[NEohioPAL]Great Plain Dealer Review of MUSICAL OF MUSICALS - THE MUSICAL

Wed May 30 11:43:37 PDT 2007

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THEATER  
Holiday offerings:  Carefree or serious openings 
Monday, May 28, 2007  
Memorial Day weekend, huh? Bah,  humbug.  
So say two small professional  theaters in the Cleveland area, both of which 
chose to open shows over the  weekend, national holiday or no.  
One, Actors' Summit in Hudson,  went with the carefree vacation angle, 
staging what appears to be the Ohio  premiere of a goofy little Broadway parody- 
cabaret cleverly called "The Musical  of Musicals: The Musical!"  
Kudos first to Actors' Summit  co-artistic directors Neil Thackaberry and 
MaryJo Alexander (hubby and wife,  off-stage) for latching onto this pleasant 
little spoof by Eric Rockwell and  Joanne Bogart.  
Rockwell and Bogart work in the  dual traditions of "Forbidden 
Broadway"-style parodies and of musical theater in  general being obsessed with itself (see: 
"Urinetown," "Spamalot" and "The Drowsy  Chaperone").  
But they add a twist: They use  the same storyline (damsel in distress, 
lascivious landlord, older and wiser  diva, likeably bumbling hero) to present five 
minimusicals, in the styles of  Rodgers & Hammerstein, Ste- phen Sondheim, 
Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber  and Kander & Ebb.  
All in 90 minutes.   
Each takes on the form of one  particular musical ("Corn" follows the 
template of "Oklahoma!") but also adds  elements from other musicals by the same 
composers ("Delicious Clam Dip"  satirizes "Carousel").  
This opener and the following  musical-ettes ("The Woods," Sondheim; "Dear 
Abby," Herman; "Aspects of Juanita,"  Lloyd Webber; and "Speakeasy," Kander & 
Ebb) each has its charms but each  also runs on just a tad longer than 
necessary.  
The flattest turns out to be  the "Juanita." Which is hardly surprising. 
Lloyd Webber has already become a  self-contained parody of himself.  
The best turns out to be  "Speakeasy," in large part because the choreography 
by Sasha Thackaberry  (daughter of the artistic directors) so aptly mimics 
that of Bob Fosse, whose  greatest successes came in the Dixieland-jazzy, Kurt 
Weill-es que musicals of  Kander & Ebb.  
Daddy-director Neil T. and the  cast (which includes Ma Alexander and 
son-in-law Keith Stevens) keep things  moving smartly on a simple stage. Marcia 
Snavely, on the ivories, keeps them  tinkling along.  

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<SPAN=
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style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">THEATER <SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p>
<H1 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #d20000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Holiday offeri=
ngs:=20
Carefree or serious openings <o:p></o:p></H1>
<st1:date=20
Year=3D"2007" Day=3D"28" Month=3D"5">Mond=
ay,=20
<st1:date Year=3D"2007" Day=3D"28" Month=3D"5" ls=3D"trans"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">May 28, 2007</st1:date></st1:date><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p>
Memorial Day weekend, h=
uh? Bah,=20
humbug. <o:p></o:p>
So say two small profes=
sional=20
theaters in the Cleveland area, both of which chose to open shows over the=20
weekend, national holiday or no. <o:p></o:p>
One, Actors' Summit in=20=
Hudson,=20
went with the carefree vacation angle, staging what appears to be the Ohio=20
premiere of a goofy little Broadway parody- cabaret cleverly called "The Mus=
ical=20
of Musicals: The Musical!" <o:p></o:p>
Kudos first to Actors'=20=
Summit=20
co-artistic directors Neil Thackaberry and MaryJo Alexander (hubby and wife,=
=20
off-stage) for latching onto this pleasant little spoof by Eric Rockwell and=
=20
Joanne Bogart. <o:p></o:p>
Rockwell and Bogart wor=
k in the=20
dual traditions of "Forbidden Broadway"-style parodies and of musical theate=
r in=20
general being obsessed with itself (see: "Urinetown," "Spamalot" and "The Dr=
owsy=20
Chaperone"). <o:p></o:p>
But they add a twist: T=
hey use=20
the same storyline (damsel in distress, lascivious landlord, older and wiser=
=20
diva, likeably bumbling hero) to present five minimusicals, in the styles of=
=20
Rodgers & Hammerstein, Ste- phen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd We=
bber=20
and Kander & Ebb. <o:p></o:p>
All in 90 minutes.=20
<o:p></o:p>
Each takes on the form=20=
of one=20
particular musical ("Corn" follows the template of "Oklahoma!") but also add=
s=20
elements from other musicals by the same composers ("Delicious Clam Dip"=20
satirizes "Carousel"). <o:p></o:p>
This opener and the fol=
lowing=20
musical-ettes ("The Woods," Sondheim; "Dear Abby," Herman; "Aspects of Juani=
ta,"=20
Lloyd Webber; and "Speakeasy," Kander & Ebb) each has its charms but eac=
h=20
also runs on just a tad longer than necessary. <o:p></o:p>
The flattest turns out=20=
to be=20
the "Juanita." Which is hardly surprising. Lloyd Webber has already become a=
=20
self-contained parody of himself. <o:p></o:p>
The best turns out to b=
e=20
"Speakeasy," in large part because the choreography by Sasha Thackaberry=20
(daughter of the artistic directors) so aptly mimics that of Bob Fosse, whos=
e=20
greatest successes came in the Dixieland-jazzy, Kurt Weill-es que musicals o=
f=20
Kander & Ebb. <o:p></o:p>
Daddy-director Neil T.=20=
and the=20
cast (which includes Ma Alexander and son-in-law Keith Stevens) keep things=20
moving smartly on a simple stage. Marcia Snavely, on the ivories, keeps them=
=20
tinkling along. <o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></DIV> <DIV><HR style=3D"MARGIN-T=
OP: 10px">See what's free at <A title=3D"http://www.aol.com?ncid=3DAOLAOF000=
20000000503" href=3D"http://www.aol.com?ncid=3DAOLAOF00020000000503" target=
=3D"_blank">AOL.com</A>. </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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