[NEohioPAL]Another Great Review - ARMS AND THE MAN at Actors' Summit

Thu Nov 9 08:26:10 PST 2006

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=20
First-rate cast stars in Actors=E2=80=99  Summit=E2=80=99s =E2=80=98Arms=E2=
=80=99
Shaw=E2=80=99s classic still has much to  offer audience =20
By David Ritchey =20
HUDSON =E2=80=94 George Bernard Shaw  (1856-1950) is easy to dismiss now. =20
Theaters seldom produce his plays,  although versions of =E2=80=9CMy Fair La=
dy=E2=80=9D=20
still play around the country, based on his  =E2=80=9CPygmalion.=E2=80=9D=20
We=E2=80=99re fortunate that Actors=E2=80=99 Summit  Theater in Hudson has m=
ounted a fine=20
production of Shaw=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CArms and the Man.=E2=80=9D  Shaw first=
 produced =E2=80=9CArms and the Man
=E2=80=9D in 1894, and the exquisite language and  the theme of the play sti=
ll=20
resonate with audiences. =20
In 1908, Oscar Straus brought to  the stage =E2=80=9CThe Chocolate Soldier,=
=E2=80=9D an=20
operetta based on =E2=80=9CArms and the Man.=E2=80=9D The  operetta had grea=
t success, and in=20
1940 it was adapted to the screen with Nelson  Eddy and Rise Stevens playing=
 the=20
leads. =20
Set in a small village in Bulgaria  in 1885, =E2=80=9CArms and the Man=E2=
=80=9D deals with=20
the family of Paul Petkoff, a military  officer. This family finds romance a=
nd=20
excitement in war. The men in the family  wear ornate military uniforms and=20
the women exclaim about the battles and the  victories until one would think=
=20
they were watching football on television. =20
Paul=E2=80=99s forces have found victory  and are chasing the Serbian army t=
hrough=20
the village. One Swiss soldier, Captain  Bluntschli (Dana Hart), seeks refug=
e in=20
the bedroom of Raina Petkoff (Alicia  Kahn). Raina is intrigued with this=20
handsome soldier, who tells of a cavalry  charge led by Raina=E2=80=99s fian=
c=C3=A9, Major=20
Sergius Saranoff (Joe Bishara). Bluntschli  doesn=E2=80=99t carry bullets, b=
ut rather=20
chocolate candy. Raina agrees to protect him  until he can escape. With her=20=
mother
=E2=80=99s help, she dresses Bluntschli in Paul=E2=80=99s  coat and sends hi=
m away. =20
In the second and third acts, the  military return home to a hero=E2=80=99s=20=
welcome.=20
Paul (Reuben Silver) is greeted by his  wife, Catherine Petkoff (Dorothy=20
Silver), and daughter. Sergius returns to  posture and pose as a military he=
ro. The=20
plot thickens when Bluntschli arrives  to return the coat he had borrowed. =20
When Bluntschli describes the  horrors of war, Raina and her family begin to=
=20
realize that war, indeed, is hell.  Shaw takes a strong anti-war stand in th=
is=20
play. =20
Raina soon learns what the audience  has known all along. Bluntschli is the=20
better of the two men. She dismisses  Sergius, who finds romance in the arms=
 of=20
Louka (Sally Groth), the maid, who  wants a husband with money and position.=
 =20
Director Neil Thackaberry keeps the  action and the dialogue light and airy.=
=20
This, of course, makes the discussion of  war all the more disquieting. The=20
show is well directed and that, of course,  makes for an interesting product=
ion.=20
=20
In the third act, note the heating  stove in the playing area. In Eastern=20
Europe, these ornate porcelain stoves  provided heat and served as a work of=
 art=20
in the family rooms. =20
MaryJo Alexander (costumes) brought  to the stage gowns for the women and=20
military uniforms for the men that are  accurate to the period depicted in t=
he=20
play. In addition, note the difference in  the costumes for the servants and=
=20
those for the wealthy. =20
Thackaberry has surrounded himself  with a first-rate cast. What a pleasure=20
it is to watch Dorothy and Reuben  Silver. I=E2=80=99ve read many glowing re=
views of=20
their work. Reuben Silver has been a  member of Actors Equity for more than=20=
50=20
years. One can only hope that audiences  will continue to be entertained by=20
this wonderful couple for another 50 years. =20
Kahn makes Raina properly silly and  dumb. But Kahn permits the audience to=20
watch Raina=E2=80=99s growth as a person as she  deals with two men who are=20=
interested=20
in courting her. By the end of the play,  Raina has become a new woman. =20
Hart makes Bluntschli one of the  few real characters on the stage. He admit=
s=20
to liking chocolate better than  battle. He admits to lying, and he admits t=
o=20
being a real human being.  =20
Bishara poses and postures as the  military hero pompous enough to get the=20
laughs. Finally, his Sergius realizes  that he, too, is a fool. =20
Groth plays the servant girl with  ambitions beyond the kitchen. She knows=20
she has few options in life. If she has  to marry a rich fool, that=E2=80=
=99s better=20
than marrying a poor fool. =20
=E2=80=9CArms and the Man=E2=80=9D continues  through Nov. 19. This is a sol=
id production=20
that should not be missed. Also,  don=E2=80=99t leave the theater during int=
ermission.=20
Watching the change in scenery will  give audience members a new appreciatio=
n=20
for power tools. For tickets, call  (330) 342-0800. =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"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">First-rate cast stars in Acto=
rs=E2=80=99=20
Summit=E2=80=99s =E2=80=98Arms=E2=80=99<o:p></o:p></H2>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Shaw=E2=80=99s classic still=20=
has much to=20
offer audience <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">By David Ritchey=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">HUDSON =E2=80=94 George Berna=
rd Shaw=20
(1856-1950) is easy to dismiss now. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Theaters seldom produce his p=
lays,=20
although versions of =E2=80=9CMy Fair Lady=E2=80=9D still play around the co=
