Godspell

Book by John-Michael Tebelak   

Music by Stephen Schwartz      

May 30, 31   June 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 2013

Ahhhhhh…..nothing quite like a good parable and great song to renew your faith in a truly great musical!  The “lighter” side of Superstar, this one finds Jesus and Judas struggling again to find the true meaning of life and living through revitalizing the human spirit in the grandest way possible….song and dance! With wonderful tunes to lift you like, All For The Best, Learn Your Lessons Well, Turn Back O Man, Light of The World, We Beseech Thee and of course, Day By Day! Now I ask you, how can you “not” Rejoice!?

All Performances held at the Tom & Bea Nobles Performance Hall 2462 S. Ballenger, Flint, MI

For Tickets:

Flintcommunityplayers.com

810-441-9302

The New McCree Theatre offers a chance to take a real, live peek behind the old fifties era radio curtain in Mr. Personality: The Lloyd Price Story.  Writer/producer Charles H. Winfrey’s script follows the career of rhythm and blues vocalist Lloyd Price from his first hit song through his time as a record producer to his promotion of famous boxing matches.  Price’s life is intriguing to say the least, but his musical influence is one many will recognize and remember.

We thoroughly enjoyed the show Thursday night and found ourselves swaying and foot tapping along as the Night Jock hosted the tunes.  Cassandria Harris is positioned below the stage on the auditorium floor in her small radio studio. Her hair in rollers, she spins the records as we watch the songs performed on stage.  She is totally engaged throughout and worth glancing at now and then as she “grooves” to the music.

As usual, the New McCree is chocked full of terrific vocalists and musicians.  Director Cathy Johnson has divided the title role between the young Price (Lawrence Young) and the older Price (Roderick Green).  These two are equally impressive in their delivery of great songs such as “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Stagger Lee” (Young) as well as the signature “Personality” and “Lady Luck” (Green).

Others deliver such nostalgic numbers as Patricia Thompson’s “I Cried A Tear” augmented by Donna Taylor’s haunting broom dance done dressed in rags and white mask, and “Short Fat Fannie” performed Thursday by the Honorable Herman Marable.

James Cobbin shines in his red zoot suit singing Wilson Pickett’s “If You Need Me”, Rick Williams is terrific with his Bill Withers rendition of “Ain’t No Sunshine”, and Leona Green becomes Etta James to sing “All I Could Do Was Cry”.

A stage full of live musicians accompany all of these incredible numbers and many more led by Phillip Young on keyboards.  His band includes Ben Jackson, guitar, Terry Shedrick, bass, Robert Poindexter Jackson, percussions, Jordan McCree, drums, and Ulysses “BT” Bailey, saxophone.  Their music is worth the price of admission.

Mr. Personality: The Lloyd Price Story is presented in a revue style, but is held together by the Night Jock and a few short snippets of dialogue. Overall it is one terrific musical number after another; just like listening to ninety minutes of the old nighttime radio.

Performances continue through May 25 at The New McCree Theatre, 5005 Cloverlawn Drive, Flint, 48505. Contact the box office at 810-787-2200 or online at www.thenewmccreetheatre.com

Students are invited to audition and interview to be a part of this play based on the classic children’s novel by Roald Dahl.

Open to all students grades 7 to 12
Flint Youth Theatre • 1220 E. Kearsley St. • Flint, MI • 48503

Auditions:  Saturday, May 11, 2pm – 5:30pm (check in after 1:30pm)

Call-backs:  Tuesday, May 14, 6pm – 9:30pm (if needed)

Tech Interviews:  Saturday, May 11, 2pm – 3pm (check in after 1:30pm)

• Auditions are for students interested in being in the show. Students are asked to plan to attend the entire audition.
• Tech interviews are for students interested in working backstage.
• Students may apply for both.

Rehearsals: Mondays through Fridays, 1:30pm – 5:30pm,
beginning June 24

Tech: Saturday, July 20, 12pm – 8pm
Monday, July 22 through Thursday, July 25, 6pm – 9:30pm

       Performances:

Friday, July 26, 7:30pm
Saturday, July 27, 7:30pm
Sunday, July 28, 2:30pm
Friday, August 2, 7:30pm
Saturday, August 3, 7:30pm
Sunday, August 4, 2:30pm
Thursday, August 8, 2:30pm
Friday, August 9, 7:30pm
Saturday, August 10, 7:30pm
Sunday, August 11, 2:30pm

About Flint Youth Theatre
Flint Youth Theatre is a program of the Flint Institute of Music. In partnership with the Flint Symphony Orchestra and the Flint School of Performing Arts, its mission is to change lives through a lifelong continuum of music, dance and theatre. Since 1957, FYT has provided inter-generational live theatre arts programs for Flint and Genesee County residents. FYT is the nationally-acclaimed, award-winning resident theatre company at the Flint Cultural Center.

