SECONDARY LEADS EXCEPTIONAL IN LTVB'S AIDA

Theater Babe Says:  Go ... and See a New Take on an Old Opera.

Pride and passion are the essence of Aida – both the musical by Elton John and Tim Rice currently directed by James Bryan at the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach, and the 19^th century opera by Giuseppe Verdi upon which it is loosely based.  Because the performances by the leads in the LTVB production largely lack those critical elements the show is not completely successful, but the vibrant ensemble and the outstanding, layered performances of certain actors in secondary roles create thoroughly enjoyable theatre.

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida opens in a modern day museum containing an exhibit of Ancient Egypt.  One of the statues begins to sing, transporting us back to antiquity.  Egypt and Nubia are at war and as the story begins, Radames, a captain in the Egyptian army, returns bringing with him a group of Nubian women whom his soldiers have enslaved.  Radames is instantly captivated by one of them, Aida, who feels but initially fights the same attraction.  Radames gifts Aida to his fiancée, Amneris, the Pharaoh's daughter, and Aida becomes one of Amneris' handmaidens.  Radames meets with his ambitious father, Zoser, who reveals that the Pharaoh is dying and impresses upon Radames that the younger man must prepare to lead Egypt, despite Radames' preference for travel and adventure.  Meanwhile, Radames' Nubian slave, Mereb, who has lived in Egypt for many years but has never lost his hope for freedom, recognizes Aida as the Nubian princess.  Aida is torn between her love for Radames, her friendship with Amneris and her duty to her native land and its people.  Radames and Aida ultimately give in to their passion, but their relationship is doomed by circumstance, including the Egyptians' capture of Aida's father.  The show ends back in the museum, where we find that even if it is ill-fated in one lifetime, love is eternal.

In the title role, DeEtta Jennings is very attractive and possesses a melodic belt, though her diction is often muddy which robs her character of the depth it might have if we could understand more of Aida's lyrics.  Additionally, Ms. Jennings does not command the stage.  Rather than owning her space and moving with deliberate intent, she often shifts her weight from foot to foot when she speaks, and that imbalance gives her a tentative and weak bearing that is inconsistent with her prideful character.  As Radames, Jonathan McCormick has a nice singing voice, but his interpretation of a character who is an explorer/warrior by profession and is so independent personally that he chooses a slave over the power and riches that would come with his intended bride is implausibly tepid.  Neither Ms. Jennings nor Mr. McCormick generate any believable chemistry – even during the scene in which Aida bathes Radames, when one would think that shirtlessness and sensuality would go hand in hand.  Because their illicit passion is the key plot point that drives everything else, this production in general lacks credibility; we don't believe that Aida and Radames hunger for each other, so we don't feel their conflict and their respective sacrifices do not carry any emotional weight.

This production is saved from an emotional void by the remarkable performances of Genevieve McBride (Amneris) and AJ Friday (Mereb).  Ms. McBride has a fabulous singing voice, noteworthy for its tone, power and range.  In her performance as Radames' fiancée, we see her character develop, grow and change throughout the course of the show and Ms. McBride's nuanced interpretation makes us believe that the insecure, silly girl who sings "I am what I wear and how I dress" in "My Strongest Suit" could ultimately rule a nation.  We believe in Amneris' love for Radames, and "I Know the Truth," the song she sings when she realizes that love is unrequited is heartbreakingly beautiful.  The Theater Babe only wishes that director James Bryan would have waited until the song was finished to have Amneris draped in her traditional wedding veil; as it is, because of the opaqueness of the fabric, after she is cloaked from head to toe we lose the emotion that had been so skillfully portrayed in Ms. McBride's facial expression.

As Mereb, the Nubian who has learned how to succeed in Egypt while he yearns for freedom, Mr. Friday delivers an expressive, thoroughly credible performance.  His singing voice is rich and of a gorgeous timbre, and his solo, "How I Know You," is riveting.  The faith that Mr. Friday's Mereb has in Aida – believing that she will deliver him and their countrymen from slavery – is palpable, and when he realizes it is misplaced, we ache for him.  "Not Me," the quartet sung by Mr. McCormick, Mr. Friday, Ms. Jennings and Ms. McBride is a truly memorable moment.

This production would be stronger if the villain was more menacing.  Tall and broad-shouldered, Jason Martens is physically well-suited to the role of Radames' father, but his portrayal of the Machiavellian Zoser is unconvincing.  Mr. Martens' diction is frequently garbled, and his singing voice is insufficiently powerful to meet the demands of "Another Pyramid" and "Like Father, Like Son."  In large part because we cannot understand his lyrics, there is no real political tension in this version, and the production suffers from that omission.

