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Area stages host musical revues, solid drama, skillful comedy
By: Russ Simmons, Theater reviewer
SING OUT, SISTER
The Songwriter Series continues at the Quality Hill Playhouse with “Sing Out, Sister,” a revue featuring songs written in all or in part by women.
In keeping with this feminine perspective, director/emcee J. Kent Barnhart cast the show with female singers Julie Marie Taylor, Alison Walla and LeShea Wright. Along with Barnhart on piano, Steven Lenhert and Ken Remmert on bass and drums provide the accompaniment.
The first act is filled with familiar standards from the first half of the 20th century including songs by noted lyricists Dorothy Fields and Betty Comden. The second act showcases the work of artists of the second half of the century, such as Carol King, Carole Bayer Sager and Barbara Streisand.
All three ladies display sweet and understated voices. While this revue could have used a little belting to mix things up a bit, the ladies’ gentle harmony, especially on songs by Lynn Ahrens, hits some pleasantly tranquil notes.
The revue runs through March 30 at the Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th St., Kansas City, Mo. Call (816) 421-1700.
A MARVELOUS PARTY!
Not to be outdone in the revue department, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre offers “A Marvelous Party!” a collection of tunes and repartee from famed British wit Sir Noel Coward.
Conceived by performers Mark Anders and Carl J. Danielsen, choreographer Patricia Wilcox and director David Ira Goldstein, “A Marvelous Party!” certainly lives up to its name. Gifted singer/dancer Stefanie Morse joins the accomplished Anders and the dexterous Danielsen in this lively musical soiree.
Exploiting Coward’s legendary talent for the droll turn of phrase, the trio performs more than 30 numbers, injecting his clever bons mots between the sophisticated songs.
Whether warbling ballads like “Mad About the Boy,” tap dancing to “I Like America” or adroitly tinkling the ivories, the performers provide a cosmopolitan cocktail that goes down as easy as a dry martini.
“A Marvelous Party” runs through March 23 at the Helen Spencer Theatre, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo. For ticket information, call (816) 235-2700.
A SEPARATE PEACE
John Knowles’ classic coming-of-age drama “A Separate Peace” comes to life at The Coterie via an adaptation by Nancy Gilsenan, under the skillful direction of Jeff Church.
Set just before World War II, the story revolves around students at a New Hampshire prep school and the warm but ultimately tragic friendship of a charismatic fellow named Finney (Matthew Weiss) and his bookish roommate, Gene (Brian Berrens).
Weiss gives a magnetic performance, ably supported by the cast that also includes Dan Hillaker, Doogin Brown, Joe Mayers, Pancho Villegas and Michael Linsley Rapport.
Knowles’ themes of jealousy and the sources of war come through clearly in a mostly solid production. The finale, which seems rushed and abrupt, is its only shortcoming.
Aimed at teens and adults, “A Separate Peace” is a sobering look at innocence lost.
“A Separate Peace” runs through March 22 at the Coterie, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo. Call (816) 474-6552.
THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED
Poking fun at Hollywood hypocrisy may seem like shooting fish in a barrel, but playwright Douglas Carter Beane’s acerbic “The Little Dog Laughed” does it with such skill that they could make it an Olympic sport.
The Unicorn Theatre’s kinetic production of his racy and often hilarious play features three actors in good roles and a one is a plum one. With utter virtuosity, Donna Thomason transforms herself into Diane, a cynical and sardonic agent with skills that would make Machiavelli proud.
Manipulating everyone around her with drive, cunning and an insider’s knowledge of showbiz PR, Diane works to protect her client, a matinee idol named Mitch (Nathan Darrow), who has a “slight recurring case of homosexuality.”
Her job gets tricky when Mitch becomes involved with a hustler named Alex (Michelan-gelo Milano) and Alex’s girlfriend, Ellen (Rachel May Roberts). Diane’s efforts to secure Mitch a major role could be sabotaged if word of his extracurricular activities surfaces.
In spite of the frivolity, the show has significant depth that director Bruce Roach and his talented cast ably reveal.
But the show belongs to Thomason. As the morally dubious but utterly self-aware fixer, she’s a bolt of theatrical lightning.
Viewers are warned that the play revels in adult language and features full frontal nudity.
