Carousel Review!

(I sent this to The Montclarion to be published online, but they haven't done so
as of yet, so I decided to post this here in the meantime.)

Every semester has at least one Broadway classic delivered by the Department of Theatre and Dance. In Fall 2010 it was Sweeney Todd, in Spring 2011 it was Sweet Charity, Fall 2011 A Chorus Line, Spring 2012 Kiss of the Spiderwoman, and now, Fall 2012 we have Carousel, quite possibly the most original classic of them all. The department still continues to deliver these gems of shows to the best of its top-notch ability.

With a gigantic cast, beautiful music conducted by Gregory J. Dlugos and produced by the tireless orchestra, and memorable dance numbers, which is a majority of the show, choreographed by Mimi Quillin, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, directed by Evan Pappas and brought to us by the Department of Theatre and Dance and John J. Cali School of Music, will be playing at the Alexander Kasser Theater until November 18.

The story is about a young innocent woman in late 1800s Maine named Julie Jordan, played by senior Haleigh Adams, who has caught the attractions of lead character Billy Bigelow, played by senior Christopher Cannon, an ex-Carousel barker who is down on his luck money wise. Charmed by how different and witty Julie is, Billy marries her, though proves that he is not the best of husbands by never finding decent work and hitting her once out of stress and anger. However, he shows that he has a heart of gold through his excitement for his future offspring when Julie reveals to him that she is pregnant. Because of this he discovers even more motivation to get some loot, but with the help of his friend Jigger Craigin (sophomore John Caliendo), his determination ultimately drives him to his downfall and he must try to make things right for his daughter Louise (senior Allison Steinberg), who engages in the ballet sequence of the musical. Carrie Pipperidge, Julie’s best friend (senior Brandy Kostick), and her betrothed Enoch Snow (senior Gabriel Rodrigues) provide a foil to the lead couple by being the comical duo whose troubles are not meant to be taken entirely serious. Throughout the musical you see that every single character has his or her flaws but also retains some redeeming qualities.

Audience members will really appreciate Carousel if they go for anything “cutesy,” for the songs and dances are cheerful and fun and the love stories are gushing with adorable moments. These can get somewhat overdone and a little too cute, but there are also very powerful depressing and heartbreaking moments to balance it out, mainly in the second act, for the way they approach the story of family love is very deep, leaving audience members in tears.

"The story has so many universal truths,” says Cannon, “It touches everybody's heart. I never felt so good to be in a show."

Cannon displays Billy’s suavity, anticipation, and desperation very well while Adams portrays Julie as a strong female character that takes a stand in her life and yet shows some restraint and composure to remain ladylike in society. The ensemble definitely puts a lot of hard work into their performances, for they do so much throughout the musical and steal the show with their constant stage time. In regards to special effects technique, one very great moment is how Carousel presents the afterlife with the use of smoke, bright lighting, and echoes.

From set to score, to gifted singing by the cast members, this version is a terrific one. Just like the characters share love for each other, you will fall in love with Carousel. For more information, please check out this website: http://www.peakperfs.org/performances/Carousel.

There are other things I want to discuss about Carousel that I have not in this review, so that might be another blog post.

My Grapes of Wrath Review: Traveling Across the Country on the Kasser Stage

Let us return back to my theater oriented theme. What we have here is another one of Stefanie Sears's lost articles that could not be used for publication, much like my On the Town and Sweeney Todd articles. Though the Sweeney Todd one may not be considered a "lost article" considering it was published in The Montclarion, I decided to publish the original draft on here so people are able to read that version as well.

This is the most recent, and most likely final, installment of my Grapes of Wrath at MSU Coverage. I call it coverage because other random blog posts I have made in the past were associated with MSU's production of The Grapes of Wrath in some way. Check out the other installments just in case you want to refer back to them. They include my interview with Corinne Chandler and my piece about Ma Joad for my Women's History Month series "Real Influential Women Role Models (Real and Fictitious)".


I originally wrote this piece for The Montclarion, but unfortunately they could not use it, so I decided to post it here. Enjoy! :) It was the first show I saw at Alexander Kasser Theater this semester and I had been hearing so much about it prior so needless to say I was pretty excited!

