Exploring the Excitement and Angst of Turning 13

13, The Musical by Jason Robert Brown (music and lyrics) and Dan Elish and Robert Horn (book) is the story of a 12-year-old New York City boy (Evan) who's preparing for his Bar Mitzvah while hisparents are preparing for divorce. Due to the circumstances, Evan and his mother are forced to move to an Indiana suburb. While adjusting to life in a predominately Christian 'burb, he's also trying to make new friends who will attend his Bar Mitzvah. The problem is -- will he settle for only inviting his unpopular new friends or try to impress the cool kids to attend? 

13, The Musical has a simple story that's been told before, but it's pure FUN with an infectious Top 40 style score. The all-teen cast provides a great opportunity for parents to introduce theater to 'tweens and young teens alike. But, don't worry parents — there are plenty of gags and jokes for both the young and the young at heart to enjoy! 

Director Nick D'Argenio has assembled an extremely talented group of teens — Amanda DeFilippis (Kendra), Branden Fletcher (Richie), Karalyn Joseph (Patrice), Katie Loftus (Cassie), Kyra McKillip (Charlotte), Wyatt McManus (Eddie), Lyndie Moe (Lucy), Nolan Moss (Simon), Gianni Palmarini (Evan), Felipe Rocha (Brett), Will Rotsch (Archie), Evelyn Schiavone (Molly), and Jacob Tracey (Malcolm) — and gives all of them the opportunity to take center stage and shine. 

Palmarini is an exceptional performer who perfectly conveys Evan's conflicted feelings of wanting to fit in with the in-crowd, but yet wanting to remain loyal to his underdog friends (Patrice and Archie). Palmarini is a true triple threat, commanding the stage but never upstaging his fellow cast members. Joseph as Evan's outcast friend Patrice captures the strengths and insecurities of the character. She's working on having a friendship with Evan, but doesn't let down her guard or sacrifice her own convictions in the process. Rotsch as the terminally ill, yet confident underdog, Archie is hysterical, especially during the number "Terminal Illness" when he comically uses his illness to convince Evan's mother to purchase tickets for an R-rated horror movie for the protagonist's popular friends. 

Although the cast has a scaled-down set for its performance, the boisterous choreography by Tommy Fisher-Klein keeps the show flowing. Mr. Fisher-Klein merges current dance steps with flips and other acrobatic moves that delight the audience. With musical direction by Anthony Vitalo, 13, The Musical's infectious score will have you smiling and wishing you were 13 again! 

13, The Musical runs through February 2, at the Wilmington Drama League. Visit Wilmingtondramaleague.org or call 302.764.1172 for additional information and tickets. 

Mousetrap at the Resident Ensemble Players

Monkwell Inn

Forty-nine years after I first saw this play at the Ambassadors in January 1965, it seemed just as fun. The beautiful set with the magically realistic snowfall outside the large French windows made me think of the AmbassadorsTheatre and seeing Agatha Christie four rows ahead of us and stage-whispering, ‘Mama, that’s Agatha Christie’ so loudly that the graceful lady waved her fashionably gloved hand in recognition.

Steve Tague kept everything as it had been in 1965: the luxuriously rambling manor, the period clothes and the cheerily British murderers – Christie style indeed. Elizabeth Heflin as Mollie Ralston and Mic Matarrese as Giles Ralston set the scene and helped the audience put their clocks back to the 1950s. The cold and snow were not a difficult sell after the past week’s storms. C. David Russell’s set was just right and the sound of the radio was audible, radio-like and spot-on with the absolutely essential cues and set-ups (compliments to Eileen Smitheimer and crew for the sound design and execution).

Mrs. Boyle

Jeffrey C. Hawkins animated the stage as Christopher Wren – putting a manic tension into the mix and letting us enjoy Agatha Christie’s wit and social sarcasm, but it took the entrance of the spinsterish and unpleasable Mrs. Boyle (Kathleen Pirkl Tague) and Major Metcalf (Stephen Pelinski) to get us all the way back to Christie-land. From then on, the audience was completely convinced and in the time and mood.

The names of the cast were, of course, quite familiar to those who attend plays at the REP, but I did not even recognize a whit of any previous roles by Deena Burke as she embodied the prickly Miss Casewell. Her manliness and moodiness brought back a time when we just judged people for what they presented and not what we imagined. By the time the ebullient Mr. Paravicini burst in, I was transported to the days when sitting by the snowy window with tea and a book by Agatha Christie was a winter dream come true. The play runs until February 9 with a post-show cast talk on Thursday, January 30. Sold out on February 1.

See www.rep.udel.edu. Photos courtesy of UD REP's Facebook page.

Bootless Brings Monty Python's "Not the Messiah" Oratorio to Town for a Praise-worthy Fundraiser

Some companies put on The Messiah for Christmas. Bootless Stageworks, always marching to its own drummer, is putting on Not the Messiah (He’s A Very Naughty Boy), an Oratorio by Eric Idle and John DuPrez, based on Monty Python's Life of Brian, in late January. We had the opportunity to sit in on an early rehearsal for the show, conducted by Bootless Music Director James W. Fuerst and featuring two dozen singers from Bootless, NewArk Chorale and other area theater companies as well as 20 orchestra musicians from Bootless, Wilmington Community Orchestra, Newark Symphony, Diamond State Concert Band, First State Symphonic, Chesapeake Brass Band and University of Delaware Orchestra. Everyone involved in this fundraising production is doing it on a volunteer basis, and the enthusiasm for the piece shows through. You may remember soloists Geoff Bruen, Kimberly Christie, Cynthia Ballentine, and Michael Popovsky from Bootless' 2012 production of Jerry Springer: The Opera (among other area Opera Productions), and Justin Walsh from the always-popular Evil Dead: The Musical. That so many talented folks have come out to donate their time is a testament to both the appeal of Not the Messiah and the small theater company that has not been without its struggles in the past couple of years.

About a year ago, it looked like Bootless, a nomadic "pop up" theater company, had found a permanent home in Newport, Delaware. The location had one major problem: it lacked a parking lot, and the company couldn't get the go-ahead to build one. Homeless again, Bootless struck a deal with OperaDelaware to utilize its Black Box theater, but scheduling conflicts with that space's longtime resident, City Theater Company, have prevented it from becoming its permanent home (though Bootless' next show, Venus in Furs, will be performed there in March).

For Not the Messiah, the company is utilizing one of Wilmington's best kept secrets: the Down's Cultural Arts Center at Ingleside Retirement Apartments, located at 1005 North Franklin Street."It's a great deal for non-profit organizations," says Bootless Executive and Artistic Director, Rosanne DellAversano. "It's free to use for non-profits. They're working to bring programs to the venue, where a percentage of tickets go to the residents." In addition to enriching the lives of the residents, the venue is open to the public.

Not the Messiah will have just two shows, on Friday January 31, and Saturday February 1. Both shows will be at 7:30 pm. Tickets for are $25 General Admission, $20 for Seniors and Military, and $18 for Students, and include complimentary refreshments at intermission. All proceeds will benefit Bootless Artworks. To purchase tickets, and for more information about Bootless, go to bootless.org.