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WEST SIDE STORY November 16-December 9
CHARACTERS
journals, Director's Notes, preview and review
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THE JETS Riff - Brett Nichols THEIR GIRLS Graziella - Alicia Benghauser |
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THE SHARKS Bernardo - Chris Herbert THEIR GIRLS Rosalia - Miriam Pico
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| THE ADULTS Doc - Hedges MacDonald Schrank - Al Lien Krupke - Paul Furlong Glad Hand - Denny Everett |
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Production staff
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Director Mike Kelly Asst. Director Margret Schaal Mainstage/Intern Scott Bufe Producer Tracey Towner Asst. Producer Nancy Edington Stage Manager Gary Bolton Asst. Stage Manager Denni Don Hunting Asst. Stage Intern Margaret Mulcahy Stage Crew Deb Bowman |
Musical Director Sam Clark Vocal Director Matt Archibald Asst. Vocal Director Tom Stokes Choreographer Chris Herbert Light/Stage Design Ron Murden Light Cinder Conlon Costumes
Donna
Hood Sound Inger Jay Poster Design Tom Kachadurian |
Set Construction Jeff Kroeger House Manager George Beeby Asst. House Manager Diana DiMarco Morgan hair/Makeup Michelle Josza Set Decoration
Kasey Kilpatrick Stage Fight Choreographer Brian(Buzz) Smith Set design Brad Lewis Props Kerry Moses Rehearsal Pianists Paulette Parsons |
Review, Record Eagle, by Nancy Sundstrum, writer
A fine, new production of a landmark American musical opened this past Thursday at Old Town Playhouse (OTP) in Traverse City, and the chance to see it again is a testament as to why it has remained one of the most influential, popular, and poignant shows of all time.
"West Side Story," the contemporary interpretation of "Romeo and Juliet" known for its thrilling dance numbers and remarkable score and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, is set for a remaining three weeks at OTP. If you’re interested and haven’t yet reserved your tickets, do so soon, because word about this quality show will hit the streets quickly.
For starters, it has one of the most astonishing and evenly-matched group of vocalists in lead roles in years at OTP. The cast is headed by Shakyra Eady-Jones as Maria and Edward MacLennan as Tony, the doomed lovers whose passion can’t survive in a world of prejudice and violence.
Eady-Jones is nothing short of radiant, and brings both strength and innocence to her character. MacLennan is earnest and effectively conveys Tony’s longing for a better life. They each possess remarkable singing voices, and when they join together on numbers like "Tonight" and "One Hand, One Heart," the audience is truly blessed with the ability to hear these glorious songs as they were meant to be sung.
As Anita, Maria’s best friend and the girlfriend of her brother Bernardo (Chris Herbert), Tamara Hunter digs her heels into one of the juiciest female supporting roles to ever grace a musical and uncovers a goldmine. Hunter is simply stunning in the show’s most rounded performance, and her dancing and singing are skilled and filled with emotion.
Herbert, who doubled as the show’s choreographer, and did a first-rate job with that task, is a good match for the fiery Hunter, especially when they dance together. "West Side Story’s" action is propelled through the dance numbers, making the choreographer usually a near-equal partner with the director. Whether it’s "The Dance at the Gym," "America," or "The Ballet Sequence" (which may come as a surprise to those who have only seen the film where it was omitted), Herbert and his dancers make the most of the material, even with the confines of the cramped OTP stage.
The supporting cast has a number of very able performances, especially in Brett Nichols as Riff, another talented singer, and Leigh Scheffler (his girlfriend, Velma), a young dancer who is so poised and seemingly effortless in the difficult dance numbers that it is hard to take one’s eyes off her. It is difficult to single out others when a cast is as large as this one and everyone makes a distinct contribution, but Robert Lombardo (Action), Brandon Bartowiak (Baby John), Miriam Pico (Rosalia), Hedges MacDonald (Doc), and Al Lien (Schrank) all deserve mention.
Under the direction of Mike Kelly, the shows moves along at a fairly brisk pace, even in spite of some cumbersome set changes, which are well-handled. The imposing set is beautiful and captures an urban feel, but is not helped by the lighting, which ranged from uneven to downright murky at times. The costume choices are sometimes curious, as in seeing the Jets in pressed khaki Dockers and something approximating golf shirts, though the women’s outfits feel more authentic to the 1950's time period. Kudos to the show’s Fight Choreographer, Brian "Buzz" Smith, and to Musical Director/Conductor Sam Clark, who presides over a wonderful orchestra who meet every challenge in the score.
