive. The music gradually becomes more poetic, a salute to the spirit of mankind. Colorful. Peaceful.

Hopeful.

Promethean Exploits
 11/18 & 11/19 at 8 pm
 Schuster Center
Click For Tickets

On Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19 at 8pm in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents Promethean Exploits, a program that features Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture, Bolcom’s Prometheus, Liszt’s Prometheus Symphonic Poem, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. Guest pianist Jeffrey Biegel and the 120-plus members of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus, selected from singers from all over the Miami Valley, join Music Director Neal Gittleman and the DPO.

“When I was requested to write the present work for the same forces as Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy,” Bolcom writes, “I felt the piano part would be ideal in portraying Prometheus’ eternal agony; my Prometheus is perhaps the antithesis of the joyous mood of the Beethoven but is not devoid of hope, particularly if it points us to begin to understand our situation. This piece is dedicated to that hope.”

You Can’t Stop The Bliss

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Beth Conley in Hairspray

Pure theatrical joy fills Wright State University’s fantastic production of Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan’s 2003 Tony Award-winning musical “Hairspray.”

Radiantly performed by one of the most strikingly synchronized ensembles WSU has assembled, this funny, provocative, tuneful and uplifting tale of race and tolerance in 1962 Baltimore, based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name, totally magnetizes with a breathtaking energy that rivals the original Broadway production. The ideal blend of Joe Deer’s vigorous direction and Teressa Wylie McWilliams’ marvelously sharp and spirited choreography remarkably produces non-stop, smile-inducing thrills effortlessly catapulting this showcase into the rare local realms of musical comedy heaven. The sheer exuberance of “Good Morning Baltimore” and “The Nicest Kids in Town,” the brilliantly precise “I Can Hear The Bells,” the flavorfully decade-inspired “Welcome to the 60’s,” the soulful exuberance of “Run and Tell That,” the seamlessly fluid transitions within “The Madison,” and the incredibly infectious finale are just some of the showstoppers worthy of endless encores.

The wonderfully vibrant Beth Conley endearingly portrays plus-sized teenage heroine Tracy Turnblad, who faces adversity while attempting to integrate the popular Corny Collins TV show. Tracy’s staunch desire to change the world in spite of numerous obstacles is not lost in Conley’s appealing performance complete with conviction, spunk, commendable vocals and fine dancing. Drew Helton equally shines as Edna, Tracy’s plain-spoken mother notably self-conscious about her weight. Exuding convincing femininity in drag, the hilarious Helton conveys a sweet sensitivity that humorously evaporates whenever his voice dips into a threatening lower register. He also establishes a bubbly rapport with the delightful Casey Jordan as Edna’s goofy husband Wilbur. They particularly interpret “Timeless to Me” beyond mere clowning to impressively depict a genuine reflection of an affectionate, enduring love between a man and a woman.

The cast of Hairspray

Jordan’s fellow featured players also provide strong, well crafted characterizations. Charming triple threat Ian DeVine dazzles as heartthrob Link Larkin, a budding pop artist forever changed by Tracy’s love and defiance. DeVine, a dynamite dancer compatibly paired with Conley, supplies a crisp, seductive rendition of “It Takes Two.” DeShawn Bowens, another fiery dancer, hits the mark as Seaweed J. Stubbs, who falls for Tracy’s ditzy best friend Penny Pingleton, amusingly embodied by Melissa Hall. Kylie Santoro and Nikki Nathan are deliciously and respectively vengeful as Velma and Amber Von Tussle, a cunning mother/daughter team seeking to destroy Tracy. The handsome James Oblak oozes charisma as Corny Collins. Aziza Macklin brings a sunny groove to her vocally demanding role as rhyming radio personality Mothermouth Maybelle. Dani Cox is enjoyable as Maybelle’s daughter Little Inez. Terrific chameleons Justin Talkington and Chrissy Bowen nearly steal the show in multiple roles. As the glamorous Dynamites, Jessica Horton, Cyndii Johnson and Taylor Montgomery beautifully capture the Motown essence fueling “Welcome to the 60’s.” Hannah Aicholtz, Alimamy Barrie, Ian Blanco, Zach Cossman, Kevin Ferguson, Darius Fincher, Kenneth Foster, Jon Hacker, Jessica Horton, Derrick Jordan, Taryn Lemmons, Layne McDuffie, Amy Murphy and Sierra Stacy complete the highly entertaining cast.

