[NEohioPAL]Rave Review for World Goes 'Round at Actors Summit

Mon Sep 22 10:43:42 PDT 2003

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Broadway duo gets due in new revue
Actors' Summit has fun run through Kander, Ebb
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon Journal staff writer

It's been a good couple of weeks for quality musical revues in the Akron 
area: First the snazzy and sophisticated My Way honoring Frank Sinatra at 
Weathervane, and now And the World Goes 'Round at Actors' Summit, a tribute to 
Broadway legends John Kander and Fred Ebb.
The revue features 30 tunes from the composer and lyricist's collaboration 
for the musical stage, movies, TV and various performing artists. Conceived in 
2001, the show captures nicely the mix of Kander and Ebb's longtime, highly 
successful collaboration, which began in 1963 with their first song, My Coloring 
Book, for Barbra Streisand.
Actors' Summit's And the World Goes 'Round features a nicely balanced cast of 
six actors/singers. Tricia Bestic is the most animated performer with the 
greatest flair. Her highlights include everything from the expressively jazzy 
title song, And the World Goes 'Round, to the ultra-sireny All that Jazz to a 
couple of frumpy-housewife acts in Arthur in the Afternoon and The Grass is 
Always Greener.
Bestic's dancing also stands out as the most energized in this production. 
When she's onstage, she dominates by simply being her enchanting self.
Director Neil Thackaberry and costume designer MaryJo Alexander (who's also a 
cast member) offer several delightful surprises that make this evening of 
entertainment complete. They include the very funny Sara Lee, sung by Thomas 
Cummings with the cast's three ladies prancing around in boxes adorned with pie 
labels and smaller Sara Lee boxes on their heads.
The most hilarious moment in the show occurs during Bestic's Arthur in the 
Afternoon, when the hunky Kent Le Mar pops up from behind some key scenery. 
Credit that to choreographer Sasha Thackaberry, Thackaberry and Alexander's 
daughter. Her other ingenious work shows in the cast's comically awkward roller 
skating in The Rink and the bayonetlike precision with which they use their 
crutches in the song Pain.
Kudos also go to Alexander's costuming in The Rink, including everything from 
her own hot pants to Tiffany Sandels' prettily pillowed backside and Bestic's 
helmet and aerobics outfit. The lighting in this number is perfect, too, 
gradually revealing the male singers on skates.
Even the musical interludes are interesting in this show. If you listen 
carefully, you'll recognize the instrumentals for He Had it Coming from the musical 
Chicago.
Director Thackaberry uses some fun creative license in the duet The Grass is 
Always Greener with Bestic and Sandels, spoofing Sandels' appearance as a 
contestant for Andrew Firestone's hand on The Bachelor. Sandels, a Cuyahoga Falls 
native and recent University of Akron graduate, appeared on the show for one 
episode before she was cut.
The ultrafeminine, very pretty Sandels is more restrained than her five 
cohorts onstage, and I'd like to see her really cut loose. She does offer sad 
expressiveness in the quiet My Coloring Book and cute vampiness in How Lucky Can 
You Get, but she doesn't take great command of the stage.
Turning in solid performances are Cummings with his ear-pleasing tenor, the 
sweet-voiced Le Mar, and Dana Hart in his lonely, sad number Mr. Cellophane 
from Chicago. Alexander's strongest numbers range from the outrageously silly 
Ring The Bells to the yearning Maybe This Time from Cabaret.
You couldn't ask for more variety from a greater musical duo, who continue to 
collaborate to this day.

Theater critic Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at 
kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com. 

