Review: Becoming Dr. Ruth, Gallery Players

   Gallery Players opens its 68^th season with “Becoming Dr. Ruth”, by Mark St. Germain, featuring Josie Merkle in the title role.  The single-character play is set in the posh Washington Heights, New York apartment that Dr. Ruth Westheimer shared with her third husband, David. 

    The time is 1997 -- about two months following David’s death.  Dr. Ruth is packing up her possessions and preparing to move.  She looks out, sees the audience, and invites us in.  

    She reminisces about her life and relationships as represented by various photos and nick-knacks that have accumulated in her cluttered apartment. 

     Born Karola Ruth Siegel, the only child of an orthodox Jewish family, at five years old she escapes Nazi-controlled Frankfurt, Germany when her parents send her to Switzerland via the Kinder Transport program. After the war she moved to Palestine, changed her name and joined the Jewish underground, becoming a sniper. She traveled to Europe in 1950 and eventually settled in France, where she attended school and taught psychology at the University of Paris. In 1956 she emigrated to the U.S., lived in New York and spent a decade pursuing graduate degrees in sociology and psychology.  After her third marriage and upon achieving a doctorate, she became Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the famed sex therapist whose radio broadcasts and television appearances won her millions of fans.

      The set design from Nightingale Resources is effective.  Jarod Wilson’s sound and screen projections enhance the story-telling.  

     The script follows the pattern of single-character pieces like “I’ll Eat You Last”, the chat with famed Hollywood Talent Agent Sue Mengers that became a well-known vehicle for Bette Midler. 

    While Dr. Ruth’s story is interesting, Germain’s writing is rambling, ordinary and uninspired.

   What makes this good theater is Merkle’s skill as the story teller.  Her clear, consistent delivery, timing, gestures, levels, pacing, and energy are strong enough to hold the audience’s interest for 90 minutes, making the best of what could easily become boring and tedious in the hands of a lesser actor. 

   Brava to Merkle, for her stamina, commitment and courage. 

Review: "Addams Family Musical" Otterbein

   “The Addams Family Musical with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, opens the Otterbein main stage season.

     The action centers around Gomez Addams (Jack Lebrecque), who adores his wife Morticia (Morgan Wood) and deeply cares for his children Wednesday (Leah Windahl) and Pugsley (Dana Cullinane).  Wednesday has fallen in love with Lucas (Jordan Wood), who is an outsider.  But he shares many Addams family interests and hobbies, thus becoming an attractive suitor. Wednesday invites Lucas and his conservative parents Mal (David Buergler) and Alice (Lottie Prenevost) to dinner and confesses her intention to marry Lucas, forcing Gomez into the precarious position of keeping their secret from Morticia.

     Uncle Fester (Christopher Marth), appoints himself the conductor of all things romantic, and compels the ancestors, who have come out from their graves for annual family revels, to stay and support the prospect of love and marriage. 

  Morgan Wood is stunning as Morticia.  Lebrecque manages to be charming, smooth and pathetic simultaneously in his delightful portrayal of devotion to his wife and children.

   Jacob Sundlie has strong commitment to the eccentric zombiness of Butler Lurch.

   I always enjoy seeing Aubree Tally on stage and appreciate her outpouring of devotion to her potions and her special grandmotherly attention to the care and discipline of the out-of-control Pugsley.

  Fester’s dancing and singing with the moon is one of my favorite moments in the show.

    Often, in a piece of this nature, characters such as the ancestors are little more than set dressing. Under Director Christine Kirk’s deft guidance, everybody finds many opportunities to dance, sing, frolic and have impact without stealing focus from the main theme – thin though it may be.

   Stella Hiatt Kane’s attractive choreography adds interest and activity. 

   Rob Johnson’s scenic design features three distinct locales. The backdrop depicting the front of the Addams’ home is big, bold, attractive and serves to divide the stage so that action can take place at the front of the stage, while the set is shifting behind the drop to reveal the cemetery or the huge, ornate staircase in the center of the living room and dining area.

   Musical accompaniment and underscoring with Musical Director Lori Kay Harvey and a capable 12-person orchestra adds appropriate tones and keeps the action moving.

   Dana White emerges from retirement to help highlight the action with subtle shading, strobe lightening and other effective lighting touches.

   Doc Davis’s sound design provides good balance, though there was some kind of interference in the sound system during Friday’s performance and discussions between operators bled through during the dialog and singing in the second act. It seemed to take several minutes before it was under control.

    Rebecca White’s costumes enhance the character descriptions, especially in the shades of white among the ancestors.