Overall, however, Music Director Shelley Cady does a wonderful job of capitalizing on the considerable vocal talent of the cast, and has assembled a strong group of instrumentalists (Summer Cozzens, George Gaydos, Eddie Lawhorn, Shawna Lawhorn, Doug Mills, Susan Roller, and Tom Ullom) who successfully embrace the challenges inherent in this piece.  The balance between the offstage orchestra and the onstage vocalists is usually a very successful blend, faltering only during "Another Pyramid," when the guitar overpowers Mr. Martens' vocals.  In particular, Mr. Ullom on percussion delivers a notable performance, providing rhythm and effect without overshadowing the whole.

The strikingly compatible collaboration of vocals and instrumentals is especially evident in the Nubian chorus numbers, "Dance of the Robe," and "The Gods Love Nubia," The ensemble has a full sound and clear diction, and their harmonies are exquisite.  Charity Robinson, as Nehebka, demonstrates phenomenal vocal quality and the Theater Babe hopes to have the pleasure of hearing her sing in larger roles in future productions.

The choreography by Dana Margulies Cauthen is effective and well-executed, and the scarf dance performed by Elizabeth Elliot, Alyssa Halter, KT Hart and April Hitchcock is just lovely.

The set, designed by Jason Martens, is simple and permits ample room for this large cast to move about without constriction on the small stage.  Its sparseness presents some obstacles, particularly in staging the duets between Aida and Radames – it is very difficult to stage romantic duets between two actors who are close in height without the aid of something to place one of them on a different level – and the addition of a couple of multi-functional pieces of furniture would have opened up opportunities for more creative blocking. 

Lighting designer Jeff Brangan does an good job of enhancing mood and tone, and utilizes shadow, as well as light, to excellent effect.

Bottom line?  The heart of the Aida tale is not well-presented here, but the talented ensemble and orchestra and the amazing performances by Ms. McBride and Mr. Friday make this show well-worth the time and the ticket price.

Performances run thru December 2^nd, Friday – Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

at the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach,

550 Barberton Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451.

Tickets are $17 ($14 for matinees) with discounts for seniors, students and active military. 

Reservations can be obtained by calling the box office at (757) 428-9233

or online at ltvb.com.

SMITHFIELD LITTLE THEATRE'S FORUM IS IMPERFECT FUN

Theater Babe Says:  Go . . . and Enjoy a Little Comedy Tonight!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is the first Broadway show that boasted Stephen Sondheim's music as well as his lyrics.  Those songs, replete with dissonance and tongue-tangling patter, are as challenging as the farce in which they are enveloped.  Smithfield Little Theatre's production, directed by Kathy Eaton, of this far from simple piece is uneven, but it's undeniably entertaining.

Forum is set in ancient Rome, and centers around the quest of Pseudolus, a slave, to acquire his freedom from his owner, Hero, by helping that young man woo and win the virginal courtesan, Philia, who lives in the house next door.  Matters are complicated because Philia has already been sold, sight-unseen, by her master, Marcus Lycus, to a celebrated warrior, Miles Gloriousus.  The beautiful but less-than-brilliant Philia mistakes Hero's father, Senex, for Gloriousus and offers herself to Senex – who is more than happy to enjoy her charms, much to Hero's (and Pseudolus') dismay.  Pseudolus therefore enlists the assistance of perpetually nervous head slave, Hysterium, to keep the young lovers together -- and apart from Gloriousus, Lycus and Senex.  At the same time, Senex's wife, Domina, attempts to spy on Senex to ascertain whether he is unfaithful while their neighbor, Erronius, continues his decades-long search for his children who were abducted by pirates long before the story begins.  Much hilarity ensues as the characters wind their way through the confusion and ultimately produce the happy ending promised in the opening song, "Comedy Tonight."

Brian K. Teal's interpretation of Pseudolus is satisfactory, and is at its best when he presents his own characterization of the wily slave who engineers various complicated schemes rather than borrowing facial expressions created by the inimitable Zero Mostel.  William Van Dyke (Hysterium) at first utilizes a nasal, affected speaking tone that detracts from his fine performance and adversely affects his diction.  As the plot evolves, however, Mr. Van Dyke sheds the affected tone with hugely beneficial results; when he speaks in his own voice, we can understand his lines and enjoy his exceptional comedic timing.  During "I'm Calm," he displays a strong, pleasant singing voice and it is one of the best moments of the show.  Mr. Van Dyke has a compelling stage presence which serves this production well, particularly in the purposefully frenzied second act where he is a strong albeit humorous point of reference in the midst of the chaos.

