Into the Woods by Musical Theatre Southwest

In literature, the forested woods can symbolize a place of unknown possibility (like theatre!), both frightening and tantalizing, and sure to test your character. Venturing fearlessly into the unknown, Musical Theatre Southwest presents "Into the Woods," the musical written by Stephen Sondheim and playing at their Center for the Arts Black Box until April 27. Written with gentle humor, the story plays as equally charming to adults, so don't assume fairy tales are only for children. In fact, many moments in the show reckon to more mature emotions, including romantic love, a parent's love for their child, and the desire to protect those we love from the evils of the world.

The story revolves primarily around the Baker (Jonathan Dunski) and his Wife (Erin Warden), who venture into the woods to remove the Witch's curse of childlessness. In their effort, they meet Cinderella and her evil Stepmother, Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf, a couple of Princes and many more storybook characters. But, "careful the wish you make. Wishes are children. Careful the path they take." Dunski and Warden's chemistry with each other is compelling throughout the show, while each perform equally as strong in their solo moments, both bringing their own personalities to infuse these lead roles with.

Tahirih Garcia plays Cinderella, who is often running from her destiny, but finds that when her choices catch up with her, she must decide for herself the path to happiness. Garcia creates a more emotionally believable woman from the fairy tale princess we already know, all while juggling the attentions of one of the show's two Princes (played by Aaron and David Aubrey), who have great moments in the show in their own right. The delightfully tongue-in-cheek duet "Agony" brought chuckles from the audience, spoofing the twos' besotted foolishness.

 Click HERE to listen to Jonathan, Erin and Tahirih as they talk about the show

Derrick Medrano, as Jack, brings another dimension to the story, that of the innocent, and performs beautifully in his memorable moment, "Giants in the Sky." Fairy tales are built from the structure of what we universally share, and youthfulness and innocence we can all relate to, as well as other themes, such as the challenges of parenthood. Beth Elliot makes her company debut quite charmingly as Jack's Mother, while Tasha Waters brings an emotional depth to the Witch, giving her many more dimensions than the archetypal villain. Her two solos, "Stay With Me," and "Witch's Lament," express her desire to keep her daughter Rapunzel safe, and they tore me open with the kind of heart wrenching, strong emotions that come from watching fearless actors at work.

Not to be forgotten is another enchanting debut, Jessica Quindlen as the engenue Little Red. Perky and relentlessly upbeat, it takes the maturity of the second act for Little Red, Cinderella, and Jack to realize they are all orphans of one sort or another, and that the sadness which ties them together also reminds us, "No One is Alone." As the Baker tells Little Red, "Mother said to never stray from the path, but the path strayed from you." How metaphorically true that is for so many of us, to set a path in life only to find ourselves to have strayed far from it, and into something strange, and altogether new and unexpected.

With live music to be enjoyed, the show is a great way to introduce children to musical theatre, but you only have to be a kid at heart to want to see it too. With limited seating, advance tickets are very much recommended -- opening weekend was already completely sold out -- so visit their website at www.musicaltheatresw.com or call their box office at (505) 265-9119 to book ahead and settle in to this show's journey on your own. There were standing ovations on opening night, so you may even find yourself jumping out of your chair before it's all over.

Fiddler on the Roof by Landmark Musicals at Rodey Hall

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the show and raising the roof with cheers, "Fiddler on the Roof" by Landmark Musicals premiered to an appreciative house at Rodey Hall on UNM campus, auspiciously opening on the night of Purim (a festive Jewish holiday) and playing until March 30th. Directed and choreographed by Gary John La Rosa, the atmosphere for the show began before the actors' appearance with the magnificent Marc Chagall-inspired curtain, featuring "The Fiddler," from which the musical takes inspiration for its name and masterfully created by the company's production designer, Dahl Delu.

