Play Review: Frozen - the Broadway Musical

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Story we know and love

Cons: Some important characters shortchanged by new songs and emphasis, one dance number questionable for kids

The Bottom Line:

Popular movie

Becomes okay musical

Fun but major flaws

Spectacular Stage Show with Weak Story

I really wasn’t too surprised when Disney chose to turn Frozen into a Broadway musical.  The songs in the movie were already Broadway worthy, and the movie was so popular that the audience for it was built in.  So when the touring production made it to the Pantages Theater here in Hollywood, I decided to go see it.  Sadly, it was actually weaker than the movie.

If you’ve seen the movie (and who hasn’t), you know the story.  It follows two sisters, Elsa and Anna.  Elsa has magical powers that create snow and turn things cold, and these powers have caused problems for her all her life.  However, her secret gets out on the day she is crowned Queen of their country of Arendelle.  When Elsa runs away, Anna tries to track her down and talk her into coming back.  Will Elsa return?  Can anything stop the summer blizzard that Elsa has created?

I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie when I first went to see it, so I was looking forward to seeing what they did with it on the stage.  One of the reasons for the movie’s success was the songs, and all of those songs are present and just as fun here.  Naturally, the play has added some original songs.  Of those, I found “I Can’t Lose You” to be the best of the bunch.  This duet between Elsa and Anna near the beginning of the second act is as moving as anything we’ve seen for the characters yet.  For fun, there’s “Hygge.”  Just about everyone in the main cast gets a chance to shine.  The only reason I’m debating about getting the soundtrack is because “I Can’t Lose You” was added after the soundtrack was recorded so isn’t there.  And it’s the song I most want.  Of the songs we already love, “Let It Go” is absolutely magical, and “In Summer” was as funny as ever.  Both are staged perfectly with great additions to make you love them all the more.  And I loved what they did with the finale, which is all I will say.

However, the additional songs (and there really are a lot of them), take away from the story.  This is especially important when it comes to Anna’s love life.  We actually spend more time seeing her falling in love with Hans than we do seeing her relationship with Kristoff grow.  If you know the story, you know how important that relationship turns out to be.  Frankly, Kristoff’s character feels short changed all the way around in the play as they spend more time on the relationship between the sisters, even at a young age.  I absolutely agree that their relationship is a key one in the story, but we need more time for Kristoff as well.

Then there’s the costumes for the song “Hygge.”  As much as I enjoyed the song (which reminds me of “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King), I didn’t appreciate the costumes, or should I say lack of costumes, that the company was wearing.  The song makes many references to a sauna, so the lack of costumes makes sense.  And for most of the song, they are wearing enough to cover anything important.  However, for the kick line at the end, they are wearing skin colored tights with nothing but branches to cover themselves and their neighbors.  The audience I was with was laughing and cheering.  However, I felt this wasn’t appropriate for a show aimed at kids.  If the target audience was adults, I wouldn’t question it nearly as much, and if they’d kept their original costumes, I would have been fine with it as well.  But this wasn’t appropriate for a show aimed at kids.  No, you don’t come close to actually seeing anything, but still – not in a play aimed at kids.

On the other hand, I’ve got to give the production credit for the effects.  This may be a stage show, but they have worked out ways to make some spectacular effects take place before our eyes.  Some of them are blink and you miss them stage magic, and it was phenomenal.  I’m including Olaf in this.  The snowman is a puppet, and he and his puppeteer are wonderful.  Likewise, the actor in the Sven costume is great.

And all the actors were wonderful.  The singing, the dancing, and the acting were all top notch.  I teared up at the places I do in the movie, so it worked overall.

Frozen has been a cultural phenomenon for so long, I know this play will be around for a long time to come.  While the play is good, it isn’t one of Disney’s best movie to Broadway adaptations.

