Review: Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre

By TJ Lukacsina

Run Time: Approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission

Under the Sea with Sebastian (Derek Cooper). Credit: Trent Haines-Hooper

Sebastian is certainly onto something when he tells Airel that “the human world is a mess. Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there.” Especially if he’s referring to Cockpit in Court’s latest production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glen Slater. This production is Directed by Jillian Bauersfeld, with Music Direction by Andrew Worthington, and Choreography by Karli Burnham. Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, this adaptation from Disney’s 1989 film has a book by Doug Wright which has had some unfortunate rewrites since the show closed on Broadway in 2009. I’ll be upfront in saying that the majority of my qualms for this production stem from these poor rewrites and cuts that Disney made before allowing it to be licensed to local theatre groups. In general the writing is watered down and presentational on a basic, at times insulting, level and makes you feel as if you’re watching the Wikipedia Summary instead of the show. Thankfully, Jillian Bauersfeld’s handling of the show not only makes it palatable but also an enjoyable experience for all ages.

Briefly, The Little Mermaid is about Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, who wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above. She bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs by giving up her voice. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea. (www.mtishows.com)

Under the Direction of Jillian Bauersfeld, Music Direction of Andrew Worthington and Stage Management of Robert W. Oppel, this production is highly entertaining and manages to allow the audience to drift from scene to scene without any pull from the undertow. The audience feeds off the energy flowing from the stage and one can’t help but enjoy being slightly distracted from little kids singing along to some of their favorite songs. That’s when you know you have tapped into the Disney magic and are encouraging future theatre lovers.

Allison Comotto as Ariel. Credit: Trent Haines-Hooper

Walking into the theatre you are treated with a projection of a beach and the sounds of waves and seagulls to help take you away from the pouring rain outside. Creating their magical world, Set Designer Michael Rasinski should be proud of the scene shop’s execution. These beautiful set pieces are large enough to maintain their presence while the cast dances on and around them. Corals in Ariel’s grotto and individual wood planks on Eric’s ship are the kinds of details that help transport you and are much appreciated. But even with the details, a little more attention to the destruction of the grotto would have helped the audience grieve with Ariel instead of wonder why she was so upset that her thingamabobs were moved a few feet away from her whatchamacallits. However, all of these set pieces would go unnoticed if it weren’t for Thomas Gardner’s Lighting Design. Overall, the lighting is aesthetically pleasing and appropriate. The heavy use of haze allowed the lighting to be seen to help fill the full stage space but allowed the lights to become distracting during the scenes on the apron where they obscured the projection heavily. Use of moving lights helped to create the underwater effect and while effective, would occasionally get lost due to similarities in the color pallette . Mr. Gardner certainly has an eye for key moments in songs and certainly knows when and how to highlight them for maximum effect.

Deanna Brill’s Costume Design walked the line between expectation and invention. I applaud the bold choice to tastefully show so much beautiful skin and the design of the mer-tales that were as practical as they were visually delightful. The ensemble were dressed vividly while the classic looks from the movie were still alluded to, from Prince Eric’s classic outfit to even the puffy sleeves on the wedding dress. From the fish, eels and even the birds, the costumes allowed the actor’s characters to come to life.  Although the designer is not listed in the program, make-up design was detailed and really helped to establish these characters as otherworldly. My main makeup concern was actually a lack of a certain makeup: the decision to not conceal actor’s tattoos. While appropriate in some shows, I found them to be a minor distraction for this production.

Gary Dieter as Scuttle. Credit: Trent Haines-Hooper

For a show that has a focus on story and is aided occasionally with dance, Karli Burnham’s Choreography helped to showcase the wonderful talent in the cast. With a working knowledge of the costumes, the choreography wasn’t limited to just foot movement but body and arm movements which allowed for a fluid movement from the actors. Some of the large ensemble numbers while portraying water felt repetitive and tedious in their attempt to fill the musical space. However, her work really shines with the small tap ensemble as well as the evolution of dance Eric teaches Ariel in “One Step Closer” was storytelling through dance.

The heavy lifting of Alan Menken’s score is in the capable hands of Andrew Worthington. The cast was well prepared and knowledgeable enough of their parts to make them their own and not rely on mimicking the original cast recordings. All voice parts were balanced and easily heard along with the pit thanks to the constant vigilance by sound designer Brent Tomchik. Following Mr. Worthington’s conducting was a competent orchestra consisting of established musicians in the area: Stephen Deninger, William Zellhofer, Christopher Rose, Stacey Antoine, Joseph Pipkin, William Georg, and Gregory Troy Bell. While proficient and accurate, the orchestra only suffered from a lack of actual brass and additional woodwinds. Even though those parts were covered in the keyboards, I found the patches were inconsistent among themselves and rarely compensates for the timbre from the actual instrument.

