By Guest Blogger, Chuck Holdeman
Chuck is a regional composer of lyrical, contemporary classical music, including opera, orchestral music, songs, chamber music, music for film, and music for educational purposes. www.chuckholdeman.com
The fourth annual spirituals concert at Wilmington's Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew was heard by a large and appreciative audience on Sunday evening, January 26. Led by the church's music director David Christopher, the varied program featured choral music, two vocal soloists, The Chamber Choir of the Wilmington Children's Chorus, as well as Christopher performing organ solos. His relaxed presentation of each piece kept the whole audience in his hand, providing fascinating background about the music's African-American roots, including the Go Down Moses organ fantasia by the late Nigerian-American composer Fela Sowande, who left no device untried, from Bach to Max Reger, from tragic to triumphant.
Included was a nod to the choral tradition of Fisk University — Rockin' Jerusalem by John Wesley Work III. The program also included masters of the genre Harry T. Burleigh (the sung version of Go Down Moses) and William Grant Still (Here's One). While most of the selections were part of the older spiritual tradition, one selection was, in Christopher's word, "gospelized," Mark Hayes' dancing version of This Little Light of Mine. The evening's two soloists were the church choir's irrepressible Tina Betz and the young professional mezzo and UD graduate, Melody Wilson. Wilson possesses a rich colorful voice, especially in the middle register. This spring, Wilson will participate in the recording of Terence Blanchard's jazz opera Champion. Wilson will sing in the chorus, also serving as understudy to Denise Graves.
The Wilmington Children's Chorus, under the direction of Kimberly Doucette, sang André Thomas' Keep Your Lamps, accompanied by the solo djembe drum of associate director Phillip Doucette. The young group of about 40 sang with wonderful precision and tone — even the young bass singers sounded convincing and full. The djembe part seemed to be intended to give life and variety to the many verses in slow tempo, but nevertheless came off as an add-on, somewhat out of the style of the song.
The church choir was augmented by members of Christopher's Delaware Valley Chorale. It was a pleasure to see seasoned artists like Dana Robertson there to add luster to the music. Audience participation was also part of the mix, and Clayton White's arrangement of Ain-a that Good News from Horace Boyer's African-American Hymnal (LEVAS II) was a stand out. Christopher told me afterward that he was impressed and delighted by the big sound of the audience's voices!
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.
 |
| 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.