Play Review: Godspell at Glendale Centre Theatre

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun with music and a strong message

Cons: A major theological point that would have made the final better

The Bottom Line:

70’s stage play

Excellent production

Quirky but still fun

Wonderful Night at the Theater

Over 20 years ago, I first saw Godspell in the theater, and I very quickly fell in love with this quirky musical.  I’ve bought two different versions of the soundtrack and the movie in the intervening years, but I haven’t gotten to see it in the theater since.  When I saw that Glendale Centre Theatre, my favorite theater here in Southern California, was going to put it on, I immediately put it on my calendar.

If you aren’t familiar with this musical, it was originally produced in 1971 Off Broadway and is an early musical from Stephen Schwartz, composer of such musicals as Wicked and Pippin as well as songs for such Disney movies as Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted.  This musical tells the story of the life of Jesus, and the “book,” aka the script, consists almost completely of texts from the Gospels.  There are only 10 members of the cast, with many of them taking on various roles.  Jesus is played by one person, but the rest of the characters help him act out what he is teaching.  This is especially true when it comes to the parables.  They transition into the songs are various times.  A few of these songs are taken from the Bible, but most are completely original.

I cannot emphasize enough that this play is certainly something different.  The first clue is Jesus’ costume.  In this play, he is wearing a Superman hoodie and suspenders.  The rest of the cast wear costumes that harken back to the 70’s.  The acting is a mix of improve and vaudeville.  Even knowing that, it still takes me about 20 minutes to fully get into the play or movie.  But once I do, it is a ton of fun.

Obviously, the play walks a fine line of having fun and still being respectful of the source material, especially for those of us who are Christians.  This production does a great job of that.  There are a couple of moments I don’t like, but they are in the script and pass quickly.

And the singing.  This cast is absolutely amazing!  They were belting out the songs with gusto, and I was floored at the voices some of them had.  While only two of the characters have names, every member of the cast gets his or her moment to shine, and they make the most of them.  Some of the cast members even played instruments on stage, which I believe is a first, at least in the plays I’ve seen at this particular theater.

One reason I love Glendale Centre Theatre is because it is a theater in the round.  The cast makes outstanding use of the stage.  There are minimal sets and props, and they are constantly moving around the space.  Because the audience is right there, they even get to involve us a couple of times, which adds to the fun.  The choreography is top notch, and they even have added a few more modern jokes that the audience loved.  My favorite adlib came in the song “Turn Back, O Man” and played off one of the lines in the song.

One of the oddities of the play is that the only other actor playing a certain part starts the play as John the Baptist and then becomes Judas after that.  This is in the script, but why the script didn’t have two different actors play these two critical parts is beyond me.

It has been years since I saw the first production back in college, but as I recall, they included Jesus’ resurrection.  The movie, famously, does not.  This production also leaves it out.  As a Christian, I found that very troubling.  To quote Paul in I Corinthians 15, “If Christ has not raised from the dead, we are of all men most to be pitied.”  I get what they were trying to say with the ending they did here, but I think it would have been more powerful with a resurrected Jesus.  Apparently this version is truer to the script, so my issue is with the script.  Still, I find it very disappointing.

That complaint aside, I loved it.  The scripture coming to life in front of me touched me in a new way.  I know the passages, but there were reminders I needed to hear yet again.  The songs are wonderful; I have many of them memorized, but I loved seeing them performed again.  While the first act is filled with fun, the second act gets more serious as the death of Jesus nears, and I was surprised I was almost crying at the end.  The cast is that good.

The theater is normally dark Sunday through Wednesday, but they are putting on Godspell those days during the month of March.  It is well worth making the extra effort to go it the play on these non-traditional days.  Heck, if money weren’t tight right now, I’d certainly go back to see it again.

Play Review: Aladdin - National Touring Company

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Music, laughs, fun

Cons: A little over acting, mainly from Genie and Jafar

The Bottom Line:

Aladdin on stage

Show stopping numbers and laughs

Make fun evening

Your Wish for a Magical Stage Play Has Been Granted

I was in high school and college during the second golden age of Disney animation (the era ushered in by The Little Mermaid), so I have a special place in my heart for all of those movies.  Then, I spent years enjoying the stage version of Aladdin they put on at the Hyperion Theater in California Adventure.  So, when Aladdin finally hit Broadway, I started watching for the tour to hit Los Angeles.  My only question was when I was going.  I was able to go and enjoy this last Saturday.

