Shrek the Musical is the movie, with music added, live right in front of you! It is directed by Robin Arthur, with music direction by Sandy Dacus at The Children’s Theatre of Virginia at Willow Lawn, where they always have family friendly plays.
 
I am not usually drawn to musicals, but Virginia Repertory keeps changing my mind this season. The music was absolutely fantastic, the acting was spot on from every cast member and the dancing was fun and unique.
 
For those of you who have seen the movie, you will recognize the overall storyline. For those of you who haven’t, here is a simple breakdown without spoilers. An ogre loses his swamp to fairytale creatures who have been kicked out of their homes by an evil Lord. Shrek goes on an epic quest to save a princess with the reward of getting his swamp back. There are many twists and everything is not as it seems.
 
Jason Marks is incredible and believable as Shrek. I am baffled by his ability to sing like a champ, act like a pro, and wear that hot heavy mask and costume all at the same time. He carries the show with ease! Much applause to Ronnie Brown (Donkey). He is funny and dynamic. Aly Wepplo (Fiona) has the voice of an angel! A special shout out to Hanna Clinton (Teen Fiona/Ensemble and my classmate at Thomas Dale)!
 
Nothing is perfect, but this show is close! One problem from a sound perspective, is when Shrek roars, both Shrek and a recorded voice roar simultaneously. This is somewhat distracting as they have distinctly divergent sounds. There were also some minor set issues such as a window that is designed to ‘shatter’ open kept moving during the scene, which drew my attention to it instead of the action taking place directly in front of it.
 
Set design, by Brian C. Baker, is beautiful and creative and matches each scene well. It is the most complex set I have had the privilege to see at The Children’s Theatre. It matches the needs of the scenes and the theater space equally. Lighting design, by Lynne M. Hartman, transfers night/day and inside/outside with smooth transitions.
 
If you feel like watching the movie “Shrek” this weekend, don’t! Go see it happen right before your eyes at The Children’s Theatre of Virginia. A great play for all ages (as long as they are old enough to sit through a 2 1/2 hour performance, the recommendation is about 6 and up), all genders, and all races…even ogres.

Photo Gallery

Hanna Clinton (Teen Fiona), Aly Wepplo (Fiona), and Ellie Wilson (Young Fiona)	Jason Marks (Shrek) and Aly Wepplo (Fiona)
Ensemble	Jason Marks (Shrek)
Ronnie Brown (Donkey)	Robert King (Lord Farquaad) and Jason Marks (Shrek)
Aly Wepplo (Fiona) center, and Ensemble	Aly Wepplo (Fiona) and Jason Marks (Shrek)

Photos by Jay Paul

Cast

• Shrek: Jason Marks
• Princess Fiona: Aly Wepplo
• Donkey: Ronnie Brown
• Lord Farquaad: Robert King
• Pinocchio: Matt Shofner
• Young Fiona: Ellie Wilson
• Teen Fiona: Hanna Clinton
• Dragon: Ashlee Arden Heyward
• Ensemble: Brianne Chin, Keydron Dunn, Brent Gallahan, Audra Honaker, David Janeski, Carolyn Meade, Sara Ann Meinhofer, Todd Patterson, Mark Persinger, Joe Winters, Hannah Zold

Crew

• Stage Management: Wendy Vandergrift
• Sound Design: Derek Dumais
• Costume Design: Elizabeth Weiss Hopper
• Light Design: Lynne M Hartman
• Set Design: Brian C Barker
• Music Direction: Sandy Dacus
• Direction and Choreography: Robin Arthur

Disclaimer: Virginia Repertory Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Greek gods pretending to be human with a campy fourth wall breaking chorus, what could go wrong? Nothing! This show is just right — unless you speak to Mercury about Charis!

Olympus On My Mind, directed by K Strong, is currently running at Virginia Repertory’s Hanover Tavern. This is the third time Hanover Tavern has produced this play and if the saying “third time’s a charm” is to believed, Olympus is complete charm and worth every moment!

The story takes place in Greece. The god Jupiter (Richard Travis) and his son Mercury (Arden Moscati) come down from Mount Olympus for one night to have a bit of fun with Alcmene (Sara Sommers) while her husband is away at war. One thing leads to the next as her husband, Amphitryon (George Spelvin), arrives home earlier than expected. The comedy of errors is hysterical laughter for the audience.

