CTC Paints the Town with Glitz in "Chicago"

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

City Theater Company (CTC) paints the town with a lively staging of the award-winning musical Chicago. With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Ebb, Chicago first took the world by storm in 1975 and has endured ever since. Its iterations include an Academy Award–winning film and the current NYC production, which is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. 

My recommendation is to do “A Little Bit of Good” and head to the Wilmington Riverfront to experience “All That Jazz.”

The cozy Black Box theater at The Delaware Contemporary has been transformed into a social club with a swingin’ band on one side and a Prohibition-era bar on the other. The audience can choose to sit in a standard seat, a chair with a mini cocktail table, or a high top in the back. Performers weave their ways up the center aisle or around the sides in this immersive setting. Sometimes the action isn’t right in front of you.

Dylan Geringer stars as Roxie Hart, the bored housewife-turned-murderess with wannabe chanteuse dreams. CTC Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone stars as Velma Kelly, seasoned vaudeville star and fellow accused killer. The two play well off each other in dialog and song. But it seems like everyone in the cast has those sorts of strong interpersonal stage relationships. It’s an excellent ensemble of notable of CTC fan-favorites including Tonya Baynes, Daryan Borys, Jolene Cuisine, Tommy Fisher-Klein, Autumn Jewel Hudson, Mary Catherine Kelley, Paul McElwee, and Dionne Williford. Making their CTC debuts alongside these veterans are Jonathan Frazier and CTC Board Member Scott Frelick.

McElwee was superb in his smarminess, ruthlessness, and conviction as celebrity lawyer Billy Flynn. His vocals and movements were supremely confident in his songs “All I Care About” and “Razzle Dazzle.” His puppeteering of Roxie during “We Both Reached for the Gun” was a highlight for both McElwee and Geringer.

In a classic show with a stellar score, it’s tough to pick favorites…but I did...I had to. Along with the previously mentioned numbers, “When You’re Good to Mama” (Baynes), “Roxie” (Geringer), “I Can’t Do It Alone” (McElrone), and “Mister Cellophane” (Borys) were standouts. And how Jolene Cuisine belted out “A Little Bit of Good” – while commanding the world to take notice – was amazing.

The cast of CTC's Chicago. Photo by Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography.

McElrone chose Chicago, in part, as a response to the current times:
“We are a century removed from the era of the play, but in our Roaring Twenties timeline, the power of ‘celebrity’ under the ever-changing ‘rule of law’ are remarkably similar. Times are hard and chaotic,
everyone has an angle, and some
of us are cashing in where they can,” said McElrone. “The media circus
that surrounds every new scandal consumes the public — and ‘nowadays’ we too move on from yesterday’s news in an instant when some fresh outrage shows up. Beneath all the glitz and fun of that other ‘20s is a laser-focused commentary on society’s response to turbulent times.”

Dawn Morningstar’s choreography filled the performance with movements that provided levity as well as menace. Dance Captain Autumn Jewel Hogan didn’t have much space to work with, but created some ebullient dances that complemented the music well. 

Kudos to Joe Trainor’s orchestra of Virginia Cheung, Josh Dowiak, Christopher Ertelt, Kanako Neale, Gary Oberparleiter, Jim Olson, Nate Peterson, and Bryan Tuk. The backing music is critical to underscore moods, support song vocals, and to entertain entre’ act. The musicians performed beautifully; knew when to be subtle; plus ebbed and flowed skillfully with the storyline.

Founded in 1993, City Theater Company performs contemporary comedies, new works, and classic musicals to critical acclaim inside The Delaware Contemporary. Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

Chicago will run through December 20. Curtain is at 8 o’clock for all performances save for the December 14 Sunday matinee (2 PM). The run time is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. City Theater Company’s home is at The Delaware Contemporary, located at 200 South Madison street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. 

General admission tickets ($45) can be purchased at the box office or online at www.city-theater.org. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel ($35) and students ($25). Do check the website for availability, because show tickets are moving faster than Roxie's rising star. 

All shows feature admission to the adjacent museum galleries, and a cash bar (with a signature drink) is available. The Delaware Contemporary offers free parking and is a short walk from the Joseph R. Biden Amtrak train station. Please call the box office at 302.220.8285 or email info@city-theater.org for details.

Note: This show is rated PG-13 due to adult themes, (simulated) murder, plus sexual and suggestive content. 

“Razzle dazzle 'em / Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it / And the reaction will be passionate” — Razzle Dazzle

"Shrek" the Halls This Holiday Season with Wolf & DTC

By Kelly Paustian
Kelly is a guest blogger who works in the nonprofit field, throws things in dirt to see if they grow, tries her best to raise a small human, occasionally appears on local theater stages, and enjoys a great cup of coffee.

On the outskirts of the Kingdom of Duloc lives Shrek, a big, green, blunt, but completely lovable, ogre. Suddenly, his peaceful swamp is full of fairytale creatures evicted by Lord Farquaad, and chaos (and laughs) ensue. This is the scene for Wolf Performing Arts Center's Production of DreamWorks Shrek the Musical, and it’s a blast for the whole family.

Shrek the Musical by Wolf PAC, now playing
at Delaware Theatre Company. 

I took my kiddo, my husband, my bestie, and her crew to the opening performance presented at the Delaware Theatre Company, and and we were hooked from the start!

