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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)">••••••••••••••••••••••••••</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Local actor, Corey Mach, turns on the
audience in “Flashdance” at the Palace</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics
Circle)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">On opening
night, when Corey Mach made his first appearance on stage in “Flashdance The
Musical,” the audience, after being prepped about his entrance by Gina Vernaci,
Senior Vice President of Theater Operations, greeted him with a lengthy
ovation.<span style> </span>During the curtain call,
the audience exploded in vocal and physical adoration when Mach came on stage.<span style> </span>Then, when the 2006 Strongsville High
School and 2010 Baldwin-Wallace alum put on an Indian’s baseball cap, the
Palace Theatre literally shook with unbridled excitement.<span style> </span>Yes, this was a glorious “welcome home
Corey” celebration.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Mach is
Broadway leading man material.<span style>
</span>He’s tall, dark, handsome, with a strong singing voice, great acting
chops, and a charming “Midwest wholesome” personality.<span style> </span>Mach’s credits already include the
international tour of “Rent,” as well as the role of Fiyero in the touring
production of “Wicked,” and the Broadway revival of “Godspell.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">When I
reviewed Mach in the 2010 BW/Playhouse Square production of “Chess,” as staged
by BW Musical Theater faculty member, Victoria Bussert, I commented that he was
“</span><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">sincere and sensitive.”<span style> </span>In another commentary I tagged him as “ready for
Broadway,” and as having “star quality.”</span><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style> </span>Yes, he’s
another one of Bussert’s “kids” who is making good!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The touring
version of “Flashdance The Musical” is part of the Key Bank Broadway
series.<span style> </span>The national tour, which
started in January of 2013, has four more stops, ending in Toronto (May 27-June
8).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The show is
based on the 1983 romantic film, “Flashdance,” which was written by Tom Hedley
and Clevelander, Joe </span><span style="font-family:Palatino">Esterhazy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Though the flick opened
to negative reviews, it went on to be a surprise box office success.<span style> </span>It was the third highest grossing film
of 1983 and has become a cult favorite, having brought in more than $100
million dollars in worldwide box office sales.<span style> </span>The sound track included “Maniac” and “Flashdance…What a
Feeling” which have become pop standards.<span style>
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The musical stage
version, which was billed as “an unmistakably unique musical about holding onto
your dreams and love against all odds,” premiered in the UK, and toured that
country.<span style> </span>The oft-promised Broadway
opening is up-in-the-air.<span style>
</span>Originally the show was announced as opening on the Great White Way in
August of 1913.<span style> </span>That date has been
set back, and now is in limbo again because the producers say, “The
postponement is due to a lack of theaters.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Both the stage and film
versions center on Alex Owens, an eighteen-year-old small town girl who moves
to Pittsburgh in order to pursue a career in dance.<span style> </span>She has no formal training and winds up working as an exotic
dancer by night and a welder in the Hurley Steel Mill by day.<span style> </span>In the musical, into her workday life
saunters Nick Hurley, the grandson of the mill’s owner.<span style> </span>Their on-and-off romance, her
overcoming her lack of dance self-confidence, complications caused by issues of
her co-workers at both the bar and the steel mill, and her need to learn the
meaning of love, fuel the story.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Of course, as happens in
all feel-good, plot obvious musicals, only a “Maniac” wouldn’t know that in the
“Steeltown Sky,” the girl will realize “It’s All in Reach,” as “Here and Now,”
she understands that this is “Where I Belong,” and she learns to “Hang on,” so
she finally can realize, “What a Feeling” it is to get her dancing dreams and a
wealthy, nice, and studly guy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The musical
and book don’t exactly follow the same plan.<span style> </span>Sixteen songs have been added for the stage version, Grunt,
the lovable dog of flick fame, is gone, lots of characters are cut and others
added, the name of the dance conservatory has been changed, the character of
Jeannie, an ice skating friend of Alex, has been modified, the character of
Nick’s ex-wife is gone, and Alex doesn’t trash Nick’s apartment.<span style> </span>What is left is an obvious “I told you
that’s the way it would turn out” ending of boy meets girl, girl rejects boy,
boy pursues, girl finally realizes that he is prince charming! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The touring
production is pure entertainment, centering on dancing, dancing and more
dancing, plus singing, singing and more singing.<span style> </span>It sweeps up the audience, not with the story but with the
choreography, musicality, and the abundant use of electronic graphics.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The role of
Nick Hurley is a perfect vehicle for Mach.<span style> </span>He puts on the character and wears it with complete
confidence and talent.<span style> </span>He makes
Clevelanders proud to call him “ours.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Tiny and
adorable Sydney Morton has the right cocky, yet insecure persona as Alex.<span style> </span>Her singing and acting are excellent,
her dancing not up to the required level.<span style>
</span>Her highlight number, when she tries out for dance school, though perfectly
adequate, doesn’t compel as it should.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Alison Ewing
and Dequina Moore delight as exotic dancers, the dance chorus is high octane
excellent, and the orchestra, though sounding rather shrill due to an
over-dependence on the electronic keyboard, develops the multi-musical sounds.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6pt"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:<span style> </span>“Flashdance The Musical” is one of
those musicals that delights audiences, while not being a well-written
show.<span style> </span>It has strong music, great
choreography and Corey Mach, local kid makeing good.<span style> </span>That ought be more than enough to please the Cleveland
faithful.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">“Flashdance
The Musical” is scheduled to run through April 13, 2014.<span style> </span>For tickets call </span><span style="font-family:Palatino">216-241-6000 or go to </span><span style="font-family:Palatino"><a href="http://www.playhousesquare.org"><span style>www.playhousesquare.org</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Add-ons</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino">:<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">•Prepare to be dazzled on
May 2, when the $16-million upgrade of Playhouse Square becomes a reality…four
welcoming gateways, video boards, marquees, a 48-foot Playhouse Square sign
atop the Cowell & Hubbard Building, and the world’s largest outdoor
chandelier will all be set ablaze.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">•Congrats to the
subscribers to the Key Bank Broadway series.<span style> </span>The 29,266 of you hold membership in the largest subscriber
series in the U.S.! <br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)"><br><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)">••••••••••••••••••••••••</span><br>
</span></p>
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