For more information about Flint Youth Theatre call 810.237.1530.

We passed a most energetic evening Friday night as Clio Cast & Crew opened the rollicking Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens revue based on the writings of children’s favorite Dr. Seuss and titled Seussical, the Musical.  With a huge cast of mostly young people (we counted 47 in all!) cavorting around a cartoon festooned set, this is an incredible production.  It is a lively, bright, and colorful treat for the whole family.

Narrating the tale, of course, is Cat in the Hat played with terrific charm and spunk by A.J. Cannon (we found it hard to believe he’s never had a leading role before). He is abetted ably by Sam Carter as JoJo, the youngster who finds himself trapped in the miniscule world of the Who.  Carter’s bubbly personality and enthusiastic attack was tone setting.  Rounding out the trio of leading characters is Jon Rak as Horton, the elephant who hears the Who and takes a lot of flack for trying to rescue this tiny group from the dust mote where they reside. Horton’s nurturing spirit gets him into more than one scrape along the way to the final happy ending. Perhaps the strongest male voice in the show, Rak stands out with his signature song, “Alone in the Universe”.

As with many Seuss stories, the smallest voices make the biggest noise and the whole Who community, in their varying shades of yellow and gold, are no exception.  Led by the wide-eyed Mayor (Alex Vincent) and his cocktail-sipping wife (Jody Henderson), this group sings, cavorts and generates smiles and laughter every time they appear.

Overall, director Ashleigh Tillman’s cast is evenly talented and creative making it difficult to single out performers.  A few did make an impression including Sour Kangaroo (Donna Korpi) and her Mini Me (Clara Usealman). Korpi’s voice is strong and she makes a striking impression visually while little Clara nearly steals the show with her mimicking moves.

As Gertrude, the bird with one tail feather, Lisl Knizner’s voice is strong, clear, and diction perfect. We appreciate that, especially when some of the show’s lyrics were not so easily understood.

This is an all-musical show with one song following another throughout the nearly two-hour show (including an intermission).  Music director Gary King’s seven-piece orchestra is never seen but their accompaniment is flawless, never too loud and continuous.

We wondered if director Tillman may have been a traffic engineer in another life as his staging of this fast-paced show with its huge cast of youngsters (many of them new to any stage) is impeccable. This crowd moves on and off in a blink and utilizes the many and varied levels and entrances crafted into the set like pros.

With nary a bad seat in the Theatre 57 house, we would advise everyone to grab the kids or grandkids and head out to Clio to see Seussical, the Musical before it closes on May 19.  For tickets and information contact the box office at 810-687-2588 or online at www.cliocastandcrew.com

Becky Foster is caught in middle age, middle management and in a middling marriage—with no prospects for change on the horizon. Then one night Walter Flood, a socially inept and grief-struck millionaire, stumbles into the car dealership where Becky works. Becky is offered nothing short of a new life…and the audience is offered a chance to ride shotgun in a way that most plays wouldn’t dare. Variety raves “BECKY’S NEW CAR takes the audience on a smart, comic cruise through the perils of middle-aged longing and regret.”

“Becky’s New Car is a charming story about family, casual acquaintences and the challenges we face during a mid-life crisis,” commented Rodney Creech, FYT Associate Artistic Director and director of Off the Press. “A special treat for audiences will be a performance by a cast of several Off the Press veterans including Walter Hill, former FYT Associate Artistic Director and the originator of the series. We think this is a perfect way to end our twelfth season of the Off the Press series.”

For adults and older teens, Off the Press presents staged readings of the latest plays from Broadway and American Regional Theatre.

Off the Press is sponsored by Fandangles’.

Life Could Be A Dream, which is currently playing at Meadow Brook Theatre, is a play set in a very innocent time in America.  Written by Roger Bean who also wrote the Marvelous Wonderettes, this musical is about three teenage boys trying to become musical sensations.

