[NEohioPAL] "City of Angels" Continues Popular Run this Weekend with Great Review

[Gary Maher]

Hudson Players' 'City of Angels' devilishly fun 


by April Helms

Special Products Editor

The touch of Hollywood that pervades in "City of Angels" extended even
before the show April 30 at Hudson Players, where guests at the opening
night were treated to a red carpet ceremony complete with paparazzi,
applauding fans and autograph-seekers.

And why not? What better way to cap the theater's 65th anniversary season?

The theater's cast and crew did a fantastic job pulling off what is a
challenging show musically and technically. "City of Angels," directed by
Allen White, is actually two stories, with one aspect covering novelist
Stine (played by Gary Maher), who is trying his hand at writing a movie
script based on his book. The other part of the story deals with Stine's
character and alter-ego, the private detective Stone (played by Jim Wolf) as
the movie unfolds from Stine's typewriter. As the story progresses, Stine
gets more and more disillusioned as he has to deal with the politics of
Hollywood, especially with trying to put up with the egotistical Buddy
(played by Tim Steiner, who also plays movie producer Irwin S. Irving in the
movie part of the play). Stine's attempt at navigating the waters of the
movie world collide with his strained relationship with his wife Gabby
(played by Theresa Benyo-Marzullo, who also plays Gabby's counterpart,
Stone's first sweetheart Bobbi). By the end of Act I, even Stone has words
for his creator and Stine's tendency to give in too quickly, as illustrated
in what was the best number of the show, the duet "You're Nothing Without
Me."

There are several outstanding numbers in Hudson Players' production,
including "The Buddy System," "The Tennis Song" duet between Stone and
Alaura Kingsley (played by Chanda K. Porter, who also plays Alaura's
counterpart Carla Haywood), and "You Can Always Count on Me," by Oolie/Donna
(played by Marie LePage). The silly "All You Have to Do Is Wait" -- sung by
actors Joey Cayabyab, Mark Moore, Gary Oliver and Kirk Worcester -- was both
hilarious and a sly dig at how ridiculous Buddy's changes to the script were
becoming.

The Angel City Four -- Judith Overcash, Craig Feldman, Jennifer Davies and
Dustin Oliver -- also did a commendable job with their jazzy quartet
numbers.

The seven-member orchestra rounded out the music and maintained a nice
balance, never drowning out the singers.

Ticket and show information

Performances of "City of Angels" are through May 22. Tickets are $12 and are
available online at www.HudsonPlayers.com or by calling 330-655-8522.
Curtain time is 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on May 16. Group and senior
discounts are available.

The Players and Hudson's Restaurant on the Green also will continue to offer
their dinner and show package featuring dinner at Hudson's and the show for
two for $59. Details are available at the Hudson Players box office.

Next season

Hudson Players also announced its lineup for its 66th season. The theater
will open with Ken Ludwig's "Moon Over Buffalo," which will run Nov. 5
through 20. The theater will bring back for a limited run "It's a Wonderful
Life: A Live Radio Play," based on the Frank Capra film, Dec. 17 through 19.

The season will continue in 2011 with the musical "Have a Nice Day," which
runs from Feb. 4 through 26. Hudson Players will wrap up with the musical
"The Drowsy Chaperone," which won five Tony Awards in 2006, including for
best book, and was nominated for best musical that year.




 

  
  
				
		


 

  
	
	


 

  

 

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