Steel Magnolias

The 2013 season at Cumberland County Playhouse opened up on Saturday with a lovely production of the well-known Steel Magnolias. Most people know the movie starring Julia Roberts, Sally Fields, and Dolly Parton. In a way, it’s become a rite of passage for young women in the South to watch the movie at least once. But many don’t know that it was a play first.

Set in Louisiana in the early 80s, Steel Magnolias tells the story of six women who meet each Saturday at the neighborhood beauty shop. With varying ages, it’s fun to see the inner workings of their friendships. In the rare event that someone reads this that hasn’t actually seen the movie or the stage version, be prepared for tears. In fact, throughout the final scene of the play I would say there were very few dry eyes. I heard too many sniffles in the audience to lead me to believe otherwise.

This particular production was directed by Donald Fann in the Adventure Theatre. Set design was spectacular, as always. John Partyka’s design took you right back to the 80s in a garage beauty shop in the South. Heck, some of the garage beauty shops I’ve seen still look like that.

I’ve always seen the character of Truvy as the glue that holds their little group together. Lauren Marshall played the role in such a way that it never even crossed my mind that someone else should be playing the role, which so often happens when a role is made famous by an actor the likes of Dolly Parton (or Delta Burke, whom I saw play the role on Broadway a few years ago). Lauren Marshall gives her own spin to the role, and you can’t help but love the way she cares for all the characters no matter their annoying or less desirable personality traits.

A newbie to town, Annelle is played by CCP “newbie” Anna Baker. I love Annelle and the changes she goes through in the show. Annelle’s innocence and awkwardness is endearing and Baker gives the role a great believability and enough humor that you can’t help but laugh at her and love her simultaneously. Kind of like a new puppy learning how to walk without tripping over its own paws.

Taken from CCP's facebook page

Ouiser and Clariee are a hysterical pair in every respect. Friends (we think) for years, they are in so many ways like The Odd Couple. Clairee’s husband has recently passed and she is looking for something to keep her busy. Ouiser likes to play a bitter old woman, but deep down she’s got a heart. Patty Payne played the role of Ouiser, and Carol Irvin played Clariee. Both are CCP regulars, and when I first heard that they were going to be in Steel Magnolias, I thought they might be playing roles in the opposite way. For some reason, I saw Patty as Clariee and Ouiser played by Carol. That being said, they really outdid themselves in the roles they were given. I LOVED seeing Patty Payne playing grouchy, old Ouiser. Carol Irvin was fantastic as more personable Clariee.  

The relationship that is always the most interesting to me is that of Shelby and her mother M’Lynn. This comes from the fact that I have Type 1 diabetes, like the character Shelby (*quick disclaimer & spoiler, having a baby if you have diabetes will NOT cause you to die. For more information about diabetes & my life with diabetes, you can check out my other blog, Every Day, Every Hour, Every Minute).

Shelby was played by Lindy Pendzick, while Weslie Webster took on the role of M’Lynn. Shelby and M’Lynn have a tumultuous relationship. It’s obvious they love each other, but they seem to disagree on almost everything. Much like most mother’s M’Lynn wants what’s best for her child. Shelby just wants to live her life to the fullest possible extent, in spite of her health issues.


Webster’s M’Lynn was tortured in so many ways. You could see her desire to protect and yet let go of her daughter conflicting on her face in nearly every scene. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for a mother to let their child go when for so many years she was the person keeping her child alive by being the caregiver for Shelby’s diabetes. Shelby is in an impossible situation. She wants children. She wants a life. She wants her mother’s support. Her health has always been in the way of these things and she wants them anyway. Shelby goes after the things she wants even though she’s been advised not to.

Lindy Pendzick gives Shelby a playful lilt. She takes Shelby and makes her somewhat silly. I like this part of the character. It was a strange thing for me though, because I can’t help but wonder how tortured Shelby would have been about her decisions as well. Sometimes I felt like Pendzick’s Shelby didn’t take things as seriously as her mother. Perhaps it’s my own overthinking, being a person with diabetes myself.

Like, I said, I liked Lindy Pendzick’s take on Shelby. I just wonder if that’s how I would have reacted in Shelby’s place. One of things that Lindy always does well is the silly little comedic one liners and the facial expressions that go with them. She’s a hoot.