The score was created by Bean and Jon Newton with special musical arrangements by Steve Parsons.

Before I continue with the rest of the review, I must inject a comment about the director.  Travis Walters is the artistic director at Meadow Brook Theatre.  He always talks to the audience before each performance.  He is funny and entertaining.  At this performance he twirled a hula hoop around his waist the entire time he talked.  Not an easy task, but he never dropped that hula hoop.  Even I was impressed.

Life Could Be A Dream is set in Denny’s basement where he and his friends are rehearsing a song for an upcoming radio contest.  The story is set in the late 1950s or early 1960s: an age of innocence.  This is before the assassinations, the bloodshed and horror of war, the anger and rage, the protests, cynicism, and the stupidity of drugs.  The three teenagers think that if they win the contest all of their problems will be solved, and they will secure their future.  They are a long way from their goal.

The set plays an important role in this play.  Unfortunately it is too big to offer any real intimacy.  Personally, I never saw a basement that huge when I was growing up.  The only thing missing is the pool table, but it has everything else.

If you like early rock and roll music, you’ll love the show’s songs and music.  That said, there didn’t seem to be a lot of chemistry between the three teens, Denny, Eugene, and Wally.

Their actions and use of language seemed forced and awkward.  It didn’t feel or sound much like the time period.  There were no “wow” moments in the musical.

As Denny, Lucas Wells is the leader of the group.  He gave a good performance in terms of singing and dancing.  He views himself as the next Elvis or other great singers.  Denny is driven to succeed and drags his friends into the act.

Mathew Schwartz did a solid job of moving between a nerd and a good singer/dancer as Eugene, however, I thought he was a little over the top on being a nerd.  Playing Wally, Mathew Schawrtz performed well as the almost normal guy.

None of three would-be performers gets the girl, although not without a lot of clumsy effort.  As the girl, Allison Hunt’s portrayal of Lois is a very strong performance as the only female in the musical.  She captivates the guys and then takes the fourth guy.  She was also the voice of Denny’s mother on the intercom.

Sam Perwin portrays Skip, the guy from the “wrong” side of the tracks and he also gives a very strong performance.  He is a biker and very handsome.  If Skip’s costume would have had the worn look, it would have been easier to believe the character, but he was too “clean”.  He is sent to judge whether or not his boss will sponsor the three teens in a contest.  Skip ends up as part of the group.  He and Lois fall in love right from the start.  But there is a problem with her parents.  So the guy gets the girl, they lose each other, and then they finally get back together.  A classic romance plot.  There was chemistry between Skip and Lois.

The voice of Ronnie “Bulls-eye” Miller seemed a bit tame to me.  The intercom was a great touch and gave the audience some laughs.  Hats off to the band for a great performance.  As for the set, smaller would have been better.

While the show could have been stronger, I recommend the musical if you want to hear classic rock and roll and have a few laughs.  It seems that they saved the punch for the grand finale.  If you want to see if they win the contest, you have to go to a performance.  Sorry, no cheap giveaways in this review.

Life Could Be A Dream will be performed through May 19, 2013.  For more information or tickets call 248-377-3300.  Meadow Brook Theatre is located at 207 Wilson Hall, Oakland University, Rochester MI, 48309.  Their website is www.mbtheatre.com

Flint Youth Theatre’s final production of the season is an awesome way to introduce little ones to live theatre. After all, what could be better than a close-up stage full of toys that come to life? With attitude!

It’s the story of the well-loved bunny in Margery Williams’ tale of The Velveteen Rabbit. Written for the stage by Thomas W. Olson, the play opened Friday at FYT’s Elgood Theatre.  A perfect sixty minutes in length, we first met young James (Steven Sherman) in his nursery/bedroom.  Surrounded by his favorite toys, we soon realized that toys perhaps really do come to life when we go to sleep.

Under the care of his Nana (Laura Friesen), James receives a lovely Velveteen Rabbit (Devin McLean) for Christmas but curiously prefers to sleep with a China Doll (Bary Lehr). Propped on a shelf, the rabbit is teased by the other toys for being “boring” and not as active or technically clever as the others.

Director Jeremy Winchester has gone to some inventive extremes to personify each toy, even those that would seem to defy personification. For example, as the Sailboat, Dahjuanna Jones is dressed as a sailor, and playing the Baseball, Kari Ormsby is garbed in a baseball uniform.  Sabrina Bigelow wears a fancy top hat and tails but snorts often and loudly as Pig, and Deirdre S. Baker’s smart safari outfit marks her as the stuffed Lion.

