CAROUSEL PERFORMANCE DESERVES ROUND OF APPLAUSE
by Nancy Stetson
January 2002
"Carousel," that classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, is a tragic story about an abusive relationship and the things people suffer in the name of love.
Reportedly Richard Rodgers' favorite musical, "Carousel" opened at the Naples Dinner Theatre Thursday and runs through March 17.
It's an extremely challenging show for any troupe to put on, for a number of reasons. It's a period piece, set in Maine at the beginning of 1900; many modern performers lack the acting skills and depth to embody the characters or put across the dialogue believably. It's also an emotional roller coaster ride for both audiences and actors, with its dark and difficult subject matter.
But the actors and crew at the Naples Dinner Theatre more than meet the challenge. Director Michael Wainstein does a superlative job in drawing out first-class performances from the actors.
"Carousel" follows the sad story of Julie Jordan (Tracy Ganem), an innocent girl who falls in love with an arrogant, belligerent man, Billy Bigelow (Aaron Lake). Billy is a small man who talks big. He's constantly lashing but at the world and, too proud to take his old job back, winds up living off of Julie and her relatives. He's the classic user. Unable to think past the current moment, his life is a non-stop series of bad choices.
On opening night, the audience was rapt, silent except for the times when they gasped or cried out when the action on-stage shocked or dismayed them. They were so involved with the show that at times they leaned forward, as though they were going to become physically involved in the action.
And the complexity of the storyline and characters stimulated conversation at intermission and after the show. Does Billy redeem himself by the end of the show? What does Julie see in him?
Why does the couple never say "I love you" to each other? What was Oscar Hammerstein n trying to say in this musical? Why are all the male leads so abusive?
In "What's the Use of Wonderin'" Ganem and the girls in the ensemble sing, "A woman in love with any man/is doomed to weep and wail." Was Hammerstein saying that this is the way things are and that women should just put up with it?
It's astounding how skillfully the actors breathe life into their characters. Ganem's character actually seems to age before pur eyes, as she transforms from a carefree, innocent young girl to a worried woman in a troubled relationship. Even in scenes where she has no spoken dialogue, her face speaks volumes, like a silent picture actress. And her singing is as excellent asher acting, with songs such as "If I Loved You," "What's the Use of Wonderin'" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."
Lake, as Billy, steers clear of the pitfalls of the role. He makes Billy three-dimensional, showing an occasional rare glimpse of his character's soft and tender side, especially when he learns he's going to be a father.
The supporting actors are just as strong as the leads.
Valerie Lauser, as Julie's best friend Carrie, looks and acts like your kid sister but sings like a wonian. She also portrays a variety of emotions: girlish glee, naivete, shame, confusion, determination. Charts Fliermans, as Julie's cousin Nettie, doesn't have as much ;; stage time, but is powerful with her rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone." And James Ballard, as a ne'er-do-well friend of Billy, is the perfect evil character you love to hate.
'The ensemble is strong, especially on numbers such as the exuberant "June is Bustin' Out All Over," "A Real Nice Clambake" and "Blow High, Blow Low."
The choreography, by Chrissy Wright, also an ensemble member, is creative, especially the outstanding ballet scene with Kelly Howard and Daniel Johannesson and in the opening number, "The Carousel Waltz." The latter makes creative use of the theater's new turntable, which at one point is transformed into a carousel.
The sets, by Tim Baumgartner, are minimal but highly innovative: a carousel without horses, a white picket fence to represent a hill, a fence and dried grass to represent an island along with some boats with wonderful curves to them. It is amazing he's done so much with so little. His backdrop of a shipping dock on a foggy night is exceptional. All the sets are so well done that unfortunately his backdrop of the planet Earth looks cheap and amateurish in comparison.
"Carousel" has some laughs, but don't expect an evening of light, frothy theater. This is a show to sink your teeth into, with characters to care about.
"Carousel" is a musical that's as deep as real life and as complex as any relationship.
