<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">One correction: Desiree's song (and arguably Sondheim's most popular composition) is called "Send in the Clowns."<BR><BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px">
<DIV id=yiv1215475253>
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top><BR>--- On <B>Sun, 10/30/11, Roy Berko <I><royberko@gmail.com></I></B> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: Roy Berko <royberko@gmail.com><BR>Subject: [NEohioPAL] Berko review: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC @ FAIRMOUNT CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS<BR>To: neohiopal@neohiopal.org<BR>Date: Sunday, October 30, 2011, 1:04 PM<BR><BR>
<DIV id=yiv1215475253>
<STYLE>
<!--
#yiv1215475253
filtered {font-family:Arial;panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
#yiv1215475253 filtered {font-family:Times;panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
#yiv1215475253 filtered {font-family:Palatino;panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
#yiv1215475253 filtered {font-family:Palatino-Roman;panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
#yiv1215475253 filtered {font-family:Palatino-Italic;panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
#yiv1215475253
p.yiv1215475253MsoNormal, #yiv1215475253 li.yiv1215475253MsoNormal, #yiv1215475253 div.yiv1215475253MsoNormal
{margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";}
#yiv1215475253 filtered {margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
#yiv1215475253 div.yiv1215475253Section1
{}
-->
</STYLE>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">Silver, Patterson, Wright and Sondheim—A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC at FPAC</SPAN></B></DIV></DIV>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">Roy Berko</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Italic">Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">--Cool Cleveland.com—</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">Some theatre goers have a love-hate relationship with Stephen Sondheim.<SPAN> </SPAN>His music is often beautiful, but complicated to play and sing.<SPAN> </SPAN>His lyrics often have hidden meanings.<SPAN> </SPAN>His plots usually are not the escapist surface level tales from which musical comedy is made.<SPAN> </SPAN>With few exceptions, his style is sophisticated and most appealing to theatre-wise audiences.<SPAN> </SPAN>A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, a production of which is now on stage at Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory (FPAC) is no exception, but in the hands of director Fred Sternfeld, it gets an audience-friendly approach.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">Inspired by an Ingmar Bergman film, <SPAN style="TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase">Smiles of a Summer Night</SPAN>, LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">opened on Broadway in 1973, and ran for <SPAN> </SPAN>601 performances. <SPAN> </SPAN>It was directed by <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Prince" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">Harold Prince</SPAN></A> and had a cast which included <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glynis_Johns" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">Glynis Johns</SPAN></A> and <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermione_Gingold" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">Hermione Gingold</SPAN></A>.<SPAN> </SPAN>The script has experienced several revivals and was made into a film staring
Elizabeth Taylor.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">The beautiful score includes <I>Night Waltz</I>, <I>Now/Later/Soon</I>, <I>Remember</I>, <I>A Weekend in the Country</I>, <I>The Sun Won’t Set</I> and <I>It Would Have Been Wonderful</I>.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"></SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is set in 1900 Sweden.<SPAN> </SPAN>It is a romp focusing on the sexual dalliances of some obviously badly matched couples.<SPAN> </SPAN>The result is a series of<SPAN> </SPAN>love triangles.<SPAN> </SPAN>It is these triangles that gave Sondheim the idea of writing the entire score in ¾ time, thus creating a series of waltz movements that carry over not only in the sound of the music but in the dialogue and lyrics.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">The poorly matched couples include an 18-year-old self-absorbed virgin (Anne) <SPAN> </SPAN>who is married to a<SPAN> </SPAN>50-something lawyer (Frederick), who is still in love with an actress (Desiree) with whom he unknowingly has a daughter (Fredericka). Complicating matters is that his uptight teenage son (Henrik) is in love with Fredrik’s wife.<SPAN> </SPAN>Then there is the affair between Desiree and Count Magnus-Malcolm, who has a wife (Charlotte), who decides to make her husband jealous by pursing Frederick.<SPAN> </SPAN>A maid, who is Henrik’s lover, and a butler are also having a romp in the hay.<SPAN> </SPAN>Sound complicated?<SPAN> </SPAN>Actually, on stage it isn’t.<SPAN> </SPAN>First, the characters are clearly identified, the alliances easy to follow, and the Liebesslider Singers act as our Greek chorus to guide us through