Central to the plot, Michael Finnegan magnificently embodies the patriarch Tevye, a man who dreams big and lives humbly as a part of the Jewish community, Anatevka. As any good and devout Russian, he lives his life by "Tradition," the village's rousing opening act, but we also see that he is a dreamer as well, in his memorable solo, "If I Were A Rich Man." Balancing his bravado is his wife Golde, who rules at times with an iron fist. Played by Lorri Oliver who brings a tremendously strong voice and character to the role, Golde gives solid ground to the dreamer she is married to, and the backbone needed to discipline their five girls: Tzeitel (Elise Mouchet), Hodel (Daniela Deuel), Chava (Adrianna Deuel), Shprintze (Cristina Deuel) and Bielke (Riley Martin).

 Click HERE to listen to Lorri, Daniela and Julian talking about the show

Courtesy of Landmark & Kyle Zimmerman Photography

The dilemma of how to best marry off his progeny begins as we see the girls dreaming of love in "Matchmaker," with clever choreography catching their skidding mops. More inventive choreography was rousingly met in the "Bottle Dance," near the end of act one. Matthew Amend, Zane Barker, Justin Ray Cordova, and Luke Loffelmacher give a hair raising performance as we watch the bottles teeter (no tricks! no gimmicks!) and yet triumphantly remain atop the dancers' heads.

The plot revolves around the dynamics between the young couples, as the revolutionary and contrary ideas of the young begin to supersede the elder's established ways. Tzeitel and Motel (Max Woltman) break with the tradition of an arranged marriage, choosing their love to each other. Woltman's gentle tailor gave the audience plenty of laughs, especially when playing against Finnegan, endearing the young couple as they fight for their love.

Courtesy of Landmark & Kyle Zimmerman Photography

The bookish Hodel and Perchik, the forward-thinking student from Kiev (Julian Singer Corbin), press tradition even further as they too arrange their intention to marry. Tevye, with much pondering where he breaks the fourth wall and charmingly addresses us even as he is addressing himself, eventually gives his blessing. But it is young Chava and Fyedka (Harrison Wirstrom) who bring an even greater challenge for Tevye to reconcile, even as his world changes for good.

Courtesy of Landmark & Kyle Zimmerman Photography

The beliefs and customs of a Jewish rural community under the Tsar are integral to understanding the show. In "The Dream" sequence, we see how the superstitions of the people are intermingled in their decisions, with special mention to Wendy Barker who gives a wonderful performance as the ghost of Fruma Sarah, Lazar's late wife, and catching the audience up in the supernatural fun. Throughout both acts the company's mutually strong vocal performance, overseen by musical director Andrew Alegria, was as consistent together as it is in their solos and duets. Two additional strong characters who shine in this show include Lazar (Vernon Reza) and Yente (Kathy Mille Wimmer), both delighting the audience in their moments as well.

With live music to enjoy, this production meets the high standards Landmark Musicals is known for, and delivers an evening of heartfelt fun for all. To get tickets in advance, visit www.unmtickets.com or call the box office at 505.925.5858. And for more information about Landmark's season, you can visit the company's website at www.landmarkmusicals.org. 

A Midsummer Night's Dream by Duke City Repertory Theatre at the Cell

Springtime is almost here, and it's a time for lovers, mischief and laughter! Celebrating the upcoming April birthday of the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, Duke City Repertory Theatre presents, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Cell Theatre and playing until March 16th, where there are definitely lovers, faeries (which means mischief) and the laughter? It couldn't be contained.

An adaptation of the original, the play is presented in all its Shakespearean glory, with the actors staying true to the language and the comedy of errors' plot line of misaligned lovers who have fallen victim to faery pranks. Most interestingly, all 19 parts are played by only 7 actors, who change costume and identities but never lose us along the way as this classic's comic twists unfold.