All these designers were able to achieve on a level which produced a thorough and consistent vision from Director Jillian Bauersfeld. With the aid of Assistant Director Jake Stuart, the cast is able to portray these fantasy characters with heart, believability and a recognizable humanity. While working under the shadow of a Disney title, it’s difficult to produce a show that allows artistic freedom with a vision while still giving the audience a dose of their expectations from the movie which kicked off the Disney animated renaissance. Ms. Bauersfeld was able to give us a cast worth watching and set up a show that ran smoothly. Small decisions to have the sea characters constantly moving arms or allowing several acting choices that were inconsistent to their characters are minor annoyances and never hurt the overall enjoyment. The true art of directing is assembling the right team to find the right cast and crew and allow everyone to do what they do while pushing them for more. Congrats to Ms. Bauersfeld on your ability to inspire everyone to give their best!

(l-r) Josh Schoff as Flostom, Holly Gibbs as Ursula, and Jonah Wolf as Jetsam. Credit: Trent Haines-Hooper

I have always felt that some of the hardest working actors seem to get lost in the ensemble. When asked to play several different characters, help shift set pieces, and often run off stage only to completely change costumes and makeup and run back on stage for two minutes of a three minute song, it’s hard to remember what is next let alone your name. Major kudos to Nicole Arrison, Olivia Aubele, Amy Bell, Lanoree Blake, Katelyn Blomquist, Karli Burnham, Kelsey Feeny, Shani Goloskov, Aaron Hancock, Mark Johnson Jr, Dorian Smith, Ian Smith and Jose Teneza for your energy, talent and being consistently in character. These actors jumped from the sailors steering the ship and winding the rope, to King Triton’s court, to the seagull ensemble, chefs and Ariel’s attendants in the castle and were always able to help establish the mood of the scene.

Featuring Ellen Manuel (Aquata), Elisabeth Johnson (Andrina), Malarie Zeeks (Arista), Kaitlyn Jones (Atina), Emily Caplan (Adella) and Hannah Bartlett (Allana), Ariel’s mer-sisters were a wonderful balance to Ariel’s positive and dreamy attitude. Using different hair styles and different shells while porting vastly different personalities and physical traits, each sister managed to be her own while presenting a unified front in their featured numbers “Daughters of Triton” and “She’s in Love.” Pulling double duty, they are a delight to see on land competing for Eric’s love in the vocal contest that plays up the fantastically poor vocals of these characters.

Brian Jacobs as Chef Louis. Credit: Trent Haines-Hooper

In supporting yet memorable roles, Brian Jacobs revels in playing Chef Louis during “Les Poissons” while Nicholas Pepersack’s dignified and proper Grimsby was always moving with purpose on stage. Mr. Jacobs clearly enjoys his song and slashes into his character to the breaking point of the cleaver. A fun cameo for sure that was able to get the giggles and laughs from the audience. Grimsby’s conversation with King Triton really gives Mr. Pepersack a moment to have a heartfelt moment and show how proud he is of Prince Eric.

My scene-stealing award goes to Gary Dieter who simply was Scuttle from the moment he flew in to his flawless tap dance in “Positoovity.” Scuttle was over the top and as endearingly annoying as I remember from the movie. It was hard not to smile when he was visible. Sharing the stage with him most of the time and impressively holding his own ground was Adrien Amrhein as Flounder. With sweet dance moves and a solid voice, this kid will secure more roles on stage and we will benefit from seeing him. Dutifully performing a poorly written character, his choices to not emphasize being friend-zoned and play up the best friend were appreciated.

Slithering onto the stage on their matching scooters were Josh Schoff as Flotsam and Jonah Wolf as Jetsam. The choice of scooters to maneuver them around stage was inventive and paid off in execution. Both actors were able to skillfully incorporate them in their character and not rely on them as a crutch. They were perfect henchmen to Holly Gibbs’ Ursula. Having arguably both the best and worst songs in the show, Ms. Gibb was able to make the most of her voice and complemented with acting ability that emanated from all eight limbs.

