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.