"The Best of Times" Celebrated at City Theater Company

By Guest Blogger, Mike Logothetis

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.

La Cage aux Follles is a 1983 musical based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret. While we are firmly living in 2016, the book (Harvey Fierstein) coupled with the  lyrics and music (Jerry Herman) and the spirited direction (City Theater Company's Producing Artistic Director Michael Gray) keep this production on the edge of contemporary. Yes, it is a “period piece” of sorts, but in this case, the “period” just sets the era and location – not the themes, pace, dialog, emotion or zaniness of it all.

La Cage Aux Folles cast. Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.

The show focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction. The story begins in the titular nightclub with the audience as patrons. Georges (Paul McElwee) is emcee and host, creating a rapport with those of us still finding our seats and settling in for an evening of entertainment.

The chorus line known as Les Cagelles appear and introduce themselves to the audience through the first number, We Are What We Are. This rousing song and dance number features electric movement and snappy costume changes that will have you clapping along.  William Bryant, Zach DeBevac, Andrew Dean Laino, and Christian Ryan all play drag queens with gusto, charm, smiles and, dare I say, athleticism.

We retreat to an upstairs apartment to meet Albin (Patrick O’Hara), who is the star performer at La Cage aux Folles under the stage name, “Zaza.” We glimpse the central relationship between Georges and Albin through a sweet back-and-forth dialog and the introspective song, [A Little More] Mascara.

Joy, despair and confusion ensue when Georges’ son Jean-Michel (Zachary J. Chiero) delivers the news that he is engaged (to a woman!). Georges is reluctant to approve of Jean-Michel’s engagement, but Jean-Michel assures his father that he is in love with Anne Dindon (Grace Tarves) through the tender With Anne on My Arm. Unfortunately, her father is head of the “Tradition, Family and Morality Party,” whose stated goal is to close drag clubs and the like.

Anne’s parents wish to meet their future in-laws, but Jean-Michel has lied to his fiancée, describing Georges as a (straight) retired diplomat and not mentioning Albin at all. Jean-Michel convinces his father to partner in the lie and wants to include his birth mother at the gathering. Attempts to break the news to Albin covers two quieter songs (With You on My Arm and Song on the Sand), but before Georges can deliver Jean-Michel’s wishes, Albin runs off to the stage.

Zaza electrifies the stage and the audience performing La Cage aux Folles\, while Georges and Jean-Michel quickly redecorate the house in a more modest style. While Albin is changing for his next number, he notices the two and demands to know what is going on. Georges tells Albin of Jean-Michel’s plan and, in an odd twist, Albin re-joins Les Cagelles onstage, then sending them off as he sings the defiant solo I Am What I Am to end Act I.

Even though the show is a modern farce, Les Cagelles act as comic relief along with butler/maid Jacob (Adam Pierce Montgomery) and stage manager Francis (Dylan Geringer). How does comic relief work in a comedy? You have to see the show to fully understand that absurdity must be meted in portions, lest it become overbearing.  Suffice to say, super-over-the-top Jacob is a scene-stealer as both a servant and a club dancer.

The cabaret songs are all energetic numbers which exist to entertain while the emotional music is downplayed to add gravitas and investigation into the characters’ minds. The Joe Trainer-led “Birdcage Band” is excellent in both setting the mood and reacting to the emotion brought forth by the actors on stage. The musicians are part of the set when the audience is at La Cage aux Folles, but are cleverly hidden when the scene demands deeper character interaction.  Vicki Neal and Richard A. Kendrick have created a simple, yet elegant set that allows for up-close dynamic action as well as space between characters to represent both emotional and physical distance.  The stage lighting can convey a pulsing nightclub or a quiet room and works well in the space of The Black Box.

