Sleepy Hollow at West Valley Arts

Last night I saw the musical Sleepy Hollow at West Valley Arts and, on the whole, I enjoyed this retelling of the classic story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. In the isolated village of Sleepy Hollow the townspeople, including a wealthy farmer named Balthus Van Tassel (Bryan Johnson) and his daughter Katrina (Emma Roberts), Van Tassel's farmhand Zander DeGroot (James Duncan), the carpenter Abraham "Brom" Van Bron (Jordan LeBaron), siblings Faas and Rosalie Brinkerhoff (Joseph Branca and Morgan Fenner, respectively), the widow Gusta Tenbrook (Emily Duncan) and her children Dorine (Mersedez Clifford), Willem (Soren Ray), and Anika (Cora Duncan), the stable master Hans Van Ripper (Taylor Smith), his wife Arabella (Caroline Anderson), and children Dirk (Luke Elzey) and Mina (Sofia Paredes-Kenrick), and the town spinster Sabine Vedder (Lauren Slagowski), seem to be living under a supernatural curse. No one is allowed to leave and everyone has suffered unexplained personal tragedies, the worst of which is a bride whose groom was killed and now roams the village headless.  A pompous and arrogant schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane (Ricky Parkinson) comes to the village and is cruel to his students, is a rival to Brom for Katrina's affections, and is openly disdainful of the town's legends and superstitions which causes the townspeople to turn against him. He disappears after he is chased by Brom and then the Headless Horseman (Lio River). Soon after, the tragedies endured by the townspeople seem to be repeating but is it the curse or is it Ichabod Crane exacting revenge? I loved the story, especially how Ichabod Crane is recast as the villain, but it is very convoluted at times and I didn't find the songs to be particularly memorable because they feature so much exposition (my favorites are "Never Spare the Rod," "A Conundrum," "Your Heart with Mine," and "Vanished"). The stage is simple but effective and features paths leading to a bridge that retracts and set pieces for the village green, the schoolhouse (I loved the old-fashioned desks), the church, the Van Tassel estate, the stables, and the woods (I loved the large hollow tree) that are brought on and off stage through the wings. The period costumes are also very well done (the velvet cloaks are gorgeous). There are way too many scenes featuring the townspeople just sitting and standing around but I did really like the choreography for the dances at the Halloween party and the wedding and I loved the way the chase with the Headless Horseman and the final transformation are staged because these scenes are so dramatic. I also found the portrayal of the horses to be a lot of fun. Finally, the best part of this production is the talented cast! They all have beautiful voices (I was especially impressed with Roberts, Duncan, and LeBaron) and Parkinson had me laughing out loud with his characterization of such an unlikable prig. Despite my few criticisms, I think this a great show to see during the spooky month of October and recommend it as a fun night out. It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center through October 30 and tickets may be purchased here.

Sweeney Todd at the Grand Theatre

Last night I went to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Grand Theatre and I think it is the best production I've seen there!  Sweeney Todd (Dallyn Vail Bayles) is a Victorian-era barber who has just returned to London after 15 years of exile in Australia.  When he learns the tragic fate of his wife and daughter, he immediately wants to get revenge on Judge Turpin (Patrick Kintz), the man who ruined his life by bringing false charges against him.  He returns to his former rooms above the pie shop run by Mrs. Lovett (Tamara Howell) and, when he discovers that she has kept all of his barbering tools, he decides to set up shop and lure the judge in for a shave so he can slit his throat.  However, the judge eludes him and he vows to take vengeance on the whole human race.  He begins to kill all of his customers and Mrs. Lovett uses the bodies in her meat pies!  Eventually, his quest for revenge turns to madness.  As with all Stephen Sondheim musicals, the music is absolutely brilliant and I love the operatic quality of the songs in this show (even if they are really dark).  Bayles and Howell have beautiful voices and really bring these despicable characters to life in a way that is both comedic and tragic.  Their rendition of "A Little Priest" is a highlight and had me laughing out loud while Howell's version of "By the Sea" is incredibly poignant.  Brock Dalgleish, as Anthony Hope, gave me goosebumps when he sang "Johanna" (my favorite song in the show) as did Samantha Paredes, as Johanna, during "Green Finch and Linnet Bird."  I also really enjoyed "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and its many reprises sung by the ensemble because it functions as a Greek chorus with a group of Londoners recounting the legend of Sweeney Todd.  The period costumes and elaborate multi-level set vividly bring Victorian London to life and the dramatic red lighting emphasizes the horror of what is happening.  The staging of the murders is clever with Sweeney's barber chair over a trap door with a slide that sends the victims to the bake house.  I love this show and this production is so good!  It runs at the Grand Theatre through October 28 (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it!

