[NEohioPAL]New Musical DON'T HUG ME Earns Rave Review at Actors' Summit

Mon Jun 19 15:37:28 PDT 2006

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=20
Don=E2=80=99t hug a tree; hug  a play =E2=80=94 today

=E2=80=98Don=E2=80=99t Hug Me=E2=80=99 deserves  big embrace=20
By David Ritchey =20
HUDSON =E2=80=94 =E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t Hug Me,=E2=80=9D a bit of  cotton fl=
uff on the stage at Actors=E2=80=99=20
Summit Theater, deserves a big hug. =20
Set in the Bunyan, a little bar near  Ely, Minn., =E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t Hug=
 Me=E2=80=9D takes place=20
during the coldest part of the winter. =20
Phil Olson (book and lyrics) and Paul  Olson (music) pepper the script with=20
contemporary references to music icons and  pop psychology. =20
Clara Johnson (MaryJo Alexander) and  Gunner Johnson (Frank Jackman) own the=
=20
Bunyan Bar, an unsuccessful establishment  that has no particular claim to=20
fame or customers. He is desperate to move to  Florida to avoid the Minnesot=
a=20
winters. She thinks of Minnesota as home and has  learned to live with the=20
miserable weather. =20
Bernice Lundstrom  (Tricia Bestic) helps around the bar and is engaged to=20
Kanute Gunderson (Brian  Diehl). =20
Their quiet lives in the frozen north  are wrecked by Aarvid Gisselsen (Coli=
n=20
Cook), a karaoke machine salesman.  Gisselsen is such a new salesman that he=
=20
makes his pitch from note cards. Clara  sees a possibility for the karaoke=20
machine in the bar. Yes, the play is a  musical, and every number is a karao=
ke=20
song. However, both the music and lyrics  are original for this show. The Ol=
son=20
brothers have written each song in a  different style, providing a wonderful=
=20
challenge for the performers and a big  treat for the audience. =20
In a salute to Elvis  Presley, Kanute attempts to renew his love for Bernice=
=20
by singing =E2=80=9CYou=E2=80=99re My  Woman.=E2=80=9D Some of the lyrics ar=
e: =E2=80=9CYou=E2=80=99re my woman,=20
Make some babies, Change the  spark plugs.=E2=80=9D =20
The titles of some of the songs provide  a perfect insight into this bit of=20
silliness. Consider =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m a Walleye Woman in a  Crappie Town,=
=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CUpside Down in=20
My Pickup Truck,=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CI Wanna Go to the Mall of  America=E2=80=
=9D and =E2=80=9CVictim of My Y=20
Chromosome.=E2=80=9D=20
Jackman=E2=80=99s character  introduces many of his sets of speeches with li=
nes like =E2=80=9C
Oh, for spankin=E2=80=99 the  neighbor=E2=80=99s baby.=E2=80=9D At another t=
ime he said, =E2=80=9COh, for=20
sitting on the cat.=E2=80=9D Or,  =E2=80=9COh, for crying in the sink.=E2=
=80=9D =20
Bernice acknowledges Kanute=E2=80=99s slow wit,  saying, =E2=80=9CMaybe he d=
id get off the=20
boat before it reached the  dock.=E2=80=9D=20
The silly lines come at the audience  fast and furiously, and the members of=
=20
the  audience laugh so much they almost stop the show. The cast also is=20
obviously  having a good time. =20
Neil Thackaberry has done a fine job  directing the fast-paced production. N=
o=20
one is given program credit for the  choreography, but the choreography is=20
excellent, too. =20
Aarvid helps Bernice get a job as a  singer. This forces Bernice to change=20
from a mousy barmaid to a sexy,  sophisticated singer who wants to explore h=
er=20
talent before settling down to  marriage. The change in this character is du=
e=20
to some excellent playwriting and  an excellent performance by Bestic. =20
Alexander and  Jackman have appeared in dozens of Actors=E2=80=99 Summit pro=
ductions=20
and once again  form the solid rock of performances against which the work o=
f=20
all other  performers must be measured. =20
Diehl=E2=80=99s turn as an Elvis impersonator  sets free his character=E2=
=80=99s frozen=20
spirit and heats up the production. =20
However, Cook as the befuddled salesman takes the stage from the more =20
experienced performers. As he moves to kiss Bernice, his legs start to twitc=
h  and=20
then his whole body. He sheepishly admits to her, =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s my t=
elephone; I left =20
it on vibrate.=E2=80=9D=20
Cook has grown up in the Akron theaters. He has honed his  considerable=20
talents and has become a skilled performer. =20
You can embrace  =E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t Hug Me=E2=80=9D through July 2. This=
 is light, bright,=20
frothy entertainment.  Don=E2=80=99t look for meaning or a message =E2=80=
=94 just call (330)=20
342-0800 for a  ticket.=20
David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in  communications and is a professor of=20
communications at The University of Akron.  He is a member of the American T=
heatre=20
Critics Association. =20