Act II finds Georges apologizing to Albin (Song on the Sand [Reprise]) and then suggesting that Albin should dress up as “Uncle Al” to be a part of the family dinner. Albin reluctantly agrees to act like a heterosexual for Jean-Michel, leading to some of the funniest physical and lyrical humor in the show. With the help of Monsieur and Madame Renaud (Greg Tigani and Mary Catherine Kelley), Georges successfully(?) teaches Albin to abandon his flamboyancy (Masculinity).  Jean-Michel doesn’t like the idea, but Georges angrily reminds him what a good “mother” Albin has been to him (Look Over There).

Just as Anne’s parents (Tigani and Kelley in different roles) arrive, the hosts receive a telegram that Jean-Michel’s mother won’t be joining them (Dishes [Cocktail Counterpoint]). Hoping to save the day, Albin appears as Jean-Michel’s mother. Nervous and unreliable Jacob has burned the dinner, so a trip to an elite local restaurant, owned by close friend Jacqueline (Kerry Kristine McElrone), is arranged without explaining the situation to her.  Jacqueline theatrically asks Albin (as Zaza) for a song, to which he hesitantly agrees (The Best of Times).  Everyone in the restaurant begins to take part in the song, causing Albin to yield to the frenzy of performance and tear off his wig at the song’s climax, revealing his true identity.

Arguments, comedy, and confusion are unleashed, while Jean-Michel begins to feel ashamed of the way he has treated Albin and asks his forgiveness (Look Over There [Reprise]), which is lovingly granted. However, the Dindons vow to cancel the wedding and prepare to depart, but their way is blocked by Jacqueline, who has arrived with the press – ready to photograph the notorious anti-homosexual activists with Zaza. Through a clever plan and impeccable timing and luck, the Dindons escape with their reputation intact and their daughter’s marriage to Jean-Michel validated. With everyone gone, Albin and Georges briefly sing of their love for each other before sharing a kiss (Finale [With You On My Arm/La Cage aux Folles/Song on the Sand/The Best Of Times]).

The show is a delight in script, music, pacing and topical humor. The physical comedy and clever wordplay will have audiences laughing heartily. Technically, this is a musical that needs to be tight – and it is. The effort put into set design, cast, direction, music, lighting and production camaraderie are evident in the final product. With over a 2-hour running time, I just wish I had brought a cushion for my seat.

The production of La Cage aux Folles runs through December 17 in The Black Box on the Wilmington waterfront (4 South Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE 19801). Tickets cost $20-28, but the cabaret-style set includes a limited number of upgraded seats – known as “Birdcage Seats.”  These seats are situated on platforms on either side of the theater, affording patrons a “bird's eye view” of all the dazzling stage action, complimentary table snacks and complimentary drink tickets per person. Advance purchase of these seats is advised.  Cost of Birdcage Seats is $40 per ticket (select “VIP” option at online purchase).

See www.city-theater.org. 

Delaware Symphony Celebrates the Silver Screen

DSO guest soloist, Jinjoo Cho.

By Christine Facciolo
Hollywood has given us more than just great motion pictures. It’s given us a lot of remarkable music as well. Sometimes industry moguls would engage a world-renowned composer to craft an original score to accompany a film. At other times, they’d graft a well-known piece onto a particular scene.

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra gave concertgoers a sampling of both approaches on Friday, November 19, 2016 at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington. The program “Music from the Silver Screen” swelled with emotion and crackled with energy in works by Wagner, Korngold, Bernstein and Ravel.

Music and drama have shared a close relationship for ages, but it was Richard Wagner’s later musical style with its new ideas in harmony, melodic processes and operatic structure that had a major impact on modern film scores. So it was only fitting to open a program on movie music with a performance of the Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde which is heard as incidental music in several films, the most recent being Lars von Trier’s Melancholia (2011).

The Prelude and Liebestod is about as romantic as music gets. Maestro David Amado led the orchestra in a performance that was swelling and strong yet never sentimental. One did not need to know the story to experience the trajectory of emotions: the yearning, the sadness and the hope.