CAROUSEL PRODUCTION AN EMOTIONALLY EXCITING RIDE
By Drew Sterwald
Ft.Myers News Press
In Rodgers . and Haoimerstein's "Carousel," a carnival ride makes an apt metaphor for the ups and downs, the rush of ecstasy and fear, that accompany the onset of love and sex
"If I Loved You," the would-be lovers sing, fearful of expressing their true feelings unlil if s too late.
There's nothing tentative about the Naples Dinner Theatre's production of this rather dark musical. (There's1 implied physical abuse and a suicide — tra-la-laO The singing is excellent, the dancing precise, and the romantic leads create exactly the sort of chemistry the show needs. Director Michael Wainstein continues to cast promising talent and extract interesting performances from them.
Aaron Lake, all physical presence and bravado in last summer's "The King and I," again turns on the charisma as Billy Bigelow, the carnival barker who seduces a revolving roster of young women until he meets his match: Julie Jordan, an independent-minded woman who works at a cotton mill in an oceanside Maine town.
The lovers' stars are crossed from the start, and all the clambakes in the world can't reverse their fate.
Although not especially physically imposing — which didn't hurt him in "The King and I' either — Lake projects the bad boy aura that Julie can't seem to resist. His characterization is emotionally complex, though; the scene after he finds out he's going to be a father is both touching and dismaying. (His only unconvincing scene is the waterfront poker game with a con man, but Hammerstein's book is as much to blame for the ridiculous outcome.)
Lake's singing is a good match for Tracy Ganem, who plays Julie, and shares the memorable duet If I Loved You." Their phrasing and dynamics mirror each other perfectly. Although net character is thrust into dramatic crisis, there's nothing hysterical about the way Ganem portrays her. Julie is a strong woman, and that informs Ganem's choices.
Other standouts in the large cast include Jim Ballard as the evil Jigger, Valerie Lauser and Charis Fliermans, whose singing is strong and supple, and dancers Daniel Johannesson and Kelly Howard, who performed the fantasy ballet sequence.
The 12-member ensemble also deserves a bow for its uniformly good singing and dancing.
by Nancy Stetson
January 2002
"Carousel," that classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, is a tragic story about an abusive relationship and the things people suffer in the name of love.
Reportedly Richard Rodgers' favorite musical, "Carousel" opened at the Naples Dinner Theatre Thursday and runs through March 17.
It's an extremely challenging show for any troupe to put on, for a number of reasons. It's a period piece, set in Maine at the beginning of 1900; many modern performers lack the acting skills and depth to embody the characters or put across the dialogue believably. It's also an emotional roller coaster ride for both audiences and actors, with its dark and difficult subject matter.
But the actors and crew at the Naples Dinner Theatre more than meet the challenge. Director Michael Wainstein does a superlative job in drawing out first-class performances from the actors.
"Carousel" follows the sad story of Julie Jordan (Tracy Ganem), an innocent girl who falls in love with an arrogant, belligerent man, Billy Bigelow (Aaron Lake). Billy is a small man who talks big. He's constantly lashing but at the world and, too proud to take his old job back, winds up living off of Julie and her relatives. He's the classic user. Unable to think past the current moment, his life is a non-stop series of bad choices.
On opening night, the audience was rapt, silent except for the times when they gasped or cried out when the action on-stage shocked or dismayed them. They were so involved with the show that at times they leaned forward, as though they were going to become physically involved in the action.
And the complexity of the storyline and characters stimulated conversation at intermission and after the show. Does Billy redeem himself by the end of the show? What does Julie see in him?
Why does the couple never say "I love you" to each other? What was Oscar Hammerstein n trying to say in this musical? Why are all the male leads so abusive?
In "What's the Use of Wonderin'" Ganem and the girls in the ensemble sing, "A woman in love with any man/is doomed to weep and wail." Was Hammerstein saying that this is the way things are and that women should just put up with it?