I’ve seen Steel Magnolias on stage several times (including Broadway), and I’ve seen both versions of the movie. This production at CCP is worth going to see. If you have a heart at all, you might even shed a few tears. It would be great for a “girls only” fun day. You could try to drag your significant other to it, but if it’s a guy… well, he might not be as impressed as I was. ;)

 

Steel Magnolias runs at Cumberland County Playhouse thru March 29th. You can purchase tickets online by clicking HERE, or by calling 931-484-5000. And if you Tweet, check out CCP’s account @CCPlayhouse.

CCP Winter Cabaret 2012

On the very night the world was supposed to end (12/22/12, for those of you living under a rock), I attended my first cabaret at Cumberland County Playhouse. From what I’ve gathered, CCP has started doing a late night cabaret a couple of times a year. I’ve managed to miss every one so far.

This winter I was determined to make it, and make it I did. After the Friday evening showing of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (which I also attended), the Winter Cabaret took place in the lobby of Cumberland County Playhouse. With desserts available and cabaret style seating, it was cozy and candle lit.

Emcee Weslie Webster started off the night doing a duet with Lauren Marshall of the SNL parody “Santa’s My Boyfriend,” setting the mood and bringing smiles to every face. Performance after performance, CCP actors came out and delivered their best. Every single performance was outstanding.

Carly Hueston Amburn and Anna Baker did a lovely version of “Winter Song” by Sara Bareilles, while Leila Nelson tackled “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables with wonderful results. Anna Baker added a dash of jazz with a fabulous version of “When Sunny Gets Blue” and the trio of Austin Price, John Dobbratz & Douglas Waterbury-Tieman threw in some country with a version of the Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried.”

Music Direction Ron Murphy played a festive panio solo called “Skating.” This was one of my personal favorites of the night. It made me feel like I needed to be bundled up outside in the snow (though Tennessee is noticeably absent of snow most Decembers).

There were three other performances that really stood out in my mind as being highlights. First was an appropriately picked version of R.E.M.’s “End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” that went straight into a rousing cover of FUN’s “Some Nights” that was performed by the Golden Smoke Boys, made of up of Austin Price, Daniel Black, Douglas Waterbury-Tieman, Colin Cahill and John Dobbratz. This definitely got the most audience participation. At least out of the group of people that I was sitting with. We couldn’t help but sing along.

Perhaps the most clever and funny performance of the night was from Chris Rayis and Douglas Waterbury-Tieman. Both extremely talented musicians, they took comedy and a love of theatre to a whole new level of geek-dom. And it was fabulous. They performed a selection of Christmas tunes to different musical theatre themes. Honestly, I hope someone got it on film and plans on posting it to youtube. It was quite the performance.

“O Holy Night” set to the tune of “Oklahoma” with a little South Pacific thrown in. “Deck the Halls” set to some Jerry Herman selections (I believe I heard some Hello, Dolly! and perhaps some La Cage Aux Folles and maybe some Mame, but don’t quote me on that). “Up On the Rooftop” was done with a Fiddler On the Roof twist while Frosty the Snowman was crafted around some Sweeny Todd. “We Three Kings” and “Star of Wonder” were give some Andrew Loyd Webber love by crafting around some songs from Phantom of the Opera. “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” was most cleverly set to “Defying Gravity” from the ever popular Wicked.  “You’d Better Watch Out” was infused with Jason Robert Brown, starting with The Last Five Years and I picked up some 13 at the end. The last song of their creative endeavor was the classic Christmas tear-jerker “The Christmas Shoes” only it was the tune and the story was all Les Misérables, giving it a hilarious turn that had everyone laughing. 

I will be honest, my absolute favorite of the entire night was the finale. “O Holy Night” was performed by Michael Ruff with the rest of the CCP company helping him out. It was beautiful. I may be slightly partial, as “O Holy Night” is my favorite Christmas song ever, but I think they did a truly beautiful job. It was a perfect close to the evening.

I can’t help but hope that Cumberland County Playhouse continues to have these cabaret performances. It was a change for me. A little musical theatre, a little Christmas music, a little popular music, yet it blended well, it moved along seamlessly, and was one of the most fun times I’ve had at CCP in a long time. You can bet I’ll do everything in my power to get to the next CCP cabaret. There’s nowhere I’d have rather spent the evening of the end of the world.