*There may be spoilers in here to those of you who a) did not see the play, b) did not read the book, c) did not see the movie, or d) all of the above.*

The much anticipated play production The Grapes of Wrath, based on John Steinbeck's classic novel of the same name and written by Frank Galati, directed by Susan Kerner, had its run from March 9-12 at the Alexander Kasser Theater. It was a very amazing show that was very well done with its imagery that made you feel and think with its intensity. The sizable cast, introducing child cast members to the Kasser stage, very well depicted the struggles their characters were experiencing, thus conveying the message of togetherness of family to the audience and narration through use of song by the narrators who accompanied the cast onstage most of the time. It had the ability to cause audience members to look at their own lives and be thankful for what they have.

Lead man Tom Joad, played by senior Dustin Fontaine, discovers on his return back home after being in prison that his family has been forced to leave their Oklahoma home. The Joad family, along with Tom, then embarks with both enthusiasm and fear on a journey to California, where the good life is currently being advertised and jobs are promised, hitting snags in the road along the way. Ma Joad, played by senior Lena Chilingerian, was clearly the heroine of the play, trying to keep her family together while protecting them as it gradually falls apart, accepting the fact that things may not seem to go as planned after all.

What was interesting is that two characters could be having a conversation center stage, but the actions of the rest of the characters in the background would stand out just as much. This, the scenery, the use of water, the presentation of rain and sunlight, and the lifelike truck that provided the Joads with shelter throughout the play and drove on and offstage when pushed by other cast members made the play that much more realistic. The play was emotionally driven, the family faced with doubt and rumors treading into the unknown, with occasional humorous moments, nudity, and violence. The show also included a dance sequence to add more to the artistic imagery. The most beautiful scene, however, was the final one right before curtain call consisting of seniors Elizabeth Mackintosh as Rose of Sharon and Albert “AJ” Johnson Jr. as the Man in Barn. (Even though this is the ending of the play, I feel it deserves a mention, so I apologize for the spoiler.)

In the scene before this Rose of Sharon, the eldest Joad daughter who has been pregnant throughout the play, gives birth to a stillborn child. Seeking shelter from the rain, the Joad family runs into a barn at first unaware that it is already occupied. A man (Johnson) lies on the floor of the barn, dying, and it is explained by his son (Titus Gandy) that he does not have enough strength to eat solids due to starvation. Rose of Sharon offers her services and after everyone leaves the barn breastfeeds the man, thus being able to nurture someone after all. This single act embodies the work as a whole, for the theme of the play was to help each other in times of need and do what you can to survive.

Ultimately, it was the type of show that made you say, “Wow.”

A Blast from the Past: On the Town

Paper Mill Playhouse is one of my favorite theaters in New Jersey. It is also very well known. I have seen a few shows there, one of them being On the Town. My father and I went to see it back in 2009 and I decided to write this piece for The Montclarion. Unfortunately, it was never used. No one has ever seen it until today. I wanted to publish it somewhere, and so now I finally found a home for it. :) So please enjoy one of my lost articles about On the Town.

The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey is known for its classic musical productions. I attended the premiere of its latest addition, On the Town, on November 11.

The musical surrounds a day in the life of three sailors Gabey, Ozzie, and Chip, played by Tyler Hanes, Jeffrey Schecter, and Brian Shepard respectively, on leave in 1944 wartime. The show begins with the trio arriving at New York City by ship at 6AM. In a total of literally twenty-four hours, the sailors and their fellow comrades have a chance to explore New York City before they must return to their ship and embark on their duties. Each guy has his own agenda to accomplish while there: Chip wishes to sightsee the places his father told him about while relying on his guide book, Ozzie just wants to live it up with a few “dames,” but Gabey’s goal is to find his one and only love.

The three begin their adventure on a subway where they regard a poster advertising the most recent “Miss Turnstiles,” a competition of the subway similar to that of Miss America, named Ivy Smith, played by Yvette Tucker. Upon seeing her, Gabey is convinced that she is the girl for him and dedicates the twenty-four hours to finding her and perhaps make a date with her before he leaves town. Beings though they were in New York City, finding one girl in a day seemed impossible. After much consideration, Chip and Ozzie decide to postpone their plans to help their friend.