It's astounding how skillfully the actors breathe life into their characters. Ganem's character actually seems to age before pur eyes, as she transforms from a carefree, innocent young girl to a worried woman in a troubled relationship. Even in scenes where she has no spoken dialogue, her face speaks volumes, like a silent picture actress. And her singing is as excellent asher acting, with songs such as "If I Loved You," "What's the Use of Wonderin'" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."
Lake, as Billy, steers clear of the pitfalls of the role. He makes Billy three-dimensional, showing an occasional rare glimpse of his character's soft and tender side, especially when he learns he's going to be a father.
The supporting actors are just as strong as the leads.
Valerie Lauser, as Julie's best friend Carrie, looks and acts like your kid sister but sings like a wonian. She also portrays a variety of emotions: girlish glee, naivete, shame, confusion, determination. Charts Fliermans, as Julie's cousin Nettie, doesn't have as much ;; stage time, but is powerful with her rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone." And James Ballard, as a ne'er-do-well friend of Billy, is the perfect evil character you love to hate.
'The ensemble is strong, especially on numbers such as the exuberant "June is Bustin' Out All Over," "A Real Nice Clambake" and "Blow High, Blow Low."
The choreography, by Chrissy Wright, also an ensemble member, is creative, especially the outstanding ballet scene with Kelly Howard and Daniel Johannesson and in the opening number, "The Carousel Waltz." The latter makes creative use of the theater's new turntable, which at one point is transformed into a carousel.
The sets, by Tim Baumgartner, are minimal but highly innovative: a carousel without horses, a white picket fence to represent a hill, a fence and dried grass to represent an island along with some boats with wonderful curves to them. It is amazing he's done so much with so little. His backdrop of a shipping dock on a foggy night is exceptional. All the sets are so well done that unfortunately his backdrop of the planet Earth looks cheap and amateurish in comparison.
"Carousel" has some laughs, but don't expect an evening of light, frothy theater. This is a show to sink your teeth into, with characters to care about.
"Carousel" is a musical that's as deep as real life and as complex as any relationship.
CAROUSEL PRODUCTION AN EMOTIONALLY EXCITING RIDE
By Drew Sterwald
Ft.Myers News Press
In Rodgers . and Haoimerstein's "Carousel," a carnival ride makes an apt metaphor for the ups and downs, the rush of ecstasy and fear, that accompany the onset of love and sex
"If I Loved You," the would-be lovers sing, fearful of expressing their true feelings unlil if s too late.
There's nothing tentative about the Naples Dinner Theatre's production of this rather dark musical. (There's1 implied physical abuse and a suicide — tra-la-laO The singing is excellent, the dancing precise, and the romantic leads create exactly the sort of chemistry the show needs. Director Michael Wainstein continues to cast promising talent and extract interesting performances from them.
Aaron Lake, all physical presence and bravado in last summer's "The King and I," again turns on the charisma as Billy Bigelow, the carnival barker who seduces a revolving roster of young women until he meets his match: Julie Jordan, an independent-minded woman who works at a cotton mill in an oceanside Maine town.
The lovers' stars are crossed from the start, and all the clambakes in the world can't reverse their fate.
Although not especially physically imposing — which didn't hurt him in "The King and I' either — Lake projects the bad boy aura that Julie can't seem to resist. His characterization is emotionally complex, though; the scene after he finds out he's going to be a father is both touching and dismaying. (His only unconvincing scene is the waterfront poker game with a con man, but Hammerstein's book is as much to blame for the ridiculous outcome.)
Lake's singing is a good match for Tracy Ganem, who plays Julie, and shares the memorable duet If I Loved You." Their phrasing and dynamics mirror each other perfectly. Although net character is thrust into dramatic crisis, there's nothing hysterical about the way Ganem portrays her. Julie is a strong woman, and that informs Ganem's choices.
Other standouts in the large cast include Jim Ballard as the evil Jigger, Valerie Lauser and Charis Fliermans, whose singing is strong and supple, and dancers Daniel Johannesson and Kelly Howard, who performed the fantasy ballet sequence.
The 12-member ensemble also deserves a bow for its uniformly good singing and dancing.