Cabaret



Last night I got to go see a production of the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret at the Backdoor Playhouse at Tennessee TechnologicalUniversity. This production was directed by student Adam Combs, and was their student directed production for the season. Mendy Richards was music director and choreography was done by Jennifer Dotson-Creter. This was the second night of their run, and I was lucky enough to get to see the show on the house, as my friend was the stage manager of the production.

 

As a pretty well-known movie, starring Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli, most people are familiar with the title song “Cabaret” and other songs like “The Money Song” and “Willkommen.” Cabaret is certainly not your average, feel good, feel good musical. Taking place in 1930 Germany as the Nazi party began its rise to power, there is a nearly constant feeling of darkness hanging over the show.

At the beginning of the show, the rousing opening number “Willkommen” from the Emcee, played by Anthony Herd, sets the mood for the entire show. Herd attacks the role of Emcee with hilarity, giving Emcee a sort of cartoonish and dream-like feeling. This gives the audience a false sense of what this show is actually going to be, but it works well when the show takes a shocking and serious turn later.

We then see starving American author Cliff Bradshaw, played by Joshua Spivey, making his way to Germany looking for inspiration for his book. He’s already been to several other European countries and is on the move again. In Berlin, Cliff thinks he’s found what he needs. Fun, friends, and the Kit Kat Club.

Cliff takes up residence in the boarding house of Fraulein Schneider, played by Mary Pashley. We’re introduced to Sally Bowles with her Kit Kat Club number, “Don’t Tell Mamma”, which perfectly tells the story of Sally’s carefree and flighty take on life very much reflects the feeling of the Kit Kat Club. She has friends of all kinds and seems to know everyone and very quickly worms her way into Cliff’s graces and his room.

While giving English lessons to supplement his income, Cliff becomes friends with Ernst Ludwig, played by Brent Fleshman. Fleshman’s Ernst is suave and smooth. He’s friends with nearly everyone, including Sally. But even from the beginning, you can tell there’s something more underneath. It’s obvious that he’s dealing in some less than legal projects, and we don’t find out until later in the show just what those dealings are.

 

We also meet an amazing ensemble of characters at the boarding house, including Fraulein Schneider’s beau, fruit market owner Herr Schultz, played by Lynn England. England and Pashley give an interesting touch to the roles of Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz. They play and adorable couple, with Herr Schultz ready to go all into a relationship, and longtime bachelorette Fraulein Schneider with some reservations. Their duet “Married” is both funny and sweetly adorable.

When the show takes a serious turn, tackling the ideals of the Nazi party, Emcee gives a creepy rendition of “Tomorrow Belongs To Me.” After that number, the mood of the show goes from flighty and dream-like, to depressing and serious. We being to see the relationship between Sally and Cliff disintegrate. Sally reveals she is pregnant and is looking for a way out of the pregnancy and the relationship. Cliff sees the state of Germany changing and wants to take Sally back to American where they can settle down and start a family.

We also see the relationship between Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz begin changing when it’s revealed that Herr Schultz is a Jew, making both he and Fraulein Schneider targets for the Nazis. Mary Pashley gives a touching performance of “What Would You Do?” when Fraulein Schneider is exploring the possibilities of continuing her relationship with Herr Schultz.

One of the last numbers in the show is “Cabaret.” Sally Bowles has ended her relationship with Cliff and you see both her heartbreak and her inability to change herself and face reality. She instead desperately clings to her flighty personality and outlook on life, in spite of all that’s happening around her and to her. 

One of my favorite lines in the whole show was one of Cliff’s. He’s describing Berlin when he says, “It’s so tacky and terrible & everybody’s having a great time.” I couldn’t help but feel like it’s a great description of the show itself. While it wasn’t terrible at ALL, the show itself is slightly tacky (the book itself), and you can’t help but have a great time while you’re there. The range of emotion in the show is wide, bringing in some depressingly serious topics that transcend the time period itself.

I must say that Cabaret is a HUGE production and the Backdoor Playhouse is not a huge venue. This could have been a complete staging disaster. It could have been, but it wasn’t. There was some very creative set design, including a raised area that was almost at the ceiling that served as Cliff’s room at the boarding house. That being said, there were a lot of scene changes, and because there were so many set pieces to be moved, and so many people to do it, sometimes the scene changes were distracting. Too many people, moving too many things and taking too much time.

Overall, this show is well worth your time and money to see. Ladies, I can even bet you can convince your significant other to go. Just tell him there are a bunch of girls running around on stage in their skivvies. ;) I know the elderly gentleman that sat next to me with his wife enjoyed the show…if his whistling at the girls on stage was any indicator anyway.