 Click HERE to listen to Frank, Amelia & Evening talk about "Midsummer"

As Hippolyta and Theseus, Amelia Ampuero and Frank Taylor Green transform themselves from the nobles of the human world who prepare for their wedding, into Faerie nobility, the disgruntled King Oberon and his estranged Queen Titania. Around them we see the four lovers who fall victim to the faeries' otherworldly shenanigans, Hermia and Lysander (Lauren Myers, Ezra Colon) & Demetrius and Helena (Josh Heard, Katie Becker Colon), all due to Puck's interference. Under Oberon's orders, Puck mistakenly enchants the wrong humans while seeking to help his master, and manages to get his Lady Titania in a very embarrassing situation with a lovable donkey (also Ezra Colon) as well.

Evening Star Barron brings a new flavor of Puck to the show, with all the impish delight we usually associate the character with, as well as a maturity that comes later, giving Puck a chance to grow up and become more reflective by the story's end. "Lord, what fools these mortals be," Puck declares, and rightly so. Adapted and directed by John Hardy, audiences today may not know a Shakespearean couplet when they hear one, and they may not know they were the signal to an Elizabethan audience that a character's exit is about to occur, but for the English majors (c'est moi) and dramatic buffs in the crowd, we were happy that Hardy handled the text with love and care, and that the actors delve into the language of the show, and deliver layers of meaning behind the Bard's words.

In between the confusion of lovers and faeries there are the actors, the most terrible actors, who are to present their dramatic work at the wedding. Is there anything so funny as good actors portraying realllly bad actors? Completely engrossed in their "art," these players present their tale in the second half and worked the audience from chuckles and guffaws, to bellows of laughter. The moments at the chink in the "wall" between Colon, Heard and Green are truly gems in this piece and are sure to remind you this was a comedy Shakespeare wrote, and not just because it has a happy ending.

To get yourself over to see the humans playing as faeries, and the faeries playing with humans, visit their website for tickets at www.dukecityrep.com or you can call the Cell Theatre box office at 505.766.9412. Advance tickets are always recommended for smaller houses, lest the faeries make merry with your seat and you find yourself left out of the fun.

Cats at the Albuquerque Little Theatre

The magic begins the moment you arrive at Albuquerque Little Theatre, where human-sized theatre cats are prowling the grounds, and taking to the stage to present the musical "Cats," playing until March 23. Watch your feet as you enter the lobby and find your seats, they're as prevalent as the smiles on the patrons' faces and they don't seem too terribly camera shy, but only before the show begins. Once you're in your seat, keep an eye out for the aisles, corners, balconies and crevices, as the cats playfully break the fourth wall, interacting with the audience until the show begins (and sometimes after too)!

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the story is based on "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," a series of poems by T.S. Eliot which follow the stories of many different cats, together known as the Jellicle Cats. We discover the inner workings of their feline society, with Munkustrap acting often as a narrator, played lovingly by Larry Joseph Aguilar. Steering our attention from story to story, beginning with the entire company's hypnotic chant, "The Naming of Cats," the story moves into individuals' tales, such as the delightful Jennyanydots, played with playful vigor by Shirley Roach, despite being a cat that "sits and sits and sits all day." The upbeat tap dancing number shows off co-choreographers Edye Allen and Stephanie Burch's mutual talents, and is one of many dance forms (tap, ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, even Irish step dance) that flow into and out of the stories throughout the show.

 Click HERE to listen in on Larry, Dawn, and Marcus talking about the musical

"The Rum Tum Tugger" burst into his scene with sass as the most fickle of felines. As Marcus Robinson's ALT debut, he makes a big impression while bringing a sense of entitled elegance, slinking across the stage with liquid body rolls and sinuous choreography while giving us the essence of the rebel that Rum Tum Tugger is written to be. In the second act, Tugger reappears for another energetic performance for "Magical Mister Mistoffelees." The cats, we discover, follow their leader Old Deuteronomy (Jack Litherland), who has lived many lives and "buried nine wives," and tonight he will decide which of their kind will be allowed to go to the Heavyside, a decision and privilege which the cats regard with awe.