Act 2 opener “The Big Dollhouse” is curiously cut, but it is a minor quibble within a staging splendidly accented by Pam Knauert-Lavarnway’s eye-catching, nostalgic scenic design, Matthew P. Benjamin’s colorful lighting design and musical director Rick Church’s top-notch orchestra. There is also a topical relevance that resonates here in the midst of our current climate, specifically as Maybelle reminds Tracy and others to stay strong in their quest for change prior to the gospel power ballad “I Know Where I’ve Been.” Her inspirational words are intended to address civil rights yet could be a rallying cry for the Occupy Wall Street movement.

“Hairspray” is a familiar title for many Miami Valley theatergoers, but WSU’s version contains an inherently youthful enthusiasm unmatched by any previous production of the show in our area. Bravo!

“Hairspray” continues through Nov. 13 in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are Thursdays at 7 p.m. Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Act One: 73 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Tickets are $18-$20. For tickets or more information, call (937) 775-2500.

In related news, Wright State’s 2012-13 mainstage season will consist of “The Miracle Worker,” “Funny Girl,” “Witness for the Prosecution” and “Grand Hotel: The Musical.”

Dayton Playhouse’s “Master Harold… and the boys”

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L to R – Robert-Wayne Waldron as Willie; Ray Zupp as Hally; and Franklin Johnson as Sam

(from Dayton Playhouse)

You’re invited to share a wonderful evening of theatre and support the Dayton Playhouse.  Director Matthew Smith and his experienced cast will present the play Master Harold… and the boys as a Playhouse fundraiser.  The Play is written by Athol Fugard and is published by Samuel French.  This dedicated cast and crew have mounted the play on their own, in support of the Playhouse.

According to Brian Sharp, chairman of the Dayton Playhouse board, “We couldn’t be more excited about seeing this talented cast on our stage and we really appreciate their efforts in supporting the Playhouse.  This is a wonderfully moving play that everyone should see.   Our thanks go to Matt Smith and everyone who helped with this production.”

The story: Sam and Willie, two middle-aged African men have always been a part of seventeen-year-old Hally’s life, bonding despite the color barrier that could have easily separated them. With Hally’s tyrannical father on his way home after a stay at hospital, tension runs high and actions are regretted. A story about loyalty, acceptance and the pain involved with breaking the cycle of racism and violence.  Master Harold… and the Boys is a poignant drama highlighting important issues that still exist in today’s global society.

Smith has cast Franklin Johnson, of Dayton, in the role of Sam.  Robert-Wayne Waldron, also of Dayton, will play Willie, and Ray Zupp, of Vandalia, plays Hally.

The production is one weekend, November 4-6.  Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.  The play will be presented at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414.  Tickets are $10 general admission and may be reserved online at www.daytonplayhouse.org, or by calling the Dayton Playhouse box office 937-424-8477.  Box office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:00 -5:00 p.m. This show is not recommended for children under the age of 17 due to adult themes.  All proceeds from this non-season show will benefit the Dayton Playhouse.

WIN FREE TICKETS

DaytonMostMetro.com and Dayton Playhouse are giving away SIX PAIRS of tickets to see Master Harold… and the boys! Simply fill out the form below and we’ll draw two winners for each show.  GOOD LUCK!

Congratulations to our winners!

Friday 11/4
Cynthia Pauwels
Bethany Locklear

Saturday 11/5
Kristen Allen
Ria Megnin

Sunday 11/6
Patrick Santucci
Theresa Larson


An Unispiring Start to Dayton Dance Season

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This intrepid reviewer, a lover of the art form of dance in all of its permutations has viewed two concerts for DCDC and Dayton Ballet. Unfortunately, except for a couple of bright spots, this reviewer was left under whelmed to the point of concern.

