[NEohioPAL] Rave Review for Guys On Ice

[MaryJo Alexander via NEohioPAL]

*Goofy* *'Guys on Ice'* *has moments of disarming emotion*



                                           By Kerry Clawson
 Beacon Journal arts writer                      December 2, 2015 - 05:56 PM



It seems I’ve mellowed out over the last six years, considering I found the
goofy little musical *Guys on Ice* more entertaining this time around than
I did holiday season, has a barely-there story and mostly schlocky tunes
that attempt to hold the lightweight 90-minute show together. But this show
knows how to laugh at its own lame hinterland humor in a story about
friendship between ice fisherman in a shanty on Sturgeon Bay in Wisconsin.



Director *MaryJo Alexander* made a preshow disclaimer about the “groaner”
jokes that would be coming and even offered a choice few herself as she led
the audience in practicing their groans.



The show stars the *ever-funny Frank Jackman**,* who, even when his
character Lloyd is over-emoting as he bursts into song, has a bright spirit
that shines through. He created an authentically disarming moment with the
emotional ballad *Everything is New**,* a tune about the beauty of ice
fishing early in the morning when the rest of world is asleep.



*Bob Keefe also is fully invested* in his simpleton character Marvin, whose
main goal in life is to win the heart of a cashier at the Pick ‘N’ Save.
The two share some inspired moves via synchronized Velcro and zipper sound
effects as they perform *Ode to a Snowmobile Suit**.*



Most of the ditties are rudimentary fare with vamping chords, with one of
the funnier ones from Ernie the Moocher (Shawn Galligan) being *Leine’s Is
the Best Beer*, an ode to Leinenkugel’s.



*Shawn Galligan is cute* as Ernie the Moocher, working the audience over
nicely with a “halftime” audience-interaction game show of Wisconsin
trivia. Prizes range from a “one-pack” of Leinenkugel’s to a pickle. He’s
such a cheerful mooch and is so ridiculous on the ukulele, we like him even
though Lloyd and Marvin don’t.



*Guys on Ice* premiered in 1998 at American Folklore Theatre in northern
Wisconsin’s Door County, written by the late Fred Alley with music by James
Kaplan. Besides its reprise at *Actors’ Summit*, it is also playing at the
*Milwaukee** Re*p for the holidays. In Akron, theatergoers seeking a
seriously silly holiday production just may find this show their cup of tea.


Tickets for Guys On Ice is are available online at www.actorssummit. org.
Or call 330-374-7568. *The show runs thru Dec. 20th, 2015. *
-- 
*MaryJo Alexander*
*Artistic Director*
*Actors' Summit Theater*
*Greystone Hall---6th floor*
*103 S. High St*
*Akron Oh 44308 *
*330-374-7568*
*www.actorssummit.org <http://www.actorssummit.org/>*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.neohiopal.org/pipermail/neohiopal-neohiopal.org/attachments/20151210/d7a22e83/attachment-0002.htm>