untry, based on his=20
=E2=80=9CPygmalion.=E2=80=9D<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">We=E2=80=99re fortunate that=20=
Actors=E2=80=99 Summit=20
Theater in Hudson has mounted a fine production of Shaw=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CA=
rms and the Man.=E2=80=9D=20
Shaw first produced =E2=80=9CArms and the Man=E2=80=9D in 1894, and the exqu=
isite language and=20
the theme of the play still resonate with audiences. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">In 1908, Oscar Straus brought=
 to=20
the stage =E2=80=9CThe Chocolate Soldier,=E2=80=9D an operetta based on =E2=
=80=9CArms and the Man.=E2=80=9D The=20
operetta had great success, and in 1940 it was adapted to the screen with Ne=
lson=20
Eddy and Rise Stevens playing the leads. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Set in a small village in Bul=
garia=20
in 1885, =E2=80=9CArms and the Man=E2=80=9D deals with the family of Paul Pe=
tkoff, a military=20
officer. This family finds romance and excitement in war. The men in the fam=
ily=20
wear ornate military uniforms and the women exclaim about the battles and th=
e=20
victories until one would think they were watching football on television.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Paul=E2=80=99s forces have fo=
und victory=20
and are chasing the Serbian army through the village. One Swiss soldier, Cap=
tain=20
Bluntschli (Dana Hart), seeks refuge in the bedroom of Raina Petkoff (Alicia=
=20
Kahn). Raina is intrigued with this handsome soldier, who tells of a cavalry=
=20
charge led by Raina=E2=80=99s fianc=C3=A9, Major Sergius Saranoff (Joe Bisha=
ra). Bluntschli=20
doesn=E2=80=99t carry bullets, but rather chocolate candy. Raina agrees to p=
rotect him=20
until he can escape. With her mother=E2=80=99s help, she dresses Bluntschli=20=
in Paul=E2=80=99s=20
coat and sends him away. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">In the second and third acts,=
 the=20
military return home to a hero=E2=80=99s welcome. Paul (Reuben Silver) is gr=
eeted by his=20
wife, Catherine Petkoff (Dorothy Silver), and daughter. Sergius returns to=20
posture and pose as a military hero. The plot thickens when Bluntschli arriv=
es=20
to return the coat he had borrowed. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">When Bluntschli describes the=
=20
horrors of war, Raina and her family begin to realize that war, indeed, is h=
ell.=20
Shaw takes a strong anti-war stand in this play. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Raina soon learns what the au=
dience=20
has known all along. Bluntschli is the better of the two men. She dismisses=20
Sergius, who finds romance in the arms of Louka (Sally Groth), the maid, who=
=20
wants a husband with money and position. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Director Neil Thackaberry kee=
ps the=20
action and the dialogue light and airy. This, of course, makes the discussio=
n of=20
war all the more disquieting. The show is well directed and that, of course,=
=20
makes for an interesting production. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">In the third act, note the he=
ating=20
stove in the playing area. In Eastern Europe, these ornate porcelain stoves=20
provided heat and served as a work of art in the family rooms.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">MaryJo Alexander (costumes) b=
rought=20
to the stage gowns for the women and military uniforms for the men that are=20
accurate to the period depicted in the play. In addition, note the differenc=
e in=20
the costumes for the servants and those for the wealthy. <SPAN=
=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Thackaberry has surrounded hi=
mself=20
with a first-rate cast. What a pleasure it is to watch Dorothy and Reuben=20
Silver. I=E2=80=99ve read many glowing reviews of their work. Reuben Silver=20=
has been a=20
member of Actors Equity for more than 50 years. One can only hope that audie=
nces=20
will continue to be entertained by this wonderful couple for another 50 year=
s.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Kahn makes Raina properly sil=
ly and=20
dumb. But Kahn permits the audience to watch Raina=E2=80=99s growth as a per=
son as she=20
deals with two men who are interested in courting her. By the end of the pla=
y,=20
Raina has become a new woman. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Hart makes Bluntschli one of=20=
the=20
few real characters on the stage. He admits to liking chocolate better than=20
battle. He admits to lying, and he admits to being a real human being.=20
 <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Bishara poses and postures as=
 the=20
military hero pompous enough to get the laughs. Finally, his Sergius realize=
s=20
that he, too, is a fool. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Groth plays the servant girl=20=
with=20
ambitions beyond the kitchen. She knows she has few options in life. If she=20=
has=20
to marry a rich fool, that=E2=80=99s better than marrying a poor fool.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=9CArms and the Man=E2=
=80=9D continues=20
through Nov. 19. This is a solid production that should not be missed. Also,=
=20
don=E2=80=99t leave the theater during intermission. Watching the change in=20=
scenery will=20
give audience members a new appreciation for power tools. For tickets, call=20
(330) 342-0800. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<o:p><FONT=20
size=3D3> </o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">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. <S=
PAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
&nbsp=
;=20
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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