No show can ever be perfect, but this show is quite as close as can be. The chorus, a fourth wall breaking group, including the ever-talented Maggie Roop as Delores, turns the audience into participants in the show. Scott Wichmann’s Sosia could not have more perfect comedic timing. The chorus did struggle in one of their first dance numbers, but quickly gained their rhythm and never skipped another beat. There is also the possibility of some initial confusion when Jupiter and Amphitryon come face to face, but it is short-lived and the scene is so well delivered the confusion is instantly forgotten.

Set design, by Terrie Powers, conveys the Greek Era with ease — giving the proper patterns to the floor, lighting the stairs, and using mannequins as statues is just brilliant. Lighting design, by K. Jenna Ferre, is well suited to each scene and truly amazes in the dance number that throws out any idea of a fourth wall in this show.

The posters for this show are tongue in cheek with the suggestion of a naked lady behind a column. Don’t let it deceive you. There are no naked ladies, only a most incredibly fun cast! This show is a show for most ages. Though some of the Greek mythology might be lost on younger children, they will still love the jokes, physical comedy, singing and dancing. You will be dying laughing by the end of the show.

Break the fourth wall and visit Hanover Tavern, Olympus will be on YOUR mind – a can’t miss show!

Photo Gallery

Maggie Roop	Scott Wichmann
Richard Travis and Sarah Maynard Sommers as Alcmene	Richard Travis and Sarah Maynard Sommers
Scott Wichmann as Sosia and Richard Travis as Jupiter	Mary Anne Furey as Charis and Scott Wichmann
Cast	Maggie Roop as Delores

Photos by Jay Paul

Cast

• The Chorus
  • Tom: Tyler D. Wilson
  • Dick: Paul S. Major
  • Horace: Dan Cimo
  • Delores: Maggie Roop
• Jupiter: Richard Travis
• Mercury: Arden Moscati
• Charis: Mary Anne Furey
• Alcmene: Sara Sommers
• Sosia: Scott Wichmann
• Amphitryon: George Spelvin

Behind the Scenes

• Stage Management: Kristy Bell
• Costume Design: Sarah Grady
• Light Design: K. Jenna Ferree
• Set Coordination: Chase Kniffen
• Music Direction: Jason Marks
• Direction & Choreography: K Strong
• Cover Art Illustration: Robert Meganck
• Accompaniment Creation: Jason Marks
• Deck Crew: Maggie Peterson
• Light Board Operator: Kristy Bell
• Sound Engineer: Zach Baumann

Disclaimer: The reviewer volunteered with Virginia Rep as an usher.

Just about everyone knows the story ‘Twas the Night before Christmas. Do you know the story of Clement Moore, the man who wrote the poem? Virginia Repertory Children’s Theatre of Virginia’s ‘Twas the Night before Christmas teaches you all about Clement, his family, and the famous poem.

I saw the play Sunday afternoon with my mom and two great friends. I had in my mind that the play would be targeted for young children, maybe too young for me. Within the first few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Children come in all ages of the heart, and this play is fun for everyone!

The play is funny, cheerful, and very light-hearted. I am usually not one for smiling and laughing at a play. When I watch a play, I like to understand it and get a feel for all aspects of it from the cast to the set, lights, etc. I found myself simply enjoying everything; the cast and the set make the entire experience fun.

The only issue was the microphones. The mics were attached to the actors and varied in pitch. When Santa (John Hagadorn) was talking to Clement (P.J. Freebourn), Clement’s voice was loud and Santa’s voice was soft, making Santa harder to hear.

The lighting, by K. Jenna Ferree, is excellent — especially the projections in the back showing weather and time of day changes. The set, by Ron Keller and Jacob Sailer, is absolutely amazing with sliding doors and painted floors. The set totally pulls you right into the scene. I really liked the chimney and the fact that Santa does actually come up and down it!

If you’re looking for a happy holiday show, take your family to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Perfect for the kids, perfect for the adults, and perfect for teenagers (who I admit sometimes think we are not kids any longer). I recommend this show to children of all ages!