The three go their separate ways to cover more ground and instead of finding Ivy, Ozzie and Chip each find dames of their own. Chip seeks assistance from recently fired cab driver Hildy Esterhazy (Jennifer Cody), who is more interested to lure Chip into her bed than help him. Ozzie runs into author and anthropologist Claire DeLoone (Kelly Sullivan) at the Museum of Natural History, who is eager to let loose and ditch her workaholic lifestyle and fiancé. Hildy helps Chip to come out of his shell while Ozzie helps Claire to embrace her wild side, and eventually intense make out sessions ensue. At first these two ladies seem to be a distraction of sexual desire in the quest of finding Ivy Smith, but later they prove to be true heroines and the ideal object of affection from their new men.

Surprisingly, Gabey does find Ivy early on, suggesting to the audience that something bad is yet to occur. The suggestion proves true when Ivy is unable to make the date she and Gabey plan due to work. This sets Gabey into a depression and the gang, who eventually reunites with their new girlfriends by their sides, attempts club hopping to cheer him up. However, his business with Ivy is not finished yet.

Not only do the sailors find love in the big city, but they also find trouble. Throughout the course of the play, they each do something to anger someone and these troublesome acts accumulate, causing them to have one additional police officer after another on their tail each time. This is one of the many recurring gags.

Even though On the Town was a musical, there was more dancing than anything, and fine dancing there was, thanks to choreographer Patti Colombo (http://www.patticolombo.net/). Whether it was Gabey’s anguish expressed through movement or Ozzie and Claire just jamming with cavemen, true talent was displayed.

As much fun the musical was, there were points about it that depressed me. Supposedly it was the sailors’ first exposure to New York City, but it could very be their last exposure as well, not only to New York City, but also to freedom itself. When they make their departure, there is no telling in what kind of condition they will return or if they will return at all. It is somewhat irritating because it is possible that this day was their last chance to experience a woman’s love. Gabey, the one who was initially looking for it, spent most of the day searching for Ivy, whereas Ozzie and Chip had their girls the whole day. Contrary to popular belief that a woman needs her man, a man needs his woman just as much. This is proven when the soldiers ogled every girl they saw on stage. When they leave the city, they get to look forward to looking at other men for a good majority of their days. Gee, that’s fun.

On a less sensual note, another message the play sends is that you must live life to the fullest and live every day as though it is your last. I have lived in New Jersey all my life and I rarely travel to New York, mainly because I highly dislike it the congestion. But should I do so more often? Should I take advantage of the wonders New York City has to offer like the sailors did? I could die tomorrow just by walking across the street. Do I do enough each day? These were the questions that ran through my mind while watching the magic happen on stage at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Not only was On the Town entertaining, it makes you think.

Fleet Street Comes to Normal Avenue in Epic Proportions

This past November, specifically the afternoon of November 20, 2010, a few of my friends and I saw the production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at our school, provided by the Department of Theater and Dance, meaning MSU students. This post is actually the uncut version of the review I wrote for it for The Montclarion, which you can find here.

I wasn't sure if the editors could use it because it was in the past and I had submitted this after Thanksgiving break, so I wasn't sure if it was too late to publish it as current news. I just had to write about the show. I couldn't not write about it. It was one of those performances you had to write about to get it all off your chest to express your full appreciation of it and have closure. My editor got back to me and said that they could use it and that they had wanted to cover it. I was beyond thrilled.

So as you will see, what I originally wrote was really long because I did not want to forget anything, so it's understandable that they had to edit a lot. However, I did want to post the original somewhere because towards the end of my Thanksgiving break is when I finally worked up the nerve to write it and send it to my editor, because like I said, I wasn't sure if he was going to use it anyway so I wasn't sure if I should write it. But because I couldn't not write it, I did and took the chance and asked if he could he could use it at all. I wrote everything on my mind and wanted my editor to use what he needed from it.

I worked day and night on it and am extremely proud of it, so I have been wanting to share this version as well. I had to publish it somewhere. I originally was going to post it under Facebook Notes, but considered this a better home for it. :) Enjoy!