       “Addams Family Musical” is not destined to become an enduring classic.  It won’t make the list of my top 25 musical theater favorites.  Based on the cartoon characters created by Charles Addams, the Broadway production ran for a year and a half.  It’s only major recognition was a Drama Desk award for outstanding set design. The story line is thin, the characters are cartoonish caricatures, the songs are campy. But the creativity, energy and enthusiasm that Otterbein brings to the show makes it a fun-filled romp.

The Otterbein students are obviously having a good time, which translates to a good time for the audience.

  

Review: "Good Night Moon", Columbus Children's Theater

   “Good Night Moon” at Columbus Children’s Theater is a cute kids’ show featuring a clever adaptation of a popular children’s book.  The singing and acting is pretty good for the most part.   

   I especially enjoyed seeing my friend Nancy Skaggs on stage and hearing her sing, as the Old Woman.  Stewart Bender has some cute moments at the tooth fairy.

   Nikki Montana’s choreography hits the appropriate level for the cast and creates some interesting, attractive movement and stage pictures, especially in the musical chairs sequence with the three bears.

  Makeup and hair design is another triumph for Suzanne Camilli, whose artistry has shined in a number of CCT productions.

   Michael Brewer’s set is rather clever, including projection screens and video depicting the moon and stars.  There are some nice lighting effects from Brendan Michna.  Props and costumes from Tonya Marie help create the story nicely. 

   This show succeeds in carrying forth CCT’s mission to make theater accessible and fun for kids on and off the stage.

   Audience behavior is often interesting at children’s shows.  The grandmother who was there with a very bratty three- or four-year old, ended up taking the kid out and leaving before the show started.  Wise choice, Grandma.  Good for you.  Most parents or grandparents would have just sat there and tried to endure as best they could with the little brat, as was the case for the grandmother who let her three charges cavort around the stage playing with the props and the furniture before the show began. 

Review: The Importance Of Being Earnest, Curtain Players

   Neophyte Director Jeb Bigelow has assembled a brilliant and beautiful cast for Curtain Players current production of Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, “The Importance Of Being Earnest”.

    The gender-bending casting of Sue Wismar in the dual roles of the butlers Lane and Merriman, is a stroke of genius.  Wismar has such brilliant comic physicality and line delivery. She is consistently funny.  

   Curtain newcomer Christopher Chene brings a pleasant savoir faire air to the role of Algernon Montcrieff.  Brian Henry is making his third consecutive Curtain Players production appearance in the role of Jack Worthing.  Henry’s steady, confident consistency provides a strong anchor for the show.

   Jill Taylor has such great expression, characterization, enunciation and timing in the role of Lady Bracknell. She delivers some of Wilde’s outrageously comical declarations about status and societal situations with wonderful deadpan sincerity. 

   Young Mackenzie Leland is pretty, energetic and delightful in the role of the day-dreaming, fantasy-filled Cecily Cardew.  Laura Crone has an effective and attractive, aloof air as Gwendolyn.

    Central Ohio Arts Legend Bronwyn Hopton makes her Curtain Players debut as the governess, Miss Prism.  Her expression and attitude enrich the role.  She and Phillip Wells (Rev Chasuable) have a great look and excellent chemistry together. 

     The line delivery and consistency of accent and dialect among the entire cast is especially noteworthy. There are generous amounts of outstanding ensemble work on display here.

    With set designer Joseph Wolfe Jr., Bigelow’s vision fits what is traditionally a large-scale, opulent set with two different locales – a living room and a garden patio-- onto a smallish Curtain Players stage, using bright-colored curtains, sash accents and modest, attractive furnishings. 

    The main curtain is basically a scrim with a clever lighting design from Derryck Menard that accents tableau poses of characters who eavesdrop and provide silent judgmental listening in the background while main conversations take place center stage.

  David Bahgat’s costumes are lavish and period appropriate with great attention to detail in things like gloves, hats and purses.  I am told that some of the costumes were borrowed from Otterbein University Theater department, which did “Earnest” a few years ago.

   This is a very satisfying, funny, thoroughly entertaining production of a wonderful and much-beloved classic as Curtain Players opens its 54^th season at its Harlem Road location.   It is well worth the time and the price of admission to take a road trip to see this wonderful show.

Buckeye Poison

  Wikipedia describes a buckeye as a toxic seed or nut.

   As a resident of Central Ohio, I know that I live in the land of toxic nuts -- also known as Ohio State University sports fans.   

   
    I believe in sports traditions and cheering for favorite athletes and teams.  
     Winning athletes work hard.  Many of them have sacrificed and endured significant hardship.  They struggle to overcome adversity and succeed in lifting themselves up to the best they can be. That deserves honor and respect.  
       Living vicariously through athletic accomplishments of top-notch athletes is a harmless pastime for most of us.  I was never much of an athlete, but I have always enjoyed watching well-executed sports competitions. It’s good entertainment.  
       Unfortunately, many contemporary fans are not respectful, intelligent, mature people who adhere to the kind of values I associate with sportsmanship.
   The extremism that surrounds sports often creates an artificial, toxic environment filled with overly emotional, ranting, drunken, immature sports nuts who disturb the general peace.