The story sticks close to the animated movie.  We quickly meet Aladdin, a poor “street rat” who is a diamond in the rough; Jasmin, the princess who wants to marry for love; and Jafar, the magician who wants to take over the kingdom.  Throw in a Genie who grants wishes, and you’ve got a magical story.

And if you are familiar with the animated movie, you have the basis of the stage musical.  Yes, they do make a few changes to it, like getting rid of the animals.  It doesn’t surprise me that they got rid of Abu and Raj, but I was a bit surprised that they didn’t use a puppet for Iago.  Yes, Iago is still around, he’s just a human this time.

But since Aladdin and Jasmin need sidekicks, they get them in human form – three each in fact.  Aladdin’s friends even get a couple of fun songs and a bit of a sub-plot of their own.

And yes, all the songs you already know and love are included here.  Both of the Genie’s songs (“Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali”) are the show stoppers you’d expect and tons of fun.  Of the new songs, the one I enjoyed the most was “High Adventure” because of the humor in it.  The others certainly have the potential to grow on me, and I’m planning to get the soundtrack very soon.

As much as I enjoyed it, I did find some of the acting over the stop, even for a stage play.  The worst offenders were Genie and Jafar.  And yes, I’m saying that even with Robin Williams having played the role in the animated film.

Overall, it was a fun night in the theater.  If Aladdin is coming to a city near you, I definitely recommend you check it out.

Broadway Review: Wicked

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great acting, sets, story

Cons: Music isn’t completely memorable

The Bottom Line:

An alternate Oz

Fill with great sets and costumes

Great theater time

So That’s What All the Fuss is About

I know, I know, I’m very late to the party.  I just finally saw Wicked for the first time, and that’s despite all the praise I’ve heard for it for years.  I must admit, I wasn’t completely sure what I thought of it as the story was unfolding, but in the end I was thrilled I saw it.

In case you’ve missed all the buzz, this Broadway Musical tells the story of Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz, and what led up to the story we know when Dorothy enters the picture.  We meet her as she is going to college, but not really as a student but as a companion to her younger sister, who has been in a wheelchair all her life.  See, Elphaba was born with green skin, and has been shunned by others, even her father, all her life.  Unfortunately, she winds up rooming with Galinda, a spoiled brat who is used to having everything going her way, and neither are especially happy with the arrangements.

But then things begin to change as Elphaba begins to come into her own.  Will they develop a friendship?  What will Elphaba’s stands on things she sees are wrong mean for her future?

I really didn’t know much about the story going into it beyond the basics I just shared.  Let me tell you, this is a very different take on the characters we already know from Oz.  Still, there are many fun moments as we get to see things falling into place for Dorothy’s arrival even if they aren’t the real version.  (And I’m sorry, but I’m going with the original Wizard of Oz book as the real version of events).

I thought I might have an issue since I am reluctant to root for a wicked person.  However, they do a great job of setting things up so that we can root for heroes and against villains.  As I was watching, I began to be afraid how I would feel about the ending until we actually got there.  Then I loved it.  So just rest assured that it is a good ending.

The songs?  There are a few standouts like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” not to mention the extremely popular duet “For Good.”  Most of the songs work best in the context of the play, so you might now find yourself humming the songs the next day, but it is still enjoyable.

The cast, costumes, and sets I saw here in Los Angeles recently were quite good.  The part of Galinda is hard since it really does fit Kristen Chenoweth (who originated it) to a T, and it’s hard to come out of that shadow.  Still, I got into the story and bought everyone in the cast.  I always enjoy seeing how sets are created and changed in the big productions, and this one didn’t disappoint.  The costumes are perfect as well, and really help transport you to Oz.

So if you get a chance to see Wicked, I highly recommend it.  It’s a fun night of musical theater.

Play Review - A Christmas Carol at Glendale Centre Theatre

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Classic story retold so well

Cons: Cons?  Bah!  Humbug!