I am fully aware that we are in perilous times in regards to funding for the arts, and as a native Daytonian I want to provide an enthusiastic, supportive review. I believe that honest dialogue about the works being presented is critical to the growth of beleaguered arts institutions. What was presented artistically by these two venerable institutions left this reviewer with a vexing quandary. I went into both concerts ever hopeful that my willingness to be in the audience would somehow be rewarded with exquisite transporting terpsichorean art that would engage me on so many levels. After attending several concerts by both companies I have shed my naïve beliefs that things will progress.

The DCDC concert, Director’s Cut, held the one choreographic bright spot of both concerts; the invigorating and bracingly contemporary work of Rodney Brown. The rest of the concert consisted of works presented in a collage from the forty years of artistic product from the DCDC legacy of classic works of the modern dance vernacular. My only disappointment in Rodney Brown’s work was that it highlighted the creakiness of everything else on the concert. I am a huge advocate of dance reconstruction and restoration. My love of Balanchine is steadfast and absolute. Unfortunately, watching the historic works of DCDC in this context was like looking at a tenth generation Xerox copy, washed out and barely legible as to render it useless.

Rodney Brown, a former dancer with DCDC, brought to the Dayton dance scene a glimpse of what is happening in the dance world. His work was a strikingly original work with a dance vocabulary shaped and influenced by the Europeans, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite and Pina Bausch and grounded in the asthetitics of the post modernist legend Bebe Miller. Mr. Brown created a world that was both strange as well as unpredictable and utterly captivating. The Nearing was set on a quartet of the men from the company, who never looked better. The movement material was rooted in a relentless repetition that was punctutuated by moments of individual expression. It was like being transported into a dystopian dance drama that reminded me of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, the 21st century forgotten men. I have not been this captivated since seeing the restaging of Adam Hoagland’s choreography at the Wright State Spring Dance Concert in the spring.

The Haunted series presented by Dayton Ballet contained two highlights; that it was mercifully brief and was at least danced with conviction. Watching this concert I will acknowledge that choreographically Sleepy Hollow was the most accomplished work of the two ballets presented and that is faint praise.

I believe that Dayton Ballet is filled with incredibly gifted performers that are completely invested. My fondest wish is that later in the year they will be showcased in vehicles worthy of those skills and talents.
The problem with both of these ballets resides in the question of “taste levels”. This was a strictly middlebrow production that held little charm or genuine delights to walk away with.
Every major performing arts organization in the United States wrestles with creating work that will attract audiences and fill the coffers, ie., safe entertainment that will appeal to the lowest common denominator. Our dance companies are not immune to this paradox. Yet in appealing to the lowest common denominator they are exposing not only their faults, but also the audience’s as well.

The Dayton arts audiences are complicit in this spiraling artistic bankruptcy. We simply have no concept of what well-produced dance looks like. I will give credit to the valiant efforts to reverse the declining fortunes of two formerly great artistic pillars of community; this is my only act of charity. I am saving my most barbed commentary for the Dayton arts audiences.

All of the art forms that are being presented in our community are typical to any city with a significant population. You have been great in your dutifulness in attending the arts events, purchasing season tickets, and being present. I applaud your levels of support. But are you aware that you are being presented work that is not reflective and indicative of the rest of the world? You are being short changed by not asking for more and knowing the difference.

Professionals in other fields (i.e, the medical fields, accounting & finance) are required to maintain some knowledge and awareness of trends on regional, national and international levels. This is no different for the arts. Yet our arts institutions are caught in a catch-22 in which they want to embrace change and new. We [the audience] are holding the arts back in our community by being so provincial.

Dayton Ballet is 74 years old and is older than New York City Ballet and younger than San Francisco Ballet, and we don’t possess any of the artistic chutzpah or forward thinking of either organization. Dayton Ballet can’t if the audience is not receptive to it. If Alvin Ailey can come back from the brink of collapse then DCDC can do it as well. It requires that you ramp up you skills as an arts patron and embrace quality. Here is what you need.

