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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">‘High
Heels’ more about the steps than who fills the shoes <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times
Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review appeared in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald
</I></SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
1/14/11<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">With
a title like <I>Backwards in High Heels: The Ginger Musical</I><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">, one would think that </SPAN>this <SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Cleveland Play House production is about the
life and times of dancer Ginger Rogers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><FONT
size=3>OK.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It
is.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">However,
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>anyone expecting something genuinely biographical, such as the
insightful Mae West e<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">xposé </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dirty Blonde</I>, will be sorely
disappointed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even those expecting
something generally biographical, like the delightful rendering of Fanny Brice’s
career in <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Funny Girl</I>, will be
disappointed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>Either
Rogers’ life was terribly bland and shallow or, more likely, this play’s writing
is, for there is little substance in </SPAN><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Backwards
in High Heels</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>to drive a storyline, tap an audience's emotions, or sustain an
evening’s entertainment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Ginger
Rogers is most remembered for being connected at the wrists and ankles to dance
partner Fred Astaire in several RKO films of the 1930s.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Together t</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>hey
revolutionized the Hollywood musical with their unprecedented elegance and the
virtuosity they brought to ballroom dancing, set to music composed by the
greatest songsmiths of the day.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>In fact, the show's title derives from Rogers’ description of her
partnership with Astaire: "I do exactly what he does for half the money, and I
do it backwards and in high heels." <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>In
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Lynnette Barkley and
Christopher McGovern’s <I><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Backwards in
High Heels</SPAN></I>, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>Rogers
is depicted as a talented, ambitious and aggressive young woman pursuing stardom
over the objections of her protective mother.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And that’s about it.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The details and drama of her life,
including her five marriages, are glossed over to the point where this play
could just as easily be about any showgirl or starlet from this
period.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>So
nondescript is Rogers’ life in this musical that </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black">“A tribute to,” “A
celebration of” or “Inspired by” should be added to the title. So hokey and
stilted is the dialogue—an inadequate attempt to capture the flavor of the
period as reflected in its films—that “An apology” should be added as
well.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>Despite all the vagaries in this piece of work, there are
two things that are abundantly clear.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>The first is that <SPAN style="COLOR: #333333">the Ginger
Rogers story is merely a backdrop for what is really a </SPAN>showcase for the
music and lyrics of <SPAN style="COLOR: #333333">Irving Berlin, the Gershwins
and Jerome Kern, and the singing and dancing they
inspired.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>With the music so center-stage, this production’s six-piece band has the
unenviable task of representing the full orchestrations of the original
music.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The band, under the
direction of Tim Robertson, is superb.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Director </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Scott
Schwartz does a fine job as well. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He gives structure to the show’s
nonmusical material, so that it is more than just connective tissue between
songs and dances.<SPAN style="COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><FONT size=3>The second
point of clarity is that the talent in this production far surpasses the quality
of the production itself.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black">The cast consists of
marvelous Broadway musical theater veterans, including Anna Aimee White as
Rogers, Heather Lee as Rogers’ mother Lela, Christianne Tisdale as Ethel Merman,
Matthew LaBanca as Fred Astaire, Benjie Randall as Rogers’ second husband Lew
Ayres, and James Patterson as first husband Jack Culpepper.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All but White play multiple roles to
cover Rogers’ life from</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">
the vaudeville stage through her ascension to the Silver
Screen.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">White
lacks many of the trademark characteristics of Rogers’ on-screen persona—sultry,
for example, is not in her repertoire—but boy can she act, sing and dance. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She does justice to each of the classic
tunes she sings and, although the show is short on ballroom dancing, she has all
the moves.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
ensemble also consists of extremely gifted, well-rounded performers who do the
most they can with the material they’ve been given.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are particularly adept at capturing
the style of speech, repartee and dance of the period, as well as imitating some
of the most well known performers of the era.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Of course, anyone
unfamiliar with the films of the 1930s will have no frame of reference for any
of this.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In this regard, <I><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Backwards in High
Heels</SPAN></I></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">has
much in common with </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">CPH’s 2009 production
of </SPAN><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Mahalia:
A Gospel Musical</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">—another
musical short on story but rich in music. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">M</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">any in attendance at
that production seemed to lack the culture, upbringing or experience
instrumental in having a full and rich appreciation of the inspirational music
being performed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I recommended that
those foreign to gospel music should bring along a
Baptist.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For <I><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Backwards in High
Heels</SPAN></I></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">,</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">
having a </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">septuagenarian in tow
could prove useful.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Backwards
in High Heels: The Ginger Musical</SPAN></I><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">continues
through January 30 in The Cleveland Play House’s Bolton Theatre.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, which range from $45 to
$65, call </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">216-795-7000 or visit
<A href=""><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.clevelandplayhouse.com</FONT></A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>