As ruler of the sea, Mark Lloyd’s King Triton managed to capture the softer side and showcased his mourning for his deceased wife and inability to properly communicate with Ariel. “If Only” is a great song to show that Triton is more than just a fierce ruler who banished his sister to a small part of the ocean but is also a parent who is sometimes unsure how to parent. He relies on Sebastian, played by Derek Cooper, to spy on Ariel and win her trust. With a clever costume and sublime vocals, Mr. Cooper is able to bring Sebastian into our lives with his own lovely interpretation. “Under the Sea” is his time to shine and when out in front singing he earns your attention with powerful falsettos and fantastic facial expressions.

The Daughters of Triton. Credit: Trent Haines-Hooper

Our leading man, Jim Baxter hits the stage as Prince Eric while taking charge of his ship. Mr. Baxter certainly looks every bit of what you’d expect from the cartoon and captures his love for adventure when on the ship and when courting Ariel in the second act. When beginning “Her Voice” he was oddly out of breath but managed to salvage some and really drive the second half of his number home with gusto and emotion. Not to be out-done by her new fiance, Allison Comotto’s Ariel is exactly what you could want from a Disney princess. Ms. Comotto is able to capture Ariel’s longing and desire to escape all while dealing with difficult family members. Allison really comes to life in Act two when her curiosity and excitement can only be communicated through her facial expressions. The joy Ariel finds in the new world is brilliantly shown during “Beyond My Wildest Dreams” where she sings her inner monologue to us. But however fantastic she is, she is at her prime when singing “Part of Your World.” Congratulations on your fairytale engagement and for inspiring a cast to follow your lead.

Disney’s Little Mermaid is a local theatre production that is able to rely on the community of actors, crew, musicians and artistic staff to bring its own magic to the stage. They should be proud of the work that they have poured into this show. The perfect escape from the summer heat, bring the family to see Cockpit in Court’s production where “it’s better down where it’s wetter.”

Disney’s The Little Mermaid will run through Auguest 5 at Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre, CCBC Essex, Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center, F. Scott Black Theatre. For tickets call the box office at 443-840-ARTS (2787) or purchase them online.

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Review: MULAN JR. at Cockpit in Court

by Jason Crawford Samios-Uy

mulan jr

Running Time: 2 hours with one 15-minute intermission

It’s that time of year and school’s out for the summer! If you have little ones running around all day (yours or otherwise), you might want to consider what Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre Court Jesters Young People’s Theatre has to offer. This year, the children’s troupe of Cockpit in Court is presenting Disney’s Mulan, Jr. with Music & Lyrics by a plethora of folks including Matthew Wilder, David Zipple, Jeanine Tesori, Alexa Junge, and even Stephen Schwartz, Additional Music & Lyrics by Bryan Louiselle and Book by Patricia Cotter. This stage production is based on, of course, the 1998 Disney film Mulan, and the story of “Fa Mulan” by Robert D. San Souci. This production is brilliantly directed by Baltimore theatre veteran Liz Boyer Hunnicutt, Choreographed by Rachel Miller, with Music Direction by Patty DeLisle.

Seriously, even if you don’t have children of whom you’re responsible, you really should check out this production of Mulan, Jr. I’m an adult and not a huge fan of what one would call children’s theatre, but I have got to admit… I was thoroughly and pleasantly impressed by what these kids and production team did with this show! From the moment I walked into the theatre and saw the set, I knew I was in for something notable. Scenic Artist Laura Miller created absolutely beautiful real life backdrops of Chinese countrysides and pink blossoms that was a refreshing break from the current trend of using projections (which I think is here to stay, like it or not). Miller hand painted each backdrop and that made it all the more impressive. Actually, the set design by Diane M. Smith was perfect and beautiful but it didn’t take away from the performance but seamlessly blended in, giving the audience a very pleasant aesthetic experience.

It takes a special kind of person to direct a show with about 40 people in the cast but it takes an extra-special person to direct a show with about 40 kids (and a few teenagers) and Liz Boyer Hunnicutt, somehow or another, managed to pull it off flawlessly… I repeat… flawlessly! Hunnicutt does have experience being the resident director of another children’s theatre that shares the space so, this was old hat for her, but still, her direction was superb. As children’s theatre goes, things can get a little hokey and silly, and Mulan Jr. had it’s share of all that, but it still kept me interested because the pace of this show did not falter once. Hunnicutt’s blocking of this huge cast was fluid and she managed to get everyone on and off the stage easily and with no major mishaps. Watching this particular production and its fluidity, I can think back on a few shows I’ve been in that were comprised of mostly or all adults and could have used the help of Hunnicutt’s guidance!