Andrew Smith is perfectly cast as Hero.  He is handsome and appealing, and we believe that he is besotted with the pretty but unsuitable Philia.  Mr. Smith arguably has the best voice in the show, demonstrated to advantage in "Love, I Hear."  His Hero is sweet and earnest in the best sense of those words and Mr. Smith is to be applauded for playing the role with realism, rather than attempting to compete with the broader comedy that is inherent in many of the other characters.  In an interpretation less skillfully directed or portrayed, Forum's farce could easily become tiresome silliness.  In this production, because Hero's love story is credible, we are free to relish the ridiculousness that spirals from that pivotal plot point.

As Senex, Mike Peters is plausible as the middle-aged man who is flattered by a good-looking young girl's attentions.  He sings confidently with clear diction, but is not always on pitch, and he consistently struggles with maintaining the correct tempo.  Music Director William Neill, III does an exceptional job of keeping the eight piece orchestra together with the singers, and accommodates the occasional vocal vagaries while sustaining a steady pace.  Nowhere was that control more noticeable than during "Impossible," Mr. Peters' duet with Mr. Smith.  Throughout the number, Mr. Peters rushed through the vocal rests, racing far ahead of the accompaniment.  Mr. Neill managed the orchestra so that it caught up with Mr. Peters without accelerating the overall pace of the song, and provided a sufficiently strong tempo for Mr. Smith to find so that the vocals and instrumentals were realigned during Hero's parts of the number.  As a result, we were able to enjoy the amusing lyrics and the actors' performances when under less expert direction, it could have disintegrated into incoherence. 

Lauren Peters' Philia is delightfully dimwitted.  Ms. Peters has a pretty voice, better displayed in "That'll Show Him" than in her first song, "Lovely," primarily because she appears to be more comfortable with the ironic comedy of the former than the matter-of-fact characterization of the latter.  As Miles Gloriosus, Skylar Norman is wonderfully vain and pompous.  His singing voice, however, lacks the power and tonal quality that is so prominent during his spoken lines and the "Funeral Sequence" would be much improved if the chorus' wails were softer so that we could understand his humorous lyrics that were drowned out the night the Theater Babe attended the show.

Bill West delivers a pleasing performance as Marcus Lycus, and he brings commendable energy and excitement to the role without overplaying it.  Bill Hanlon's portrayal of Erronius is respectable, but his singing voice is ill-suited to the complexity of a Sondheim score and the numbers in which he appears would be immeasurably improved if he would speak-sing his lyrics.

As Domina, Senex's suspicious and overbearing wife, Carrie Grace Morgan is appropriately officious and obnoxious, but she is too pretty and too well-dressed to be perfectly credible; more garish makeup and/or a costume that disguises her delicate figure would eliminate the disconnect that currently exists between her attractive appearance and the horrified reactions she elicits from the other characters.  Ms. Morgan's sparkling delivery and her outstanding diction of her solo number, "That Dirty Old Man," overcome her occasional pitch problems and it is a highlight of the show. 

The choreography by Paula Cole and Jennifer Steiger is clever and admirably reflective of the various characters, although it is not always commensurate with the dancers' abilities.  The follow-the-leader scene is quirky and fun, but would be improved if the proteans would not anticipate the leader's moves; they need to wait to let the leader move first rather than simply perform the choreography because they know what comes next.  As a whole, however, the dances and other choreographed moments are lively and entertaining.

The costumes, coordinated by Stephanie Sabin, are inconsistent and reflect conflicting styles and time periods.  Some of them – such as the Philia outfit – are perfect from head to toe, while others – such as the red medieval gown worn by one of the courtesans -- appear to be used simply because they are of some not-modern time period and are the correct size for the actor. 

Robert Cox's set design is simple and well-executed, and perfectly showcases the action.  By making use of a few plain, multi-functional, movable pieces Mr. Cox provides options well-utilized by Ms. Eaton's blocking while still maximizing the space available on the small stage.  The backdrop is beautiful and enhances the scene without being distracting.

Bottom line?  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a difficult show to produce, and the Smithfield Little Theatre's production is not perfect.  However, because the actors themselves appear to be having such a great time, their enthusiasm is contagious and makes it easy to overlook the flaws, resulting in a thoroughly enjoyable performance that is well worth the time and the ticket price.

Performances run thru November 18^th, Thursday – Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:0 p.m.

at the Smithfield Little Theatre

210 N. Church Street, Smithfield, Virginia 23430.

Tickets are $15 and can be obtained by calling the box office

at (757) 357-7338 or by emailing a ticket request to contact@smithfieldlittletheatre.org. 

See their website http://www.smithfieldlittletheatre.org for details.