The Bottom Line:

Classic Christmas tale

Is brilliantly brought to life

In way all will like

Classic Story Comes to Life Like Never Before

A Christmas Carol is a staple of Christmastime.  Many movies have been made and many theater companies put it on over the years.  Glendale Centre Theatre puts it on every year (this is their 47th year in a row, in fact).  I saw it and enjoyed it last year, but I enjoyed it even more this year.

If you happen to not be familiar with the story, it centers on Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean old miser with no friends who just loves his money.  One Christmas Eve, he finds himself visited by a series of spirits who attempt to show him the error of his ways.  Will he repent?

At this point, there have been so many versions it’s almost impossible to point out changes from Charles Dickens’s original book.  There are some in this play as well, but that’s a minor issue.  The important thing is if you enjoy the story along the way.

The answer for me was a resounding yes.  This theater company always puts on a good show, and that tradition continues here.  Some of the actors are playing parts they’ve done in years past, and their familiarity with the characters makes things seem more real.  Even though I know the plot points, I was still moved by them as they came up – the actors were that committed.

It certainly helps that this is a theater in the round, meaning the action takes place directly in front of you.  It’s so easy to get lost in the story since even in the middle of a section (where I usually sit) it feels like you are right there.  The tiers are high enough that you don’t have to worry about someone sitting in front of you blocking your view.

One thing that really adds to this production is the music.  There are a couple of original songs, but most of the time they use older Christmas carols.  The supporting players will sing acappella, and they blend so beautifully together.  They often use these songs as a distraction while they are changing the set, but it also helps keep the mood right and adds to the experience.

If you are at all within a reasonable distance, make a point of seeing A Christmas Carol at Glendale Centre Theatre – if not this year than next year.  You are in for two hours of great entertainment that is well worth the price.

Broadway Review: The Lion King

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Inventive and awe inspiring take on a great story

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Revisit Simba

Inventive live theater

Creative and fun

Tragedy and Triumph Come Alive on Stage

Last year, when I was listening to the soundtrack from the Broadway version of The Lion King, I was really wishing I could see it again.  I’d seen it when it first hit Los Angeles, but that was nine or ten years ago.  Imagine my delight when I got an e-mail a few months later saying it was stopping through town for a month.  I immediately got tickets.

If you are familiar with the Disney movie of the same name, you already know the story.  It tells of Simba, a young lion cub destined to be the king of Pride Rock.  However, his scheming Uncle Scar wants the throne all to himself and will stop at nothing to get it.  Will he succeed or will Simba take his rightful place in the circle of life?

Yes, this is a musical with animals at the main characters.  That’s not that big a surprise in an animated movie, but it does become trickier when you are making a stage musical out of it.  And here is where the production comes alive.  The lions are humans in costumes with face masks but some of the other supporting characters like Zazu the hornbill or Timon the meerkat are humans working elaborate puppets.  And you know what is amazing?  You forget there is a human behind them, one you can clearly see if you stop to look, and focus on the puppet they are controlling.

Really, from the opening moments it’s wonderful.  Giant animal costumes parade down the aisles as the opening song, “Circle of Life,” starts.  I heard murmurs and gasps as the audience realized what was happening.  Yes, most of the action takes place on stage, but even then it is mesmerizing.  The costumes and puppetry work brilliantly to take you to Africa and believe you are watching these animals come to life.

And I haven’t even talked about the way they make the wildebeest stampeded come to life on stage.  Yes, all this takes a little imagination, but it works so well.

Of course, the story is great on its own.  They’ve expanded it a little, mostly adding some more songs that further flesh out the characters.  The adult Nala and Simba both get songs in the second act that are breathtaking.  And there are songs that really pull in the African flavor with chants that take you to the continent.

The dance numbers are fun and inventive to go along with the songs.  I’d almost call a couple of numbers interpretive dance.  While I wouldn’t want to watch a whole show of it, for those songs, it worked well.  There are other more traditional Broadway numbers as well that are just as fun.

I was surprised to see some changes that were made from the soundtrack I have.  Most noticeably, they took out “The Morning Report,” which they had animated to add to a DVD release of The Lion King.  That disappointed me since I enjoy the punny humor of the song.  Some of the other changes they made are understandable since many shows make changes over the years.