Music Director Patty DeLisle is to be commened and applauded for her work in getting this cast to sound amazing! Let’s face it, working with children and teens can be difficult at times but DeLisle managed to get these kids and teens to sound great. Of course, the cast is to be commended, as well and it seems they may not have been as difficult to work with as other casts may have been, but it seems DeLisle took her time to teach these numbers and harmonies (which can be hard even with adults) and got these kids to understand what they were singing making the performance shine.

When there’s music and singing, dancing isn’t far behind and Choreographer Rachel Miller, who doubles as Mulan, the show’s namesake and main character, seemed to know her cast and what they were capable of and every single choreographed number was pulled off brilliantly and flawlessly. Each number was tight and very well rehearsed. This production even had a very brave number where a stage full of kids were dancing and swinging bamboo sticks and, though I may not have been brave enough to attempt it, the cast pulled it off without a hitch and it was a very entertaining number!

To round out the production side, Costume Design by Sharon Byrd was very appropriate and beautifully done, managing to bring together the Asian theme of the show with flowing silk (or silk-esque) robes and matching soldier outfits that all looked like it took time to conceive and execute. Kudos goes to Byrd for her work.

Now, I’ve already stated this was a show that was enjoyable and entertaining and these kids did a bang up job of bringing the story of Mulan to life, which is no small feat being it was a successful Disney film, but these kids manage to do it brilliantly!

We first meet the Ancestors, Hong (Destiny), Laozi (Honor), Lin (Loyalty), Yun (Love), and Zhang (Strength) played by Emily Ricci, Colleen Beyer, Sophie Claudio, Olivia Lockett, and Katheryn Schudel, respectively. These young ladies start this show off with a bang and set the tempo which was absolutely perfect. Each actress said her lines with confidence and with a very mature articulation that set the tone for the entire show and it was an appropriate and started the show off with a bang.

Let me take a moment to discuss comedy. Comedy, in my opinion, is much harder to pull off than drama as I’ve always found it more difficult to make someone laugh than to make someone cry and there is a certain amount of natural, raw talent to get the timing of jokes (hokey or not) and to execute them. Athena Claudio, who plays Mushu, is one of those naturally talented people who can read a joke in the script and has that perfect amount of timing and understanding to make a joke work and throw the audience into a fit of laughter. Claudio is an absolute standout in this production and I see this young lady going very far in the theatre world! She strikes me as a triple threat as she danced, sang, and acted her way throughout the show with a maturity and natural flair. When she took the lead on the song “Keep ‘Em Guessin’, this reviewer definitely took notice.

Rachel Miller, who, as stated before, took on double duty as Choreographer, was the perfect choice to play the title role of Mulan. From her first appearance, she had a strong presence and command of the stage and a clear confident voice that belted out songs such as her torch song, “Reflection.”

Charlie Holt, as Shang, Mulan’s love interest, did a fine job as the leader of the Chinese Army (it helped that he was about a head taller than the rest of the cast) and he was comfortable in his role having a strong presence on the stage.

This review wouldn’t be complete for this particular production if I didn’t mention Dylan Morrison, Jules Einhorn, and Zachary Byrd who masterfully took on the roles of Ling, Quin-Po, and Yao respectively. These three young actors were a joy to watch and their comedic timing was on point! They had the audience in stiches, especially during their own bit of cross-dressing, but you’ll have to check out the show to see how that comes about. Notably, Zachary Byrd has a talent rare for young performers in that he is able to take a joke and run with it, regardless of whether the audience is laughing with him or at him, but I’m venturing to guess the audience is laughing with him because this young man has a confidence that allows him to act a fool on stage without hesitation and that is sometimes difficult for veteran actors and makes Byrd a standout in this production.

Though the title of this show is Mulan Jr. this is indeed an ensemble piece and each and every member gives 100% to this production. From Sarah Moscoso, who played a very intimidating and hard-nosed villain, Shan Yu to Kiara Burke who brilliantly took on the role of the old, wise Emperor, the chemistry was great and I could see that everyone was having a great time, which is so very important when it comes to community theatre. I’m looking forward to seeing the work of many of these young performers in the
future!

If you don’t have kids of your own, grab your nieces or nephews, or your friend’s kids, or your neighbor’s kids and get to this show! You will not be disappointed and, who knows, you might even be opening the door for a budding performer or a budding theatre lover.

Final thought… this show is not to be missed!

This is what I thought of this production of Mulan, Jr.… what do you think?

Mulan Jr. will play July 10 at 1:00pm, July 12-14 at 11:00am, July 15 at 7:00pm, July 16 at 1:00 & 4:00pm, and July 17 at 1:00pm at CCBC, Essex Campus, Administration Building. For tickets, call 443-840-ARTS (2787) or purchase them online.