Cabaret plays at the Backdoor Playhouse at Tennessee Technological University thru November 17^th. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 senior citizens and $5 for non-Tech students. Tech students get in free with their ID. You can call their box office at (931)372-6595 or visit their website for more information.

 

A Golden Goodbye

Friday was the closing performance of Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge at Cumberland County Playhouse. Hands down, this show has been my favorite production at CCP this season. With only a couple of shows I haven't seen, I'm guessing that it will probably hold out as my most memorable of this year.

I took my mother to see the show for the first time and it was a wonderful chance to spend some time with her.

I also took some sweet treats to the cast & crew. I occasionally get inspired to make cakes or cupcakes themed to a show that I love and this was one of those times. I tried to go with things that reminded me of the show and the set itself.

 

Banjos from the show poster, a mirror that Clayton admires himself in, moonshine jars from JM's still, and the shovel that started it all. Fall leaves inspired by those from the set decorated the rest of the cupcakes. I hope the cast & crew enjoyed them.

Making these has also put me in the mood to make more show themed sweet treats. Would my few readers be interested in seeing some more of my baked goods? All show themed, of course.

Broadway or Bust: Episode Three

 

The third and final episode of Broadway or Bust aired on Sunday night. Unfortunately my cable was out, so I ended up waiting until today when the episode was posted on the PBS website to actually see the show. Being at work all day I managed to miss most of the spoilers, but I did end up finding out one of the winners before I saw the show. Le sigh. The cost of social media.

The show started out the morning of the Jimmy Awards. All of the kids were all being shown around the theatre and ended up on the stage at the Minskoff (where the awards were held). It was pretty amazing to see all of those kids walking onto a Broadway stage for the first time. There were tears. There was a TON of giggling and smiles. Overall, it was pretty awesome to get to see their faces.

On to the quickest tech EVER. With only a few hours, they teched the entire show. I think I might have lost my mind if I were trying to work on that show. There was a funny quote from the stage manager. She said that keeping those kids where they needed to be, and keeping them focused was like “herding squirrels.” I find that hilarious because my best friend, who stage manages shows locally, has often told me that stage managing is really just herding cats. I can’t imagine that herding cats OR squirrels would be easy.

And then it was time for the show. As the curtain came up and those kids started singing their opening number I couldn’t help but tear up a little bit. Just a few lines into the number and you could see some of the kids onstage tearing up as well. At that point, a tear might have escaped my eye. Then they did a camera pan to the audience and there was a woman that I’m thinking was probably a grandparent, who was openly crying. That was it for me. I sobbed.

It’s just so refreshing to see young people loving theatre so much AND getting an amazing chance that not many young people get. For some of them, this is as close as they’ll ever get to Broadway. For whatever reason, they may pursue a different career. Or maybe they’ll try to get to Broadway and won’t make it. Not everyone does. For some of them, this may be the biggest thing they ever do. For others, it may actually be just a stepping stone to greatness.

After their group performances the judges picked their top six; three girls and three guys. There were some great moments shown by many of the kids, and it could have been argued that there should have been some different picks for the top six, but I think overall they did a good job.

In the top were

Eric Durham

Evan Greenberg



Elizabeth Romero

Drew Shafranek

Joshua Grosso

Nicolette Burton
 

There were three of those six that I had thought would probably be in the top. Joshua, Elizabeth and Evan. Joshua and Evan both got quite a bit of screen time in the other episodes, and Elizabeth caught my eye because she looks remarkably like a young Sutton Foster AND is extremely talented.

Each of the top six were asked to perform their solo performances. Honestly, you always remember when Evan performs. He’s just that funny. Joshua sang his song in Italian, so that was totally memorable, and seeing Elizabeth perform her song, Disneyland, was like watching a full production. She’s just that impressive with her acting skills. Nicolette, Erica, and Drew all did great as well, but my favorite three caught my attention for a reason.

When it came down to it, Joshua Grosso was awarded Best Actor and Elizabeth Romero was awarded Best Actress. I find it kind of funny that Joshua came into it as the only runner-up, there fully by default. Honestly, I’d like to have seen who beat him out, because I thought he was fantastic from the start. Both Elizabeth and Joshua were awarded $10,000 to go toward their future schooling, and I can’t help but hope to see them in the future on a Broadway stage, or on tour with a show. It would just seem fitting.

