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THEATRE
First Run
Kristi Lynes and Mikki Jordan in Peter Pan
photograph by Bill Records
Peter PanIt looks to be nothing more than an outsized dollhouse on the bare stage floor -- exquisitely detailed, down to the painting of each brick and warm, inviting light in an upstairs window, but still, just a giant dollhouse. Then, as this debut production from Austin Musical Theatre begins, stagehands in butlers' livery approach the house and crack it open, pulling pieces back and unfolding them, flipping walls and roof around, shifting hitherto hidden bits of furniture into view, until they've fashioned a full-size children's bedroom, complete with walls, door, three beds, and a fireplace. It's a moment of stage magic, the kind of sleight-of-hand that is peculiarly of the theatre, and it leaves the audience slack-jawed. A moment of pure wonder.
How fitting that our newest theatre company opens its first show this way. Not only because the story it tells thrives on wonder -- what tale of pirates, pixies, and flying boys with errant shadows doesn't? -- but because the dramatic form to which this company is dedicated is bound up in wonder: the miracle of people revealing their hearts' desires in song, in dance, a notion that our rational sides cannot reconcile but that our selves' purest parts -- the hearts that, in spite of everything, want to believe -- not only accept but adore. That Austin Musical Theatre has its premiere begin with a moment which speaks to that craving says a lot about its approach and bodes well for its future efforts.
Of course, what bodes even better is that the two and a half hours which follow that opening are packed with many such moments, moments of verve and dazzle and enchantment. Set designer Christopher McCollum's picture-perfect Victorian dollhouse opens into a nursery of storybook charm. The doings in the Darlings' home as mister and missus prepare for their evening out brim with domestic intimacy, and Sharron Bower's Mrs. Darling sings her brood a lullaby with aching tenderness. The leap with which Peter Pan bolts into this cozy scene is so dramatic as to make your heart seize up, and the subsequent scenes of flight with Peter and the Darling children inspire the giddy thrill of a trapeze act. In Never-Neverland, the musical numbers crackle and zip with amazing energy, never-never more so than when Jennifer Young's rousing Tiger Lily leads the pack. Then there's the pirate band, affably hapless and headed by Jonathan Freeman's Captain Hook, who contemplates his menace with rolling drollery, punctuated by sudden expressions of childish glee. Resisting him is Mikki Jordan's Wendy, a glistening vision of budding womanhood. And always there, brightening the stage, radiating the perpetual exuberance of youth like an April sun, is Kristi Lynes' Peter. He's so joyful and so joyfully cocksure, a scamp who delights in adventure and mischief and his own cleverness, whose laugh is a blast of boyishness. Lynes is so bubbly, so strong, she is a marvel unto herself.
So much more could be noted, but suffice to say that director-choreographers Scott Thompson and Richard Byron have infused the production with abundant musical style and enthusiasm, crispness and, yes, wonder; they've given this Peter panache. As the song goes, I know a place where dreams are born. For the rest of this week, it's the Paramount Theatre. (Robert Faires) HELD OVER! Through Jan 26, Fri & Sat, 7:30pm, Sat & Sun, 2pm, at the Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Tickets: $16-$39 ($5 discount for children). Running time: 2 hrs, 20 min. 472-5411.
Ruthless! The MusicalI hate musicals. With a passion. All those pathetic little red-haired orphans, feuding farmers and cowhands, amazingly thin dancers in cat suits, and those teeming little Von Trapp brats, ready to sing their innermost desires at the drop of a tap shoe. Whatever happened to subtlety, conveying emotion in a glance instead of a four-piece band and an encore?
Well, subtlety is certainly not residing at the Zachary Scott Theatre Center for the next few weeks. Ruthless! The Musical is a musical hater's greatest joy. Lyricist Joel Paley and composer Marvin Laird have left no sacred musical cow unkicked in this two-hour romp through the world of backstage mothers and backstabbing divas. The show feels as if two trailers carrying the bus-and-truck tours of The Bad Seed and Little Shop of Horrors, driven by John Waters and RuPaul, collided on a dark freeway some stormy night.
Joe York and Maddie Gatling belt it out for the audience in Ruthless! The Musical, directed and choreographed by Dave Steakley
photograph by Kirk TuckThis production bolsters Laird and Paley's hoot of a script with a fantastic cast. Meredith Robertson, as Judy Denmark, the mother of Tina, an Andrea McArdle in training, is flawless. Joe York, who plays Sylvia St. Croix, once again proves that he is more than a pretty face -- this fella can sing, step, and milk a moment for every last drop of humor. Maddie Gatling as Tina, the child star wannabe you love to hate, can hold her own when on stage with these two talents, a tribute to her work as well as the ministrations of director and choreographer Dave Steakley.