Review: GODSPELL at Cockpit in Court

By Jason Crawford Samios-Uy

godspell_logo

Running Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with one 15 minute intermission

There are many shows out there that are community and small theatre staples and Godspell, based on the Gospel of Saint Matthew with Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and Book by John-Michael Tabelak is certainly one of them. It had its off-Broadway debut in 1971 and multiple revivals including the most recent Broadway incarnation in 2011 as well as various professional touring and international productions going strong today. With Broadway standards like “Day by Day” and “On the Willows,” Godspell has the potential to pack playhouses all across the land.

On any given weekend, a production of Godspell is popping up in small theatres in little hamlets and larger theatres in in bigger cities all across this great nation of ours and lucky for us, we have our own local production at Cockpit in Court, directed and choreographed by Baltimore theatre veteran James Hunnicutt with music direction by Nathan Scavilla and co-choreography by Danielle Sten-Guillermo.

The first impression of this production is a pleasant one. As I entered the theatre, I was greeted by a very simple, but artistic set design by Jason Randolph that perfectly fit this show. Reminiscent of a black-box theatre, there are no bells and whistles with this set and it’s brilliant with its two staircases ascending to a second story platform that sits over the main entrance and exit to the stage though sliding doors. One highlight of the set was the recreation of “The Voice” spinning chair that also added an updated flair to the production. Lighting Design by Helen Garcia-Alton was subdued but appropriate though, at times, a little dark, but good, overall.

Rounding out the technical aspect of the production was Sound Design by Jacob Urtes and though it was minimal with no major sound effects it was adequate but had its challenges as there were many times throughout the show I could barely hear what the actors were saying and/or singing and the pit band was too loud and at other times the pit band was too soft. Hopefully, the balance between the band and the actors will be rectified before the end of the run. Also, this production utilized projections (as many productions are utilizing these days) but, I felt the projection choices were at two different ends of the spectrum and either didn’t add anything to the show or were taking attention away from the live action on the stage. I also noticed the projections were few and far in between and, frankly, could have been cut altogether.

Now, onto the performance aspect. I’d like to make it clear that, though this production had its difficulties, it was a very good show, overall. Godspell is a perfect show for small and community theatres and is a fan favorite. Hunnicutt, a revered director in Baltimore community theatre, has done a fine job bringing this production to the stage and all involved should be commended for their efforts.

Godspell is a show that can be very flexible when it comes to a theme and a director can be as creative or traditional as he or she sees fit and though Hunnicutt’s vision seemed fun and upbeat, it was hard for me to see a cohesive vision. I can’t blame Hunnicutt alone as the script is 40+ years old and a lot on the hokey side, which makes the entire picture seem jumbled. The attempts to update and modernize the piece, whether scripted or ad-libbed, seemed thrown in and out of place but there are a few good zingers that managed a laugh from the rather subdued audience but I like my comedy with a bit more edge and reaching for the line of offensive and that’s almost impossible with Godspell.

Another curious choice made by Hunnicutt was to break the 4th wall and have the characters recite the parables of the Gospel of Saint Matthew to the audience instead of to each other. The book for Godspell is already a bit preachy for my tastes and this aspect of the performance just drove that home for me. At times, I felt I was in the congregation of a church listening to a homily rather than in an audience of a show, however, the actors did a great job presenting those parables.

A large part of any successful musical is its choreography and Hunnicutt and Sten-Guillermo give us very entertaining, upbeat numbers. In an effort to update the piece, I saw hints of hip-hop elements but, either because some of the numbers were a little disheveled or the hip-hop elements were very subtle, it was hard to be certain. The dancing was definitely appropriate and thought-out, but the styles seemed to be all over the place and seemed as though the cast would have benefited from a few more dance rehearsals.

One point I must make is that I could definitely tell the small cast gave 100% every step of the way. Even though the pacing seemed to trudge along at times and energy seemed down, that could have had something to do with the unbalanced sound or the script itself. Either way, this very talented cast was totally into what they were presenting. That having been said, with the religious theme of this musical, it seemed the cast was simply reading the script and going through the motions rather than understanding what the text meant. Some of the book seemed to be glazed over just to move the action forward but, I think, if more time had been taken comprehending the text, it would have added a bit more to the performances. I’d like to get this cast together to hang out outside of this production so they can get to know each other a little more because one of the challenges for this cast is that the chemistry between these folks seemed strained. Sure, they were comfortable hugging and patting each other on the back and whatnot, but there was a deeper connection that seemed to be missing but they still put on very good performances.

