We're Head Over Heels for Bootless' Final Season Kickoff

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.

Bootless Stageworks kicks off its twenty-second and final [sniffle...] season with a lively production of Head Over Heels, a jukebox musical that fuses the plot of The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia – a 16th Century work by Sir Philip Sidney – and the music of The Go-Go’s.

The multi-faceted love story features the all-female group’s hit songs “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” and “Vacation” plus Belinda Carlisle’s solo efforts “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.” Many people in the seats sang along to the tunes they loved as radio staples in the 1980s.

A mash-up of posh and punk, Head Over Heels is an unpredictable romp about what happens when the court of Arcadia is threatened by the mystical Oracle with the loss of its “Beat,” the divine power that ensures the kingdom’s prosperity. In order to save their beloved realm, the royal family embarks on an extravagant journey wrought with mistaken identities, jealous lovers, sexual awakening, scandal, and self-discovery. Not everything and everyone are what they seem.

Diving into the intricacies of the plot would be foolhardy and though some subtle wordplay got lost in the theater space, the audience joyously followed the broad antics of the company.

Will Rotsch was a standout player as the kindhearted shepherd Musidorus. A highlight of the show was a disguised Musidorus tempting both King Basilius (John Jerbasi) and Queen Gynecia (Tara Herweg) simultaneously during the lovely duet “This Old Feeling.” Rotsch’s physical humor – wielding his crook, acting as an Amazon warrior, etc. – and his warm yet powerful vocals made his character one to root for.

Princesses Pamela (Samantha McNerney) and Philoclea (Maria Leonetti) were strong individually and as sisters encouraging each other in their quests for true love. Kudos to Director Andrew Dean Laino for his use of a faux mirror during “Beautiful” when Pamela sings of her beauty while Philoclea is supporting her in their chambers. Leonetti and McNerney have big voices, but use them differently – McNerney tended to be more rock-heavy (“How Much More”) while Leonetti vocalized more gently throughout. Both styles were appropriate for the characters they portrayed.

The Oracle Pythio (Nathan Hale) was a commanding presence with a booming voice while donning Costume Designer Rosanne DellAversano’s extravagant outfits. “Vision of Nowness” was a fun ensemble number led by Pythio as was “Heaven is a Place on Earth” – where a projected screen insinuated some amorous activities afoot.

The cast was rounded out by Aubrey Murphy (Mopsa), Sedric Willis (Dametus), Rosanne DellAversano (Ensemble), Genevieve Francis (Ensemble), Abbey Ketterling (Ensemble), and Jen Rotsch (Ensemble).

Musical standouts included “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “Head Over Heels” but the highpoint was “Mad About You.” Shepherd Musidorus proclaims his unconditional love for Philoclea in a field…with sheep…singing the backup chorus, “Maaaaaad about you,” like baa-ing sheep would sing. The audience ate it up.

Music Director James W. Fuerst led a talented band who both played behind the actors and let those great Go-Go’s riffs break through. There was a lot of foot-tapping going on.

Head Over Heels preaches unconditional love and acceptance of yourself and everyone you know, no matter their gender or sexual identity. And there’s a happy ending. And it has a rockin’ soundtrack.

The performance schedule of Head Over Heels, The Musical is:

• Saturday, September 28 @ 8:00pm
• Sunday, September 29 @ 3:00pm
• Friday, October 3 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday, October 4 @ 8:00pm
• Sunday, October 5 @ 8:00pm

Tickets start at $31 and tickets can be purchased via website (https://www.bootless.org/hoh/) or by calling Bootless Stageworks at 302.887.9300. Tickets are also available at the door, subject to availability. The run time is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes which includes one 15-minute intermission. Bootless Stageworks offers a full selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks plus some snacks at its concessions stand. The theater space is in the basement of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church at 1301 N. Broom Street in Wilmington.

I encourage you to “celebrate the [final] season” of theater at Bootless Stageworks filled with the “Beat.”

Whether to Shock or Enchant: Bootless Stageworks Expands Wilmington’s Arts Offerings

Content of this post originated from the blog by JulieAnne Cross of inWilmDE.com...

The cast of Disenchanted.
Photo courtesy of Bootless Stageworks.

For nine out of the last ten years, Bootless Stageworks has staged horror-themed musical theater productions, usually in the summer, such as Evil Dead, The Musical and The Texas Chainsaw Musical!, featuring the company’s signature “splatter zone,” a section of seating where tarps and ponchos protect guests from a thorough soaking of stage blood. And where other guests wear white shirts that will serve as a stained souvenir of their experience. 

But don’t let the preponderance of singing, sweltering gore-fests fool you.

From “a galaxy far, far away” to human trafficking right here in this country, Bootless has tackled subject matter holding what is likely the broadest appeal of any theater company in Delaware, and is making its mark on the greater performing arts community by opening its doors wide to talented neighbors.

