[NEohioPAL]CATS, HEPBURN AT CPH, BST FINALE, GABAY BALLET

[Roy Berko]

CATS RETURNS, HEPBURN AT CPH, NOSTALGIA AT BST, GABAY
SHINES AT CAIN PARK

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--Times Newspapers--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times


CATS COMES TO ALLEN THEATRE

It’s midnight. Not a sound from the pavement. Suddenly
an explosion of music and lights reveals a
larger-than-life junkyard. Probing car lights tear
across the darkened landscape of bottles and boxes,
briefly catching the darting image of a running
feline. Tonight is the one special night each year
when the tribe of Jellicle Cats reunites to celebrate
who they are. They emerge singing of their unique
abilities and special traits. 
The cats are at first suspicious and reluctant to
allow the audience into their domain.  But, soon, the
audience and the cats are involved in a musical
encounter sharing such songs as "The Rum Rum Tugger,"
"Old Deuteronomy," "Memory," and "Mr Mistoffelees."

What’s going on?  It’s the musical CATS.  

The original production opened at the New London
Theatre, in London’s West End on May 11, 1981.   On
January 29, 1996 the production became the longest
running musical in the history of West End theatre. 
It has now logged over 9,000 performances.

CATS opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre
on October 7, 1982, and continued to live up to its
motto of playing "Now and Forever" until September 10,
2000. On June 19, 1997 the show became the longest
running musical in Broadway history. 

Since its opening, CATS has been presented in
twenty-six countries and over three hundred cities,
including such diverse destinations as Buenos Aires,
Seoul, Helsinki and Singapore.  The show has been
translated into ten languages: Japanese, German,
Hungarian, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Swedish, French,
Spanish and Italian.

The song "Memory," which many consider to be the
classic from the show, has been recorded by over 150
artists ranging from Barbra Streisand and Johnny
Mathis to Liberace.

It is not surprising then, that CATS will be coming
back to Cleveland.  This time, aimed at not only
people who have seen the show, but a whole new
generation eager to find out what the buzz is all
about.  The show will be on stage at the Allen Theatre
in Playhouse Square from September 10-15.  For
tickets, which are priced from $22.50 to $45.50, call
216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048, stop at the Play House
Square box office, or visit online at
www.playhousesquare.com.

KATE MULGREW PORTRAYS KATHERINE HEPBURN

Kate Mulgrew is noted for two identities: her starring
role on "Star Trek: Voyagers," and being the wife Tim
Hagan, Democratic candidate for Governor of Ohio.  If
things go as planned, she will soon pick up a third
persona.  Mulgrew is staring in TEA AT FIVE, a play
based on the life of the legendary actress Katharine
Hepburn, now in its pre-Broadway run at The Cleveland
Play House.  Even before opening night the show, which
is in a limited 15-performance run, broke all CPH
records for advance sales.  

Cleveland is the second stop in the TEA AT FIVE’s
march toward what is predicted to be a spring opening
in the Big Apple.  Previously seen in Hartford its run
was extended due to box office demand and critical
acclaim.  The present staging is a rewritten version
of the show. 

The show is not without controversy.  Some members of
the Hepburn family have accused the author, Matthew
Lombardo, of sensationalizing Hepburn, who at age 95
lives in her family estate in Connecticut, where the
play is set.  In the first act Mulgrew play Hepburn at
age 31 and a age 76 in Act 2.  
	
Tickets for TEA AT FIVE, which run $42-$49, may be
obtained by calling 216-795-7000.  The show runs
through September 3.

BEREA SUMMER THEATRE ENDS SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE

Berea Summer Theatre’s Executive Director John Nolan
continues to find entertaining ways to enhance the
reborn summer theatre venue.  Besides the usual season
of musicals, comedies and mysteries, Nolan developed
the "A Little Monday Night Music" series, six
one-night cabaret performances.  The last evening in
the series was Nolan’s version of the MGM Mickey
Rooney-Judy Garland movies based on the concept of,
"I’ve got a stage, let’s do a musical." Nolan,
together with the Mel Torme-like velvet smooth singing
of his good friend and theatre-buddy Bruce Hollaway,
the scene stealing dynamo Cathie Brenkus, and brother
Jim, the former stage-shy Baldwin Wallace
administrator turned singer and dancer, thoroughly
entertained a near-full house.  

THE LEADING LADIES OF BEREA SUMMER THEATRE was the
season finale.  It brought together seventeen of the
area’s historical musical theatre divas, to recreate
past performances on the BST stage.  The evening was
filled with many highlights.  It climaxed when
Providence Hollander sang the poignant "Old Folks"
from JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN
PARIS.  The show had its first area staging at BST and
went on to Playhouse Square to become the second
longest running musical in local theatre history.  Not
a dry eye could be found when Hollander finished her
song.

Good job John!  Keep up the good work.

GABAY’S CHOREOGRAPH SHINES AT CAIN PARK

Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez reined for years as
the wunderkindts of Cleveland San Jose Ballet.  When
the company fled the local area in financial shame
Gabay and Rodriguez left physically for California,
but apparently left their hearts in Cleveland.  From
all reports they would very much like to be the
catalyst for a professional ballet company returning
to the area.  

The duo have founded Pointe of Departure, a small
company, which recently danced two different programs
at the Play House Square Center and Cain Park Gabay
has developed into a very proficient choreographer.  
In fact, her own choreography shone at the
well-attended evening at Cain Park, while her attempts
to restage others’ works was not as successful.    

The highlights of the evening were "A Summer Concert"
and "Russian Blue," both original Gabay works.  The
former, a duet performed by Gabay and Rodriguez, with
music by Darius Milhaud, was a cute pastiche dance. 
It fit  perfectly the attitude of the music and
brought prolonged applause.  

"Russian Blue"was a wonderful upbeat piece.  In
contrast to the opening segment, "Excerpts from the
Sleeping Beauty," which resembled a school recital,
the dancers in "Russian Blue" were involved,
enthusiastic and proficient.  Highlights included the
delightful "Sentimental Journey," and "As Time Goes
By."

Violinist Lev Plyakin, pianist Karin Tooley and the
other live musicians added much to the program.

The company has some excellent dancers.  Besides the
always proficient Gabay and Rodriguez, Sayaka Tai,
Mark Tomasic and Christine Schwaner stood out.

Let’s hope that Pointe of Departure continues to
develop in a way that returns professional ballet to
the area.  We need it, we deserve it and with
consummate leadership like Gabay and Rodriguez we
should get it. 

For further information about the company go on line
to www.pointofdeparture.com or contact them at GabRod,
P.O. Box 719, Lakewood, OH 44107, or call
216-0521-9464.


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