The opening number, “Tower of Babble,” was a bit lackluster but I could tell from the get that this cast was chock full of AMAZING voices! There were harmony issues, but, individually, this cast is top notch when it comes to singing! This ensemble piece is led by Ryan Slattery as Jesus and Jake Zeranko as John the Baptist/Judas. Zeranko makes his entrance from the back of the auditorium with the traditional conch shell and he gives a very nice rendition of “Prepare Ye” with a very nice voice that I found myself wishing were a little louder at times. Though he was having mic problems, I would liked to have had him project a little more than he was. Zeranko also has the honor of performing one of the prettiest songs in musical theatre, “On the Willows” along a female duo and though he does a fantastic job, I was hoping for a little more emotion as the song is supposed to be happening during the final hours before Jesus’ arrest. He does have a good stage presence, but seems a bit stiff throughout but still gives a very admirable performance.

Slattery, as Jesus, has an absolutely beautiful voice and it is a perfect fit for the role with his gentle and soft manner. He has some very good moments with the cast and the audience, namely “Beautiful City” which is a simple, moving arrangement of just vocals and piano. He was one of the actors who seemed to understand the text and presented it nicely and clearly. “Alas for You” a very emotional, intense song is a highlight for the character of Jesus but Slattery seems to have chosen a more subtle take on the number, losing some of intensity of the song. Though it is an ensemble piece, I would have liked him, as Jesus, to have had a bit more charisma and energy instead of blending in completely with the rest of the cast, but, still, he gives a brilliant performance.

The duo of Slattery and Zeranko gives us “All for the Best” one of the better known songs in Godspell but since the chemsitry was nil to n
one between the two actors, the number, though entertaining and fun, it kind of fell flat, but the ensemble seemed to have fun with the stylistic number.

Comprising the women’s ensemble are Alyssa Bell, Nicole Smith, Allie McLoughlin, Anna Steuerman, Samantha Ross, and Erin Sullivan and everyone one of these ladies is a power house!

Alyssa Bell does a brilliant job with “Bless the Lord” with her well placed trills and ornamentation showing off her vocal skills, but, whether a sound issue or otherwise, I would have loved for her to have a stronger belt.

Nicole Smith gives a flawless performance, even playing the ukelele in the beginning of her number, “Learn Your Lessons Well.” She has a great belt and wonderful stage presence as she moves comfortably about the stage.

Allie McLoughlin give a very sweet vocal rendition of the uber-famous and well known “Day By Day” but, for all that is good and holy, someone needs to come up with another presentation than the traditional (overused) sign-language rendition. Thankfully, this did not take away from McLoughlin’s talent.

Anna Steuerman give us a haunting rendition of “By My Side” with a very unique, trained voice that sounds like it would totally rock an opera or classical aria and reminds me of someone like Audra McDonald who brings that classical, trained sound to Broadway musicals.

Samantha Ross is indeed a standout in this ensemble with her fun, sexy version of “Turn Back O Man”. She has a beautiful voice and is very confident on stage. She moved beautifully and was one of the actors who kept my attention throughout her entire number. She’s certainly one to watch!

Erin Sullivan gives us “Light of the World”, ending Act I and her rendition is absolutely delightful. She’s got some strong pipes and is comfortable moving around on the stage and has a great presence.

Rounding out the cast is the male ensemble made up of Kevin James Logan and Josh Schoff. These gentlemen, in a sea of ladies, do a fantastic job of holding their own with two of my favorite numbers in Godspell. Logan gives us “All Good Gifts” a soft but soulful song toward the end of Act I. Logan does a great job with this song giving it a good amount of ornamentation and feeling but, I’ve always thought this song was more than just about hitting the notes. Logan hits all the notes in this song flawlessly but falls just short of the feeling this song needs to be 100% successful. Now, I’m not saying he did a bad job because he most certainly did not! He performed this challenging song quite successfully and it was pleasant to watch and listen to him do this thing!

Schoff gives us a very fun rendition of the upbeat 11:00 number, “We Beseech Thee,” which is another one of my favorite songs from this show, and he pulls it off nicely and the cast seems to have a great time with the number as well, though the choreography could be cleaned up just a tad. Overall, Schoff gives a very good performance.

So, even with all its challenges, Cockpit in Court’s Godspell is certainly a very good show and is comprised of a very talented, committed cast giving all they’ve got to this production. It’s a classic musical with familiar tunes and a good message so if you’ve got an hour or two this weekend, go check it out!

