Review: My Fair Lady at Third Wall Productions

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Jason

By Jason Crawford Samios-Uy

Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission

Having been born and raised in Baltimore as well as having had the opportunity to do some traveling, I’ve heard “You can take the boy out of Baltimore, but you can’t take Baltimore out of the boy,” and I couldn’t agree more. Is it possible to transform someone by just changing the outside? My Fair Lady, with Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and Music by Frederick Lowe, Directed by Thomas Rendulic and Music Direction by Daniel Plante, concerns itself with this very sentiment and through memorable, now standard tunes, tries to answer the question.

The cast of My Fair Lady at Third Wall Productions. Credit: Amy Rudai

Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, My Fair Lady tells the story of Miss Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl in the East End of London who grew up poor and stayed there. By a chance encounter, Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, is intrigued by her heavy cockney accent. He bets his new friend, Colonel Pickering, a linguist himself, that he could turn a lowly, cockney flower girl into a lady, or at least pass her off as one, through improving her speech and appearance. Through the process, Eliza comes into her own and realizes she has what she needs to rise above her station and, by a strange twist of fate, might be able to find love as well.

Pat Rudai’s and Jordan Hollett’s Set Design is fitting, if not a bit too much for this space. The attention to detail is on point and transport the audience into the scene nicely, but its flaw is that it does make for some clunky scene changes that could be fixed with a simpler design that would make a different, but equivalent impact. This design is perfect for a static set, but since there are a number of scene changes, it causes some problems. This isn’t to say it doesn’t look good, because it most decidedly does, but because of the amount of set, it hindered the pacing and flow of the piece.

Lighting Design by Jim Shomo and Sound Design by Charles Hirsch are simple but effective in setting the mood for each scene. Shomo doesn’t give us flashy light shows but wisely keeps it subtle with small shifts of lights and levels and seamless transitions.

The cast of My Fair Lady at Third Wall Productions. Credit: Amy Rudai

Amy Rudai’s Costume Design is impeccable. This is a classic piece, as mentioned, and these older shows require a lot of specific costuming and Rudai has shown she is up to the task. The contrast between the upper crust and the lower class is clear and Eliza Doolittle’s transition from low class to upper crust is beautifully presented. Each character’s costume is individualized and the ensemble is comfortable and seems at ease which makes for a very good design. Kudos to Amy Rudai for a job well done.

Daniel Plante is to be applauded for his Music Direction of this production. Though some of the featured numbers could have been presented better, Plante can’t be blamed for the performance of a song. The score, however, needs to be snipped up a bit. These older shows tend to run long, which is fine, but with today’s general audience, it be a bit daunting, do-able, but daunting. As Music Director, he has a say in what is to be cut, if anything, and what is to be kept in place. The scene change music went way too long (thought they needed it because of the tedious set changes, so, they get a pass for this… kind of) and the overture and entr’acte could have been trimmed down to save a few minutes, at least. Overall, the harmonies are very tight and the ensemble is very well-rehearsed and are absolute joy to hear.

I’d also like to take a moment to give a hearty shout out to an amazing orchestra consisting of: Andrew Zile – Condutor; Susan Marie Beck, Katie Davis, Patricia Dick, and Heather Keller – Violin; David Vinson – Viola; Alice Brown and Sharon Aldouby – Cello; Ruth Vadi – Bass; Merrell Weiss – Flute; Matt Elky and Dan Longo – Clarinett; Mary Haaser and David Silberber – Oboe/French Horn; Dick McClure and Gordon Uchenick – Bassoon; Joe Beddard, Pete Lawson, and Steve Mantegna – Trumpet; Beryl Flynn – Horn; Mike Allman and Tony Settineri – Trombone; Danny Eldred – Tuba; and Ed Berlett – Piano. Well done, ladies and gentlemen… well done, indeed!

Jessica Preactor as Eliza Doolittle. Credit: Emma Thompson

Thomas Rendulic takes the reigns of this production and though, overall, it is a polished, nicely-presented production, it does have its weaknesses. It seems Rendulic has a good comprehension of this piece and his staging is very good with very little fault (such as a lot of what I call “Stand and Bark” where an actor performs a song front and center with little to no movement or direction), but the character development doesn’t seem completely apparent. For instance, Alfred P. Doolittle is arguably the funniest character in this piece but, unfortunately, most of his character and comedic parts are lost. The comedy, overall, does seem to be lacking in this piece and this is because it’s either lost on Rendulic or the actors were not given enough explanation and/or direction. Some very humorous sections of this piece were skimmed over or not emphasized enough, for my liking, and it had to do with timing which is of the utmost importance when dealing with comedy. However, directing a well-known, older piece such as My Fair Lady is quite a responsibility and no small feat and Rendulic has definitely stood up to the task. Breathing new life into a familiar piece is quite difficult, I realize that, but it certainly can be done. This particular production is a bit stale being presented as-is and traditional, instead of a new and fresh presentation. Of course, the familiar and traditional sits well with lots of theatre goers so, if that’s what Rendulic is going for, kudos!

