First-time director was last seen @ NSMT's disastrous production of
CABARET, and he clearly learned nothing. Rule #1 in an arena theatre --
please address all patrons. Although we were located in Section B seeing
the sides of everyone, my heart went out to our fellow audience members
who were forced to see everyone's backsides for over two laborious hours.
This was an ambitious project with a daunting legacy for him to tackle,
and it should have been handed over to someone more experienced.
Max was amiable enough but lacked the intensity to sustain this character.
By the middle of Act Two, it was clear that he had run out of steam. Leo
fared better, maintaining a solid and consistent character throughout.
Ulla had a good character and a nice singing voice but lacked oompf. When
she announced that she would "belt," she needed to do so.
Franz, Robert, and Carmen were a joy to watch and made "Keep it Gay"
everything it should be.
As a matter of fact, Franz was arguably the best part of the production.
And, yes, those cartoonish lockers were ugly and blocked everyone's view
in Section D. There are other ways to create the illusion of chorus girls
popping out of them. The joke about the unattractive girl was thrown away.
The color choices for the office were hideous, and one wondered why Ulla
didn't paint it all white as is scripted.
The costumes were sufficient but unoriginal.
Kudos to the old ladies who brought life and enthusiasm to "Along Came
Bialy." That number looked and worked nicely.
The biggest disappointment of the evening was, sadly, "Springtime for
Hitler." Although everyone made the most of a tiny stage and addressed
everyone in Section F and ignored everyone else, the number overall felt
tired and underwhelming. The climactic swastika looked more like a plus
sign, and without acknowledgement to the audience what this was supposed
to look like, that image was missed. The Tenor had trouble keeping up with
the song, and his voice disappeared several times.
Overall, there were some elements that made the evening enjoyable, but it
seemed amateurish and not up to the level this musical requires. C-