But it is "Grizabella, the Glamour Cat," a faded star who is now shunned by the others, a pariah even amongst her own cat kind, whose story we follow most frequently. Although she only appears onstage three times, Grizabella's story provides an arch through both acts, reminding us that sometimes a cat really can have a new life, even those cats who believe their time is over. Played by Dawn Durkin, whose rock and roll voice plays through Grizabella's tale perfectly, this role requires an actor who can evoke the most painful reminiscences without falling into pathos. By the second act, when Grizabella's modern standard, "Memory," is sung through, I had literal tears falling into my lap. The song, done wrong, is schmaltz. Done right? It is evocative and reminds the listener of the dreams we all once had, dreams that now seem buried and gone.

Other cats made sparkling impressions, such as the irrepressible duo, Mungojerrie (Estevan Velasco) and Rumpleteazer (Kianah Stover), whose sticky-fingered mischief together is playfully aggressive and quite acrobatic, like kittens on the prowl. Stevie Nichols, as Demeter, swishes into her number, "Macavity: the mystery cat," with breathy, sultry delight as her Fosse-esque choreography slides across the stage with seductive ease.

With strong company vocals heard in numbers like "Journey to the Heavyside," the cast works together as powerfully as they do in their solos. But the dance ability required in a musical such as this requires special mention, with cast members who must use their bodies both to tell their stories, and to give their choreography the cat-like grace called for. Erin Allen as Victoria, and Michael Maldonado as Mistoffelees, excelled in their dance moments onstage, giving artistry to the show's pop. As a whole, the choreography is woven into and out of the entirety of the show, with dance breaks that vary from solos, small groups, a lyrical pas de deux, or even raucous ensemble numbers, such as "The Jellicle Ball" and "Macavity Fight." And, if ever there was a show that deserves tombee pas de bouree glissade pas de chat? It's this one, and a wink to the audience in the know.

Directed by TJ Bowlin, the show serves as an excellent example as to why so many love this musical so passionately; it delights the eye and the imagination, bending our view of reality as theatre is meant to do. Although over time Weber's score can sometimes sound dated with its '80s synthesizer sounds, the show delivers a knockout one-two punch of strong performers transformed into something magical and otherworldly. To find out if "Cats" will make a cat lover out of you, visit their website at www.albuquerquelittletheatre.org to purchase tickets online, or call 505.242.4750.

Rapture, Blister, Burn by the Aux Dog Theatre Company

Oh, we humans... our foibles, our tendencies to dream, as well as to torment (mostly ourselves) with the question, "What if?" So many of us have faced a "crossroads moment" in our lives and taken (by choice or happenstance) one path, only to look back and wonder about that other road we didn't travel, and to ponder. This is the essence of the dilemma behind Aux Dog Theatre's latest work, "Rapture, Blister, Burn," a Pulitzer nominated comedy by Gina Gionfriddo that's now its Southwest premiere.

It begins with a love triangle from college -- two girls, roommates even, and one guy. When Catherine loses Don to Gwen, events are set into motion that provoke each of them to later wonder, "What if?" Don and Gwen (Ryan Montenery and Jessica Osbourne) are married with children, living a life of suburban normality. But Gwen recalls the education and career she never pursued, and wonders if she would be happier if she had. Catherine (Sheridan Johnson) recalls the love she shared with Don, and despite giving her life to her career, realizes that when her mother (Gail Gillock Spidle) passes, there will be no one left who truly loves her, and questions her life's choices as well.

 Click to hear all five cast members discussing their roles in the show

Catherine's informal classes on feminist theory held in her home provide the premise of this play something meaty and thought provoking to hang its love triangle on. As Catherine instructs her two students, Gwen and Avery (Sara Rosenthal), the flippant teenager whose outlook on femininity is somewhat pessimistic, she's also joined by her martini-making mother, Alice (Gail Gillock Spidle).

