[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE ASSASSINS @ Lakeland Civic Theatre

[Roy Berko]

Lakeland does a very credible job with Sondheim's ASSASSINS

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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

--coolcleveland.com-

What do Samuel Byck, Guiseppe Zangara,  John Wilkes Booth, Charles Guiteau, Sara 
Jane Moore, Lynnette Fromme, John Hinkley, Leon Czolgosz, and Lee Harvey Oswald 
all have in common?  They are the main characters in Stephen Sondheim's 
ASSASSINS, a musical being performed by the Lakeland Civic Theatre.   Why are 
they the subject of a musical drama?  These are men and women who have attempted 
(successfully and not) to assassinate presidents of the United States.

The musical, which opens with the lyrics, "Everybody's got a right/To their 
dream” in this case, the dream of killing an American president, is not the 
stuff that musicals are usually made of.  But this is not a traditional 
musical.  First, it is a serious topic.  There are laughs, many of them 
reactions of embarrassment, or outrage, of hearing ideas that to normal people 
make no sense.  Secondly, as is true of Sondheim's works, very little of the 
music is memorable.  In fact, though the show won numerous theatre awards, few 
of the songs are even recognizable to most people.  When was the last time you 
hummed, Gun Song, How I Saved Roosevelt or The Ballad of Czolgosz?  How about 
Unworthy of Your Love?

Sondheim conceived the musical while reading a play by Charles Gilbert who had 
submitted a script about a fictional presidential assassin.  Sondheim found the 
play itself problematic, but was fascinated by the material Gilbert had compiled 
of letters and anecdotes from actual people who plotted to kill US presidents.  
Those sources became the bones of ASSASSINS.

The musical opened Off-Broadway in 1990.  In 2004 a Broadway production , which 
featured Neil Patrick Harris as The Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald, won five 
Tony Awards.   Because of both  its serious theme and lack of audience 
recognition, the musical is seldom staged.

The play reflects Sondheim's picture of “the decay and sickness lurking at the 
core of our society which causes fragile people to do desperate things.” For 
lost souls, Sondheim composes "Another National Anthem," which reveals the 
nightmarish underside of the American dream.

The tale is extremely relevant in today's world.  It concerns guns, broken 
promises, assumptions about entitlement, and the rethinking and restructuring of 
our values and behaviors, This is highlighted in the last scene when the 
assassins restate their motto ,"Everybody's Got the Right," and fire their guns 
at the audience.

As written, the opening scene takes place at a carnival shooting gallery where 
figures move by on a conveyer belt.  One by one, a collection of misfits enter 
the stage, where the Proprietor of the game entices them to play, promising that 
their problems will be solved by taking shots at a President. 

Director Martin Friedman, a Sondheim admirer, moves the setting onto a series of 
steps, looking much like the stairs in front of the Capitol Building, and uses 
the levels to create a series of tableaus that remind us of the paintings in the 
rotunda of that building.  It works well.  

With Friedman's clear direction, appropriate pacing, and some excellent voices 
and acting, attention does not wander.

The cast, which does not contain an equity member, is quite good.  The acting 
develops some clear characterizations.  Especially strong are Scott Esposito 
(John Wilkes Booth) and Brint Learned (Samuel Byck).  Highlight scenes include 
Learned's soliloquy, as he stands dressed in a Santa Clause suit ranting about 
getting a plane to crash into the White House and kill Richard Nixon; the 
conversation between the eccentric Sara Jane Moore (portrayed well by Amiee 
Collier ) and the Charles Manson inspired Lynette Squeaky Fromme (a nice 
performance by Neely Gevaart), who both made bumbling attempts to kill Gerald 
Ford; and the convincing of Lee Harvey Oswald (a believable Curt Arnold) to 
murder John F. Kennedy.

The vocal work, with the exception of Aaron Elersich (the Balladeer) was quite 
good.  
Unless you are a history buff, get to the theatre early and read the excellent 
program notes concerning each of the assassins.
John Krols' musical direction, his excellent orchestra, and Trad Burns lighting 
all enhance the show.

Capsule judgement:  Overall, Lakeland's ASSASSINS is a very good production, 
well worth seeing.

For tickets to the theatre which is on the campus of Lakeland Community College, 
call 440-525-7526.  The show runs through February 20.
 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 
2011, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at 
http://royberko.info.  His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com 
and www.NeOHIOpal