Moving on to the performance aspect of this piece I’d like to mention that the entire Ensemble gives 100% effort and is energized. As mentioned before, the harmonies are tight and all give confident, strong performances, especially the Male Quartet consisting of Michael Mullis, James Rittner, Frederick Frey, and B Ever Hanna.

To mention a few, I’ll begin with Forest Deal, who takes on the role of Alfred Doolittle. Deal looks great in the part but, though his performance is consistent, it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The aforementioned comedy just falls flat and this character is usually a riot. This is a fast-talking, high energy character, but Deal’s portrayal doesn’t quite match. Again, he’s consistent and gets his lines out but there doesn’t seem to be any “oomph” behind them. Vocally, he can carry the tune nicely, as in “A Little Bit of Luck,” but, again, that energy and urgency isn’t there. That’s not to say he does a horrible job, though. He seems to have a good grasp on the character and is comfortable on stage and he does make the character endearing and likeable.

A couple of other supporting but very important characters in this piece are Colonel Pickering, played by Patrick Martyn and Freddy Eynsford-Hill, portrayed by Kevin James Logan. Martyn, as Colonel Pickering is well cast and understands his character quite well and portrays him as the kind, gentle man he is while holding his own, vocally, as in featured number such as “You Did It” and “A Hymn to Him.” Logan, is perfectly cast in his role as Freddy. He works well with his cast mates and has a good comprehension of his character’s “uptown” life. Though when he’s singing, it seems he can’t make a complete connection with the audience as if he’s concentrating to hard, but his vocals are top-notch. In his featured number, the now-standard “On the Street Where You Live,” his smooth voice soars throughout the theatre making one stand up and take notice. Overall, both Martyn and Logan are strong and confident performers making for delightful performances.

Jason Eisner takes on the hefty role of the serious, straight-forward Henry Higgins, professor of phonetics and he gives a very decent portrayal. This character is ridged, but quirky and is a loveable character you love to hate, if that makes any sense. He gets on your nerves, but he is endearing and this is not an easy character to take on as an actor. Eisner does so for the most part, but the pretentiousness is lacking in this performance. His understanding of Henry Higgins is clear but at times he seems a bit scripted and forced. Vocally, he gives an admirable showing as in such featured numbers as “Why Can’t the English Speak English,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” and his chemistry with his cast mates is quite good, especially with Jessica Preactor (Eliza Doolittle), and the scenes with her are superb. Overall, Eisner is to be commended for his portrayal of this well-known character.

This brings us to the stand out in this production who is, Jessica Preactor as Eliza Doolittle. Preactor seemed to have been born for this role. She definitely carries the entire show and her performance is near as flawless as one can get. She embodies this character of Eliza Doolittle and every movement and delivery of dialogue is done with authenticity and purpose. She’s a strong stage presence and vocally, she is a powerhouse. It seems effortless on her part as she sings through such well-known numbers as “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “Just You Wait.” She knows her character and portrays her with just the right amount of poignancy and spitfire as required. This actress is one to watch out for and I’m looking forward to seeing her work in the future.

Final thought… If you ask anyone who knows me or my tastes in musical theatre, they’ll confirm that I most certainly love the classics. Give me a good, old-fashioned song-and-dance any day of the week and I’ll be pleased as punch. Of course, I enjoy the modern pieces, as well, but sometimes, I just want to be entertained. My Fair Lady at Third Wall Productions is not without its flaws but is a well put-together production. Most of the voices are spectacular (with a lot of them featured in the ensemble) and the traditional setting might be unexciting, but it is on point. It’s a lengthy show, but, dare I say it, with a few cuts to the score, it could take the run time down, but the orchestra is very good so that almost makes up for the immense amount of music that you find in this classic piece. There are some questionable casting choices and transition issues but, overall, the production comes together nicely, and Third Wall Productions gives a good showing in presenting this familiar, classic piece that’s worth checking out.

This is what I thought of Third Wall Productions’ production of My Fair Lady… What did you think? Please feel free to leave a comment!

My Fair Lady will play through November 18 at Third Wall Productions, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1108 Providence Road, Baltimore, MD 21286. For tickets, purchase them at the door or purchase them online.

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Review: GODSPELL at Cockpit in Court

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Jason

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 4^th 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 26^th at CCBC, Essex Campus, Community Center. For tickets, call 443-840-ARTS (2787) or purchase them online.