Of course, the work of the cast would be less effective had they not been given the perfect environment in which to act. Set and costume designer Michael Raiford has created a clean and distinctive look, complete with polka-dots a go-go on the walls of the theatre and gowns that would look at home in Norma Desmond's closet.
With all of this going for it, Ruthless! can rouse a standing ovation out of the more musical-inclined. But Steakley, the same man who put the Bee in hive and Forever in plaid, has worked his musical magic here as well, creating yet another musical that even musical haters can enjoy. (Adrienne Martini) Through Feb 23, Thu-Sat, 8pm, Sun, 2:30pm, at ZSTC, Kleberg Stage, 1421 Riverside Dr. Tickets: $18 Thu/Sun; $20 Fri/Sat. Running time: 2 hrs, 15 min. 476-0541.
SHADOWLANDSNowadays, the notion of a group of devout bachelors gathered together to drink conjures images of rowdy youth, beer, and unwholesome thoughts about the fairer sex. Not so the coterie of C. S. Lewis and company in 1950s Oxford; these frumpy, middle-aged university dons gather to drink sherry, discuss theology, and their most unwholesome thought on the subject of "woman" is that, heaven forfend, they might actually meet one. William Nicholson's Shadowlands tells the story of Lewis, renowned author of the Narnia books but better known among his peers and colleagues as a great intellect and zealous Christian (the play opens with one of Lewis' addresses on the subject of God and Pain, a long, nuanced argument of man's place in God's universe) and his slow and painful conversion to the fact that he too is capable of great depths of love for a particular woman. The lady in question is an American admirer with whom Lewis has corresponded for some time. Now, she writes, she plans to come to England for a while, and would he see her? They meet, and in spite of himself and his bachelor brethren, he falls for her.
Shadowlands is a star vehicle for the actors playing C. S. Lewis and Joy Davidman Gresham, Lewis' eventual love, and in Ev Lunning, Jr. and Babs George, this production has two outstanding talents. Lunning portrays Lewis' intellectual aloofness and his warmer, inquisitive side with great solidity, evoking the magic of the man who created Narnia and undertaking his voyage of self-discovery with gusto and a childlike innocence. George creates a second solid character, a Bronx Jewess (turned Christian) with that awful nasal twang, but with a deceptively perceptive wit: She knows Lewis, even before they meet, and the careful unwinding of his isolation results from her gentle, and not so gentle, invasions into his heart and mind. As Lewis' brother, the stuffy, moribund Major W. H. Lewis, Everett Skaggs provides consistent comic relief. Among Oxford's highbrow intelligentsia, the Major is sharp as a tack, cloaked albeit in a delightful seeming absentmindedness. Skaggs provides a gentlemanly complement to the more boorish elements surrounding the Lewises. Playwright Nicholson has not provided much meat for the supporting characters, and they are, unfortunately, rather two-dimensional. Ken Bradley is loud and seems out of place in the refined world on England in the Fifties; and for all their consistent work, James Hartley and Taylor Maddux, as professorial and reverend comrades to the Lewises, have little to do but create minor obstacles between Lewis and his growing love. As Gresham's son, however, Ryan Boggus charms in his brief scenes.
The modulated, even pace of Jill Parker-Jones' direction that so effectively creates the atmosphere of an Oxford college invaded by a forthright American becomes monotonous. What begins as a compelling story ends flatly, more a fault of an increasingly predictable script than this solid production. Dan Nordhagen's set is aptly monumental yet simple. Costumes by Buffy Manners evoke the period but seem rather too neat for the Oxford frumps. Stories take time to spin, and despite the long spinning of this one, Shadowlands is worth taking the time to unwind. (Robi Polgar) Through Feb 2, Wed-Sat, 8pm, Sun, 6pm, at the State Theatre, 719 Congress. $15 Wed/Thu/Sun; $17 Fri/Sat ($2 discounts seniors, students). Running time: 2 hrs, 50 min. 472-5143.