"West Side Story" at OTP runs November 24-26, 30-December 3 and December 7-9. Show times are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $18. Student and senior rate tickets are available for $16 for Thursday performances only, and tickets for children age 12 and younger are $12 for Thursday and Sunday performances
only. Reservations can be made by calling (231) 947-2443 or visiting the OTP Box Office from 4:00-8:00 p.m., Mondays-Fridays through the run of the show, as well as two hours prior to show time on Saturdays and Sundays.
Preview, Record Eagle, by Nancy Sundstrum, writer
One of the greatest musicals of all time is about to return to the stage of
the Old Town Playhouse (OTP) in Traverse City, and its director thinks the
timing couldn’t be better.
"West Side Story," the contemporary interpretation of "Romeo
and Juliet" that is known for its thrilling dance numbers and remarkable
score and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, opens Thursday,
November 16 at OTP. An icon of American musical theatre, it tells the story of
two rival street gangs on the tough streets of New York, and a love that
cannot survive in this environment of violence and prejudice.
It is this poignant social commentary that director Mike Kelly is hoping to
communicate with the sold-out audiences expected for the production, and a
message he feels Traverse City is very ready to hear.
"If we want to continue the quality of life we enjoy here in Traverse
City, then we have to be open to the messages in this show, which are that
only understanding and compassion can triumph over inequality and
prejudice," explained Kelly, a veteran OTP performer.
"The recent crime of hate that happened in our own town at Side Traxx
tells us that the events played out in this show aren’t just something that
happens in an urban setting, but can and do happen right here. We want to send
a very strong message with this show that we have to work for peace and
justice, and the place for that to begin is with our young people."
Joining Kelly in the effort is a cast of nearly 30 performers from different
parts of northern Michigan, headed by Shakyra Eady-Jones of Cadillac as Maria,
Edward MacLennan of Charlevoix as Tony, Tamara Hunter of Traverse City as
Anita, and Chris Herbert of Traverse City as Bernardo, who doubles as the
show’s choreographer.
As with any other production of "West Side Story" that has ever been
staged, the director and choreographer work closely together to make sure the
action is propelled through its dynamic dances. Herbert, who began dancing at
age eight and has performed at Busch Gardens Florida and Disney World in
Florida, says that one of the greatest challenges in bringing the show to life
is insuring that the dance does exactly that.
"In this show, the dance is very present in telling the story, and each
dance further unrolls the story as it develops," he said. "It starts
with a celebration of youth and dominance that these two gangs have in their
own settings, and as things move on, the dance tells of competition, then
anger, and ends with pain, frustration, and sorrow. The story is all told
through dance."
One of Herbert’s specific creative challenges was to stage the dream ballet
sequence in the second half, which has sometimes been left out of other
versions of the show, most notably in the landmark, Academy Award-winning 1961
movie.
"I think the dream ballet is essential to the story because it shows a
world where there are no colors, no gangs, no hate, no death. It is the world
that Tony and Maria wish for before they’re brought back to reality at the
end," said Herbert. "Besides all that, it is a nice change of pace
in the story and the show for the audience, and was very fun to choreograph. I
have been blessed with an enormous amount of talent in this young cast, and
with Tamara Hunter, who learned my choreography and has helped teach it to
them." Leading lady Jones, who first saw "West Side Story"
performed on stage a number of years ago at Interlochen Center for the Arts
and has wanted to play Maria since then, says she feels a great sense of
connection to both her role and the overall show.
"To me, Maria is strong, intelligent, loving, and innocent, all at the
same time, and I want the audience to come away from this show feeling her
emotions," said Jones, who teaches kindergarten through fifth grade
elementary music in Cadillac, and has been performing in plays and concerts
since 1985.
"I hope that they see her character as just one drop of glue that helps
to hold the show together. This could never be the play that it is without
every single character, and so I hope as a cast we are showing those
connections."
Other cast members include Brett Nichols, Robert Lombardo, Sam Reese, Brandon
Bartowiak, Brandon McQueen, Zac Wendland, Alicia Benghauser, Leigh Scheffler,
Kristie George, Meghan Bye, Ally McLeod, Ashley Frost, Edmund Seeber, Jacob
Norton, Chad Hall, Preston VanderRoest, Miriam Pico, Laura Crain, Claire
Posner, Hedges MacDonald, Al Lien, Paul Furlong and Denny Everett.