The Bootless origin story starts like just about every other arts nonprofit in our state: a group of talented friends was looking for a way to express themselves. These friends included Rosanne DellAversano and James W. Fuerst, the husband and wife team who are both co-founders and leaders of Bootless. At first known as Arden Club Theatre, after five years, Bootless gained its 501c3 in 2009…and immediately needed to seek a new venue.

During its early years, Bootless put on shows at the Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew, Reach Academy for Girls, Bellanca Air Service Hangar (replete with on-site firefighters, since the hangar was not equipped with sprinklers), empty storefronts at Riverfront Wilmington and OperaDelaware Studios.

After wandering the theatrical desert, Bootless signed a long-term lease with St. Stephen’s Church at 13th and Broom in 2014. Bootless has diligently renovated the church’s basement social hall into a 75-seat theater and flex space, and began offering five to six year-round performances in their own home.

Since then, the Bootless crew has invited hip hop, drag, comedy, open mic, and even other theater companies to share the same stage where Bootless puts on musicals, operettas, operas and stage plays.

Recent artistic guests have included Wilmington drag performer Miss Troy (possibly more widely known for her alter-ego, Aunt Mary Pat DiSabatino), a documentary presented by the Afrikan Connection and live comedy presented by Nova Scotia-born Belynda Cleare.

If generating income through refreshment sales seems like the goal of opening up their venue to entrepreneurial guest artists, you’d be underestimating Bootless’ support of performers.

DellAversano says, “Bootless firmly believes that choosing to be a working performing artist is one of the toughest career paths. It isn’t the standard nine-to-five job, and only in rare cases does it make one rich.” She adds, “The reward is usually the sheer joy of seeing a total stranger laugh, cry, contemplate or discover because of your interaction with them. During those ninety minutes or so of togetherness, there is nothing else but what is taking place on stage and being shared. It’s a profession that is uniquely intimate with millions. And, the experience provided by the artist has a real value.”

She describes the typical experience of a performing artist, which is often sharing their talents for free. The term “starving artist” is neither new nor, sadly, outdated.

Empathizing with the artists she engages, DellAversano says, “You wouldn’t ask a plumber to complete repairs for free. Why then is it perfectly fine to ask or assume an artist will work without pay? Food can’t be bought and bills can’t be paid with exposure.”

In a stroke of irony, Bootless’ founders, board and executive staff are volunteers, yet they see that their artists, including designers, musicians, playwrights and composers, get paid, and offer the same opportunity for guest artists.

DellAversano says, “Most of the time, we provide our space for free, so long as we can run concessions. Whether it be Brandon Jackson or Belynda Cleare with their comedy shows, Jea Street with his CD release party, Joe Belardo with his Open Mic Night, Miss Troy & Friends with Drag Me to Story Time, or the Afrikan Connection with the documentary film The Black Candle, Bootless does not charge a fee for the use of its venue. Plus, the artists/exhibitors keep their entire ticket sales.” 

The drag community has found a supportive home with Bootless. Preceded by Death is a Drag, a Bootless original murder mystery drag show in 2012, a number of drag events have been staged at the Broom Street facility, with more in the future.

Bootless regularly presents works that are new to Delaware audiences. IN fact, the 2016-2017 season only featured a single “standard” work — Spring Awakening — and in 2010-2011, all the company’s productions were either originals or Delaware premieres.

Approximately thirty productions in Bootless’ ten-year history were regional or local premieres. That’s too many to list, but highlights include: Orange Is The New Musical (East Coast premiere, 2017), In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) (Delaware premiere, 2016), Terminator, The Second (East Coast premiere, 2014), Jerry Springer, The Opera (regional premiere, 2012), Star Wars, A New Musical Hope (regional premiere, 2013) and a few more summer gore-fests.

Lest one think their repertoire is all pop culture and sex, note that Bootless has also tackled historical subject matter, such as The Trial of Thomas Garrett, commissioned for A Day in Old New Castle in 2010.

DellAversano says that Bootless is in contract discussions to bring several more new works to Wilmington by 2020, including a new musical based on famous serial killers, in the style of Assassins, with many members from Bootless working on its plot lines and music.

With general admission ticket prices usually lingering in the $15-22 range, it’s clear Bootless also cares about its audience. Plus it’s ADA accessible and free parking is easy to find. It makes up for moderate ticket pricing, like every other nonprofit theater, with fundraising.

Be sure to support this scrappy theater company by attending one of the mainstage productions, an open mic night, a comedy night, a visiting theater company’s production or one of the two upcoming drag shows this spring. Our picks:

• Spice Girls Drag Tribute (Miss Troy & Friends) on Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm.

Up next on the main stage is the INternational hit musical Disenchanted!, making its Delaware premiere from March 22 to April 6. It’s a hilariously twisted, adult themed, Disney spoof-tacular princess musical. In New York, 700 women auditioned for a one-night-only workshop of the musical, which sold out and resulted in a standing ovation, and went on to 2014 and 2015 runs, studded with celebrity audience members.