PANOPTIKON This cybernetic opera by ethos, being given its world premiere by the VORTEX Repertory Company, electrically illustrates what the Greeks may have done to their tragedies if they had been given a steady diet of MTV, comic books, and Yanni. The second part of The X & Y Trilogy, which tells the tale of two estranged brothers who lead epic lives, Panoptikon focuses on BlackSun, the brother who managed to return from the dead after being consumed by his sibling, and his quest to convince his subjects that life in Panoptikon is swell. He does this by keeping the populace drugged by "egospheres" and constantly in need of a new fix. Panoptikon is dizzying in its scope and ambition as it strives to create a rich, new world in which the characters, who look and act as if they've been ripped from the pages of a graphic novel, can thrive. Visually and energetically, the production rocks, thanks to Chad Salvata and T'Cie Mancuso's costumes, Bonnie Cullum's direction, Jason Amato's lights, and a cast with a truckload of courage and passion. But, whether by design or because key points about this world are obscured by incoherent lyrics, the characters and their intricate backdrop are never fully realized. This is disappointing, given the sheer amount of energy that radiates from the production. (Adrienne Martini) FINAL WEEKEND! Through Jan 25, Thu-Sun, 8pm, at Planet Theatre, 2307 Manor. Tickets: $12 ($9 w/discount). Running Time: 2 hrs, 15 min. 478-LAVA.
The whole family can enjoy the National Theatre of the Deaf's Curiouser and Curiouser, this weekend, Jan 17 & 18, at the B. Iden Payne Theatre on the UT Campus
photograph by T. Charles EricksonTHE KINGFISHER'S WING takes us back to 19th-century Persia to spin a tale of dreams and sacrifice. It follows the conversion of a rebellious 17-year-old to the Baha'i faith, and his delivery of a "sacred" message to the Persian ruler, which leads to the youth's death. Creator Bill George relates this spiritual drama with shadow images, puppetry, text, and music by composer Styve Homnick. Sponsored by Baha'i student club. ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY! Jan 25, Sat, 8pm, at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. Tickets: $10 ($7 seniors, students). 454-TIXS.
A CHORUS LINE is celebrating its 20th year as Broadway's "singular sensation" -- a total 6,137 performances make it the Great White Way's longest-running musical -- and it's marking it with a new touring production, restaged by one of the members of the original cast, Baayork Lee. Don't worry, though; the story of 18 dancers struggling for a spot in a show and baring their dreams and fears and hopes as they go will be as it has been always: touching, funny, an inspiration. FINAL SIX PERFORMANCES! Through Jan 26, Thu-Sat, 8pm, Sat & Sun, 2pm, Sun, 7pm, at Bass Concert Hall, UT campus. Tickets: $24.50-$39.50. 471-1444.
SPALDING GRAY is obsessing again -- which is good news for those of us who relish his long, improbable but frequently hilarious and insightful monologues about some aspect of life that he can't figure out. This time, he's fixated on skiing, of all things, which he learned to do at age 53, but his experience takes him through conflicts over a broken marriage, his own fatherhood, and his father's death. Its title is It's a Slippery Slope, and, based on Gray's last show here, it stands to be a highlight of 1997. ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY! Jan 29, Wed, 8pm, at the Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Tickets: $16-$26. 472-5411.
The obsessive, irreverent Spalding Gray makes his way through Austin for one performance only, Wed, Jan 29, 8pm at the Paramount TheatreA PERFECT GANESH refers to Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god who watches over travelers. In this drama by Terrence McNally, Ganesh observes the visit of two Americans to India, taking note as the journey brings them face-to-face with troubles in their lives and raises their consciousness to new planes. Different Stages' production stars Marc Balester, Diane Day, Doris Hargrave, and Jason Phillips. Norman Blumensaadt directs. Jan 23-Feb 8, Thu-Sat, 8pm, Feb 2, Sun, 2pm, at The Acting Studio, 5411 Burnet. Tickets: Pay What You Can on Thu; $11 Fri/Sat. 454-TIXS.
SHAKIN' THE MESS OUTTA MISERY sails through a rich and passionate sea of memory as a woman recalls being left by her mother to be reared by a circle of Big Mamas. First Stage Productions brings Austin this lyrical drama by playwright Shay Youngblood (Talking Bones), with a cast that includes Laverne Jackson, Courtney Rutherford, Karma Stewart, and Cynthia Taylor-Edwards. A sponsored project of ACoT. Through Feb 8, Thu-Sat, 8pm, at The Public Domain, 807 Congress. Tickets: $10 ($5 seniors, students, ACoT, DU, TRIBES). 454-TIXS.
SHEAR MADNESS Honesty time. I had never seen Shear Madness before. So while I would love to write a review comparing all of the casts, carefully weighing the performances and productions that have gone before this one, I can't. What I can say is that I had a great time.
Of course, a show does not make it through 400 performances, like Shear Madness at the Zachary Scott Theatre Center, unless folks come to see it, again and again. And they don't just see it in Austin, as this Marilyn Abrams-Bruce Jordan brainchild has been produced all over the country and has been recognized by the great Guinness as the longest-running non-musical play in U.S. history. Part of its success may be due to the fact that the show can, quite literally, be different every time you choose to go.