This is what I thought of this production of Godspell… what do you think?

Godspell will play Friday-Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm through June 26th at CCBC, Essex Campus, Community Center. For tickets, call 443-840-ARTS (2787) or purchase them online.

Review: TOWARD ZERO at Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre

By Jason Crawford Samios-Uy

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(l. to r.) Thomas C. Hessenauer, Randy Dalmas, John Rowe, Kelly Rardon, and Christopher D. Cahill. Photo credit: Joey Hellman


I always enjoy a good murder mystery and they’re always good money makers for community theatres and no one writes a good murder mystery like the legendary Agatha Christie. This summer, Cockpit and Court Summer Theatre’s first offering in their cabaret space is Toward Zero by Agatha Christie, (who also penned the novel) and Gerald Verner and is directed by Joey Hellman.
Toward Zero tells the tale of a house party (of course) at Gull Point, the house of Lady Tressilian, at Saltcreek, Cornwall. The guests consist of an old family friend, a divorced couple, his 2nd wife and her suave friend, and a barrister, who is also and old friend of the family. The divorced couple are cordial and may still have something for each other, the suave friend has a thing for the 2nd wife, the 2nd wife hates the 1st wife, the old family friend has a thing for the 1st wife, and the hostess and the barrister want everyone to be mindful of their manners. Throw in a Superintendent, an Inspector, and a P.C., and, oh, yeah, a murder, then BOOM… you have an Agatha Christie mystery.
At first glance, I knew I was in for a treat when I walked into the cabaret and was greeted by a beautiful, classic set by Scenic Designer Michael Rasinski. Designing for theatre in the round is difficult but Rasinski pulled it off flawlessly and brilliantly with vintage furniture, wainscoting on the walls, a chandelier hanging in the middle of the stage, and a chaise lounge that, when this production is over, I’d like transported to my house! No detail was overlooked down to the light switches, which were the old fashioned push two-buttoned type rather than the modern one-switch we use today. The set design was practically perfect! Rasinski also pulled double duty as the Lighting Designer and he, too, pulled this off brilliantly with lighting that set the moods perfectly for each scene.
Throughout the production, Sound Designer James Lefter added the usual murder mystery show sound effects such as thunder storms and glass breaking but they sounded like quality effects and not just a generic mp3 that can be downloaded off the Internet (even if they were) and they were all placed perfectly. Director Joey Hellman and Stage Manager Marcy Petrick put together a great soundtrack of music including classical instrumental pieces as well as popular vocal works of the mid 20th century.
Kudos definitely goes to Costumer Eva Grove as costume designs were spot on and thought-out for both formal and casual wear for 1955. There were quite a few costumes for both the male and female actors in this production and each one was appropriate and natural.
Getting into the performance aspect of the production, let me preface by stating that, as a whole, Toward Zero is a very appropriate show for community theatre and Agatha Christie can always be counted on to give the audience a good story and she’ll always keep us on our toes. However, play adaptations of Christie stories can be challenging, especially pieces such as Toward Zero, one of her lesser known adaptations. Even though Christie herself had a hand in writing this adaptation, and it was your classic Agatha Christie whodunnit and predictable, I still found the script a bit jumbled and hard to follow, at times, if you aren’t paying close attention.
Overall, the cast did a fine job with this challenging piece and Hellman made some wise choices such as impeccable blocking, which is difficult in the round, where no actor’s back was facing the audience for any extended period of time, but, as I sat there watching the action unfold, I said to myself, “I think this cast needs to go out for a drink with each other!” because there seemed to be little chemistry within the cast which is of the utmost importance when it comes to any play, especially a murder mystery. The chemistry that is present is OK, but does feel a bit strained.
At various points in the script, characters speak of the feeling of “something wrong” or “something out of place” but, because of the lack of chemistry, unfortunately, there is a lack of much needed tension. For there having just been a murder in the house, and suspicion being thrown around, one would think one could cut the tension with a knife, but, that’s not the case here. It’s as if the actors are just going through the motions of a predictable script. However, let me clearly state I don’t blame the cast or the director… I reiterate… a murder mystery is a challenging undertaking!
Speaking of the cast, in general, the British accents are admirable, but, overall, a dialect coach may have been beneficial all around. The actors knew their blocking and their lines quite well and spoke very naturally with each other.
Christopher D. Cahill as Thomas Royde is the first character we meet and, though it’s a bit difficult to understand what he’s saying, at times (I think the British accent is tripping him up occasionally), he has a very good and demanding stage presence and demeanor and knew and played his character very well and gave a strong performance and his vape pipe was brilliant and added to his character.
Kristin Miller takes on the role of Kay Strange, the 2nd, discontented wife of Neville Strange, played by Randy Dalmas. Miller has a tendency to take her character over the top with seemingly one emotion – upset – accompanied by pouty faces, crossed arms, and rolling eyes every time she steps onto the stage. However, the character is unhappy being where she is and has to deal with an ex-wife, so, Miller’s choices aren’t off the mark and she pulls off a very good, though mellow-dramatic, performance. Kay’s cohort, Ted Latimer, is nicely played by Andrew Wilkin and another character even mentions that Latimer is “a dramatic fellow” and, boy, does Wilkin take this to heart. It’s almost fitting that his character and Miller’s characters are so close because he, too, takes the character a bit over the top, at times, with the same rolling of the eyes and pouty faces. Regardless, he gives a strong performance and  has the perfect look for his character.
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(l. to r.) Christopher D. Cahill, Kelly Rardon, Andrew Wilkin, Randy Dalmas, Kristin Miller, Thomas C. Hessenauer, John Rowe. Photo credit: Jason Crawford Samios-Uy