Costume Designer Amber Marisa Cook dresses others to look almost identical to the toys they portray. Kate Spademan mirrors the Jack-in-the-Box, Caroline F. Lostutter looks exactly like the Soldier, and Dominique Hinde becomes the cranky Clown complete with Clarabelle-style honking horn.

As the Top, Layla Meillier is a hoot in a wide spinning skirt and a propeller beanie that she keeps in constant motion. The Teddy Bear finds Enrique J. Vargas behaving pompously and dressed like Teddy Roosevelt, while Tahjuanna Jones is both Punch and Judy. A weathered rocking horse also sits in the nursery personified by Rodney Creech dressed as a somewhat old-fashioned cowboy.

After all the teasing, the bunny does become James’ favorite toy when China Doll disappears. What ensues is a story of love, both human and magical. Friesen’s Nana is everyone’s perfect embodiment of what a grandmother should be like. Her later appearance as the magic Fairy seems altogether appropriate.

Baker and Lehr also become the “real” forest rabbits that taunt McLean’s Velveteen Rabbit when he’s left outside, making clear to him that he isn’t actually “real” because he cannot move.  Their antics are comical and set outside the house, which allows Tim McMath’s beautiful set to be spun around – a process children will enjoy watching.

Overall, this is a very sweet story done with gentle expertise. It is colorful and comic with a huge lesson about love and loyalty at its heart.

The Velveteen Rabbit continues at Flint Youth Theatre through May 4.  For tickets and information contact the box office at 810-237-1530 or online at www.FlintYouthTheatre.org

The Velveteen Rabbit is the fifth and final production in FYT’s 2012-2013 Signature Series and is on stage from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, May 4.

The Velveteen Rabbit, written by Thomas W. Olson, is based on the classic children’s novel by Margery Williams. The Velveteen Rabbit is snubbed by the other toys because he has no batteries and by the other rabbits because he has no hind legs. His quest to become real turns joyful when he chooses to give rather than to receive.

The Velveteen Rabbit performances are Friday, April 19, 26 and May 3 and Saturday, April 20, 27 and May 4 at 7:30 P.M. and Saturday, April 27 and May 4 and Sunday, April 21 and 28 at 2:30 P.M. An Opening Night Reception will follow the April 19 performance. A conversation with the creative team will follow the evening performances on April 20 and May 3 and the matinee on April 28. Performances are at Flint Youth Theatre, 1220 East Kearsley Street, on the campus of the Flint Cultural Center.

FYT will be announcing the 2013-2014 Season to patrons attending performances of
The Velvteen Rabbit and releasing details to the public in the weeks following the opening of the production.

Advance tickets for The Velveteen Rabbit are $12 for children, $14 for teens and senior citizens and $16 for adults and are available at Flint Youth Theatre, by calling
810-237-1530 or online at FlintYouthTheatre.org. Day of performance tickets are $14 for children, $16 for teens and senior citizens and $18 for adults.

Director’s Thoughts
The Velveteen Rabbit will be directed by FYT Executive Artistic Director, Jeremy Winchester. Speaking about the play’s message, Winchester commented, “The story’s message that love can make us whole is revealed with a grace and delicacy that makes it approachable for all ages. The Velveteen Rabbit’s journey is one we each experience. From birth we seek out love and craft the role it will play in our lives. We discover that understanding, comfort, and companionship are things that make us feel whole, that help us to feel real.”

Scenic design for The Velveteen Rabbit is by Guest Artist, Tim McMath, costume design is by Guest Artist, Amber Marisa Cook, lighting design is by Guest Artist, Doug Mueller, and sound design is by FYT Executive Artistic Director, Jeremy Winchester.

The Velveteen Rabbit is sponsored by The Whiting Foundation. Flint Youth Theatre’s
2012-2013 Signature Series is sponsored by Health Alliance Plan. FYT’s Building Bridges Community Partner is Motherly Intercession.  The Building Bridges Community Partner Program is made possible in part by the Ruth Mott Foundation.

For more information about Flint Youth Theatre or to reserve tickets to The Velveteen Rabbit, call 810.237.1530 or visit FlintYouthTheatre.org.