The slow motion of the Prelude and Liebestod soon gave way to the electrifying energy of Erich Korngold’s technically demanding Violin Concerto in D Major. Korngold was an Austrian-born prodigy who, like other European composers fleeing the turmoil of the interwar years, found himself in Hollywood at a time when the industry was beginning to realize just how important a score could be to the success of a film. He would go on to win two Academy Awards, earning him the title of the founder of modern film music.

The concerto, which was composed in 1945, marked Korngold’s return to serious composition, even though the work “borrows” themes from his movie music in each of its three movements. Guest soloist was Jinjoo Cho, Gold Medalist of the 2014 Ninth Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.

One might be tempted to equate Korngold’s thoroughly romantic style with schmaltz, but Cho’s no-nonsense approach to his music quickly dispelled those notions. Her searing tone, high-octane delivery and splendidly taut rhythms showed she had a feel for the style his music demands. The audience responded by offering applause between each movement, rising to its feet at the conclusion.

Like Korngold, Leonard Bernstein was a serious composer who felt every bit as comfortable with musical theatre and film as evidenced by his Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Amado and the musicians of the DSO spun over the jazzy Latin rhythms of the dance music just as they soared through the romantic lyricism of Tonight and Maria, all the while delivering the streetwise edge that gives the score its energy.

Like the Prelude and Liebestod, Maurice Ravel’s Bolero served as incidental music in several films, probably most famously in 1979’s 10. This driving, seductive piece never fails to delight audiences and tonight’s was no exception. The piece proceeded with understated elegance and flair, as several instruments took turns presenting the sinuous solo that goes through 18 repetitions. But special honors must go to Principal Percussionist William Kerrigan, whose snare drum maintained rhythm and tempo with utmost precision.

It is said that Ravel would became angry if he felt a conductor was losing control of the work. He would have been justifiably proud of this performance.

See www.delawaresymphony.org.

The Holiday Show for the Whole Family to Enjoy!

Broadway Christmas Wonderland: The Holiday Show at The Playhouse on Rodney Square is a true holiday treat for the whole family! From dazzling sets to sparkly costumes, the Christmas musical revue enchants both the young and the young at heart!

The show is full of holiday classics from all eras, including jovial songs like Jingle Bells and Santa Clause is Coming to Town to sacred Christmas hymns like Oh Holy Night and The First Noel. 

Five amazingly talented vocalists (Daniel Dewes, Chris Giordano, Hannah Grover, Kadejah One, and Browyn Whittle) are backed by a singing and dancing chorus that bring the beloved carols to life. The talented cast high kicks us through a true winter wonderland that not only includes traditional holiday music, but also gospel and a Glenn Miller tribute, as well as an emotional rendition of God Bless The USA. This powerful number brought the audience to its feet.

A couple highlights include Jing, Jing, Jing, a highly energetic song the chorus sings sitting on the edge of the stage and performing a fast-paced patty-cake style dance and Smile With Santa, a sassy little number with the chorus performing a Fosse inspired routine.

Get into the holiday spirit by seeing Broadway Christmas Wonderland: The Holiday Show before it closes on November 27th! For more information and tickets, visit  http://www.thegrandwilmington.org.   

"Gentlemen's Guide" Worth "Perusing" at The Playhouse

By Guest Blogger, Ken Grant
Ken Grant has worked in Delaware media, politics and marketing for 25 years. He and his Lovely Bride enjoy Wilmington's arts and culture scene as much as they can.

If you start with Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey, add in some Monty Python and Benny Hill, then mix it all thoroughly with fun music, talented performers and one of the most versatile sets to grace a stage, you'll get A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, running now at The Playhouse on Rodney Square. 

The Tony Award-winning play -- based on a 1949 film, which was based on a book published in 1907 -- is a delightful comedy centered around one young man's attempt to woo the woman of his dreams while systematically knocking off one relative after another to gain a title, a mansion and the family wealth.

Photo supplied by The Playhouse on Rodney Square.

