Review: By golly, Tacoma Musical Playhouse's ‘Hello, Dolly!’ is still fun

KAT DOLLARHIDE/COURTESY OF TACOMA MUSICAL PLAYHOUSE
Diane Bozzo plays Dolly and Dan Engelhard is Horace Vandergelder in “Hello, Dolly!” at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. The four young lovers are, left to right: Minnie (Dannielle Krehbiel), Barnaby (Brad Walker), Cornelious (Matt Posner) and Mrs. Molloy (Leischen Moore). 

One of the more iconic moments at the end of the so-called Golden Age of musical theater was Dolly Levi’s majestic entrance to the title tune of “Hello, Dolly!” But it is not Dolly’s big entrance or the song’s even more dramatic reprise in the finale that lights up the stage in this perennial favorite. It’s not even the story of her conniving to win the heart of Horace Vandergelder (Dan Engelhard).

It’s the secondary story of Vandergelder’s clerk, Cornelius, and his sidekick, Barnaby, and their comedic love affairs with Mrs. Molloy and her employee, Minnie. Matt Posner as Cornelius provides the spark that ignites the Tacoma Musical Playhouse production of “Hello, Dolly!”

Posner’s voice, his expressiveness in both body and face, and his absolutely perfect timing define excellence in musical theater. And his cohorts in this quartet of silly young lovers are also outstanding. Leischen Moore is delightful as the widow Molloy, and she sings beautifully. Brad Walker as Barnaby and Dannielle Krehbiel as Minnie are both sweet, funny and engaging.

The story line of “Hello, Dolly!” hardly needs explanation. Dolly (Diane Bozzo) is a matchmaker and a larger-than-life character. She’s supposedly going to match the rich Vandergelder, who doesn’t really want to get married but does need a housekeeper, with the widow Molloy, who doesn’t particularly like him and who quickly becomes smitten with Cornelius. But, of course, Dolly’s true intent is to get Vandergelder to marry her.

The story is silly and outdated, but there is some great singing and dancing with the kind of big production numbers TMP excels in and musical theater audiences love.

One of the funniest and most joyful song-and-dance numbers comes near the end of Act 1 when Cornelius and Barnaby pretend they don’t know how to dance and Dolly teaches them how. Posner and Walker have some great comedic moves here. Then Bozzo steps in front of the curtain to do an outstanding job on the opening refrains of “Before the Parade Passes By,” which is a much better song before all the other singers and dancers come on to make it into a celebratory march.

The big restaurant scene in Act 2 – ostensibly the comic highlight of the play – is just stupid. The jumping back and forth from Dolly and Vandergelder’s private dining room to the private dining room shared by Cornelius, Barnaby and their dates is like an insipid precursor to the inspired insanity that was done many years later in the final of each episode of “Laugh In.”

Fortunately, that is followed by the best vocal solo in the play, Posner’s “It Only Takes a Moment,” which is Cornelius’ love song to Mrs. Molloy.

Bozzo is outstanding in moments, but also uneven in her portrayal of the title character.

While the set is uninspired, the costumes by Joan Schlegel are magnificent, with great rich colors in the women’s gowns. The orchestra directed by Jeffrey Stvrtecky is as good as ever, and John Chenault’s lighting is up to his usual high standards.

When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through May 29.Where: Tacoma Musical Playhouse at The Narrows Theatre, 7116 Sixth Ave., TacomaTickets: $20-$27

Birdhouses

Susan Aurand and others at Childhood’s End

"Dwelling Places" - mixed media construction and oil on panel by Susan Aurand

The Weekly Volcano, May 11, 2011

While driving past Childhood's End Gallery too quickly to get a good look through the window, I spotted some house-shaped boxes on the wall that were very colorful. My first thought was, "OK, birdhouses - cute and kind of trite, but at least they're brightly colored."

First impressions of art are often misleading. When I went back the next day to take a closer look (which I wouldn't have done if something hadn't grabbed my attention), I was surprised to see the birdhouses were mixed-media constructions with oil painting on panels by Susan Aurand, a longtime arts faculty member at The Evergreen State College. These pieces are much different than anything I've previously seen by Aurand, and they are much better art than I first suspected. In fact, they may be the most inventive art I've seen from her.

I counted 11 birdhouses (I use the term lightly; they're wall-hanging sculptures that look like birdhouses to me). Each is approximately 18-to-20 inches tall and about a foot wide. They are relatively flat wall hangings shaped like houses with paintings and objects attached. The edges are either black or natural wood colors, each has painted flat panels in front, and each has a peak roof with various objects either painted on or attached to the eaves. The paintings are mostly landscape scenes or paintings of grasses, feathers or clouds. The attached objects are such things as feathers, sticks, rocks and glass. Many of them look like items seen in Native American carvings or like the collected oddities seen in Joseph Cornell sculpted boxes. There is definitely a strong affinity for nature in these pieces and a feeling that they are almost shamanistic.