And the acting?  At the performance I saw, it was strong, helping me get into the story and forgetting all the other stuff I was watching on stage.

Really, if The Lion King is coming to a city near you, you owe it to yourself to see it.  Yes, the tickets are expensive, but it is worth it.  This is a production you will not forget.

Theater Review: Glendale Centre Theatre

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great acting and fun shows in an intimate setting

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Great live theater

Intimate setting for all

I enjoy each one

A Hidden Gem in the Southern California Theater Community

About 10 years ago, a friend who found out I loved live theater recommended Glendale Centre Theatre to me.  Like an idiot, I waited another couple years before giving them a try.  I’ve gone back for multiple plays every year since.

Glendale Centre Theatre is a family owned and run theater company that has been around for 60 years now.  Naturally, that means we are on the third generation.  They bill themselves as a family theater company, and most of the shows I’ve seen there are indeed family friendly.  A few have moments I didn’t care for, but when you consider some of the plays out there, these are definitely clean.

As you may have guessed from the title, this is a theater in the round.  If you aren’t familiar with the term, that means the stage is in the middle, and the audience sits on all four sides.  Sometimes that means they get very creative with the staging, but it always works.  For plays with one set, they do a great job of setting things up to allow the actors to face as many different directions as possible.  And they are almost always on the move, so even if you are looking at the back of heads, it won’t be that way for long.  There does seem to be a bit of a bias toward the seats where you enter, but I’ve sat on all sides and always enjoyed the show.  Plays with more than one set have less elaborate settings, so it is easy to wheel out what they need and then take it off stage.  Those set changes never take long.

There are maybe 350-400 seats in the theater, and the rows are enough apart that you never have someone else’s head in your way.  In fact, the only bad seat in the house is the very front row since that is where you are most likely to get actors sitting or standing in front of you.

The performances are open seating with doors opening an hour before the play starts, so get there early and pick out a seat.  I have a blast sitting in a different place each time I go based on where I feel like sitting that day.  It’s part of the fun.

Because this is such an intimate setting, it’s very easy to get drawn into the story.  I’ve laughed hard, been on the edge of my seat, and tapped along with the music.  And I always leave with a smile on my face.

So what kind of plays do they have?  A typical season consists of seven plays.  They usually do three comedies, three musicals, and close things out with a mystery or suspense play of some kind.

And I’ve seen all kinds of plays.  The first play I ever saw there was Arsenic and Old Lace.  Over the years, I've been everything from See How They Run to Beau Jest, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Barefoot in the Park.  They've done Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced and Ten Little Indians as well as Wait Until Dark.  On the musical side of things, I've seen such classics as Annie, South Pacific, 1776, Big River, and Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

The music for the musicals is not live, but that’s never been an issue that I’ve seen.  These plays obvious have larger casts, so they use the aisles more for the larger group scenes.  That just makes you feel even more like you're part of it.

Every year in December, they put on a musical version of A Christmas Carol.  This last year, I went to see it for the first time, and I enjoyed it.  Not that I was surprised at all.

The acting is always top notch, and some of the singers they have in the musicals are nothing short of phenomenal.  They do have some actors who appear in multiple shows each season, so it is always fun to watch for people you know in new roles.

If you go to this theater expecting Broadway production values, you’ll be disappointed.  But for the roughly mid-20’s ticket price, you wouldn’t be expecting that anyway.  I have never left the theater disappointed.  They make their budget work to put on a wonderful show every time.  And that’s what live theater is all about.

So don’t make my mistake.  If you are looking for live performances that will entertain you, look no further than Glendale Centre Theatre.  And save me a seat.

For current shows, check out their website, www.glendalecentretheatre.com

Broadway Review: Beauty and the Beast

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Expanding on this classic story only improves it

Cons: Only minor ones worth noting in passing

The Bottom Line: 

Broadway musical

Plus some Disney magic make

A play worth seeing

I Fall in Love with This Show Every Time I See It

It's no secret that I absolutely love Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  So every chance I get, I go see the Broadway version of the show.  I've seen the touring company three times now (and two local productions).  The show is absolutely amazing.