For the other Shear Madness virgins out there, let me explain. This is a participatory show. While you most likely will not be dragged onstage and forced to do the Macarena, you will be asked to help solve a crime that has been committed in Tony Whitcomb's salon. Like The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the ending of the show is determined by audience vote, not the whims of a capricious playwright.
Director Alice Wilson has assembled a great cast, many of whom have been in the show before, albeit in different roles. Patricia Wappner, as the blue-haired stylist Barbara, positively sparkles, as do Leslie Bonnell's costumes. David Stokey's Eddie Lawrence oozes across the stage while Sylvia Reeves' Mrs. Schubert bristles along behind him. Ever-confident Dan Sullivan and a twitchy Jesson Hunt seem prepared for whatever over-the-top Jeff Shaevel as Tony can throw at them, including what looked to be an unplanned but hilarious opening night kiss for Sullivan.
Okay, okay -- the show may not break brave, new ground or deal with the deep issues facing late 20th-century man, but it is a carefully crafted and slickly produced hoot that will make you forget about all of those problems for a few hours while you watch a cast that is having a great time discovering exactly who did commit a "murder among the curlers." (Adrienne Martini) Through Feb 16, Thu-Sat, 8pm, Sun, 2:30pm, at ZSTC, Whisenhunt Arena Stage, 1510 Toomey. Tickets: $18 Thu/Sun; $20 Fri/Sat. Running time: 2 hrs. 476-0541.
FRONTERAFEST '97 has arrived, and with it, over 50 new short works for the stage, presented by hundreds of Austin's leading performers and theatre artists, plus guests Laurie Carlos of New York City and Mauricio Cordero of Boston. That's right, this year's model of Frontera@Hyde Park Theatre's annual performance jamboree is bigger than ever, and it's been expanded to five weeks. As always, festival presentations are 25 minutes or less, but this year, they run Tuesday-Friday, with the "best" work of each week, as chosen by a panel of judges, presented Saturday, and the "Best of the Fest" presented Feb 18-22. Featured artists -- visitors Carlos and Cordero and locals Amparo Garcia, Daniel Alexander Jones, Jason Phelps, and Steve Tomlinson -- perform weeknights, and some are offering workshops (see Theatre Classes, Etc below). Every show is an adventure and highly recommended. This week features: Jan 23, Thu -- David Kramer; Suzanne Vance; T.J. Walsh; Jason Phelps. Jan 24, Fri -- Bouton Jones; Cyndi Williams; Jean Fogel Zee; Jason Phelps. Jan 25, Fri -- Best of the Week. Jan 28, Tue -- Mariachi Relampago; Catherine Uldrich; Jodie Gehrman; Margery Segal. Jan 29, Wed -- Andrew Block; Eric Geyer; Mary Lou Pilkinton; Sarah Ing. Through Feb 22, Tue-Sat, 8pm, at Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W. 43rd. Tickets: $8 a night/$35-$80 Fest passes. 454-TIXS.
GHOSTLY DREAD AT THE DRISKILL sets the Capital City Mystery Players' new comedy whodunit among the supposedly haunted halls of the historic Austin hotel. It's a "spirited" way to enjoy a four-course dinner in an elegant local landmark, match your wits against some of the city's savviest performers, solve a crime, and have a good time. Ongoing, Sat, 7pm, at the Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos. Tickets: $45. 474-5911, x5236.
CAFE BREMOND keeps getting better. A recent visit found this cabaret even more cozy with refreshments -- they've added wine, beer, and appetizers worthy of a fine restaurant -- that make this intimate show feel even more stylish. The music was, as always, rapturous. This week, enjoy the flair of Karen Kuykendall & Sterling Price-McKinney. Sun, 6pm, at Bremond House, 404 W. Seventh. Tickets: $10. 482-0411.
LATER AT LIVE OAK CABARET sneaks some uptown musical entertainment into the lobby of the State Theatre. Live Oak Theatre at the State breaks into the cabaret act, with a weekly show of jazz, swing, and musical theatre by a rotating roster of fine entertainers. This week, it's the combo of Amy Baker Stinson & Michael McKelvey. Boni Hester hosts. (To audition for the cabaret, call 800/393-4113.) Saturdays, 10:30pm, at the State Theatre, 719 Congress. Tickets: $5. 472-5143.
KGSR 107.1 Weekly Theatre Update is on every Thursday morning with Kevin Connor. At 8am, Chronicle editor Robert Faires discusses what's happening in the week in Austin theatre.