the experience and help bring order to mismatched lovers while helping them find the right mate.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">The FPAC production, under the direction of Fred Sternfeld, has charm and humor.<SPAN> </SPAN>The cast mainly has fine voices and the character development is generally clear.<SPAN> </SPAN>Even the technical elements are finely tuned.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">Doing Sondheim is not an easy task. </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">As a performer said, “Just to understand Sondheim has been a good challenge, just figuring out what it means. There’s a lot of hidden depth in his work. There’s a little laughter, a little tears, a whole gamut of emotions.”<SPAN> </SPAN>Sternfeld and his cast get the meaning and open up the audience to those ideas.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">The lead performers are sound, performance and picture perfect.<SPAN> </SPAN>Dorothy Silver, the grand dame of Cleveland theatre, is endearing as Madame Armfeldt, Desiree’s mother, and the spinner of wondrous tales. <SPAN> </SPAN>Silver sing-talks her songs with fidelity and attention to creating meanings from the words with a musical undertow.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">It’s worth going to the see the production if for no other reason than to hear Tracee Patterson’s rendition of <I>Bring in the Clowns</I>.<SPAN> </SPAN>Patterson gives just the right serious yet playful interpretation to Desiree.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">Matthew Wright is well cast as Frederick, the lawyer going through middle age crisis.<SPAN> </SPAN>He is properly conflicted as a man in a sunrise-sunset relationship who is still in love with a woman from his past.<SPAN> </SPAN>Wright has a fine singing voice.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">William Clarence Marshall, Claire Connelly, Bernadette Hisey, Justin Williamson and Lydia Hall, the Liebeslieder (love song) Singers, not only have well-trained voices but carry their acting roles with ease. </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">Natalie Green is delightful as Petra, a free-spirited young lady who dreams of love in the well sung, <I>The Miller’s Son</I>.<SPAN> </SPAN>Katherine DeBoer is excellent as Charlotte Malcolm.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman">Though some of the supporting performers have difficulty in creating realistic characters, the strength of the leads and the quality of the singing make those weaknesses fade.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">The play’s title is an English translation of the German name for <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">Mozart</SPAN></A>'s <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eine_kleine_Nachtmusik" rel=nofollow target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none">Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major</SPAN></A>, <I>Eine kleine Nachtmusik</I>.<SPAN> </SPAN>Scenic designer Trad Burns has taken this theme and created the set by constructing walls covered with musical notes of Mozart’s score.<SPAN> </SPAN>It is a perfect backdrop for the goings on.<SPAN> </SPAN>Craig Tucker’s costume designs and execution are era right and beautiful in detail.<SPAN> </SPAN>Benjamin Gantoe’s warm lighting helps create the perfect love moods.</SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">David Williams’ orchestra plays well, especially considering that shortly before opening night curtain, the violin player broke her wrist and had to be replaced.<SPAN> </SPAN>Yes, the old adage, the show must go on, was in force.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"></SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino-Roman"> </SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: The FAPC production, under the creative direction of Fred Sternfeld, makes for a wonderful theatrical experience.<SPAN> </SPAN>Go see!</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"> <BR></SPAN>
<P class=yiv1215475253MsoNormalCxSpMiddle><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino">A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC runs through November 13 at the Mayfield Village Civic Center, at the corner of Wilson Mills and SOM Center Roads in Mayfield Village. For tickets call 440-338-3171. For more information about the play go to <A href="http://www.fairmountcener.org/facpresents.html" rel=nofollow target=_blank>www.fairmountcener.org/facpresents.html</A>. </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Palatino"></SPAN><BR>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----<BR><BR>
<DIV class=yiv1215475253plainMail>______________________________________<BR><BR>NEohioPAL is SELF-SERVE. If you need to unsubscribe, change from digest to one-at-a-time delivery or vice-versa, go on hiatus while out of town, switch from mime to plain text or vice-versa, etc. check out the FAQS at <A href="http://www.fredsternfeld.com/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.fredsternfeld.com</A>.<BR>______________________________________<BR><BR>Please consider a voluntary contribution to support Neohiopal - <A href="http://www.fredsternfeld.com/faqs.htm#support" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.fredsternfeld.com/faqs.htm#support</A><BR>______________________________________<BR><BR>Disclaimer: The facts and/or opinions expressed in this message are solely those of the person in the 'from' or 'reply-to' header. The fact that this message is posted should in no way be taken as an endorsement by the administrator of this list. Subscribers should perform
due diligence for all goods, services and activities promoted on NEohioPAL.<BR>________________________________________<BR><BR>NEohioPAL mailing list<BR><A href="http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=NEohioPAL@lists.neohiopal.org" rel=nofollow target=_blank>NEohioPAL@lists.neohiopal.org</A><BR><A href="http://lists.neohiopal.org/listinfo.cgi/neohiopal-neohiopal.org" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://lists.neohiopal.org/listinfo.cgi/neohiopal-neohiopal.org</A><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></td></tr></table>