Those who know and love the Disney animated movie will be delighted to learn that the play pretty much follows the same story.  Belle is living with her father in a small French village where her biggest challenge is trying to fit in and avoiding the advances of village hunt Gaston.  But one day her father is taken hostage by a Beast living in an enchanted castle.  When Belle agrees to take her father's place, Beast and the enchanted objects in his castle begin to hope that she might break the spell they are under.  But will Belle and Beast learn to love each other?

All the characters and songs you already know and love are here.  But to turn it into a two and a half hour stage show instead of an hour and a half movie, some things are added.  Most noticeably, "Gaston" becomes a show stopping number and "Be Our Guest" becomes an even bigger show.  We learn a little more about the objects and their worries that the spell will never be broken.  They also expand the part of Madame de la Grande Bouche (aka the wardrobe) and Babette (aka the feather duster).

Plus there are all knew songs written by original composer Alan Menken and lyrist Tim Rice (subbing for the late Howard Ashman).  The second act gets "Human Again," which was originally written for the movie (and added to the movie for the DVD release).  Gaston's proposal to Belle is turned into the absolutely hilarious "Me."  Belle sings of her feelings when taking her father's place in "Home."  And Beast get "How Long Must This Go On?" and "If I Can't Love Her" to share his side of the story.  All these new songs are great and really add to the story.  Honestly, I miss them when watching the movie.

The best expansion is of Beast.  Now more than in the movie we really get to see how much he falls for Belle.  And watching his slow evolution to gentleman is so funny.  There are lots of laughs, and he gets most of them.  It just makes the ending so much sweeter.

As you can imagine, the costumes are wonderful.  Belle and Gaston always look just like they do in the cartoon.  The costume that Beast wears is elaborate (which makes the transformation at the end that much more impressive since it takes place in front of us).  Of the enchanted objects, Mrs. Potts seems to suffer a tad, but the others are pretty good.  Lumiere's candle arms that turn on and off are especially impressive.

As with most Broadway type plays, the sets are good but require some imagination.  They are elaborate but also suggestive with a few pieces of furniture or a backdrop or two that can be easily moved when the scene changes.  Heck, even the houses in the village can be wheeled around easily.  Just take your imagination with you, and you'll be fine.

My three times with the official tour have been with three original casts.  What do you expect over 15 years?  All three have been amazing, making these great characters their own.

I saw it most recently in March of 2011, and I must admit I was a bit surprised to find they had taken out a couple of the songs as well as the big fight sequence between the mob and the villagers at the end.  Honestly, I wouldn't have missed any of them if I hadn't known they were there.  The fights fun, but cutting it kept the pace moving nicely.  "No Matter What," likewise, just slows things down in the first act and isn't really needed to establish how close Belle and her father are.  While they took out "Maison des Lumes," I liked the replacement scene better.  That's the scene where Gaston bribes someone to claim that Belle's father is crazy.  The song was okay, but the new, song free scene, is very funny.

At two and a half hours (plus a fifteen minute intermission), this is still probably a bit much for many kids to sit through.  Elementary school age and old would probably enjoy seeing a story they already know and love brought to life.

Sadly, one thing they expanded is Lumiere's sexually suggestive behavior.  There are really only a couple of scenes, but it would have been nice if they had cut them, although they will probably fly over most kids' heads.  Beast is also a little frightening early on.  Those are the only things that might not be appropriate for kids.

Overall, this is an emotionally satisfying, funny fairy tale that any dreamer will love.  The changes they've made to the basic story only made it stronger.  If you ever get a chance, you must see the Broadway version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Play Review: Tecumseh!

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Amazing production uses outdoor stage well

Cons: Cheesy writing makes some scenes weak

The Bottom Line:

Spectacular play

Uses outdoor stage so well

It's well worth seeing

Tecumseh! Is a Drama Experience Like No Other

On my recent trip to Ohio, a local friend acted as tour guide.  Basically, if she planned it, we did it.  One of the things she planned was a trip to the outdoor drama Tecumseh!  I knew nothing about it before we went, and I've got to say I was impressed.