Kelly Rardon tackles the roll of Mary Aldin, the pitiful Lady’s Maid to Lady Tressilian, played by Suzanne Young. Rardon gives a strong performance as Mary and is comfortable moving about the stage, giving a very nice performance but Young is one of the highlights of this production as she gives a very strong, believable performance as the old, crippled Lady Tressilian and has a demanding presence onstage as the matriarch of the bunch, shouting orders, and reminding everyone of the manners of a bygone era. Young is certainly one to watch!
A Baltimore favorite and a fixture in community theatre, John Rowe puts himself in the role of Matthew Treves, a barrister (an attorney, in America), and old friend of the family. He gives a strong performance as a stuffy, old fashioned gentleman of good background and is comfortable on the stage. Well, after being involved in community theatre for over 40 years, one should be comfortable, and Mr. Rowe certainly is! He certainly does take time with his lines, at times, maybe a bit too much time, but he is clear and strong and gives a very strong, believable performance.
Rounding out the cast are Thomas C. Hessenauer, Ryan Frank, and Connor Moore playing Superintendent Battle, Inspector Leach, and P.C. Benson, respectively. Hessenauer, a veteran of Baltimore community theatre, does a wonderful job as the lawman called in to investigate the inevitable murder and he has a strong understanding of his character and is believable as the person who takes charge to find out whodunnit! Occasionally, he comes on strong right out of the gate pointing a suspicious finger at the people he is questioning instead of transitioning gradually into that suspicion, but overall, Hessenauer pulls his role off very well.
As Inspector Leach, Ryan Frank seems to play the part more like an inexperienced young man who got his position because of nepotism rather than on merit. His character pops in, carrying various pieces of evidence and stands on the perimeter while his uncle, Superintendent Battle, solves the crimes. Script wise, I’m not sure the character is needed, but Frank plays the part admirably with the material he’s given and the same can be said for Connor Moore, as P.C. Benson. This character seems to just fill space on stage but could easily be cut, as well. However, Moore, in his impeccable costume and brilliant whistle, pulls off the part nicely and it’s obvious he’s giving 100%!
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Stephanie Horvath. Photo credit: Jason Crawford Samios-Uy


Two highlights of this production of Toward Zero are Stephanie Horvath and Randy Dalmas. The two play ex-spouses, Audrey Strange and Neville Strange and they pull off the parts flawlessly. Randy Dalmas has a strong presence and seems to understand his character. He moves comfortably around the stage and, if I might add, has a very nice, smooth voice that lends well to the British accent he pulls off beautifully. Horvath glides across the stage comfortably and effortlessly, embodying the character of an ex-wife who may or may not be who we think she is. Though a few of her reactions to major events in the show could have been more thought out, she is still gives a strong, believable performance. Hovarth and Dalmas make a dynamic duo that are a joy to watch.
Toward Zero is indeed a good show and has some very talented folks involved so, if you find yourself looking for something to do for the next couple of weekends, check it out! Agatha Christie always delivers and it’s always fun to see if you and your friends can solve the mystery before the big reveal!
Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with one 10 minute intermission
This is my take on this production of Toward Zero… what do you think?
Toward Zero will play Friday-Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm through June 26th at CCBC, Essex Campus, Community Center. For tickets, call 443-840-ARTS (2787) or purchase them online.