Photo Gallery

Pamela Shaw, P.J. Freebourn, Jessi Johnson, and Ashlee Heyward	Sophia Bunnell and Audrey Snyder
Jessi Johnson, P.J. Freebourn, Pamela Shaw, and Ashlee Heyward	Audrey Snyder, Laney Yoo, Sophia Bunnell, and P.J. Freebourn
P.J. Freebourn and John Hagadorn

Photos by Jay Paul

Cast

• Clement C. Moore: P.J. Freebourn
• Eliza Moore: Audrey Snyder
• Charity Moore: Sophia Bunnell or Audry Kate Taylor
• Margaret Moore: Laney Yoo or Adelaide O’Connor
• Kris Kringle: John Hagadorn
• Diana Mouse: Jessi Johnson
• Sugar Plums: Ashlee Arden Hayward, Pamela Shaw
• Children’s Company: Donathan Arnold, Rebekah Blackburn, Christopher Chavez, Claire Daniel, Evelyn Dumeer, Avery Edmundson, Brandon McKinney, Scott Neely

Crew

• Stage Management: Rebecca Brooks
• Costume Design: J. Theresa Bush
• Light Design: K. Jenna Ferree
• Set Design: Ron Keller & Jacob Sailer
• Music Direction: Paul Deiss
• Direction and Choreography: Jan Guarino

For This Production

• Assistant Costume Design: Shea O’Neil
• Scenic Painter: Greig Leach
• Cover Art Illustration: Robert Meganck
• Sound Engineer: Emily Clarkson
• Deck Crew: Maggie Peterson, Zach Baumann
• Light Board Operator: Rebecca Brooks
• Wardrobe: Sarah Grady

Disclaimer: The reviewer volunteered at the theater as an usher for this review.

I saw Carol Piersol and African American Repertory Theatre’s production of Race, directed by Bill Patton, on its opening night. The word race has several definitions. I wasn’t aware of the play before seeing it, so I was thinking of racing cars. I was wrong! It is about race as in ethnicity. This was a delightful surprise. Not saying there’s anything wrong with race cars, but it’s not exactly my thing. This is why I looked forward to the play when sitting in the audience: not a race car in sight.

I went to this production with my friend Greg. Greg and I are of different ethnicities, he is African-American and I am Caucasian. Being teenagers we waited until the last-minute to go in and sit down, but there was music playing to set the mood and the house appeared to be at almost capacity. The theater is a small black box setting, which is perfect for an up close audience experience.

The plot follows a Caucasian man accused of raping an African-American woman. He may or may not be a lawyer shopping for a firm to represent him in the way he sees fit. The subject of rape evolves into the subject of race. Everyone is exposed for their underlying, even subconscious, feelings.

Joe Inscoe assumes the role of Charles; a rich, white, racist, sexist man with ease. Katrinah Carol Lewis as Susan; the recently hired, just out of law school lawyer, was the most influential character to me. She added a twist of not only racial tension, but a sexist factor, both with strength and emotional vulnerability. In doing so, she portrayed her role magnificently. Charles and Susan display the tensest relationship even when not on stage together. He is the accused rapist, who finds her attractive, and she is a woman who thinks he is guilty based on his behavior and her own notions of race and sex.

Billy Christopher Maupin (Jack) and d l [sic] Hopkins (Henry), the two lawyers asked to take on Charles’ case, both create racial sensitivity in the play. Jack is Caucasian and Henry is African-American. These two have a bond that racial prejudice cannot break. While they show their own prejudices and strengths, they have a mutual respect, even as the dialogue reveals truths that are not often spoke. I give both praise for a worthy task.

Sometimes the actors had pauses between lines as if they did not know whose turn it was to speak and there was some stuttering of words that didn’t flow like natural speech, but that might have been opening night jitters and working out the kinks in front of a live audience.

Set design, by David Allan Ballas, converts the tiny stage into a large law office. Adding seats and books and a desk create a vivid picture. It sucks you into the office with the characters. Light design, by Michael Jarrett and Cody Richardson, make the stage “office bright,” yet almost a cold brightness. The window, in the set, is used brilliantly with lighting to show the passage of time in the day. They create marvelous effects, seamlessly.

If you are planning to go out with your family and children and are looking for a light-hearted show this holiday season, Race is not for you. There is much use of strong language. If you are looking for a GREAT performance that will leave you with a lot to think about and talk about for hours, as my friend Greg and I did, this is the show for you.