Tecumseh! follows the life the Native American war leader of the same name.  This Shawnee lived during the late 1700's and early 1800's in Ohio and Indiana and was a big force in leading the Native Americas in opposing the settlers on the frontier.  His brother was directly involved in the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Much of Tecumseh's life seems to be shrouded in speculation.  It is known he befriended a family of settlers who farmed his boyhood home.  However, a romance with their daughter is questionable in its accuracy.  That is included here as a sub-plot, and actually makes for some of the best scenes in the first half.  They also play up a conflict with his brother that lead to the Battle of Tippecanoe, but I have to wonder how much of that was accurate and how much was for dramatic effect.  I wouldn't take this play as historical fact, but I would definitely go enjoy it for drama.

The production boasts a script by award winning author Allan W. Eckert, and they claim it has been praised as the best of its kind in the outdoor drama industry.  Honestly, the script was my biggest problem with the play.  Some of the dialogue, especially the women's dialogue, was rather cheesy.  I'm willing to admit it might have been the actresses' delivery, but it really did seem to be the lines they had to give.  I couldn't imagine anyone making it work better than they did.

The drama is put on from mid-June to Labor Day every summer.  The cast and crew are made up of drama students from around the country, so changes some every year.  The cast I saw did a great job.  They really did their best to overcome the cheese of the script and really drive home the emotion of the scenes.

The play itself is spectacular.  The main stage is made of sand, but there is a water tank behind it.  Yes, at times the actors use it.  There are also stages on the sides build around platforms on rocks.  They use all these stage areas perfectly to tell the story.

When I saw it in early August, the sun hadn't set at the 8PM curtain time.  In fact, the sun provided most of the light during the first half, and we could see most of the stage.  At some point during intermission, the sun had set, and the lighting amazed me.  The part of the stage in use was always well lit, but the rest was in complete darkness.  There were a few times they changed scenes quickly without us even noticing the actors had stepped to their marks on the stage.

They use horses at times as well as guns and cannons from the time period.  In fact, the Battle of Tippecanoe scene gets very loud as they fire these cannons toward the stage multiple times.  It's quite impressive, but did I mention loud?  I covered my ears during this time.  The rest of the gun shots weren't loud enough to bother me, however.

The show is in the Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre outside of Chillicothe, Ohio.  And it is outdoors.  It starts at 8PM and ends about 10:45PM.  You'll need to take the weather forecast into account.  While they will cancel in the event of heavy rain, you'll need to dress for cold, heat, or both.  And you are out in the open, so if it starts raining during the performance, you will get wet.

If you just get to see the play, you'll enjoy it.  But if you can arrive early, they have a behind the scenes tour.  It lasts about an hour, and shows you the wings and where the actors wait to get on and off stage.  They also fire some of the antique weapons and show us some stunts.  It's fun and well worth it for the price.

They also offer a terrace buffet before the show.  It's all you can eat fried chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, etc.  I enjoyed it, although it seemed popular so was crowded.  Maybe that was just my group of 30+ friends, however.

Finally, they've got a snack shop that is open late afternoon through intermission and a gift shop.

The spectacle of Tecumseh! makes it worth going to see all by itself.  I would research before taking much here as historical fact, but it provides an evening well worth the time and money to see.

Broadway Review: Mary Poppins

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Fun songs and dances, amazing visuals

Cons: Different from movie, climax too sudden

The Bottom Line:

Mary Poppins shines

Still practically perfect

You'll enjoy this play

The Movie It Ain't, but Mary Poppins is Practically Perfect as a Play

As a Disney fan living in Los Angeles, I've been jealous of the many Broadway plays Disney has been doing recently.  It seems to take forever for a tour to reach us, assuming it is successful enough to even get a tour.  So when plans for Mary Poppins were announced, I started checking dates.  The tour is currently at the Ahmanson Theater and will be through mid-February 2010.  It was definitely worth going to see.