STUDENT CAST AND CREW

Sabrina Bigelow – Linden
Kenneth D. Brown – Flint
Dominique Hinde – Flint
Dahjuanna Jones – Flint
Tahjuanna Jones – Flint
Caroline F. Lostutter – Grand Blanc

Layla Meillier – Flint
Kari Ormsby – Clarkston
Steven Sherman – Burton
Kate Spademan – Flint
Enrique J. Vargas – Flint
Alejandra Vargas – Flint

 Fenton Village Playhouse, 14197 Torrey Road, Fenton.

Needed: 5 men, 2 women ages 20 – 70.

Production dates June 13 – 16 & 20 – 23

In this wild and wacky comedy, Charlie Baker needs to get away, and his friend Froggy knows just the place – his favorite little fishing lodge in rural Georgia. To get Charlie some much needed peace, Froggy convinces the locals that his friend doesn’t understand English. But the plan backfires when all the lodge’s inhabitants start revealing deep secrets and diabolical plans in front of their quiet foreign guest.

Comedy clattered onto the stage Friday as the University of Michigan-Flint Department of Theatre and Dance presented Moliere’s The Learned Ladies. A sort of 17^th century jab at ostentation, social snobbery and pretentiousness, this is the sort of performance that reminds us how fortunate we are to have an accomplished university theatre program in our town.

Director Janet Haley has tweaked the original, and probably highly ornate, Baroque French setting, by placing this story (translated by Richard Wilbur) in an elegant but spare early American room reminiscent of Mount Vernon and costuming her troupe accordingly.  Still, the authenticity of it all enhances the tale as the ladies glide about with fans at the ready, and the gentlemen strut in long waistcoats, frills and breeches.

At the heart of this story is the struggle between intellect and love. Which should a young lady pursue and to which end will she find her true favor?  The conflict is first displayed as Henriette (Elizabeth Taylor) and her slightly older sister, Armande (Mary Paige Rieffel) spar about whether ‘tis nobler to marry or eschew physical pleasure for the headier quest of learning.

It’s intriguing to watch Reiffel’s affected posing and posturing play off Taylor who seems more “down to earth”. Indeed, these affected poses, gestures, head tilts, and planted stances were conventional in the theatre of Moliere’s time and he used them to even further comic advantage. In this production, Haley seems to have taken them a step further to delineate the differences between sides of the argument.

Instigator of this search for intellectual aptitude is Armande and Henriette’s mother, Philaminte (Destiny Dunn). Though small in stature, Dunn’s demeanor clearly overshadows everyone. Her demands and evil eye keep everyone on their toes, or even eggshells.   Not the least affected by her domineering ways is her husband, Chrysale (Vaughn Davis), who talks a great game when she’s not there and reverts to cowering when she sweeps arrogantly into the room. Davis manages this dichotomy with comic ease.

Philaminte is influenced heavily by the foppish and posturing poet, Trissotin (Mark Vukelich). A  sneak and not really a very good poet either, his possible motive for turning the household on its ear is his desire to marry into this obviously wealthy family.

Vukelich is hysterical with his curlicue hair and bug-eyed pretentiousness as he attempts to woo Henriette, much to the delight of Philaminte.

However, Chrysale is aghast at the thought of Trissotin as a son-in-law, much preferring the real object of Henriette’s affection, Clitandre (Paul Doctor), a tall and hearty fellow also in love with Henriette.  Put side by side, these two suitors could not be more different and the mere comparison is amusing.

More comedy arises from the character of Belise. Alexis Harvey plays this wacky sister of Chrysale, storming about declaring her intent to be one with the intellectual elite but with an eye to the gents as well. Mention must be made of Shih-Ting Kao, the kitchen maid who is fired for her bad grammar by Philaminte and reinstated by Chrysale for her cooking but not before she lets everyone know her “take” on the whole situation.

As we would expect, this production stays as true as possible to the performance style of the Restoration theatre. Written in verse with rhyming couplets throughout, it is predominantly presentational. Performers often face front when speaking, actions are precise and gestures repeat while vocal delivery is rapid and mostly distinct. Facial expressions, grimaces, winks, smiles and definite attitude with head tilts and hand gestures abound.  All of this makes for a clinic in theatre history as well as a funny and enjoyable evening of theatre.

The Learned Ladies continues through April 14. For ticket information contact the box office at 810-237-6520 or online at www.umflint.edu/theatredance