Cole Porter

Comedy and Cole do double-duty at Footlite

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

Footlite Musicals gives us a two-for-one courtesy of the Cole Porter musical, “Kiss Me Kate,” with book by Sam and Bella Spewack, and some guy named Shakespeare.

In this show you get a backstage romance set during a Baltimore heat wave, as well as the premiere of “Taming of the Shrew: The Musical.” Fortunately for Footlite director Paula Phelan, they are essentially the same story.

Fred Graham (Aaron Mann) has written, produced, directed, and now stars in “Shrew” opposite, appropriately, his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (Jessica Hawkins). She plays the title character, fair Katherine, while Fred is Petruchio, the daring gentleman out to woo her.

The musical within this musical also features Lois Lane (Paige Penry), who offstage has been seeing Fred, and who on stage plays the pretty younger sister Bianca. She is in turn wooed by Lucentio, played by Bill Calhoun (Jack Sullivan), who shares Lois’s affections as well as her general lack of scruples, demonstrated by the fact he ran up a big gambling debt and placed Fred’s name on the IOU. This brings on the intrusion of two faux-sophisticated mob toughs (Mitchell Hammersley and Ryan Bridges), arriving to collect.

For those who don’t know or remember the story, “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” and note that things get “Too Darn Hot” as “Another Op’nin, Another Show” doesn’t go “Wunderbar” for Fred and Lilli. It’s enough to make her declare “I Hate Men,” while they strive not to fall “So in Love.” If you are reading this thinking, “Why Can’t You Behave,” dear reader, understand that I’m “Always True to you in My Fashion.” In addition, aside from the Porter hits and big dance numbers, this is also a rollicking comedy with misunderstandings and other farcical elements throughout. This especially includes scene-stealing bits by Bridges and Hammersley.

The big cast includes about 30 additional players, including featured singers Kelly Berryman (“Another Op’nin’…”) and Michael Sherman (“Too Darn Hot”); featured musician Jeremy Kaylor; the practically unflappable Dan Flahive as Harry, who plays Kate and Bianca’s father Baptista; Jeremy Crouch as stressed Stage Manager Ralph; the ever-charming Duane Leatherman as Pops the Doorman; and Kevin Caraher as Mr. Harrison from Washington (Lilli’s fiancé).

With the parallel plots, we not only get a fun mid-20th-century musical, but also a reasonable condensation of the Shakespeare comedy, all complete with a happy ending.

Phelan is assisted by Jerry Beasley and Lauren Werne, with stage manager Melissa Yurechko. Lisa Reynolds is vocal director. Choreography is by Erica Wilkinson, and the orchestra is conducted by Aaron Burkhart.

“Kiss Me Kate” has performances Thursday through Sunday through May 17 at the Hedback Theater, 1847 N. Alabama, Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at footlite.org.  

Civic: Sail on with Porter’s songs

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

“The world has gone mad today
And good’s bad today,
And black’s white today,
And day’s night today…”

Makes you wonder what year Cole Porter was writing about, doesn’t it?

But that’s what makes it a great idea to escape from today’s madness on a timeless voyage with “Anything Goes,” the classic musical featuring Porter’s songs, presented by the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, in partnership with The Great American Songbook Foundation.

The wacky romantic comedy plot is mainly a means to launch several Porter favorites, including “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “You’re the Top,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “Friendship,” “Blow Gabriel Blow,” and, of course, the title song.

As for the story: All aboard the ocean liner S.S. American, where lovesick Billy Crocker (Juddson Updike) has stowed away, hoping to persuade his socialite girlfriend Hope Harcourt (Kari Baker) not to wed Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Matt Bays) in a marriage arranged by her mother (Teresa F. Jordan). Billy has to avoid contact with the ship’s crew, as well as his boss, Elisha Whitney (W. Michael Davidson), who had ordered him to stay in New York. Meanwhile, it’s rumored that America’s Most Wanted criminal is on board – but we know for sure that the Thirteenth Most Wanted, Moonface Martin (Parrish Williams) is on the liner, accompanied by his best moll, Erma (Nathalie Cruz). And at the center of it all is a friend to all, headlining showgirl Reno Sweeney (Susie Harloff), with her band of Angels and a song for every occasion.

Despite some difficulty, and wacky situations, love will triumph in the end as it always does. What’s important is how entertaining this shipload of actors and dancers are on the way. With the help of Michael J. Lasley’s direction, Brent Marty’s musical touch and splendid choreography by Anne Beck, this is a pleasing production.

As for our feature performers, Williams is in top comic form, and Harloff has sass and attitude to match her great voice. Baker’s singing is breathtakingly good, Updike keeps up his everyman charm perfectly, and Cruz handily steals the scenes (along with several sailors’ uniforms). I wasn’t sure at first about Bays’ Lord Oakleigh, but he is something special when he cuts loose in the second act.

We’re having such a good time, we can forgive the almost cringe-worthy Asian stereotypes that end up necessary to the plot. Isaac Becker and especially Karen Woods Hurt make the most of their roles as naughty Chinese Christian converts, adding to the humor rather than being an outdated distraction.

“Anything Goes” runs through Oct. 27 at The Tarkington theater in the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. Call 317-843-3800, or visit civictheatre.org or thecenterpresents.org.

Footlite show on a ‘Cole’-fired ship

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

With so much drama around us, sometimes it’s nice to indulge in a light musical: All aboard, then, for a “De-Lovely” voyage aboard the SS American in Footlite Musicals’ production of “Anything Goes.”

The comic plot involves love, gangsters on the lam, and a lot of silly disguises and misunderstandings. Billy Crocker (Trenton Baker) wants to stop his girl Hope Harcourt’s (Sydney Norwalk) ill-advised marriage to English “gentleman” Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Ryan Straut), and gets aid from “America’s Thirteenth-Most-Wanted” Moonface Martin (Tom Bartley) and song-and-dance sensation Reno Sweeney (Susie Harloff).

While that’s good for some laughs, the show’s main purpose is as a delivery vehicle for the hits of Cole Porter (“You’re the Top,” “De-Lovely,” “Friendship,” “I Get a Kick out of You,” “Blow Gabriel Blow” and more, including the title tune) and at that, this production delivers.

Norwalk makes a shining Footlite debut; Baker provides his triple-threat credentials; and Harloff, with the help of Reno’s Angels (Kristen Tschiniak, Becca DeTar, Tara Roberds and Nicole Bridgens) takes charge of the ship with dynamite song and dance numbers (with much credit due to Trish Roberds’ choreography). Straut’s frantic fop is a hoot, and Bartley’s comic chops are spot on, aided by another brilliant performance by Emily Schaab as Martin’s accomplice, Bonnie. Craig Kemp adds to the laughs with his hard-luck businessman, Elisha Whitney (Crocker’s boss). Also impressive are dancing sailors Kyle Cherry and Noah Fields.

The book is admittedly a little dated – and director Kathleen Clarke Horrigan admits as much in her opening curtain speech – but this old gem still entertains. Performances are weekends through March 19 at 1847 N. Alabama St., near downtown Indianapolis. Call 317-926-6630 or visit www.footlite.org.

John L. Belden is also Associate Editor and A&E editor of The Eagle (formerly The Word), the Indianapolis-based Midwest LGBTQ news source.