Monty Navarro is played playfully by Kevin Massey, who seems to embody a young Danny Kaye as he moves around the stage, especially in a scene involving two doors, two women and an attempt to make sure the two women do not meet.

John Rapson delights the audience playing nine (yes, nine) members of the D'Ysquith family -- young, old, men, women -- Rapson changes costumes, make up, accents and personalities in seconds and as each family member is dispatched in a different way, we find ourselves curious as to what the next family member will look and sound like.

Kristen Beth Williams and Kristen Hahn play the dueling love interests of Monty with angelic voices and remarkable comic timing.

Rapson is not the only cast member who gets to play multiple roles: An ensemble of talent play townspeople,  wedding guests, mourners, servants, law enforcement and more throughout the play.

During intermission, several audience members expressed amazement at the innovative set, which takes everyone from church steeples to frozen lakes to gardens and at least a dozen other locations with the help of a giant video screen.

In the midst of the wit and fun of the production, there seems to be some subtle commentary on class divisions and how out-of-touch the wealthy and priveleged can be, but since the play is set more than a century ago, we can rest assured that simply applies to that era, not modern times. ;)

If you're up for a fun, engaging and delightful dish of entertainment, you'll want to reserve your seat for A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder is at The Playhouse on Rodney Square until Sunday, November 20. Order your tickets HERE. 

See www.duponttheatre.com. 

DelShakes' Pericles on Tour --- A Perfect Choice

Jamal Douglas (Pericles/Ensemble) and 

Bi Jean Ngo (Thaisa/Ensemble) perform at the

Achievement Center of the Wilmington HOPE Commission. 

Photo by Alessandra Nicole.

By Christine Facciolo

Pity the director that has to stage a production of Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre. 

Dramaturgically speaking, it’s a train wreck. In fact, scholars agree that the play was largely written not by the Bard but by a collaborator — and a hack at that. The plot is a meandering one that includes an incestuous king, two tempests at sea, marauding pirates, a maiden sold into a bordello and a reunion between said maiden and the father who thought her long dead. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a reunion between that self-same father and the wife he also thought long dead. Little wonder it’s so rarely performed.

But for David Stradley, it was the perfect choice. Stradley is producing artistic director of the Delaware Shakespeare Festival, which is smack-dab in the middle of a statewide community tour that has already taken it to some pretty unconventional venues, including the Ferris School for Boys and the Sunday Breakfast Mission in Wilmington as well as the Stockley Center in Georgetown. The company is also slated to perform at the Delaware Psychiatric Center and the Baylor Women’s Correctional Institute.

It’s all about life’s journey and how we cope with everything life throws at us, Stradley told the audience prior to Sunday’s matinee performance at the Delaware History Museum in downtown Wilmington. Those who persevere will, like some of the characters in the play, reap the benefits. He noted how well that theme resonated with some of the at-risk populations the company has visited.

The plot goes like this: Pericles must flee for his life from the murderous King Antiochus. After being shipwrecked, Pericles finds his true love, the beautiful Princess Thaisa, who isn’t long for this life — or is she? The action spans fourteen years, but the ensemble, as omniscient narrator, keeps us abreast of Pericles’ hectic escapades throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.

L-R: Trevor Fayle (Lysimachus/Ensemble), 

Jamal Douglas (Pericles/Ensemble), Danielle Leneé 

(Helicanus/Ensemble, in background), 

J Hernandez (Cleon/Ensemble), 

Corinna Burns (Dionyza/Ensemble). 

Photo by Alessandra Nicole.

Stradley tackles this omnishambles of a play with a cheeky production that features wit and zest. Ashley SK Davis supplies an amazing fight scene executed with precision by this acrobatic ensemble. David Meyer provides a minimalist set that supports the action but is portable and readily adaptable to the venue. Musician/composer Joe Trainer effectively set the mood, creating tension and underscoring the theme. Cast member Ruby Wolf’s violin provides a very pleasant, if unexpected, addition.