       There are too many rude, obnoxious fans who don't understand the rules or appreciate the skill, stamina, or strategies for sincere, honest, intelligent sports competition.   The so-called experts and self-important, over-rated talking heads of the media are among the worst offenders.  

   Sports posts on social media blogs are filled with the kinds of invectives, idiotic opinions and ignorant outpourings that were once considered rude or in bad taste -- if not criminal.  In the current culture, when it comes to being loyal to one's team and denouncing the opposition, all manner of stupidity, hypocrisy, foul language, slander and libel is permitted, endorsed and encouraged.

   Central Ohio traffic on an OSU football Saturday can be worse than weekday rush hours, as the faithful speed to the stadium or their favorite sports bars. 

   When I lived near the OSU campus I often walked, rode my bike or stayed home on Saturdays rather than risk playing dodge-cars with pilgrims making their way to and from the great Horseshoe shrine. 

    That was back in the 1980’s when the stadium only held about 70,000 people.  Its capacity has since grown to 104,000, and I now reside in the suburbs where there is still a noticeable flood of cars headed toward campus when the games are in Columbus. 

      Self-respecting Central Ohio motorists can do themselves great disservice in not being aware of OSU sports traffic.  I once made the mistake of driving near campus on a Saturday following a Buckeye football home loss.  People were weaving in and out of lanes, honking, screaming and giving each other the finger.

   On the rare occasion when the Buckeyes lose a football game, the negativity is palpable. The thud lingers in the air for days and weeks.  

   Behaviors and attitudes that surround winning are often worse.  Drunken mobs of Buckeye fans celebrating major team victories have disrupted traffic, set fires and destroyed property.  Many among the Buckeye faithful seem to think this kind of behavior is as much a part of Buckeye tradition as the “O-H---I-O” cheer and “Hang On Sloopy.”  

    I saw many social media comments opining that law enforcement was over-reacting when police officers donned riot gear and sprayed tear gas to control the crowds that gathered on High Street near campus after OSU won the national college football championship in January 2015. 

   Some of my friends were horrified at my suggestion that members of such mobs be shot.  I believe that if law enforcement made it a regular policy to shoot people who engage in this kind of mass, unruly behavior, we would have fewer riots -- whether the cause is celebrating a sports victory or protesting social and political situations.

   Women’s basketball has always been one of my favorite sports. 

   I attended Buckeye women’s basketball home games and was a season subscriber for several years.

   I was a proud member of their booster group. I went to meetings, helped with fund-raising and enjoyed editing their newsletter. I appreciated opportunities that club membership provided to spend time around players, coaches and staff and to know them as real human beings; not just distant, pedestalled basketball automatons.

   But even with this less popular sport, the intensity of toxic nuttiness seeped in and eroded my enjoyment and enthusiasm.

      I thought boosters were supposed to be exemplars of respect; good will; maturity and upbeat, forward-looking optimism. I felt embarrassed when booster club members blamed bad officiating or opponents’ dirty tricks for Buckeye losses, while our coaches and players extolled the skill and talent of the opposition, acknowledged our team's shortcomings and expressed a renewed commitment for future contests.  

    The guy with the long, walrus-looking handlebar mustache who jumps up and down, screams and derides the officials at every home game should have been ejected years ago and barred from the arena.  

    Ditto for the crude, self-important jerk who sat next to me and shouted random insults at players, coaches and officials. In addition to his loud, foul mouth, he stank from cigarette smoke and stale beer.  Things improved when I moved to another seat, but the general arena noise and fan screaming still bothered me.

   Perhaps it was a quirk of growing older, but women’s basketball games and booster club membership just weren’t fun any more. So I terminated my booster affiliation and stopped going to games.    

   When I unexpectedly encountered a booster acquaintance at a recent concert, she tried to make polite small talk.

    “We miss you at the games,” she told me. 

  I mumbled some unintelligible response and turned away.

   I don't miss going to games.  

   I don’t miss the traffic.

   I don’t miss the crowds, the chaos, the screaming and the overall noise.

    I don't miss watching adults dissolve into bratty, self-centered, poorly behaved children, in the sacred name of supporting “their Buckeyes”. 

   I don't miss the rancor, smack talk and the disrespect toward officials, opposing teams and their fans.  

   I am happy to be away from all of it.

    I live in Central Ohio, which is ground zero for Buckeye sports fanaticism.  I survive by trying to minimize my exposure to toxic nuts.