Knowledge

In the day and age of the lightning fast Internet connections, YouTube is your friend. Instead of wasting so much time on the cute kittens playing with balls of yarn or the ridiculous acts of human vacuity, invest in looking at the work of other dance companies from around the world before your brain rots. I will start you off with a list of companies and choreographers to experience.

Companies

  • New York City Ballet
  • San Francisco Ballet
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • Boston Ballet
  • Houston Ballet
  • Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
  • Cleo Parker Robinson
  • Lulu Washington

Choreographers

  • Wayne McGregor
  • William Forsythe
  • Bebe Miller
  • Adam Hoagland
  • Paul Taylor
  • Merce Cunningham
  • Pina Bausch

Knowledge Part 2

Read up on dance. Don’t say you love dance and your exposure is restricted to what is being seen on our stages. (And no your nieces or nephews recital does not count). It is time for you to invest a little more effort. There are excellent reviews of dance online in the New York Times. The libraries carry Dance Magazine and you can also rent DVD’s on NetFlix or stream them on Amazon. What have you got to lose?

A civilization is defined by the culture it produces and our community is being defined by the middlebrow entertainment that we seem to continually want to embrace. It is time for the audience to stop being complicit and develop a more sophisticated arts patronage. The artist in this community and this reviewer are desperately waiting for you to play catch up. Rise to the challenge.

I will start sharing my discoveries on the dance front through DMM. I will become your Sherpa guide through the vast terrain of dance material out there on the Internet. Hopefully this will lead us all to a better artistic mountain top. I believe that the arts organizations will figure out how to give you quality artistic productions if people on both sides of the curtain make the investment.

Animal Heat That Lasts And Lasts And…

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DPO presents Three Dog Night in season kick-off of Rockin’ Orchestra Series

Exactly how does someone go about starting a rock band?

The most common approach involves amateurs with a burning desire to get into the music business, who meet at someone’s garage or rec room, set up their equipment, and begin by practicing cover songs, popular hits that most know by ear and for which few ever see any written music. Somewhere in the process, one or more of these aspiring rock stars will compose a song or two, and the group will practice performing its new, original music.

I don’t have access to the actual statistics, but I’m willing to bet that the overwhelming majority of these ventures end in years of mutually fond memories and little else. The music business is a hard taskmaster (this said from the perspective of personal experience).

Does it help if those involved in the startup of a rock band have some actual music industry experience? Definitely. A caveat here: there’s music industry experience, and then there’s music industry experience. Here’s a case in point….

It was the ‘60s. A young vocalist named Cory Wells was touring with Sonny and Cher, (music industry experience) when he met Danny Hutton, who had been loading and unloading records at the Disney studio (music industry experience, sort of…) before recording as a solo artist (music industry experience). See my point?

In 1968, they decide to pool their money and their talent and start a rock band of their own. But what to call the group? Hutton and Wells? Wells and Hutton? In the ‘60s, the conventional naming technique of referring to a group’s principal talent in its name had all but disappeared. While such groups as Loggins and Messina; Emerson, Lake and Palmer; and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young still followed the convention, the practice began to revert to one of picking highly unusual and often extremely esoteric names for rock bands, e.g., Buffalo Springfield, Jefferson Airplane, Crystal Harp, Steely Dan.

Not to be outdone, Hutton and Wells came up with a name that – while suitably cryptic to comply with the governing fashion – actually had a basis in conventional usage. Well, sort of…. It’s reputed that, on cold nights, Australian aborigines in the outback sleep with their dogs for warmth. The coldest evenings are known as three-dog nights….

Armed with a name that could stand toe-to-toe with the most enigmatic of band names, Three Dog Night went about ensuring that its name would not only be suitably mysterious, but it would also become a hallmark in the world of rock music for outstanding harmonies and arrangements. Virtually unknown itself, Three Dog Night threw in its lot with new and mostly undiscovered songwriters, recording music to the words and melodies of Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Elton John, Laura Nyro, Paul Williams, and Hoyt Axton.