“The Little Dog Laughed” runs through March 30 at the Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. Call (816) 531-PLAY for tickets.
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The Songwriter Series continues at the Quality Hill Playhouse with “Sing Out, Sister,” a revue featuring songs written in all or in part by women.
In keeping with this feminine perspective, director/emcee J. Kent Barnhart cast the show with female singers Julie Marie Taylor, Alison Walla and LeShea Wright. Along with Barnhart on piano, Steven Lenhert and Ken Remmert on bass and drums provide the accompaniment.
The first act is filled with familiar standards from the first half of the 20th century including songs by noted lyricists Dorothy Fields and Betty Comden. The second act showcases the work of artists of the second half of the century, such as Carol King, Carole Bayer Sager and Barbara Streisand.
All three ladies display sweet and understated voices. While this revue could have used a little belting to mix things up a bit, the ladies’ gentle harmony, especially on songs by Lynn Ahrens, hits some pleasantly tranquil notes.
The revue runs through March 30 at the Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th St., Kansas City, Mo. Call (816) 421-1700.
A MARVELOUS PARTY!
Not to be outdone in the revue department, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre offers “A Marvelous Party!” a collection of tunes and repartee from famed British wit Sir Noel Coward.
Conceived by performers Mark Anders and Carl J. Danielsen, choreographer Patricia Wilcox and director David Ira Goldstein, “A Marvelous Party!” certainly lives up to its name. Gifted singer/dancer Stefanie Morse joins the accomplished Anders and the dexterous Danielsen in this lively musical soiree.
Exploiting Coward’s legendary talent for the droll turn of phrase, the trio performs more than 30 numbers, injecting his clever bons mots between the sophisticated songs.
Whether warbling ballads like “Mad About the Boy,” tap dancing to “I Like America” or adroitly tinkling the ivories, the performers provide a cosmopolitan cocktail that goes down as easy as a dry martini.
“A Marvelous Party” runs through March 23 at the Helen Spencer Theatre, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo. For ticket information, call (816) 235-2700.
A SEPARATE PEACE
John Knowles’ classic coming-of-age drama “A Separate Peace” comes to life at The Coterie via an adaptation by Nancy Gilsenan, under the skillful direction of Jeff Church.
Set just before World War II, the story revolves around students at a New Hampshire prep school and the warm but ultimately tragic friendship of a charismatic fellow named Finney (Matthew Weiss) and his bookish roommate, Gene (Brian Berrens).
Weiss gives a magnetic performance, ably supported by the cast that also includes Dan Hillaker, Doogin Brown, Joe Mayers, Pancho Villegas and Michael Linsley Rapport.
Knowles’ themes of jealousy and the sources of war come through clearly in a mostly solid production. The finale, which seems rushed and abrupt, is its only shortcoming.
Aimed at teens and adults, “A Separate Peace” is a sobering look at innocence lost.
“A Separate Peace” runs through March 22 at the Coterie, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo. Call (816) 474-6552.
THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED
Poking fun at Hollywood hypocrisy may seem like shooting fish in a barrel, but playwright Douglas Carter Beane’s acerbic “The Little Dog Laughed” does it with such skill that they could make it an Olympic sport.
The Unicorn Theatre’s kinetic production of his racy and often hilarious play features three actors in good roles and a one is a plum one. With utter virtuosity, Donna Thomason transforms herself into Diane, a cynical and sardonic agent with skills that would make Machiavelli proud.
Manipulating everyone around her with drive, cunning and an insider’s knowledge of showbiz PR, Diane works to protect her client, a matinee idol named Mitch (Nathan Darrow), who has a “slight recurring case of homosexuality.”
Her job gets tricky when Mitch becomes involved with a hustler named Alex (Michelan-gelo Milano) and Alex’s girlfriend, Ellen (Rachel May Roberts). Diane’s efforts to secure Mitch a major role could be sabotaged if word of his extracurricular activities surfaces.
In spite of the frivolity, the show has significant depth that director Bruce Roach and his talented cast ably reveal.
But the show belongs to Thomason. As the morally dubious but utterly self-aware fixer, she’s a bolt of theatrical lightning.
Viewers are warned that the play revels in adult language and features full frontal nudity.
“The Little Dog Laughed” runs through March 30 at the Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. Call (816) 531-PLAY for tickets.