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<HTML xmlns:o =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD>
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<DIV>
<H2 style=3D"MARGIN: auto 0in"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 22pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Don=E2=80=99t hu=
g a tree; hug=20
a play =E2=80=94 today<o:p></o:p></H2>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">=E2=80=98=
<SPAN=20
class=3Dtext59><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Don=E2=80=99t Hu=
g Me=E2=80=99 deserves=20
big embrace<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPA=
N>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">By David Ritchey <S=
PAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">HUDSON =E2=80=94 =E2=80=9CDon=E2=
=80=99t Hug Me,=E2=80=9D a bit of=20
cotton fluff on the stage at Actors=E2=80=99 Summit Theater, deserves a big=20=
hug.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Set in the Bunyan, a little bar n=
ear=20
Ely, Minn., =E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t Hug Me=E2=80=9D takes place during the co=
ldest part of the winter.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Phil Olson (book and lyrics) and=20=
Paul=20
Olson (music) pepper the script with contemporary references to music icons=20=
and=20
pop psychology. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Clara Johnson (MaryJo Alexander)=20=
and=20
Gunner Johnson (Frank Jackman) own the Bunyan Bar, an unsuccessful establish=
ment=20
that has no particular claim to fame or customers. He is desperate to move t=
o=20
Florida to avoid the Minnesota winters. She thinks of Minnesota as home and=20=
has=20
learned to live with the miserable weather. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
class=3Dtext22>Bernice Lund=
strom=20
(Tricia Bestic) helps around the bar and is engaged to Kanute Gunderson (Bri=
an=20
Diehl). <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Their quiet lives in the frozen n=
orth=20
are wrecked by Aarvid Gisselsen (Colin Cook), a karaoke machine salesman.=20
Gisselsen is such a new salesman that he makes his pitch from note cards. Cl=
ara=20
sees a possibility for the karaoke machine in the bar. Yes, the play is a=20
musical, and every number is a karaoke song. However, both the music and lyr=
ics=20
are original for this show. The Olson brothers have written each song in a=20
different style, providing a wonderful challenge for the performers and a bi=
g=20
treat for the audience. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
class=3Dtext22>In a salute=20=
to Elvis=20
Presley, Kanute attempts to renew his love for Bernice by singing =E2=80=9CY=
ou=E2=80=99re My=20
Woman.=E2=80=9D Some of the lyrics are: =E2=80=9CYou=E2=80=99re my woman, Ma=
ke some babies, Change the=20
spark plugs.=E2=80=9D <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The titles of some of the songs p=
rovide=20
a perfect insight into this bit of silliness. Consider =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m=20=
a Walleye Woman in a=20
Crappie Town,=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CUpside Down in My Pickup Truck,=E2=80=9D=20=
=E2=80=9CI Wanna Go to the Mall of=20
America=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9CVictim of My Y Chromosome.=E2=80=9D</SP=
AN><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
class=3Dtext22>Jackman=E2=
=80=99s character=20
introduces many of his sets of speeches with lines like =E2=80=9COh, for spa=
nkin=E2=80=99 the=20
neighbor=E2=80=99s baby.=E2=80=9D At another time he said, =E2=80=9COh, for=20=
sitting on the cat.=E2=80=9D Or,=20
=E2=80=9COh, for crying in the sink.=E2=80=9D <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Bernice acknowledges Kanute=E2=
=80=99s slow wit,=20
saying, =E2=80=9CMaybe he did get off the boat before it reached the=20
dock.=E2=80=9D<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The silly lines come at the audie=
nce=20
fast and <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">furiously, and the members of the=
=20
audience laugh so much they almost stop the show. The cast also is obviously=
=20
having a good time. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Neil Thackaberry has done a fine=20=
job=20
directing the fast-paced production. No one is given program credit for the=20
choreography, but the choreography is excellent, too. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Aarvid helps Bernice get a job as=
 a=20
singer. This forces Bernice to change from a mousy barmaid to a sexy,=20
sophisticated singer who wants to explore her talent before settling down to=
=20
marriage. The change in this character is due to some excellent playwriting=20=
and=20
an excellent performance by Bestic. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>

<SPAN=20
class=3Dtext24>Alexander an=
d=20
Jackman have appeared in dozens of Actors=E2=80=99 Summit productions and on=
ce again=20
form the solid rock of performances against which the work of all other=20
performers must be measured. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Diehl=E2=80=99s turn as an Elvis=20=
impersonator=20
sets free his character=E2=80=99s frozen spirit and heats up the production.=
=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<FO=
NT=20
size=3D3>However, Cook as the befuddled salesman takes the stage from the mo=
re=20
experienced performers. As he moves to kiss Bernice, his legs start to twitc=
h=20
and then his whole body. He sheepishly admits to her, =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s=20=
my telephone; I left=20
it on vibrate.=E2=80=9D <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <SPAN=20
class=3Dtext24>Cook has grown up in the Akron theaters. He has honed his=20
considerable talents and has become a skilled performer.=20
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
class=3Dtext24>You can embr=
ace=20
=E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t Hug Me=E2=80=9D through July 2. This is light, bright=
, frothy entertainment.=20
Don=E2=80=99t look for meaning or a message =E2=80=94 just call (330) 342-08=
00 for a=20
ticket.<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<o:p><FONT=20
size=3D3> </o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in=20
communications and is a professor of communications at The University of Akr=
on.=20
He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association.<SP=
AN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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