And, man, did the evenings ever get warm.

Not to date myself, but I can remember water skiing at Lake Cumberland and Lake Herrington during summer days and joining my Ski Club buddies at night in our campground or in the lodge to enjoy a variety of refreshing liquid beverages and dance to the music of Three Dog Night. I found it amazing how upwards of sixty men and women could dance and – at one and the exact same time, with little or no direction – sing Jeremiah was a bullfrog; he was a good friend of mine completely in tune! Hey, this is my flashback; I can remember it the way I want, right?

Three Dog Night: Live with Orchestra at The Schuster Performing Arts Center
Saturday 11/12/2011 8pm
Click For Tickets

Joy to the World wasn’t the only one of Three Dog Night’s hits we and the rest of the world danced and sang to. After all, the group has had twenty-one consecutive Top 40 hits and twelve straight gold LPs, selling nearly 50 million records by the mid-‘70s. And the group continues to top the list of artists with the best Billboard Top 100 Chart average.

Still as good as ever, the 2011 version of Three Dog Night appears to be tireless. Beside founding members Cory Wells and Danny Hutton on lead vocals and original keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon, the group now includes guitarist Michael Allsup, with Paul Kingery on bass and vocals and Pat Bautz on drums.

Their concert schedule is, to say the very least, formidable. In the last 25 years, the group has performed over 2,000 shows, including two Super Bowls. They were so busy, in fact, that it wasn’t until 2009 that the group released its first single in all that time, Heart Of Blues backed by the ballad Prayer of the Children. Face it; you rest, you rust.

43 years after it started, Three Dog Night looks back on a career that resulted in a body of work with 21 songs that became Top 40 hits. Reading the names of some of those titles, I can hear the music in my head: Mama Told Me, Joy to The World, Black And White, Shambala, Easy To Be Hard, An Old Fashioned Love Song, One, Eli’s Coming, and Celebrate.

If you want to hear them again, go to the Schuster Center on Saturday, Nov­ember 12 at 8 pm for Three Dog Night: Live with Orchestra. Experience Three Dog Night, backed by Music Director Neal Gittleman and the DPO. It might be cold outside, but don’t worry.

They’ve got the dogs to keep you warm.

Wonderland: It’s Larger Than You Realize

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DPO features multi-talented actress, pop icon, singer, and social advocate Lynda Carter in SuperPops season opener

Where were you in ‘72?

Trick question. Actually, a better one might be “Where were you when you were 21?” In the service? Still in school? Pursuing a career?

Lynda Carter was coming off of four years of uphill climbing chasing the dream of a career in music. She had started in high school singing with Just Us, a makeshift quartet. At 17, she joined The Relatives, an aptly named band consisting of two of her cousins and drummer-cum-actor Gary Burghoff (“Radar” O’Reilly in the television series M*A*S*H). The group performed at the Sahara Hotel and Casino lounge in Las Vegas for three months, during all of which time Lynda had to enter through the kitchen; after all, she wasn’t 21.

Yet.

After a short stint at Arizona State University, Lynda dropped out to sing with a group called The Garfin Gathering with Lynda Carter. Good news: for their first performance the group got booked into a brand new San Francisco hotel. Bad news: the place was so new it didn’t have a sidewalk entrance. Result: they became part of the underground music movement…literally. Their audience consisted mainly of janitors and hotel guests whose cars were parked in the underground garage. She returned to Arizona in 1972, the year she turned 21.

Then things started to happen quickly. Lynda entered a local beauty contest, won, and kept winning until she had become Miss World USA representing the U.S. and reaching the semi-finals of the 1972 Miss World pageant. That’s when most of us first became aware of Lynda Carter.

We started seeing Lynda again, this time on TV in Starsky and Hutch, Cos, and Nakia and in several B-movies. The next time we saw Lynda, 1975, she had become Diana Prince, the alter ego of the title character in the TV series The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, a role that many continue to identify her with. And while that’s a good thing, it presents a most incomplete picture of the depth of artistic talent Lynda actually possesses on so many levels.