And the colors glow like embers in a campfire. Brilliant sunshine colors - mountaintops at sunset or streaks of sunlight bursting from behind stormy clouds in blazes of celestial fire.

The objects and the imagery may verge on the cliché, but they are finely crafted and beautifully painted, and there are some unique combinations of objects that are fun to contemplate.

"Dwelling Places I" is a black frame house and within the eaves there is a bird's nest built of sticks with golden eggs in the nest. A stormy sky with a fiery sun is painted on the flat panel below, and right in the middle of the sky is a shelf with a single golden egg on it, as if it is the golden jewel amongst the golden eggs.

In "Dwelling Places II" a jawbone and three feather quills rest in the space under the peak of the roof, and on the flat front panel is a painting of clouds and sun with the diagrammatic drawing of two constellations, one in the shape of a bird.

"Leaving Ohio" is a brown frame house with a nest of twigs and the cut-out silhouette of a bird flying away from the nest. There is a set of doors in front covered with painted stalks of wheat or grass. The doors open to reveal a painted backdrop of feathers and a tiny little house stuffed with grass or straw. This is one of the best pieces in the show.

Also showing are a number of linoleum block prints by Mimi Williams, a number of playful and decorative batiks by Lisa Kattenbraker and segmented and turned-wood bowls by John Shrader.

Through May 29, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Childhood’s End Gallery, 222 Fourth Ave. W, Olympia, 360.943.3724

Unexpected Tenderness at Harlequin

Pictured, top: Jackson Jones as Roddy and Jason Haws as Archie in  "Unexpected Tenderness" at Harlequin Productions.
Right: Kate Parker as Molly and Jason Haws.
Photos by David Nail

In a world in which priests molest little boys, in which teenage boys and girls post videos on social network sites of their friends getting drunk and having sex, in which kids take automatic rifles to school and mow down half their classmates it should not be too difficult to envision a man as emotionally crippled – and crippling – as Roddy Stern’s father, Archie. Archie is the father in Israel Horovitz’s semi-autobiographical play “Unexpected Tenderness.”

This is the third Horovitz play Harlequin Productions has done in as many years. Like the others – “Sins of the Mother” and “Six Hotels” – it rockets rapidly between outlandish humor and extreme emotional agony. People who cannot take riding an emotional roller coaster should not see this play.


In an awe-inspiring acting tour de force, Jason Haws plays the grown-up Roddy narrating the story of his youth, and he plays his own father, Archie. The adult Roddy looks back on events in his youth in 1953 as his family struggled to deal with the unpredictable behavior of his father. When we first see the father he seems to be a good natured and loving husband and father. Quite charming in fact, and clearly in love with his wife, Molly (played by Kate Parker). Even as they grow into middle age with teenage children and taking care of elderly parents, they remain tenderly romantic. They talk and giggle late into the night, dance with each other in the kitchen, and kiss so passionately you get the feeling they’re about to make love on the kitchen table right in front of the whole family.

But early on Archie gives hints that their family life is not so charmed as it might first appear. When it is time for him to go to work, he can barely force himself to leave for fear of what his wife might do while he’s gone. Suddenly Archie is revealed as a pathologically jealous, controlling and very creepy man.

Also very creepy is Willie (Aaron Hobbs), the mysterious man who works with Archie but is never allowed in their house. Local theater-goers will remember Hobbs from his outstanding performance in “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at Olympia Little Theatre – a performance for which I named him “Best Comic Actor 2009” in my annual “Critic’s Choice” column. In this show he is not so likeable. He plays a loud, boorish, obnoxious and dangerous man, and he plays him very believably. We’ve probably all know people like Willie and hope we never run into them again.

There are two excellent young actors in the roles of the Stern children. Katie Griffith as Sylvie and Jackson Jones as young Roddy are each about the age of the characters they play, meaning early teens, and they each do a very good job with their roles. The cast is rounded out by Walayn Sharples as the grandmother and David Wright as the grandfather. Wright convincingly stutters and shakes with an illness with symptoms like Parkinson’s. Overall it is an excellent cast, well directed by Scot Whitney.

The play is organized in an odd manner. The first act is all of a piece with the action in the Stern home flowing smoothly from scene to scene. The second act is more episodic and disjointed with first a scene almost out of context with Willie, young Roddy and Archie in Archie’s truck, and then a dialogue between young Roddy and his grandmother, a horrifying scene between Molly and Willie with an even more alarming intervention by Archie, and then back to the big family drama. These slightly disjunctive scenes mirror Archie’s psychological and emotional states.