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<DIV class=3Dbody-head><SPAN class=3Dheadline>Broadway duo gets due in new r=
evue</SPAN><BR><B><SPAN class=3Ddeck>Actors' Summit has fun run through Kand=
er, Ebb</SPAN></B><BR><B><FONT size=3D-1><SPAN class=3Dbyline>By Kerry Claws=
on</SPAN></FONT></B><BR><B><FONT size=3D-1><SPAN class=3Dcreditline>Beacon J=
ournal staff writer</SPAN></FONT></B><BR></DIV>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D5 cellPadding=3D0 width=3D100 align=3Dright border=3D0>
<TBODY></TBODY></TABLE><SPAN class=3Dbody-content><!-- begin body-content --=
><SPAN class=3Dbody-content>
<P>It's been a good couple of weeks for quality musical revues in the Akron=20=
area: First the snazzy and sophisticated My Way honoring Frank Sinatra at We=
athervane, and now And the World Goes 'Round at Actors' Summit, a tribute to=
 Broadway legends John Kander and Fred Ebb.</P>
<P>The revue features 30 tunes from the composer and lyricist's collaboratio=
n for the musical stage, movies, TV and various performing artists. Conceive=
d in 2001, the show captures nicely the mix of Kander and Ebb's longtime, hi=
ghly successful collaboration, which began in 1963 with their first song, My=
 Coloring Book, for Barbra Streisand.</P>
<P>Actors' Summit's And the World Goes 'Round features a nicely balanced cas=
t of six actors/singers. Tricia Bestic is the most animated performer with t=
he greatest flair. Her highlights include everything from the expressively j=
azzy title song, And the World Goes 'Round, to the ultra-sireny All that Jaz=
z to a couple of frumpy-housewife acts in Arthur in the Afternoon and The Gr=
ass is Always Greener.</P>
<P>Bestic's dancing also stands out as the most energized in this production=
. When she's onstage, she dominates by simply being her enchanting self.</P>
<P>Director Neil Thackaberry and costume designer MaryJo Alexander (who's al=
so a cast member) offer several delightful surprises that make this evening=20=
of entertainment complete. They include the very funny Sara Lee, sung by Tho=
mas Cummings with the cast's three ladies prancing around in boxes adorned w=
ith pie labels and smaller Sara Lee boxes on their heads.</P>
<P>The most hilarious moment in the show occurs during Bestic's Arthur in th=
e Afternoon, when the hunky Kent Le Mar pops up from behind some key scenery=
. Credit that to choreographer Sasha Thackaberry, Thackaberry and Alexander'=
s daughter. Her other ingenious work shows in the cast's comically awkward r=
oller skating in The Rink and the bayonetlike precision with which they use=20=
their crutches in the song Pain.</P>
<P>Kudos also go to Alexander's costuming in The Rink, including everything=20=
from her own hot pants to Tiffany Sandels' prettily pillowed backside and Be=
stic's helmet and aerobics outfit. The lighting in this number is perfect, t=
oo, gradually revealing the male singers on skates.</P>
<P>Even the musical interludes are interesting in this show. If you listen c=
arefully, you'll recognize the instrumentals for He Had it Coming from the m=
usical Chicago.</P>
<P>Director Thackaberry uses some fun creative license in the duet The Grass=
 is Always Greener with Bestic and Sandels, spoofing Sandels' appearance as=20=
a contestant for Andrew Firestone's hand on The Bachelor. Sandels, a Cuyahog=
a Falls native and recent University of Akron graduate, appeared on the show=
 for one episode before she was cut.</P>
<P>The ultrafeminine, very pretty Sandels is more restrained than her five c=
ohorts onstage, and I'd like to see her really cut loose. She does offer sad=
 expressiveness in the quiet My Coloring Book and cute vampiness in How Luck=
y Can You Get, but she doesn't take great command of the stage.</P>
<P>Turning in solid performances are Cummings with his ear-pleasing tenor, t=
he sweet-voiced Le Mar, and Dana Hart in his lonely, sad number Mr. Cellopha=
ne from Chicago. Alexander's strongest numbers range from the outrageously s=
illy Ring The Bells to the yearning Maybe This Time from Cabaret.</P>
<P>You couldn't ask for more variety from a greater musical duo, who continu=
e to collaborate to this day.</P></SPAN><!-- end body-content --><!-- begin=20=
body-end -->
<DIV class=3Dbody-end>
<DIV class=3Dtagline>
<HR class=3Dtagline color=3D#cccccc SIZE=3D1>
<I><SPAN class=3Dtagline>Theater critic Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-=
996-3527 or by e-mail at <A href=3D"mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com">kc=
lawson at thebeaconjournal.com</A>.</SPAN></I> </DIV></DIV><!-- end body-end --=
></SPAN></BODY></HTML>

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