Besides the hit TV show, her acting credits span 8 movie and 27 television roles. And that’s just Lynda the actress. There’s also Lynda the singer/musician.

And the body of work she has amassed in that field is equally as impressive.

In the late ‘70s, Lynda recorded Portrait, an album on which she shares credit as co-writer on several numbers. In her appearances on five CBS TV variety specials, she worked with such musical stars as Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, George Benson, Eddie Rabbit, and Kenny Rogers. In the ‘80s, she made singing appearances on the Las Vegas Strip and Atlantic City. In 2005, Lynda appeared as Mama Morton in the West End London production of the musical Chicago. The Chicago: 10th Anniversary Edition CD box set contains her rendition of the song When You’re Good to Mama. In 2007, Lynda began touring the country with An Evening with Lynda Carter, a one-woman musical cabaret show. In 2009, she released her second album At Last; it climbed to tenth on Billboard’s Jazz Album Chart.

Not bad for someone who began her musical career taking singing lessons from a practitioner of homeopathic medicine who lived on an Indian reservation. And therein lays a clue to how Lynda not only developed her musical talent, but also the strength to handle the physical demands of her career.

By her own admission, Wonder Woman “is not a one-note samba.”

In an interview in the April, 2011 issue of Energy Times, Lynda spelled out details of the personal, natural health regimen that has helped her keep her stomach flat, her voice clear, and her strength at optimal levels. It involves taking blood tests to determine a treatment starting point and boosting her immune system with fish oil, vitamin D3, bee pollen, wheatgrass, and herbal teas. Dietary measures include consuming organic berries, almonds, walnuts, pecans, and honey with almond milk for breakfast; noshing favorites include homemade soups, cucumber slices mixed with hummus, salmon, and grass-fed meat and chicken.

And weight-bearing exercise, rowing (on the Potomac River) in a scull, yoga, stretching, and walking comprise her exercise regimen.

She needs to do all this, to keep in shape for her musical career and to keep up a schedule that involves many hours devoted to promoting breast cancer awareness. A stout supporter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Lynda has testified before Congress to raise attention to the need for early detection of lung cancer. Her mother had suffered from the need for constant removal of cysts from her breasts, and a friend has died of lung cancer. To debunk the myth that you need to be a smoker to contract lung cancer, Lynda points to the fact that they very air we breathe can be a source of infection. We’ve all read of the dangers of secondary smoke, but Lynda believes that such things as aerosols and pesticides can also be dangerous. And she takes every opportunity she has to warn people of the dangers and enlist support for early detection.

Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5 at 8pm in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents Lynda Carter: The Wonder of Song. There you can see and hear an artist of not only great beauty and talent, but also of great content and character.

Lynda Carter: The Wonder of Song

November 4 & 5, 2011 at 8 pm

Location: Mead Theatre – Schuster Center

Click for Tickets

Family Matters

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The cast of Lost in Yonkers (Contributed photo)

In the midst of a busy, predominately impressive fall theater season, the Dayton Theatre Guild has effortlessly produced another hit. One month after the luminous local premiere of “Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins,” the Guild offers an outstanding production of Neil Simon’s 1991 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatic comedy “Lost in Yonkers.”

A delightfully authentic staging tenderly helmed by Fran Pesch, “Yonkers,” set in 1942-43, charms and captivates as the Kurnitz clan of Yonkers, New York lovingly squabbles with a domineering, opinionated matriarch known for ruling with an iron fist. The fiercely resolute Grandma (exquisitely portrayed with astute perception by Barbara Jorgensen) particularly failed to show a great deal of love for her children, who often describe her as being made of steel due to her harsh German upbringing. Although no one can erase the hurtful feelings  from years of emotional neglect, there is some sense that family wounds will continue to heal based on Grandma’s credo which values strength and survival. As she fittingly reminds her grandson, “It’s not so important that you hate me… It’s only important that you live.”