Theatre Classes, Etc.New Dinner Theatre Seeks Scripts for production. Plays should be comedies at least 90 min. in length. Monetary compensation if chosen. Send to: Bronwyn Andrus, 1301 E. 30th, Austin, TX 78722. 478-9226.
FronteraFest '97 seeks volunteers to assist with their current festival. 419-7408.
Big Stinkin' Improv Festival II seeks volunteers to work phones, stuff envelopes, do PR, assist in production, meet, greet, chauffeur, and more. 453-MONK.
kidsActing offers Spring Acting Camps for children 4-18, teaching acting for stage and screen, comedy, and play and musical production, beginning Jan 24. kidsActing, 5811 Burnet. 458-5437.
FronteraFest '97 Artist Workshop Series allows local artists to learn from and work with the fest's featured performers. Each Sat through Feb 22 an artist will conduct a workshop. This week: Amparo Garcia leads "Opening & Expanding Your Text and Movement." Jan 25, Sat, 11am. Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W. 43rd. Cost: $12 ($10 for multiple workshops). 419-7408, x9.
Live Oak Theatre School of Acting is offering Musical Theatre -- Audition & Performance, (10-16) (Jan 25-Mar 1, Sat, 10-11:30am, $100); To Play's the Thing!, (Jan 26-Mar 16, Sun, 7-9pm, $145); Acting for Film & Stage, Beginning, (Jan 27-Mar 3, Mon, 7-10pm, $140); The Business of Acting, (Jan 28, Tue, 6:30-10:30pm, $40). 472-3160.
Linda White Loyd offers private acting lessons, beginning to advanced levels, for stage, film, and commercial work. A member of Equity and SAG, Loyd has studied with Lee Strasberg and worked with Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese. 441-7740.
Amparo Garcia is offering beginning acting and advanced film acting courses. 441-7740.
Acting Classes With C.K. McFarland offer actors and writers a unique approach to character development, performance skills, and artistic vision. New eight-week class beginning Jan 27. Cost: $165. 441-3738.
Patricia Pearcy offers private acting lessons. A member of Equity and SAG, Pearcy has worked on All My Children and One Life to Live and at the Alley and Long Wharf Theatres. 328-2475.
Monks' Night Out offers beginning & advanced improvisation workshops led by artists who have worked with members of Saturday Night Live, Second City, and the Groundlings. Limited to 12 people per class. 453-MONK.
Half-Price Tickets to many area performing arts events are available through AusTix, a half-price ticket service. Just drop by the big AusTix booth in BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar (11:30am-6:30pm, Wed-Sat) on the day of performance to see what shows have half-price tix for sale. 454-HALF.
The Box Office provides one-stop shopping for tickets to many area music, dance, and theatre productions. Just drop by the AusTix booth in BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar (11:30am-6:30pm, Wed-Sat) to purchase tickets or call the easy-to-remember Box Office number: 454-TIXS.
Monks' Night Out, an improv and sketch comedy troupe: Sundays, noon-2pm, at The Velveeta Room, 521 E. Sixth. Needed: performers, writers, musicians, and stage crew. 453-MONK.
AuditionsWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, by Edward Albee: Jan 23, Thu, 7-9pm, at Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. Roles available: one female, 20-35; one female, 45-55; one male, 20-35. The production will run May 1-24 at the DAC. Produced by G-Ray Productions. By appointment. 441-4720.
Esther's Follies, the comedy troupe: Jan 28 & 29, Tue & Wed, 7-9pm, at Esther`s Pool, 525 E. Sixth. Needed: performers and writers. Artists of color especially encouraged to audition. Performers and writers should bring a comedic monologue (1 min), resumé, and photo. Performers who write preferred. By appointment. 320-0198.
Johnson/Long Dance Company: Needed: adventurous actor who can play multiple roles for company's spring tour and May premiere. Daytime rehearsals. By appointment. 467-0704.
Vocalists Needed, female and male, for studio and performance work. Continental Records. Shoshana@haz.com or 478-1414.
Deep in the Heart of Texas, an original musical for young audiences. Roles available: four men, three women, 25-50, various ethnicities. The production will run for two weeks in April at the Dougherty Arts Center. Note: Performances are during the day. Actors will be compensated. Actors should send resumé to: Children of Light Players, 901-A Milford Way, Austin, TX 78745. Actors will be scheduled for auditions in Jan/Feb. Produced by Children of Light Players. 320-7169.
Last Night I Fell Again, an independent short film. Roles available: one male, one female, 25-35. Principal photography to begin in March. Actors should send resumé to: Giant Step Productions, PO Box 4906, Austin, TX 78765. 478-5127.