The performers are first-rate. Bi Jean Ngo shows versatility playing an oily assassin and the noble and sublime Princess Thaisa. Danielle Lenee imbues Helicanus with a quiet and stately grace. Ruby Wolf imparts a common-sense wisdom to the pluperfect Marina. Corinna Burns and J Hernandez are all grace and gratitude as Dionyza and Cleon which contrasts wonderfully with their turns as the Pandar and Bawd for which Hernandez dons an appropriately godawful red wig. Jamal Douglas as the titular hero must deliver a more restrained performance but does occasionally cash in on the silliness with revealing facial gestures.

Pericles, Prince of Tyre may not be a perfect piece of theater, but it’s good entertainment and it does deliver an important message of perseverance to anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of one of life’s curve balls. And that’s most of us.

See www.delshakes.org. 

Organist David Schelat Features Bach & Original Works on Gabriel Kney Organ

Market Street Music Artistic Director and Organist, David Schelat

By Christine Facciolo

Organ concerts aren’t usually a big attraction, but David Schelat drew a respectable crowd to his Market Street Music Festival Concert on Sunday, October 23, 2016 at First & Central Presbyterian Church on Rodney Square in Wilmington.

Schelat took the audience on a wonderful journey from Bach to Schelat in a program that demonstrated not only his musicality and virtuosity, but also the breathtaking capabilities of the church’s Gabriel Kney organ — the only one of its kind in the mid-Atlantic region.

Schlelat devoted the first half of the program to works by J.S. Bach, believed by many to have been the greatest composer in the history of Western music. Indeed, the selections here amply demonstrated that Bach was much more than a mere mathematical counterpoint machine — which is why he is accorded such importance by composers of the Romantic era and beyond.

The concert opened with a performance of Bach’s most recognizable work, the Toccata & Fugue in D Minor (565). The church nearly seemed to shrink under the mighty sounds of that infamous opening motif. Schelat turned in an energetic yet deliberative reading, revealing details of this intricate and powerful work which are usually glossed over in more frenzied renderings.

Schlelat then offered three chorale preludes from the Schubler, Leipzig and Orgelbuchlein (Little Organ Book), which represent the summit of Bach’s sacred music for solo organ.

Some of the pieces were very familiar, like the Schubler chorale prelude Wachet auf or Sleepers Awake, BWV 645. Schelat’s gentle reading of the beautiful melody of this simple Lutheran hymn revealed the quiet sanity of Bach.

Likewise, Schelat’s understated approach to the chorale prelude from the Orgelbuchlein O Mensch, bewein dein Sunde gross, BWV 622 brought out not only the pain and regret in the opening of the piece but also highlighted the curious serenity and mystery in the music.

The Leipzig selection Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 655 offered a nice contrast to the previous two. Its infectious rhythms and lighter texture made the music a joyous, swirling experience.

Schelat bookended the section with the quietly monumental Prelude and Fugue in B Minor, BWV 544, one of Bach’s more mature essays in the genres and a fitting complement to the pyrotechnics of the opening Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.  The second half of the program featured more modern fare, opening with Hindemith’s rarely performed Sonata I. Schelat delivered Hindemith’s sparse textures with clarity and articulation. The rhythms were crisp yet never mechanical, giving the reading an invigorating sense of purpose.

By contrast, Vierne’s diaphanous Clair de Lune, Opus 53, No. 5 seemingly dissolved metrical rigidity, producing an almost ethereal quality while the organ sang the deeply affective melodic line.

Schelat concluded the program with one of his own compositions, an organ sonata in three movements: Folk Song, Sarabande and Allegro. The short melodic piece was written in 2011 for colleague Michael Brill who premiered it in France. Most interesting was the first movement — Folk Song — which featured the melody played in the petals accompanied by arpeggiated harmonies in the keyboard.

See www.marketstreetmusicde.org.