Jorgensen, as wonderful as she is, doesn’t have to carry the weight of this production on her shoulders. She is truly a key component within an ensemble, which allows her role to properly remain formidable and imposing without becoming overpowering. Philip Stock and Joel Daniel are equally and respectively terrific as Jay and Arty, whose coming-of-age journey under their grandmother’s guardianship frames the action. Perfectly cast as close-knit brothers trapped in a circumstance beyond their control for 10 months, Stock and Daniel endearingly embrace the bluntness, innocence and vulnerability within their colorful characters. Amy Diederich also shines as the incessantly chatty, childlike Bella, Jay and Arty’s doting aunt. Diederich’s superb delivery of Bella’s heartbreakingly poignant Act 2 monologue, in which she shares her desire to become a wife and have a family of her own, will bring tears to your eyes. Saverio Perugini, slick and shady, brings a cool, tough and intimidating edge to Louie, Jay and Arty’s gangster uncle. Rob Breving is nicely understated as Eddie, Jay and Arty’s father. Rachel Wilson delightfully portrays the audibly odd Gert, who prefers silence whenever possible.

In the Guild’s film hands, it’s a comfort to know “Lost in Yonkers” remains a splendid testament to the importance of legacy, unity and forgiveness as well as the invaluable maturity gained from lessons learned.

Lost in Yonkers continues through Nov. 6 at the Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Act One: 60 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Tickets are $11-$18. For tickets or more information, call (937) 278-5993 or visit www.daytontheatreguild.org

Fright Farce

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(L to R) Dean Swann, Jonathan Berry and Darren Brown with Bethany Locklear in Evil Dead: The Musical (Contributed photo)

Just in time for Halloween, Beavercreek Community Theatre’s alternative Edge of the Creek Productions seeks to entertain rather than amaze with its local premiere of the mediocre “Evil Dead: The Musical,” a bloody, naughty, pop culture-friendly spoof based on Sam Raimi’s cult film classics.

Featuring book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris and Reinblatt, “Evil Dead” concerns a spring break getaway gone awry in an abandoned cabin in the woods. Hook-ups, dismemberment, killer trees and Candarian demons factor into the mayhem, but the incredibly silly, envelope-pushing material, hindered by a forgettable score chock full of hokey lyrics and melodies, just isn’t clever or hysterical enough to remain totally engaging. The one-liners are seriously hit and miss, and a lack of heart is particularly problematic. It’s entirely possible for an oddball, risqué show like “Evil Dead” to succeed on broad camp appeal and profane thrills, but an audience must ultimately care about the characters. Reinblatt and Co. should have found a way to humanize the humor and transform the story into a simultaneously outlandish and emotional product akin to “Bat Boy: The Musical,” a wonderful example of BCT’s Edge of the Creek programming in 2006.
Thankfully, director/scenic designer/costumer/co-properties master Chris Harmon, enjoyably aided by choreographer Annette Looper, keeps the thin action brisk and lively with a sufficient amount of sight gags to keep you awake. Harmon’s appropriately over-the-top ensemble particularly grasps the material’s tongue-in-cheek intentions with great skill. The versatile Jonathan Berry delivers another full-fledged performance as Ash, a heroic housewares employee. Berry is romantically linked with the lovely Bethany Locklear, who makes the most of the underwritten Linda. Darren Brown and Lindsay Sherman are equally compatible as Scott and Shelly. The infectiously goofy Angelé Price is a joy as Cheryl, Ash’s sister. As the rustic Jake, Michael Shannon humorously embodies the backwoods stereotype. The reliably comical Dean Swann tackles an assortment of featured roles including a talking moose. Lynn Kesson, sharp and precise, relishes her role as the overbearing Annie, who notably proclaims “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons.”
If that song title made you giggle, “Evil Dead” might be your cup of tea.