The production crew includes Assistant Director Margret Schaal, Mainstage
Intern Scott Bufe, Producer Tracey Towner, Assistant Producer Nancy Edington,
Stage Manager Gary Bolton, Assistant Stage Manager Denni Don Hunting,
Assistant Stage Intern Margaret Mulcahy, Musical Director Sam Clark, Vocal
Director Matt Archibald, Assistant Vocal Director Tom Stokes, Light/Stage
Design Ron Murden, Assistant Lighting Director Cinder Conlon, Hair Designer
Michelle Josza, Costumers Donna Hood and Nancy Albrecht, Set Constructor Jeff
Kroeger, and Sound Designers Robert Rousch and Inger Jay
"West Side Story" at OTP runs November 16-19, 24-26, 30-December 3
and December 7-9. Show times are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with Sunday
matinees at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $18. Student and senior rate tickets are
available for $16 for Thursday performances only, and tickets for children age
12 and younger are $12 for Thursday and Sunday performances only. Reservations
can be made by calling (231) 947-2443 or visiting the OTP Box Office from
4:00-8:00 p.m., Mondays-Fridays through the run of the show, as well as two
hours prior to show time on Saturdays and Sundays.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
West Side Story was dramatically revised before premiering on
Broadway in 1957.
Conceived by Jerome Robbins in 1949 the modern version of Romeo and
Juliet was to be
set in New York City during the period of Easter Passover celebrations.
Romeo was to be
Catholic, Juliet to be Jewish. It was not until 1955 that the idea became
to set the story
between the teenage street gangs of Puerto Ricans and Americans.
Inevitably, social reality intrudes upon the
interracial lovers' idealized world. Instead of the
warring Montagues and Capulets, West Side Story revolves around two
street gangs, the
Sharks and the Jets. At this point in time, these gangs represent the
impoverished white
immigrant culture and the new immigrant populations.
West Side Story differs from Romeo and Juliet
in form and detail. Where
Shakespeare uses language to instill his plays with energy and passion, West
Side Story
paints the story with dance, song and music.
West Side Story, as a love story, a
groundbreaking musical and a social document,
challenges each of us to continue the struggle for understanding and
justice. The answers
today may be no clearer than in Shakespeare's time, but our ongoing quest
for resolution
of societal injustices is vital to our existence.
This has been an incredible collaboration of
people both on stage, backstage and in the pit
and balcony. I would like to thank my cast, crew and the orchestra ... and
all others involved
in seeing my vision come to life. I hope you all had as much fun as I did.
You were a joy to
direct. Your time, talent and treasure of your ability made West Side
Story the success it is
and the absolute joy it will be to the audience. I dedicate this play to
peace and justice.
Enjoy.
Mike Kelly, Director
Chris Herbert
Choreographer
September 26, 2000
Well, here we are in the middle of "West side
story" rehearsals. I could not be more pleased. I
have been given a very talented cast. I shouldn't say that, the
entire production crew worked very hard to get the cast we have.
But we did get lucky. I have been also lucky to work side by side
with Mike Kelly. We have taught each other some very
beneficial things. The further we go the more impressed we are
with this cast. It is a triumph for me every time I put a new
dance number on stage and see the production crew's , as well as a few
parent's, jaws drop. This is most definitely going to be a pace
setting show for future musicals at the Old Town Play House.
The Dance is great, and Mike is not only teaching lines but also
teaching the cast about the old town play house, its history, and the
fundamentals of acting and blocking. This is the best experience I
have had at OTP, and I am sure the cast feels the same.
I will continue to update all on the progress.
Choreographer/Bernardo here with what's going on with WSS. Well, I am almost finished choreographing the show as far as dance is concerned. All the number's look great! Everyone is really starting to fall into their characters well. It is really interesting to see each individuals interpretation of their roles. We ( Maria, Anita, Tony and myself) had a good photo shoot for the poster this week. Mike Kelly has his job cut out for him in choosing which shot to use for the WSS poster. If anyone is interested in a peak of the show, Mike K. say's he would like to see some audiences at the tech week rehearsals. I have to give Mike K. a big hand for finding Buzz, The gentlemen who is choreographing the fight scenes. He is a professional and the fight scenes look real. Although it looked a little too real when I Punched Brett Nicholes in the head last week. .......... Later, Gotta Dance!
