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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'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">CVLT’s
‘Putting it Together’ comes only partially assembled<?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><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></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; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review will appear in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald
o</I></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">n
3/29/13</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>“Bit by bit, putting it
together, </FONT></SPAN></EM><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><BR><FONT size=3><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Piece by piece, only way to make a
work of art, </SPAN></EM><BR><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Every moment makes a contribution,
</SPAN></EM><BR><EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Every little
detail plays a part, </SPAN></EM><BR><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Having just a vision’s no solution,
</SPAN></EM><BR><EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Everything
depends on execution.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></EM></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"
lang=EN>These lyrics from </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Sunday in
the Park with George” explain how painstakingly difficult it is to produce a
work of art.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Chagrin Valley Little
Theatre’s production of “Putting it Together,” a musical revue </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>showcasing the songs of Sondheim, proves just how true this
is.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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">Sondheim’s
songbook consists of </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">enigmatic music and
lyrics that, with rare exception, lack that hummable quality most find desirable
in show tunes.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Complex,
d</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">ense
with words and libretto-like in nature, his plays are as difficult to appreciate
as they are to perform.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">properly
put together, however, they touch the soul and challenge the
intellect.<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">The same can be said
about musical revues based on them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>But because </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Sondheim’s
songs are<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic"> such an integral part of his
play’s storytelling rather than mere window dressing, they are particularly
difficult to understand and appreciate when presented outside the context of the
plays that house them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><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"><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">The most recent revue
featuring Sondheim’s work, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>"Sondheim on Sondheim," nicely compensated for this.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Premiering in New York in 2010 and given
a proper staging </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">at PlayhouseSquare’s
Hanna Theatre</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN> last May, this show </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">intertwined
songs with exclusive interview footage of the typically reclusive composer.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This provided sufficient context to make
each song accessible and interesting to musical theater neophytes.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><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'"><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'">Such
is not the case with </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>"Putting It Together."<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Written in 1991, this two-act compilation of </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">nearly
40 songs from </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>"Company," "Follies," "Anyone Can Whistle," “Sweeney Todd,” </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">“A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,”</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
“<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Into The Woods,” </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>and a few lesser known works </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">provides
no context whatsoever</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Instead, this revue transports us to an upscale, uptown cocktail party,
where the nature of and relationships between its guests are analyzed through
song.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is not an ideal vehicle
for Sondheim’s songs, given their diverse subject matter and peculiar
sensibilities.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Consequently,
different productions of this revue embrace different presentational
styles—ranging from ultra-modern abstraction to stark realism—to find some
thematic vision or creative gimmick to make the revue
work.<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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>The vision embraced in this CVLT production, under Marc C. Howard’s
direction, leans toward the abstract.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The cocktail party takes place in a loft with walls free of decoration or
design, furniture comprised of wooden cubes, a bar cart containing empty liquor
bottles, and a view of a big city skyline projected on a rear
screen.<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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Unfortunately, none of Edmond Wolff’s set design really complements the
work or facilitates its delivery. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In fact, it detracts from it each time a
performer sits in obvious discomfort, drinks awkwardly from an imaginary
martini, or has the image of lower Manhattan transferred to his or her face by
venturing too close to the screen.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Abstract seems more of a budgetary consideration than a creative choice
in this production, which flies in the face of Sondheim’s suggestion that
“h</SPAN><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">aving
just a vision’s no solution/everything depends on execution” when creating
art.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></EM></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
lang=EN><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'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>These words also apply to the performers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Brian Pichola, Thomas E. Love, Laura
Giterman, Derrick Winger, and Hope Caldwell are fully competent singers, but
they vary significantly in terms of quality, complexity of expression, and
Sondheim-savvy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><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: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Some songs, such as the high-energy “Buddy’s Blues” from “Follies” and
the melodramatic “The Ladies Who Lunch” from “Company,” are misplayed to the
point of being unrecognizable.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Most
songs are well presented but lack the requisite depth they deserve.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A few soar.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Every Day a Little Death” from
“</SPAN><SPAN class=st><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #222222; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">A
Little Night Music,” </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>as sung by Giterman and Caldwell, is wonderful.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So is “Unworthy of Your Love” from
</SPAN><SPAN class=st><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #222222; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"Assassins,"
as sung by Winger and Caldwell.<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'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>As an art form, musical revues are largely intended to be mere
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">amusements
that provide a pleasurable evening at the theater.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If this is our measuring stick, than the
CVLT production meets expectations. </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>The six off-stage musicians under D. Keith Stiver’s direction are
superb, Howard’s direction and choreography are fluid and easy on the eye, and
our five performers look fine in their formalwear. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; 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-bidi-font-style: italic"><FONT
size=3>If, however, you are a true Sondheimite looking for a fix, then you
should seek comfort elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“Putting it Together”
continues through April 20 at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, 40 River
Street, Chagrin Falls.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets,
$14 to $18, call 440-247-8955 or visit <A href=""><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.cvlt.org</FONT></A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>