From the very first moments, we were drawn into the parallel stories of young Shrek and young Fiona, two children cast out by their parents and left to find their own way. The story quickly moves to adult Shrek (played by Cullen Hussey) navigating his new “neighbors” and the unexpected journey ahead.

Shrek doesn’t venture to Duloc to face Lord Farquaad alone. He’s joined by Donkey, brought to life by the incredibly talented Danny Wilfred. Any scene with Donkey earned huge laughs from our group — kids and adults alike. His impeccable comedic timing, boundless energy, and charmingly relentless personality make him both lovably annoying and an undeniable fan favorite.

The duo is soon lured into a side quest by Lord Farquaad, who promises Shrek his swamp back if he rescues Princess Fiona, locked away in a distant tower. Shrek reluctantly agrees, and off they go, sparking a series of adventures full of laughs, heart, and unexpected friendships.

Fiona is brilliantly portrayed by Bridget Gooley, whose vocals are stunning and whose chemistry with both Shrek and Donkey turns this unlikely trio into a team you can’t help but root for. 

A special shoutout goes to Carl Nathaniel Smith, who masterfully takes on the physically demanding role of Lord Farquaad as he spends the entire show on his knees in a cleverly designed costume that creates the illusion of Farquaad’s diminutive stature. 

Part of the cast of Shrek the Musical by Wolf PAC,
now playing at Delaware Theatre Company. 

Add in a misunderstood dragon with a crush on Donkey, castle guards, and a very opinionated gingerbread man, and you have a cast of characters who fully transport the audience into this playful, magical world.

Themes of inequality, acceptance, belonging, and vulnerability weave through the entire production, approached with just the right balance of sincerity and comedy, making it ideal for a family-friendly show. These themes culminate beautifully in the final musical number, “Let Your Freak Flag Fly,” an anthem of self-acceptance that had our whole row smiling and singing along.

From start to finish, the show was an absolute delight. And in the spirit of the holidays, we give this production 11 lords-a-leaping!

DreamWorks Shrek the Musical is running at the Delaware Theatre Company from December 3–21, with both daytime and evening performances available. It’s a fantastic outing for families looking for fun, laughter, and a little heartwarming ogre wisdom.

...And There Was This One at The REP!

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Adapted for the stage by the “Queen of Crime” herself, this famous Agatha Christie murder mystery deftly weaves suspicion and intrigue to deliver a shocking tale of suspense. The University of Delaware’s Resident Ensemble Players (REP) asks the audience to put on its thinking caps to solve a doozy of a whodunnit and delivers a masterpiece with And Then There Were None..

The REP's production of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.
Photo by Evan Krape.

Ten strangers gather on a secluded island off the coast of Devon, England on a stormy night. A mysterious host somehow knows everyone’s secrets, but is nowhere to be found. He/she orchestrates the playing a chilling recording accusing each guest of a terrible crime. As time goes by, and characters fall away one-by-one to the rhymes in “Ten Little Soldier Boys,” it is clear that the survivors can trust no one. With no way to escape and a killer among them, tension rises as they attempt to uncover the identity of the murderer before none are left to tell the tale.

Will anyone survive this ultimate passing of judgement? Francis Bacon wrote that “revenge is a kind of wild justice” and that sentiment is personified on the Thompson Theatre stage. The harmony within the acting troupe is palpable from the start, as the characters figure out who to trust and who to suspect. Some players arrive with bombast and confidence, while others are quiet and slightly leery of the situation. It’s a masterful intertwining of stage personalities.

Director Charles Fee keeps the excellent ensemble humming at a tight pace. It’s not too fast to follow and never slows enough to curb the momentum of the thriller. The set design by Rick Martin and Russell Metheny is impressive, somewhat modern, and foreboding. The simple architectural lines don’t convey the twisted plot within the walls. Kudos to Light Designer Cat Wilson and Sound Designer Eileen Smitheimer for quality in their endeavors.

The cast, in alphabetical order, is: Hassan El-Amin (Dr. Armstrong), Patrick Barrett (Fred Naracott), Lee E. Ernst (William Blore), Michael Gotch (Anthony Marston), Elizabeth Heflin (Mrs. Rogers), Mic Matarrese (Philip Lombard), Erin Partin (Vera Claythorne), Stephen Pelinski (Sir Lawrence Wargrave), Kathleen Pirkl Tague (Emily Brent), Steve Tague (Gen. Mackenzie), and M.A. Taylor (Rogers).

The audience was rapt from the get-go, and there were audible gasps and moans when bodies were discovered or certain deaths occurred on stage. The performance I attended rewarded the blood, death, and tears with a deserved standing ovation. 

“Wizard!” – Anthony Marston

Performances of And Then There Were None run Thursdays through Sundays until November 16. Informal cast talkbacks take place following the evening performances on Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 14. Two “Prologues” occur on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 16. Tickets prices range from $20-43 (+fees) with discounts available for students, seniors, and University of Delaware faculty and staff. 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu; by contacting the REP box office at 302.831.2204; or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Road Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Run time is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with two 10-minute intermissions. (The time flies by.)

The Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts is located on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and is ADA-compliant. It is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling 302.831.2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu.

Content and Trigger Warnings: This play includes themes and depictions of murder, manslaughter, and suicide. Production Warnings: This production includes gun shots, theatrical fog, and strobe lights.

“Stay thirsty.” – Philip Lombard