Evil Dead: The Musical continues through Oct. 30 at the Lofino Center, 3868 Dayton-Xenia Rd., Beavercreek. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Act One: 52 minutes; Act Two: 40 minutes. The production contains adult language and themes. Tickets are $11-$13. For tickets or more information, call (937) 429-4737 or visit www.bctheatre.org

The Human Race Presents “Caroline, Or Change”

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A STORY ABOUT AMERICA, WITH A WHOLE WORLD OF MUSIC

Cast members Malachi-Phree J. Pate, Yvette Williams, J. Miguel Conrado Rojas (photo credit: Scott J. Kimmins)

(Press Release from Human Race Theatre)

It’s 1963. Martin Luther King has just told the world of his dream. John F. Kennedy is about to be assassinated. And in the basement of a Jewish family’s home in Louisiana, their African-American maid spends her days doing laundry and being the only friend of a boy who has lost his mother.

That’s the setting for Caroline, or Change, a musical with its roots in the life of Tony Kushner (Angels in America), who wrote the book and lyrics, and a cornucopia of music styles used by composer Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie). When it played on Broadway. Time Out New York called Caroline “daring, beautiful and profoundly moving.”

In the production at The Loft Theatre by The Human Race, Dayton’s own professional theatre company, Caroline is played by Tanesha Gary, who was in the Broadway cast as part of a singing radio, one of the show’s many whimsical anthropomorphic characters. She’s often visited in the basement laundry room by Noah, her employers’ young son, played by 11-year old Brendan Plate of Washington Township.

Cast members Tanesha Gary and Brendan Plate (photo credit: Scott J. Kimmins)

“The role of Noah is substantial,” says director Scott Stoney. “Brendan is really good about taking direction. It’s been interesting to watch the relationship of Caroline and Noah build.”

Brendan isn’t the only youngster in the show. Caroline has four children of her own, including two young boys played by 14-year old Malachi-Phree J. Pate of Dayton, a Stivers student, and 9-year old J. Miguel Conrado Rojas, a 4th grader at Cox Elementary in Xenia. “We’re really thrilled that we found these very talented local youngsters,” says Stoney.

Caroline’s oldest son is serving in Vietnam. Her only daughter is played by Julian’s real-life older sister, Yvette Williams, who was recently Homecoming Queen at Wright State. Her best friend, Dotty, is played by Taprena Augustine, a resident of Blacklick, outside Columbus.

Noah’s father is played by Bruce Sabath, who was in the Best Revival Tony-winning production of Company; his stepmother by Adrienne Gibbons Oehlers, who was Kitty in The Human Race production of The Drowsy Chaperone; his grandparents by Resident Artist Kay Bosse and Dayton-area stalwarts Saul Caplan and K.L. Storer.

The anthropomorphic characters include Brittany Campbell (who’s used to non-human parts, since she was once part of a Sesame Street bug choir) as The Washing Machine; Chicago-based Dwelvan David as both The Dryer and The Bus; New Yorker Tonya Thompson as The Moon; and Ashanti J’Aria and Kimberly Shay Hamby of New York and Shawn Storms (Trix in Drowsy Chaperone) as The Radio.

Cast - The Gellman family celebrates Chanukah (photo credit: Scott J. Kimmins)

Behind the scenes, Scot Woolley and Resident Artist Sean Michael Flowers are Music Director and Assistant Music Director/pianist, and Heather Jackson is Stage Manage., Choreographer Teressa Wylie and Scenic Designer Dan Gray are from the Ohio State theatre faculty. Lighting is by Resident Artist John Rensel, costumes by Kristine Kearney, and sound by Nathan D. Dean, with Heather Powell handling props.

Caroline, or Change is the second presentation of The Human Race’s 25th Anniversary Season. It will have a preview performance Thursday, November 3, and officially open November 4, with performances through November 20. Tickets are available via www.humanracetheatre.org, by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, or at the Schuster Center box office.

Production sponsors for Caroline, or Change are the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, The Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of the Dayton Foundation, Muse Machine, Tim and Char Scroggins, DP&L Foundation, and Emerson Climate Technologies, with additional support from Mrs. Wallace E. Johnson, Richard and Marni Flagel, The Roberts Foundation, the National Conference of Community & Justice of Greater Dayton, Burhill Leasing, One Lincoln Park, and Bob Ross Buick-GMC & Mercedes-Benz.