I read the books as a kid, and I love the movie.  However, fans of both will notice that the two only bear superficial similarities, mostly the character names and a few scenes.  The characters themselves are very different.  It's the same thing with the play.  Leave behind all your expectations and you'll be fine.

Once again, the story centers around the Banks family at number 17 Cherry Tree Lane.  Jane and Michael, the children, have just driven off yet another nanny.  Father George is exasperated, expecting Winifred to handle all domestic issues so he can have peace when he is home.

Into the chaos arrives Mary Poppins.  She's prim and proper on the outside, but full of fun times and magic.  While she leads Jane and Michael on a series of wild adventures with the help of her friend Bert, George finds himself in trouble at work.  Since George is a distant man consumed by his job, he hardly knows what to do.  Will he reconnect with his family?

In many ways, it is hard to review the play without talking about the books and the movie.  The books are really a collection of short stories.  In the first chapter, Mary Poppins arrives.  She leads Jane and Michael (and their younger siblings) through a series of strange adventures, then leaves in the final chapter.  Every time, she visits the same family.

You'll notice there was no talk of an overall plot.  The family dynamics are something Disney incorporated into the movie.  But that explains why the movie only has the loosest of plots.  Frankly, while the movie entertains from start to finish, the plot starts and stops so much it's just barely enough to hold things together.

And the play feels the same way.  There is a plot to it involving George Banks and how hurt his family is by his emotional absence.  Even Mrs. Banks is hurt and lonely.  A bit more time is spent developing this, but the majority of the play is devoted to wacky adventures like statues coming to live in the park, a shop that sells conversation, words, and letters, or the show stopping "Step in Time" dance on the rooftops.

Honestly, this play bares only the smallest of similarities with the movie.  Most of the songs have been changed, some of them dramatically.  Songs and events happen in a different order.  And, yes, some scenes have been cut.  Leave all ideas on how the story should go at the door, and you'll be fine.

While they cut some stuff out, they've added quite a bit in.  As a fan of the books, I got a kick out of seeing what they chose to include.  Most of these changes come straight from the books.  I went with a friend who had never read the books, but she seemed fine with the changes and enjoyed the play as much as I did.  Naturally, they've added some songs as well, which just added to the fun of the show.

In some ways, I was disappointed with the choreography.  Most of the big dance numbers had too many people on stage to really make for a good dance.  The exception was "Step in Time."  This song comes in the second act and is still the perfect show stopper with some great dancing.  Heck, this is the song where Bert walks completely around the frame for the stage, at times walking completely upside down.  I'd really love to know how they did that (other than wires).

And I've got to say the play looked wonderful.  Even from where we were sitting (very back row), the effects were amazing.  I might have seen through more of them had we been closer, but I actually enjoyed sitting back and being fooled.  Mary flies a few times, we've got lots of kites on stage at one point, and shelves and tables break and then fix themselves.

The acting was great as well.  Gavin Lee and Jane Carr originated the roles of Bert and Mary on stage, and their familiarity with the parts makes them stand out.  Yet they obviously aren't tired of the parts either.  The actors who played Jane and Michael were amazing as well.  The rest of the cast is enjoyable, although they don't stand out like the four leads do.

After all this praise, I do have one complaint.  What little there is of the story seems underdeveloped.  Part of it is because the plot revolves around Mr. Banks, but the stars are Mary, Bert, and the children.  But it seemed like we hit the climax and a change in Mr. Banks too suddenly.  Of course, it took me several times through the movie to truly see how things progressed there.  So maybe if I saw the play again, I would see how it flows better than the impression I currently have.

Minor plot issues aside, I truly did enjoy Mary Poppins.  If the tour is coming to your area, I highly recommend you go see it.

Index: Plays and Theaters

I love going to see live theater.  While I don't have many reviews here yet, expect this to grow, especially of reviews from Glendale Centre Theatre.

Aladdin - Braodway
Beauty and the Beast - Broadway
Frozen - Broadway
The Lion King - Broadway
Mary Poppins - Broadway
Tecumseh!
Wicked - Broadway

Glendale Centre Theatre

General Review
A Christmas Carol
Godspell