From Jill Carter’s usual fine scenic design to David Nail’s lighting, the direction and ensemble acting and most especially Jason Haws’ powerful acting, “Unexpected Tenderness” is a brilliant and emotionally wrenching play.

An afterthought
Every time I see a play at Harlequin I think about saying this: The essays Artistic Director and co-founder Linda Whitney writes for the programs constitute some of the best expository writing published in the South Sound. I thoroughly enjoy her essays.

WHEN: Thursdays through Saturdays, 8p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. through May 28
WHERE: State Theater, 202 E. 4th Ave., Olympia
TICKETS: prices vary, call for details
INFORMATION: 360-786-0151; http://www.harlequinproductions.org/

Changes, changes, changes

Once again local arts coverage is on the chopping block, and the butcher’s cleaver landed squarely on my theater reviews. I’d already been ousted from the pages of The Olympian, and cut back to three reviews a month in The News Tribune, and now the cuts are going deeper. Last week I got the word that my column has been downsized again and effective June 1 The Tribune will only publish one review a month.

I don't blame my editors – the papers are really hurting financially, and many staff writers, freelancers, editors and staff are being let go completely so I'm lucky to have a gig at all. The papers are becoming mere shells of what they once were and talented and hard working writers are finding themselves unemployed – you know, just like teachers and fire fighters and factory workers.

I have been reviewing area theaters for eight years. It has been a dream job. I get to take my wife on a date to the theater sometimes up to two or even three times a week, and then tell people what I thought about the plays, and I get paid for it. What could possibly be better? Now I still get to do that, but only once a month, and how long before even that gets taken away?

People in the theater community have come to expect my coverage as a way to get the word out about their productions, and I've always felt a responsibility to cover as much as possible, even reviewing plays in my blog that I haven’t been able to review in print. This is a responsibility I welcome, and I intend to keep that up to the best of my ability so long as theaters are willing to comp me. I don’t get paid for reviews published in my blog, and it costs me time and money, especially when having to commute now that gas prices have gone through the roof. I live in Olympia and have to commute to review plays in other towns. With this in mind, what I will do is sometimes get guest writers to review shows in Tacoma and elsewhere that I am not reviewing for TNT. For instance, Michael Dresdner is going to review “I’m Into Something Good” at Centerstage for my blog.

My scheduled reviews for the rest of this month are:
May 11 – “Unexpected Tenderness” at Harlequin Productions, reviewed for my blog (hint: already seen it and loved it)
May 13 – “Hello, Dolly!” at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, The News Tribune
May 18 – “I’m Into Something Good” at Centerstage, reviewed by Michael Dresdner for my blog
May 20 – “Dog Sees God” at South Puget Sound Community College, my blog
May 20 – “Fame” at Capital Playhouse, The News Tribune

Review: Tacoma Little Theatre's 'Patsy Cline' is one crazy good time

Sharry O’Hare plays Louise Seger and Emilie Rommel-Shimkus is Patsy Cline in “Always ... Patsy Cline” at Tacoma Little Theatre. Photo by Dean Lapin

The News Tribune, May 6, 2011

Opening night at Tacoma Little Theatre’s “Always... Patsy Cline” was one of the most enjoyable evenings of musical entertainment since this same show played at Centerstage in 2008.

After seeing the same show at different theaters, it is always tempting to compare. I usually avoid that temptation, but here I’d like to say that if you saw this show at Centerstage and loved it, I can promise you that this one is just as big a kick – same wonderful songs, same spot-on acting and singing (Cayman Ilika as Patsy at Centerstage, Emilie Rommel-Shimkus at TLT) and the same outrageous humor from Patsy’s friend, Louise (Kate Jaeger at Centerstage and Sharry O’Hare at TLT). You’ll love O’Hare’s take on a downhome Southern gal and Rommel-Shimkus’s mellow and plaintive voice, and the true love between the singer and her number one fan will bring a lump to your throat.

When Louise invites Patsy into her kitchen, there is the feeling that we in the audience are being invited in as well, to smoke cigarettes, drink coffee and talk through the night about spouses and children and hard times. The homey feel is as natural as the set with the chrome-edged table and black-and-white linoleum floor (set design by director Micheal O’Hara).

The story by Ted Swindley is based on actual events. Louise Seger was a huge fan of Patsy Cline, and she met her hero one night when Patsy was playing the Esquire Ballroom in Houston. She invited the singer home after the show, and they became close friends. Over the next three years, they exchanged heartfelt letters, then Cline was killed in a plane crash, at just 30 years old.

