[NEohioPAL]REMARKABLE SMOKEY JOY, PLEASANT I LOVE YOU, REVIEWER IN TONY N' TINA

[Roy Berko]

REMARKABLE  SMOKEY JOE--BECK/PLEASANT I LOVE YOU,
CHANGE--ACTORS’ SUMMIT/YOUR REVIEWER APPEARS IN TONY
N’ TINA

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

REMARKABLE SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE AT BECK CENTER

Start with an outstanding score, add a very talented
cast, sprinkle with functional sets, spice with a
great band, and place the mixture in the hands of a
talented director and choreographer.  The results? 
Beck Center’s remarkable SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE.

SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE is a musical review composed of
songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who
are the soul of the 1950s and 60s Rock and Roll era. 
Their songs were sung by the likes of Elvis Presley
and include such classics as "I’m a Woman," Jailhouse
Rock,""Hound Dog" and "Yakety Yak." There is no plot,
no story line, no attempt to impart a message.  This
is singing, dancing and music.  In lesser hands than
choreographer/director Martin Cespedes and his
marvelous cast it would have been nothing more than a
nice journey back in time.  But, not so with the Beck
production.  This show sizzles with originality and
audience pleasing creativity leaving the audience on
its feet yelling for more.

Music Director David Anthony Williams, who has
conducted over 600 productions of SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE
has honed the singing talents of his cast to
perfection.  His band rocks, yet wisely does not drown
out the performers.

The multiracial cast is talented and finely honed. 
Alltrinna Grayson, who was in the Broadway version of
the show which earned seven Tony award nominations,
wails.  Her version of "Fools Fall in Love" was
poignant and powerful.  She controls the stage
whenever she appears.  Multi-talented Laurel
Held-Posey convulses the audience with her rendition
of "Teach Me How To Shimmy." Lawrence Maurice’s deep
base voice perfectly blends with the quartet
throughout and he endears himself in "Charlie Brown."
Darrel Miller thrilled the audience with his falsetto
version of "Who Have Nothing." Michelle Moye, does a
fine job with "Neighborhood." M. Duanne Osborne is a
Nat King Cole look and sound-alike.  His "Spanish
Harlem" is exceedingly well danced and sung.  Craig
Recko, a former Times Tribute award winner, had the
audience cheering with his rendition of "Jailhouse
Rock." Beautiful and vocally talented Trinidad Rosado
totally enticed the audience with "You’re the Boss"
and "Don Juan." Devon Settles is a wonderful dancer
and did a fine version of "Love Potion #9."

Beck’s SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE illustrates what local
theatre can be at its very best!  Congrats to Martin
Cespedes, his cast, and production crew.  The show
deserves a sold out run...it’s that good!

I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE PLEASANT AT
ACTORS’ SUMMIT 

Now in its 6th smash year I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT,
NOW CHANGE Is currently Off-Broadway's longest-running
musical revue.  Written by Joe DiPietro and Jimmy
Roberts, the show opened on August 1, 1996.   Since
then productions have been mounted in more than 150
cities worldwide.  Since its opening, I LOVE YOU,
YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE has become the most
proposal-friendly show in history.   On thirteen
reported occasions a young man has taken the stage to
make a surprise proposal to his sweetheart. In all
cases, the brides-to-be accepted as the audience
roared with approval.

The show takes the audience on a musical ride through
the difficulties and joys of connecting with another
person.  It specifically probes dating, dating
rituals, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives,
in-laws, sex, the effect of babies on a marriage, and
late life relationships.  The cast portrays over 50
roles in a collection of scenes and songs.

Actors’ Summit is the first local theatre to present
the review.  Though slowed down by extensive set
changes, most of which could have been eliminated by
allowing the audience to imagine the various settings
, the production is an audience pleaser. 

The young cast is pleasing but uneven in their
performances.  The singing, which is the center of the
production, is generally fine, but sometimes there are
problems in vocal blending.  The musical accompaniment
is generally good, but the violin and piano sound is
shallow and on occasion the performers have precision
difficulties.

Broadway bound Jenn Goodson has both a strong singing
voice and nice comedic timing.  Her version of "Always
a Bridesmaid" was especially endearing.  Kari Kandel
has a pleasant singing voice.  A show highlight was
her rendition of "He Called Me," about the habit of
men forgetting to call after promising to do so. 
Keith Stevens is a delight, especially in "The Baby
Song," portraying the idiocy associated with being a
new father.  Andrew Brelich has some good moments as
in his rendition of "Shouldn’t I Be in Love With You."
 Other show highlights are "A Stud and a Babe" about
nerds finding love and "Not Tonight, I’m Busy, Busy,
Busy" about contemporary speed dating."  

I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE is a delightful
concept and a perfect summertime escapist break from
world and personal problems. 
   
I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE runs through
July 28 at Actors’ Summit at 86 Owen Brown Street in
downtown Hudson.  For tickets call 330-342-0800.

TONY N’ TINA ADD A NEW STAR FOR THE NIGHT

After a lifetime on stage as an actor and director, I
hadn’t appeared on stage in over 15 years.  That
string was broken on July 17 when I had made a cameo
appearance in TONY N’ TINA’S WEDDING, the longest
running play in Cleveland history.  The program
addition read, "At this performance Roy Nunzio will be
played by theater critic Roy Berko."  

Not only did I have a wonderful time, but I was again
impressed with the delight the cast shares with the
audience as they enact a wild Italian wedding complete
with fights, a priest and nun who get drunk, dollar
dances, a gay romance, an Italian feast highlighted by
Orlando’s bread, a bad-joke MC, wedding guests singing
and dancing, and a congo line down 14th Street.

The members of the cast are dedicated to the
production and were wonderful hosts.  Pete Ferry, the
father of the groom, steered me through the evening
with the able assistance of beautiful Erika Nicol
Whites, who portrays his blond bimbo girlfriend. 
Michael Herzog, a charmer who conned my wife into
giving him a backrub, and who portrays Tina’s brother,
was always at hand with a smile to assist when Pete
had to leave me alone.  Tony, James Klein, and Mark
Gates, portraying Father Mark were wonderful in our
interactive scenes.

People in the audience who I knew tried, of course, to
get me to break character.  After a while they just
started to play along.  

My favorite moment?  When a woman asked me to dance
and slipped a dollar bill down my cummerbund!

If you’ve seen it before, come back to see TONY N’
TINA’S WEDDING, it’s even more fun the second time. 
If you haven’t seen it, do so, you’ll have a wonderful
time.  According to Jeon Francis, the show’s public
relations coordinator, the show is scheduled to run
through New Year’s Eve.

By the way, if Jacqui Loewy, the show’s production
stage manager, ever needs a fill-in cast member, I ‘m
willing to appear at a moment’s notice.  
 
For tickets go on line to Tickets.com, call
216-241-6000, or 1-800-766-6048.  Tickets are also
available at the Playhouse Square Box Office.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better
http://health.yahoo.com