Ok so I know that Thanksgiving break is passed us and that the Department of Theatre and Dance and John J. Cali School of Music’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ended around two weeks ago, but I was given the muse to write this piece, regardless of this lengthy passage of time. The show quickly sold out all five days it was playing at Alexander Kasser Theater, including the matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday, possibly having to turn away plenty of enthusiastic theatergoers who wished to see it. Due to this high demand of tickets, I feel that the play is deserving of a review in order to paint a picture for those who were unable to attend and give it the recognition it deserves.

Before seeing this production, I was not a real big fan of Sweeney Todd, so thankfully I had my good friends Julia and Cherry, who have been big fans, there to make my experience that much more exciting. The performance clinched our fandom. When you sit in your seat, you are greeted by a set so magnificently portraying the dark streets of 19th Century London. Dangling from a rope is a dead body wrapped in cloth. One by one the ensemble, baring resemblances to the darkness of the scenery, walks onstage to the music of a creep-tastic organ, each inspecting the dead body. In song, they invite us to “Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.” Sweeney Todd, played by senior Adam Bashian, then enters to help complete the song. Prior to the performance I had read the cast list on Facebook and remembered him from last fall’s Arcadia as Bernard Nightingale, so I was excited to see him in his element once again and immediately deemed him as perfect for the role of Sweeney Todd. As soon as he enters the stage in that first number, he has a presence that remains throughout the rest of the show, complete with amazing singing and acting skills, along with a deep, thrilling voice. A slightest snicker of his adds the extra flavor needed to complete a scene.

Bashian is not alone in this, however. Junior Jesse Ellyn Zeidman uses her talents of wit and accent emulation to portray Mrs. Lovett, Todd’s partner in crime in his murders, and freshman Kirk Geritano, as Judge Turpin, uses his maturity and impressive vocals to portray Todd’s main nemesis and target. Because there are plenty cast and crew members to mention, I unfortunately cannot commemorate each one, but I will say this: Even the minor characters, including those from the Company, blew me away and could have very well been considered leads due to their stamina. They are just as important and are needed by the audience to lead the plot. It was fascinating to recognize certain cast members that I have seen in past Peak Performances altogether performing in such a way. What made it even more fascinating was the fact that these were Montclair students but you would think it was a Broadway cast. Whether they are the townspeople or escaped lunatics, you could definitely see the passion that they had regardless of the size of their roles. What I liked also was how the orchestra joined this cast and crew onstage for curtain call, for I have never seen that done before.

Even though Sweeney Todd is considered a musical thriller, ironically it was also pretty funny. Humorous moments were scattered throughout, especially during “A Little Priest,” which proved to be a highlight number as Todd and Mrs. Lovett jokingly plotted the demise of their victims. Because “Epiphany” is my favorite song from Tim Burton’s version, I was looking forward to hearing it throughout the first act, so this finally being sung by Bashian was a highlight for me as well.

Sweeney Todd was directed by Jodi Capeless, and according to her biography, she has plenty of Broadway and Off-Broadway credits under her belt. This kind of quality showed in Sweeney Todd. This has got to be the best show I have seen at MSU so far, and I have seen some great ones, because of the professionalism behind it. Good examples of this are the change of scenes with the automatic set that moved on its own and the lighting to help accentuate the intensity and eeriness of these scenes. You could mentally feel the illusion of heat from Mrs. Lovett’s oven, even though it was just a set with great lighting and smoke.

Beings though Sweeney Todd uses his razor to slice the throats of unsuspecting men who enter his barbershop, it is expected to see some gore, though I was not sure in this case because this was a staged production and the only exposure I had of Sweeney Todd prior was Tim Burton’s film. Sure enough, right on Kasser’s stage theatrical cringe worthy blood squirted from Todd’s victims at the moment of impact. As a somewhat squeamish person, I found this a bit disturbing, but I survived. It did not happen too often and it was not as messy as one would think, so thankfully it was not that horrible for it to haunt me.

I left Kasser that night in what I like to call a “Sweeney Todd high” and have been in a “Sweeney Todd withdrawal” ever since the show ended. And this is after seeing the play only once. In the famous words of MC Hammer, Tim Burton “can’t touch this.” Nothing beats this play. It was THAT good.