Note:  It was a lot of fun for me to see my former student Christian Johnston as Pirelli (he is really good).

The Exorcist

I had never seen The Exorcist so, because it is back in theaters for its 50th Anniversary, I took the opportunity last night just in time for the release of the new sequel next weekend.  I found it to be incredibly unsettling (more than scary) and I may or may not have looked away from the screen at one point because I was so unnerved!  Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living in Washington, D.C. with her twelve year old daughter Regan (Linda Blair) while filming a movie at Georgetown University.  Regan begins exhibiting troubling behavior so Chris seeks help from both doctors and psychiatrists but nothing helps so someone suggests an exorcism which she rejects.  However, when she suspects that Regan might be responsible for the death of her director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran), she seeks out Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a psychiatrist at Georgetown University who is tormented by his mother's recent death for which he feels responsible.  Father Karras is skeptical but eventually comes to believe that Regan is possessed by a demon and requests permission to perform an exorcism from the Catholic Church which they grant on the condition that Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), an experienced but world-weary exorcist, conduct it with his assistance.  During the ensuing exorcism both priests must battle the devil and their own weaknesses.  There are some intense and disturbing scenes, both within the realm of science as Regan undergoes some truly invasive medical procedures and within the realm of the unknown as she swivels her head 360 degrees and projectile vomits, and I honestly don't know which were more upsetting to me.  I was also struck by the brilliant character development, which I was not expecting in a horror movie, because it builds and builds very slowly through incremental events until it is clear that all three main characters are broken (the iconic scene where Father Merrin arrives at the MacNeil house by the light of an upstairs window is incredibly effective at conveying everything he is feeling without any dialogue) and this is very compelling.  All of the performances are excellent (I was especially impressed with Blair because the role is so grueling), the score is atmospheric, and the practical effects are convincing (I think they hold up well even after 50 years).  This has long been considered to be one of the best horror movies of all time and I can definitely understand why now that I've seen it!  It is a masterpiece (although I never want to see it again).

Note:  While I was reading the novel by William Peter Blatty, which I was assigned for a class on popular culture in college, the door to my bedroom slammed shut.  I'm pretty sure it was the devil.