Photo Gallery

Photos provided by African American Repertory Theater

The Cast

• Jack: Billy Christopher Maupin
• Hanry: d l [sic] Hopkins
• Susan: Katrinah Carol Lewis
• Charles: Joe Inscoe

The Crew

• Director: Bill Patton
• Stage Manager: Sarah Stepahin
• Assistant Stage Manager:
• Scenic Designer: David A Ballas
• Lighting Design: Michael Jarrett and Cody Richardson
• Costume Design: Sarah Grady
• Producer: Carol Piersol
• Associate Producer: Billy Christopher Maupin
• Scenic Charge: Kevin Johnson
• Scenic Painter: Christina Delli Santi

Disclaimer: African American Repertory Theater/Carol Piersol provided a complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

A shrew: A bad-tempered or aggressively assertive woman. This is exactly what Liz Blake White (Kate) is in Henley Street Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare’s production of The Taming of the Shrew.

I saw Henley Street and Richmond Shakespeare’s production of The Taming of the Shrew on its opening night. Finding myself at a Shakespeare play, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I hadn’t ever seen a Shakespeare play, but at 14 years old, there is no time like the present to see a play by the Bard! I thought I would be walking into a classic mushy love play like Romeo and Juliet, which didn’t excite me. However, I kept an open mind.

Being an actor, I like to engross myself in theater any way I can. I ushered this production with my mom. Hey, I have to have a ride there, but she is a cool mom. 😉 Ushers have to get to the theater about 45 minutes before the house opens to learn the layout and make sure everyone is seated before the show begins. When I stepped into the theater, I saw what seemed to be a 1930’s movie set. Instantly, I thought of my favorite movie theater, The Byrd.

I’m not supposed to give any spoilers, but I’ll give a basic layout. It’s the 1930’s and the cast is about to film a movie version of The Taming of the Shrew. They will be filming it as a ‘modern’ adaptation with the classic language. The problem, they only have two hours to film it.

Directed by Jan Powell, the 1930’s feel is definitely unique, but was a bit distracting. The actors are always on stage because they are on a movie set. They interact with each other and watch the movie while it is being filmed. At times, this can draw your attention away from the Shrew scenes being filmed. To those not as familiar with the story or language of Shakespearean times, it can be confusing. However, I also found myself wanting to see and know the actors in the wings; a challenge in live theater. You cannot rewind if you miss something!

The actors are stereotypical of the time – camera happy, a flighty blonde, a know-it-all, and campy over-the-top funny. Liz Blake White (Kate) is phenomenal in creating a love/hate relationship between the audience and her character. Matt Hackman (Petruchio) also is great; I found myself really wanting him to succeed with Kate. The actor who really steals the show though is John Mincks (Lucentio)! He is full of energy that is contagious to the audience, a talented singer, and just marvelous all around.

To propel the story along and place the audience emotionally into the next scenes being filmed, the actors take turns singing classic songs from the 1930’s, such as Stormy Weather. This is both a valuable and brilliant way to help move the complex story along.

Set design, by Joshua Bennett, makes the stage look and feel like a 1930s movie set in full detail. Light design, by Michael Jarrett, conveys the differences between cameras rolling and not rolling beautifully, making the stage regularly lit while rolling and red or purple between scenes. Costume design, by Virginia McConnell, makes you believe you are in the 1930’s.

Whether you like Shakespeare or not, this is a great play and a great way to spend an evening out…even if you are with your mom!

Photo Gallery

John Mincks as Lucentio, McLean Jesse as Bianca and Jeffrey Cole as Hortensio	Liz Blake White as Kate and Matt Hackman as Petruchio
McLean Jesse as Bianca, John Mincks as Lucentio and Liz Blake White as Kate

Photos by Vinnie Gonzalez

The Cast

• Petruchio: Matt Hackman
• Kate: Liz Blake White
• Bianca: McLean Jesse
• Lucentio: John Mincks
• Gremio: Kevin Grantz
• Grumio: Stacie Rearden Hall
• Tranio: Patrick Long
• Hortensio: Jeffrey Cole
• Baptista: Mark Persinger
• Director, Groucho, Tailor, Widow: Wendy Carter
• Cameraman, Vincentio, Biondello: Zach Campion
• Grip, Haberdasher, Pedant: Mercedes Valacer
• Maid, Harpo: Danielle Thompson
• Maid, Chico: Alessandra Hernandez

Production Team

• Director: Jan Powell
• Production Manager: Corrie Barton
• Stage Manager: Jacquelyn Craig
• Set Design: Joshua Bennett
• Costume Design: Ginni McConnell
• Lighting Design: Michael Jarett
• Sound Design: Dave Maier
• Properties: Paige Skidmore
• Technical Director: Dennis Kennedy
• Choreography: Paul Dandridge

Disclaimer: The author ushered for this production, and was given a ticket for volunteering.