[NEohioPAL]Berko review: 'Five Guys Named Moe'/Beck Center

[Roy Berko]

CESPEDES PULLS OFF ANOTHER COUP WITH ‘FIVE GUYS NAMED
MOE”

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

Musical reviews are hard to make into good theatre. 
They are a bunch of songs usually held together by a
thread of a script.  It takes real creativity to do
something other than have the singers stand around
singing and maybe dancing around a little.   Well,
fortunately for The Beck Center, they have that
creative director/choreographer.  His name is Martin
Cespedes.

Those who saw Beck’s ‘SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ’ which won a
Times Tribute Award last year for both the production
and it’s director/choreographer, know what a wonder
that production was.  Well, Cespedes has done it again
with his production of ‘FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE,”  He lets
out all the stops as he takes on a musical journey
based on the music of Louis Jordan.  He does it so
well that at the curtain call on Sunday afternoon,
which was filled with “mature” citizens, the audience
was on their feet screaming for more.

In the hands of a lesser director/choreographer, cast,
and musical ensemble, this could have been a long and
lethal experience.   The story is trite, some of the
musical sounds repetitive, but it matters little, you
won’t even think about it.

It’s not even worth relating the so-called story. 
It’s more important that you know the show contains
such songs as “Messy Bessy,” “I Know What I’ve Got,”
“Caledonia,” and “Is You Is.” The music covers the
spectrum of sound.  There’s a little jazz, a little
rock, a little Calypso, a ballad or two, and great
harmony songs.  You’ll be delighted by “I Like Them
Fat Like That!” and “Saturday Night Fish Fry.”

The cast is uniformly excellent.  Lester Currie, Devon
Settles, Geoffrey Short, Aric Calhoun and Lawrence
Maurice all have a great time, sing well, and move to
some creative dance steps.  Kyle Primous, as No Max,
the participant supposedly not a member of the Moe
singing quartet, is phenomenal.  He dances, he sings,
he acts, he mimes—all extremely well. 

As an audience member you just won’t sit and watch.   
You may find yourself on stage getting sung to by
members of the cast.  You might “volunteer” to join a
Congo line that snakes through the theatre.  (Okay,
here’s one flaw…that segment was way too long!)

Cespedes ignites the stage with creative and
disciplined choreography.  David Anthony Williams, the
musical director, has these guys wailing.  His
orchestra doesn’t hit a sour note.  Don McBride’s
scenic design, consisting of floating radio dials,
makes a perfect setting for the goings on.  Sharon
Stark’s costumes are a hoot!  Erik Seidel’s lighting
and Casey Jones’ sound design add a strong positive
dimension to the show.

Hurrah Martin!  Hurrah cast!  Hurrah crew!

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   If you miss ‘FIVE GUYS NAMED JOE’
you’ll be very, very sorry as it’s one of this theatre
year’s highlights!

‘FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE” will rock the stage of the Beck
Center through April 10th. For tickets and information
call 216-521-2540 or go online to beckcenter.org.




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