Avery provides the youngest perspective on the feminist discussions; her outlook is bleak yet realistic, if overly simplified. Observing Gwen and Catherine twist in the discomfort of their own life choices between career versus marriage, she declares, "Women are fucked!" Alice voices the views of an older generation, and the rules women lived by, giving us perspective on how things have changed (and how they haven't).

The characters discover their own solution to the dilemma of how to have it all, or as Catherine put it, "Create a life that makes you happy." But... well, we're human, and even with the best laid plans things still fall apart. Perhaps one detail that spoke to me most poignantly was the use of the set during scene changes, when telephone sex ads, love scenes from classic films, and other images of women, love, and sex are projected onto the walls. After all, what more are these "What if?" moments we torment ourselves with but our own internal projections?

It is Avery who says, "We all have personal mythologies," just as we all have these crossroad moments in our lives that make us wonder about the greener grass we never found. Directed by Kristine Holtvedt, the clever comedy left me still pondering some of the show's concepts, and I love when art provokes that kind of introspection, emotion and analysis. To find out more, or to buy tickets online, visit their website at www.auxdog.com, or give the theatre a call at 505.254.7716.

Swan Lake by Ballet Repertory Theatre at the Kimo

Now in their 24th season, Ballet Repertory Theatre is serving up "Swan Lake," a classical and tasty Tchaikovsky treat for the dance lovers in our community. Despite having seen this show often in times past, I never grow tired of it; there are so many options for dancers to choose from when approaching such iconic roles, and so many ways for the choreographer to choose to present this tale. BRT's newest staging of the classical ballet does exactly this, combining elements of the familiar with new moments of discovery for the audience to enjoy.

Placing equal emphasis on acting ability as well as technical ability, choreographer Alex Ossadnik stages this story in four acts, allowing the fairy tale to take precedence instead of being the afterthought that some choreographers have treated it as. Ossadnik also deviated from the expected in casting the role of Odette/Odile, White Swan/Black Swan, who is often performed by the same dancer but is danced by two dancers for this production. Erika Ray plays the delicate Odette, a princess doomed to appear as a white swan who falls in love with Prince Siegfried, danced with clean precision by Mauro Villanueva. In pursuit of the Prince's kingdom, the scheming Baron von Rothbart (Michael Smith) seeks to place his daughter, the seductive Odile, danced by Briana VanSchuyver, in line for the throne instead. Using trickery at the masquerade ball, Rothbart switches Odette for Odile, and consigns the Prince to marry the wrong woman.

 Click HERE for Erika, Briana, Mauro & Michael talking about the show

The technique required by this classic's choreography is always of a high caliber, and the entire company sets the artistic bar(re) quite high. By Ossadnik's vision, we see moments that recall pure Petipa, such as the pas de deux in act two when Odette and Siegfried first fall in love, while others are completely unique, such as the Black Act's pas de quatre between Odette, Rothbart, Siegfried and Odile. With such strong pointe technique displayed by Ray and VanSchuyver, and superb partnering technique by Villanueva and Smith, as well as Smith's ability to find his brooding villain, the principle characters combine their personal expression with the story they're given and in return, believably embody the characters' archetypes.

Ray must remain delicate, tortured, and innocent in her movements, while VanSchuyver is aggressive, powerful and seductive in hers. Beside the foreboding character of the Baron and the innocence of the Prince, the dancers build their characters' stories as equally as they do their choreography. One role, that of the Queen, was also notably changed, and allowed for dancer Annie Cormier to bring her own pointe technique to the part. Most often presented in character shoe, Cormier's pointe shoes allow for Siegfried and his mother to perform their own pas de deux in act one, a bit different from most productions.

I spoke with Ossadnik after the opening night performance and asked about another directorial choice he made, removing the famous (or infamous?) 32 fouette turns that traditionally are Odile's to perform in the Black Act. Over a century later, the turns are almost expected, ever since Pierina Legnani performed them in 1895, but dance critics question are they necessary? Romantics insist they embody Odile's bewitching power to seduce the Prince, but detractors compare the choreography to a circus act, calling them superfluous and meant to entertain a less sophisticated audience. Upon questioning, Ossadnik demurred, insisting that by his vision the fouettes are only needed when technically called for.

