[NEohioPAL]Berko review: REFLECTIONS (Peggy Lee Sings Leiber and Stoller) @ Beck Center

Sat Sep 15 08:24:50 PDT 2007

Underwhelming REFLECTIONS at Beck

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

--COOLCLEVELAND.COM--

Frank Sinatra once said of Peggy Lee, who is the
subject of ‘REFLECTIONS (Peggy Sings Leiber and
Stoller)’, now on stage at Beck Center, that "Her
wonderful talent should be studied by all vocalists;
her regal presence is pure elegance and charm."

Norma Deloris Egstrom, better known to the world as
Peggy Lee, was born in 1920.  Her mother died when she
was young.  Her alcoholic father abandoned the family,
leaving the children to be brought up by a verbally
and physically abusive step mother.  Eventually, Norma
Deloris left home to pursue a musical career.  Her
march toward fame took off when she was offered a
singing gig by band leader Benny Goodman.   Lee, who
is often recognized as one of the "classy" vocalists
of the century, alongside Ella Fitzgerald, Billie
Holiday and Sarah Vaughan, was noted for her soft,
sensual and cool singing style.

She was not only a stage and night club singer, song
writer and recording artist, but appeared in numerous
films including ‘PETE KELLY’S BLUES’ for which she was
nominated for an Academy Award.   She contributed to
the score and was heard in the soundtrack of Disney’s
cartoon feature ‘LADY AND THE TRAMP.’

Lee’s life was not a bed of roses.  Besides her
miserable childhood, her marriage to guitarist Dave
Barbour, the one man she really loved, ended in
divorce, as did several other marriages.   In an
attempt to hide from her pent-up emotions she became a
workaholic and in the 1950s the intense work load took
its toll.  She suffered a long period of illnesses. 
In spite of her poor health she continued to perform
into the 1990s, often seated in a wheel chair.  She
died in 2002, at the age of 81, of complications of
diabetes.

‘RELFLECTIONS’ is not the first play that has been
written about her.  In the early 1980’s she appeared
in ‘PEG,’ which was a flop.

Over the years, Lee, noted for her perfectionism,
repeatedly used the same songs over and over.  This
tended to make her shows predictable.  Her laid-back
sexuality and teasing neuroticism eventually became,
in the opinion of one critic, “underwhelming.”

The Beck show is also “underwhelming.”  In spite of a
fine performance by Laura Theodore, who has perfected
Lee’s vocal and oral sounds, there is a flatness to
the evening.  Much of the problem is the script which
glosses over and underplays the trials of Lee’s life. 
Yes, Lee was self-contained, rolled with the punches,
and that doesn’t necessarily make for good theatre.  
So, maybe Lee wasn’t the best choice about whom to
develop a musical drama.  Maybe a musical review
highlighting her many hit songs would have been a
better decision.  As is, there is little in the way of
drama, little to no comedy, and little to any action
in ‘REFLECTIONS.’.  

The exclusive use of Terry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s
music, is also problematic.  Much of the music, at
least in the arrangements used, tends to sound very
much alike.   The orchestrations, even to such songs 
as “I’m a Woman” and “Is That All There Is?” are
understated.

The script, by Tom Fulton and Laura Theodore, is
sometimes confusing and lacks texture and fails to
create the needed emotional levels to engage an
audience.   There is a lack of emotional highs and
lows, a lack of the needed creation of empathy.  Time
jumps back and forth.  Conflicts are glossed over. 
Even death is understated.  

The use of multi-media often distracts the flow of
ideas.  To add to the problems is that the quality of
the videos is sometimes poor.  The sync between the
spoken word and the visual image is occasionally off. 
Our attention is unnecessarily drawn away from the
stage by the inserted audio-visual.

The sound of Larry Goodpaster’s orchestra is
outstanding.  Martin Cespedes’s choreographed segments
provide some of the few exciting segments of the
production.  Bravo to dancers Jose Ayala and Devon
Shriver.

The cast is good.  Given the weakness of the script,
they do extremely well.  Jeff Grover is fine as Dave
Barbour.   Erin Bunting is properly nasty as the
stepmother. Tween-aged Lisandra Stebner makes for a
believable young Peggy.  Don Irven is a pathetic
father. 

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   Beck should be praised for
attempting to mount a world premiere production. 
Unfortunately, the script, or maybe it’s the subject
matter,  just doesn’t allow for the quality production
that we have become used to at Beck.   The experience
isn’t bad, but one must ask, in the words of one of
Ms. Lee’s signature songs, “Is That All There Is?”

‘RELFECTIONS’ runs through October 7 at The Beck
Center for the Arts in Lakewood.  For ticket
information call 216-521-2540.

Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com

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>From Beverly Kristy" <bkristy at mindspring.com  Sat Sep 15 17:25:06 2007
From: Beverly Kristy" <bkristy at mindspring.com (Beverly Kristy)
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:25:06 -0500
Subject: [NEohioPAL]October 13th KMART Promotion, models needed
Message-ID: <006901c7f7b4$fc78fd30$a29a9f04 at BEVERLY>

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STEEL Agency is looking for people/greeters for ANOTHER Greeting Card =
Promo.  If you know of other people interested in working this event, =
please feel free to forward to them as we have lots of locations to =
fill!!!

Job Description: Handing out coupons to customers inside of KMart Stores

Dates/Times available:
October 13th
10am - 4pm

Pay Rate:  $15 per hour

Talent Requirements:
If selected to work, talent will need to make a precall tentatively to =
the store on a given date to make sure the store manager has the =
coupons.=20

Locations and dates of jobs can be found here:  =
http://www.steelagency.com/octoberkmartpromo
=20
If you can't work this job, PLEASE forward this to any family and =
friends in the area that you know that would do a good job!!!

If interested please send the below information to =
submit at steelagency.com=20
****In subject line of email, please put "October 13th KMART Promo"

First and Last Name=20
Address to mail check
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Email=20
Do you have any promotional Modeling experience?=20
Which Location(s) can you work? (Visit here for list of locations =
available:  http://www.steelagency.com/octoberkmartpromo
Again... are you positive that you can commit?

Serious Inquiries Only Clause:
Please note that STEEL Agency is only works with serious, reliable and =
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Please do not submit for this job if you cannot commit or think you may =
need to cancel.  By being professional and reliable, it will increase =
your chances of being booked for other modeling, acting and promotional =
modeling opportunities.

Agency Response:
IF YOU SUBMIT FOR THIS JOB AND DO NOT HEAR BACK FROM US, MORE THAN =
LIKELY THIS MEANS THE JOB HAS BEEN BOOKED.  HOWEVER, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO =
SUBMIT FOR ANY OTHER JOBS WE MAY SEND TO YOU OR POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE =
CASTING CALL PAGE.=20

Promotional Models, Talent and Brand Ambassadors Wanted!!!:
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Register here:  http://www.steelagency.com/promo=20

Thanks,
STEEL Agency
www.steelagency.com
BOOKING MODELS AND TALENT NATIONALLY FOR PRINT, RUNWAY, TV/FILMS AND =
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D593394616-13092007><SPAN =
class=3D500492402-14092007><FONT=20
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class=3D546024516-14092007><STRONG>ANOTHER</STRONG></SPAN> Greeting Card =

Promo.  If you know of other people interested in working this =
event,=20
please feel free to forward to them as we have lots of locations to=20
fill!!!</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D593394616-13092007><FONT =
face=3DArial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D593394616-13092007><SPAN =
class=3D500492402-14092007><FONT=20
face=3DArial><STRONG>Job Description:</STRONG> Handing out coupons<SPAN=20
class=3D609301318-13062007> to customers inside of <SPAN=20
class=3D546024516-14092007>KMart</SPAN> Stores</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><=
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D593394616-13092007><FONT face=3D"Arial =
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class=3D500492402-14092007><SPAN class=3D593394616-13092007><FONT=20
face=3D"Arial Narrow"><SPAN class=3D500492402-14092007>If selected to =
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t</SPAN>alent will need to make a precall tentatively to the store on a =
given=20
date to make sure the store manager<SPAN=20
class=3D500492402-14092007> has the=20
</SPAN>coupons. </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV><SPAN=20
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<DIV><BR><FONT face=3DArial>Locations and dates of jobs can be =
found=20
here:  <SPAN class=3D546024516-14092007><A=20
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steelagency.com/octoberkmartpromo</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black"><SPAN class=3D862513521-07062007><SPAN =

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you can't work=20
this job, PLEASE forward this to any <SPAN =
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and </SPAN>friends in the area that you know that would do a good =
job<SPAN=20
class=3D500492402-14092007>!!!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><=
/SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: black"><SPAN=20
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****In subject line of email, please put =
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Promo"
First and Last Name Address to mail =
check Age=20
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Phone   Email Do you have any promotional =
Modeling=20
experience? Which Location(s) can you work? <SPAN=20
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Clause:</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D312582222-17072007>Please note that STEEL Agency =
is only=20
works with serious, reliable and professional talent.  If you =
apply=20
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class=3D312582222-17072007> <SPAN=20
class=3D312582222-17072007> Please do not submit for this job if you cannot=20
commit or think you =
may need to=20
cancel.  <SPAN=20
class=3D312582222-17072007>By being professional and reliable, it will =
increase=20
your chances of being booked for other modeling, acting and =
promotional=20
modeling=20
opportunities.<=
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