Into the Woods at Seacoast Repertory Theatre (Portsmouth, NH)

Into the Woods at Seacoast Repertory Theatre (Portsmouth, NH)

Last night was the opening night performance of Into the Woods at Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth, NH. Into the Woods with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine is a musical comedy that intertwines a number of classic fairy tales, such as Cinderella, Jack and Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood, to name a few. We are taken along on a magical journey to learn what the true cost of a wish really is and who is willing to pay the price to make their wish come true.   

This ensemble production with a company of ten actors was creatively directed by Bob Vernon. In this production, props and costume pieces allowed for multiple characters to be played by the same actor. Initially, I was unsure how well this was going to work as there are many characters within the show and often times they are on stage at the same time. But by the end of the prologue, which, thanks to Sondheim, is a very long number, I, along with most of the audience, were able to follow who was who for the remainder of the show.

Throughout the first act, the one-liners landed and had the audience chuckling in their seats. Unfortunately, many one-liners were then repeated by audience members to the people they were sitting next to. This makes me wonder if the actors were rushing and the audience couldn’t clearly understand them so things were being repeated or that audience members thought lines were so funny they needed to say them again for themselves. Either way it was a distraction and I found myself unable to hear the actors on multiple occasions because of the excess audience chatter. But I’ll sum it up to an overly excited opening night audience who were having a wonderful night at the theatre.

My favorite performance from the evening came well into act one when the two Princes gave fantastically, dramatic performances in their duet “Agony”. For the audience, this number was anything but agonizing to sit through and was happily welcomed again in act two during a reprise. These standout performances were given by Ben Bagley (Cinderella’s Prince) and Jeff Dalzell (Rapunzel’s Prince).  Though they made great Princes, they both played other roles within the show: Mr. Dalzell displayed his versatile acting chops in his other roles as Milky White (the cow) and Florinda (one of the Stepsisters); while Mr. Bagley gave an incredibly creepy performance as the Wolf.

Other notable performances included Jess Andra as the Baker’s Wife and Seraphina Caligiure as the Witch. Their renditions of “Moments in the Woods” and “Lament”, both in act two, were superb. Bill Humphreys (Mysterious Man & Lucinda) was an audience favorite offering many one liners and amusing physical comedy. Jamie Bradley, as the Baker, delivered clear and strong vocals; while Cathy McKay was energetic as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Jack’s Mother and Granny. Gabrielle Archambault was lovely as Cinderella which contrasted her performance as an angry Giant. Even the youngsters of the company Emma Joanis (Little Red Ridinghood & Rapunzel) and Liam Blanchard (Jack & Steward) earned their share of laughs and applause throughout. 

In closing, be prepared as it is a long show, closing in on almost three hours including intermission. But it is clear that this group of talented actors have worked hard to make this a good production. So why not take a chance and go Into the Woods, you’re sure to enjoy the journey!

Into the Woods is playing through June 14^th, 2015. For information and tickets visit www.seacoastrep.org

Mary Poppins at Chelmsford (MA) High School

I walked into the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center last night with high expectations for the opening night performance of the Broadway musical Mary Poppins. The musical is based on the classic stories from P. L. Travers and the Walt Disney film. Though not a sold out performance, the audience was enthusiastic as they took their seats and the lights dimmed.

A beautifully painted curtain depicting the stairs and front door of the Bank’s home on Cherry Tree Lane hung down over the stage. As soon as Bert (Timmy Chase) stepped onto the stage and began the prologue, I knew that the audience was in for a treat. From his opening line to his final flying flip, Timmy Chase was absolutely brilliant. He reminded me of the great Dick Van Dyke, who, alongside the unparalleled Julie Andrews in Walt Disney’s film, brought Bert and Mary Poppins to life. It’s been just over fifty years since Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews sang and danced their way into our hearts as these charming and wonderful characters. While no one could ever surpass the original, in this musical production, Timmy Chase as Bert and Caroline Flynn as Mary Poppins came very close and were “Practically Perfect.” Caroline with her clear, beautiful voice brought joy, laughter and pure fun every time she walked or rather flew onto the stage. Although both are graduating this year from Chelmsford High, these two young performers are ones to watch for in the coming years. I am sure, if last night’s show is any indication, that we’ve not seen the last of their incredible talent for them, high school is only the beginning.  

Other highlights include wonderful choreography by student choreographers and lead dancers: Amanda LoCoco, Taylor Erikson and Marisa Getchell. I especially want to commend them on their work on the ensemble pieces of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Step in Time”. Both pieces are energetically up-tempo and can be intimidating to even the most experienced choreographers yet these ladies nailed it; with quick and inventive arm movements during “Supercal…” and strong, clear tapping in “Step in Time”, these young choreographers had the entire audience clapping and cheering throughout each number.

Though no production is without its slip-ups, Chelmsford High’s ambitious production of Mary Poppins is a fun and charming night out.  Surely, with Caroline Flynn and Timmy Chase leading the way as Mary Poppins and Bert, it is certain to have a weekend full of well-deserved standing ovations.