They were not missed, especially given the dense amount of complex choreography to be seen, and the lovely work done by the entire corps de ballet, in cannon and otherwise. Another iconic moment the company resonated with was act two's dance of the "little swans," which brought cheers and whistles from the house on opening night. "Little swans" was another example of Ossadnik holding true to the Petipa classic, where the choreography was not watered down to accommodate an imperfect dance technique, but instead kept true to the original and all four dancers performed the fast, intricate and challenging pas de quatre superbly.

Other moments in this production recall a child like sense of delight, most especially the climactic ending where Rothbart stirs the waters of the lake into a storm, reminding me of the effects you read of that were accomplished in the Maryinsky Theatre where this ballet debuted well over a century ago. Yet another choice "Swan Lake" choreographers must make is how to end it... there are several versions, some happy and some sad, and without giving anything away, I can definitively say the Ballet Repertory Theatre's ending left me feeling satisfied. Like a harmonious four course meal, the ballet in four acts has moments of light, airy sweetness tempered with heavy, and saucy, choreography that is meaty, complex and delicious, and meant to be savored and enjoyed.

Under the direction of Artistic Director Katherine Giese, BRT has continued to develop their company's repertory so that it is chock full of classic and modern ballet forms, delighting both types of balletomanes. To get your tickets, and to find out about their classes and workshops, visit their website at www.brtnm.com or you can visit the Kimo Theatre website for "Swan Lake" tickets at www.kimotickets.com.

Max's Magic Theatre, featuring magician Max Krause

Something about watching magic awakens the child in me, and I know I'm not alone. When we watch something seemingly miraculous happen, even if our cynical, grownup mind knows it's all an illusion, we still marvel at the moment when it unfolds. This sense of wonderment is what Max Krause brings to his own magic show, playing several nights every week at Max's Magic Theatre, located along Central in Albuquerque.

Is magic an art, you might be asking? You better believe it; any performance artist worth his salt has spent hundreds (at least) of hours in practice, and rehearsing their act, until it becomes the flowing, uninterrupted performance which easily suspends that stubborn "window of disbelief." Having performed in 48 of the 50 states, Krause is no stranger to stage, but started his one-man Albuquerque show last year in March as an adjunct to Max's Magic Shop which he also owns (naturally). 

 Click HERE to listen to Max Krause talk about his magic show

The performance space is an intimate 24-seat theatre which allows every audience member not only the chance to see everything Krause does from a close vantage point (which certainly enhances the "How did he do that?" effect) and, even better, Krause pulls every willing member of the audience onstage to become a part of at least one of his magic tricks.

The show itself is a combination of many traditional magic effects (sleight of hand, card tricks, cup and ball) but also many more effects which defy immediate explanation, perhaps as good magic should. The rubber band trick? That was the one I was called onstage for, and despite the magic happening only a foot away from my nose? I couldn't find the trick! 

By the end of the evening, I left with my cheeks hurting from smiling for so long (fact). A family-friendly show, Krause keeps his act clean so that even the kids in the audience can enjoy the performance, and take their parents on an outing for a change. So skip the babysitter, bring the kids, or delight the kid that still exists in you... it's that kind of event.

The shows play at 7:30 and 9:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as 7:30 on Mondays, "Weekend Workers Night". To find Max's Magic Shop and Magic Theatre, look for the Lily Barrack awning near Central and Richmond, and you can find the sign that points you to the door where you can enter. Tickets are also available online at www.maxsmagictheatre.com or call them at 505.255.2303. The curious are more than welcome to shop the store, either online www.maxsmagicshop.com, after the show's conclusion where some of Krause's own effects can be found, or any other time when (guess what) Krause may just surprise you with a trick the moment you walk in. It's a card trick, it blows my mind... and that's all I'm gonna say. (Wink!)