Louise tells the story, speaking directly to the audience during most of the play, but occasionally acting out scenes with Patsy, who rarely speaks but rather tells her story through song. And what wonderful songs they are – hit tunes including such greats as “Back in Baby’s Arms,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Crazy,” plus standard classics such as “Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” and wonderful religious hymns such as “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.”

With a dark wig, bright red lipstick and wonderful costumes, Rommel-Shimkus captures the look of the famous country singer. Her costumes by designer Michelle Graves run the gamut from traditional and showy country outfits to a prim pink 1960s suit. She captures her mannerisms well but does not so much try to imitate Patsy’s voice as interpret her songs in her own way. On the ballads she sounds more like Patsy, but on the more upbeat tunes she sounds more like herself, and does not, for instance, even attempt the yodeling on “Lovesick Blues.” Her voice is more round-toned and subtle than Patsy Cline’s with a husky, sultry quality that is particularly effective on “Walkin’ After Midnight” and the very soulful “Faded Love.”

O’Hare plays directly to the audience, encouraging audience members to sing along on some songs and even dancing with one man in the audience. (Avoid aisle seats if you’re afraid of audience participation.) She throws herself into the role, she is thoroughly engaging and she nails the Texas drawl. It’s impossible not to love O’Hare’s Louise.

Both actors capture the essence of their characters while still expressing their own personalities, and both seem to thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Music is provided by the Bodacious Bobcats Band, a terrific five-piece country band comprised of Terry O’Hara, conductor and piano; Bill Golterman, guitar; Michael Martinez, bass; Caitlin Upshall, fiddle; and Peter Tietjen, drums.

Director Micheal O’Hara (no relation to Terry but married to Sharry despite the different spelling of their shared last name) doubles as a stagehand in a cowboy outfit and manages to inject subtle humor into his job of moving a microphone on and off stage.

I left the theater with “Bill Bailey” in my head and woke up the next morning with those great songs still in my mind, wishing I could go back and see the whole show again.

When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through May 29. Actor benefit is at 2 p.m. May 28
Where: Tacoma Little Theatre, 210 N. I St., Tacoma
Tickets: $17-$26

This is a painting by Julia Haack. Check out my article about her on the Weekly Volcano blog

Spew.

Sweet abstractions

Paintings by Angela Wales Rockett at Amocat Cafe

“Dazed Spring.” A painting by Angela Wales Rockett
The Weekly Volcano, May 5, 2011

Drink in a little art with your coffee at Amocat Cafe, where throughout the month of May you can view paintings by Angela Wales Rockett.

Rockett's paintings are richly colored and expressively textured but very subdued abstractions inspired by landscape minus any overt references to land or water - with the one exception of a painting of the Tacoma Dome.

It has been a long-held belief of mine that abstract art should resonate with the forms and colors of nature without overtly referencing the appearance of actual objects (be they trees, ocean, human or animal or even man-made objects). If you're going to paint a tree, then paint a tree. But if you're going to make abstract art that attempts to capture the essence of a tree, don't paint the damn branches and leaves. That's a cheap concession to viewers who insist on something recognizable; it's gimmicky, and it perverts the intent and spirit of abstraction. That's why I don't like Rockett's "Tacoma Dome." Besides which, there's very little of interest in the shape, color and texture of that structure.

But enough about that. I truly like everything else in this show. When you sit at your table you might be tempted to overlook these paintings; there is nothing bombastic about them - no weird or sexy imagery or exciting colors, just simple and solid painting in muted tones that will grow on you if given a chance.

I like her use of color, mostly dark blues, black and white, with peek-a-boo slashes of brick red or dull orange or tan. Most of her colors are toned down. One gets the feeling of seeing bits of houses or barns or boats with scraps of paper and other debris blown about. We're viewing a world right after a storm.

All of her paintings are atmospheric. In many there is a sort of horizon line with turbulent soft forms at top and deeper tones toward the bottom - her only reference to sky, land and water, but just enough to create the needed resonance with nature.

"Equinox" has a jagged form in dark blue of the type Crayola calls "Midnight." It could be an oil platform or a wrecked ship. Its rough form is reflected in the calmer blue below.

There are subtly energetic scratches in the area at top and wet drips of paint below.
There are two small collages that work well. One has a slip of paper like some kind of ticket with Asian writing on it glued to a field of atmospheric blue. It's a nice painting, but the collage element separates from the rest too much. The other collage, "Lunar Phases," works better because the collage elements mesh more with the painted elements.

The best works in the show are those in a group of paintings with semi-opaque white painted over darker colors. The best of these is "Elks Lodge." Also very nice is a group of four smaller paintings, each about six inches square. These are more dramatic than the larger paintings, with more intense colors and stronger dark-light contrasts.
Angela Wales Rockett

Through May, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday– Friday
7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Amocat Cafe, 625 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma
amocatcafe.com