Overall I think this was a great documentary. It was inspiring, fun, happy, and left me feeling like the future of the arts could be in good hands. Some people were calling it reality TV, but I really feel like it was more of a documentary. Reality TV is often negative and so disheartening. This was NOT that. I can’t help but hope that PBS does this again next year.

As a total unrelated side note, there was a scene at the end of the episode showing a cake that was for the cast and that cake was SO AMAZING! I make cakes and cupcakes as a hobby and I love seeing a cake that is well done. I kind of wonder who made it. Any insiders know the answer?

Five Guys Named Moe

Yesterday I headed out to see a couple of shows at Cumberland County Playhouse. I’ve already seen Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge, but it was my first time seeing Five Guys Named Moe. Five Guys Named Moe, a musical based on some of Louis Jordan’s greatest hits, is interesting, to say the least.

Taken from CCP facebook page

Nomax, played by Quinn Carson, starts the show out alone and broke. His girlfriend has left him and he’s basically on a drinking binge. Honestly, I’m not sure he wasn’t drinking absinthe. Cause as Nomax is listening to the radio, the group Five Guys Named Moe come out of the radio and sing to him. Really.

Little Moe, Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, No Moe, and Eat Moe spend the next two hours singing a variety of songs to Nomax. Honestly, I felt like I should have had some absinthe before the show, cause I never really understood what was going on. The book…well, it wasn’t that great. There were a few times in the show when one of the Moes would ask Nomax “Do you understand what we’re saying?” Every single time, all I could think was, “Nope. No clue.”

Taken from CCP facebook page

That aside, the show was FUN. The front row of seats had been sat up in cabaret-style tables. There was plenty of audience involvement, including some people being brought on stage (I won’t ruin the surprise for you) and some singing along with the actors. The show has some amazing talent.

Quinn Carson as Nomax is hilarious. He has to be. He plays a guy who’s so drunk he’s hallucinating! :D But he’s also got that slightly innocent quality that makes you like him and know that he’s trying so hard to fit in with the Moes.

Little Moe was played by Donald Frison. Anytime I see him in a show at CCP, I am blown away by his dancing talent. This show was no different. Michael Ruff’s Eat Moe was perhaps my favorite Moe. Hilarious and always talented, Ruff kept me laughing through most of the show.

Taken from CCP facebook page

No Moe was played by Porter Anderson and Four-Eyed Moe was played by Earley Dean. Both were fantastically talented vocally and in their dancing. Horace Smith played Big Moe. I really loved his portrayal of Big Moe as kind of the father-figure of the group.

The thing about Five Guys Named Moe is that it is filled with a wonderfully talented cast. They sing. They dance. They do them both very, very well. But, if you are expecting a story, skip this show. Go into it expecting a comedy concert of sorts, and don’t try to actually figure out what’s going on. You’ll love it if you do that. And if you like some audience participation.

You can catch Five Guys Named Moe at the Cumberland County Playhouse through October 27th

Les Misérables Preview

I am not typically a movie crier. I just rarely cry when it comes to movies or television. I never have. Even at really sad movies, like The Notebook. Never shed a tear. I'm not heartless, I promise. I feel sad. But there just usually aren't any tears. I do tend to cry at plays, musicals, live performances. Especially musicals. I've always been moved by music and any live performance just enhances so many emotions for me.

 

Today there was an article on BroadwayWorld that shared a youtube video with an extended preview of the new Les Misérables film that opens Christmas Day. I've never seen a staged version of Les Miz, but I have seen the 25th Anniversary Concert. I own it on DVD. And while I was curious about the new movie, I wasn't overly excited.

 

Would I have gone to see the movie? Yes. But after seeing the extended preview, I will more than likely be in the theatre Christmas Day. If not that day, very soon thereafter.



 

 

I was incredibly touched by the fact that the music in the film was recorded live, instead of pre-recorded and dubbed over...and auto-tuned to death, like so many films and television shows are these days. *cough*glee*cough* Truth: I cried while I watched this extended preview. Does that make me a big dork? Probably.



 

I am not sure what the final outcome will be for the movie. It might flop. It might be amazing. The casting might be off. Or maybe not. I'm not even sure if I'll like it. But if the preview and the trailer are any indication, I think I'll be a fan.

Do you have any opinions on this movie? Will you be sitting in a theatre on Christmas Day to watch it as well?