Murder on the Orient Express at PTC

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie so I have been looking forward to PTC's production of Murder on the Orient Express since the 2023-24 season was announced. I saw it last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it! After finishing a case in Syria, the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (John Tufts) is called back to London on urgent business. Despite the fact that it is fully booked, a compartment is found on the Orient Express for Poirot by Monsieur Bouc (Edward Juvier), the director of the railway. Poirot is immediately approached by Samuel Ratchett (Robert Scott Smith), an odious American businessman on board, who asks him to investigate some threatening letters he has been receiving but Poirot refuses. The train becomes snowbound on the first night of the journey and in the morning Ratchett is discovered dead, having been stabbed multiple times, in his locked compartment. Knowing that the murderer must still be on board the train, Monsieur Bouc asks Poirot to investigate. There are numerous clues which Poirot finds puzzling but, as he interviews his fellow passengers including a Hungarian Countess (Gisela Chipe), an aging Russian Princess (Bonnie Black), her Swedish companion (Amy Bodnar), Ratchett's secretary (Matthew McGloin), a Minnesota housewife (Anne Tolpegin), a Scottish colonel (Robert Scott Smith), an English governess (Andrea Morales), and a French conductor (Alec Ruiz), he discovers that they all have an alibi for the time of the murder and a connection to the infamous kidnapping and murder of three-year-old Daisy Armstrong by Bruno Cassetti. Poirot eventually discovers evidence of a mysterious second conductor with a grudge against Ratchett but is he the real murderer? I've seen this adaptation by Ken Ludwig before and I really like the exploration of justice vs. retribution that happens during the narration, during which Poirot breaks the fourth wall, that bookends the action. I also enjoyed the ensemble cast who, despite a few wobbles with accents, are outstanding. Tufts, who is somehow able to make the well-known character of Poirot his own, and Bodnar, who gives a hilarious physical performance, are standouts for me. The set, dominated by the interior and the exterior of the titular train, is also outstanding and I was particularly impressed with the clever transitions from the opulent club car to the passenger compartments and with the way in which the narrow corridor outside of the compartments is used. The backdrop of snow falling in the Alps is very effective at establishing a sinister mood and the sound design creates the illusion of a real moving train. Finally, I liked the use of dramatic spotlights when the previous actions of all the characters are recapped during the resolution. Seeing this production is a journey well worth taking but book quickly because there are only a few more performances left (go here).

Big Fish at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I am a big fan of the musical Big Fish because it is such a touching story and the new production at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse, which I was able to see last night, is really charming! Will Bloom (Zion Austin) has always been exasperated by all of the wild stories that his father Edward (Tyler O'Bagy) tells him. These include hearing his fortune told by a witch (Kate Rufener) in a swamp, learning how to swim from a mermaid (ShayLee Hunter-Powell), befriending a giant named Karl (Mats Mudrow), running away to a circus owned by Amos Calloway (Brandon Rufener), wooing a young woman named Sandra (Margaret Simon) with daffodils, and thwarting the assassination attempt of a general during the war. As he is about to become a father himself, he learns that his father is dying from cancer and returns home to attempt a reconciliation with him. After a Wild West confrontation between the two of them, Will discovers that the truth about his father is even more extraordinary than the stories. All of the songs in this show are really fun and imaginative because they bring all of Edward's fantastical stories to life and I was quite impressed with how they are staged, especially in such a small and intimate space, and with the whimsical choreography. My favorite numbers are "Favorite Son" with all of the townspeople of Ashton (I loved the cheerleaders), "Closer to Her" with the circus performers (the strongman is adorable and the elephants had me laughing out loud), "Daffodils" (it is really immersive because everyone in the audience is given a daffodil to wave during this scene), and "Red, White and True" with the USO (I am always impressed when the ensemble tap dances). Both O'Bagy and Austin are outstanding as Edward and Will, respectively. O'Bagy portrays Edward's zest for life with an enthusiasm that is palpable, especially in the songs "Be the Hero" and "Fight the Dragons," while Austin is incredibly overwrought until he confronts his father in "Showdown" and then shows heartfelt emotion as he learns to appreciate him in "What's Next." I also really enjoyed Simon's emotional rendition of "I Don't Need a Roof." The set is very minimal with a wooden path across the stage leading to a backdrop featuring a river (the meaning of this symbolism is explored very well in the song "How It Ends" and I found it very moving). There is a large screen used for projections depicting the various rooms in Edward's house and all of the fantastical locations in his stories as well as set pieces that are moved on an off stage by the ensemble (I loved Jenny Hill's house). There are a myriad of elaborate costumes for this show and the ones for the witches, the giant, and the circus performers are highlights. This is a lovely story about a son trying to understand his father and a father trying to make his son proud that is sure to warm your heart and I highly recommend it!  It runs Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through November 11 and tickets may be purchased here.