Josh Maldonado

ATI gets ‘Lucky’ with unusual comic musical

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

By Wendy Carson

Actors Theatre of Indiana presents the musical comedy, “Lucky Stiff,” with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Steven Flaherty.

I dare say that at least 90 percent of our readers may never have heard of this stage musical. Probably fewer have seen the heavily panned 2015 film. That is for good reason, it does not possess a strong book which could use some major revisions. However, the songs are decent and although the premise is over-the-top and problematic (think “Weekend at Bernie’s” meets “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”), a very talented cast can make this flawed stone shine like a diamond. Luckily, director Lysa Fox has compiled an exemplary ensemble who manage to eagerly bring forth all the zany humor the script offers.

The opening number lets us onto the fact that somebody has been murdered. We then meet our hero, Harry (Jacob A. Butler), a lonely schlub working at a London shoe store, yearning for adventure. Then, a telegram arrives at his boarding house alerting him that his Uncle Anthony in the U.S. has died and being the only heir, he must go claim the inheritance.

At the lawyer’s office, he swears to uphold his uncle’s wishes in order to receive six million dollars. He then receives a tape player with instructions, a small stipend, and the taxidermized body of his uncle (Sam Arce), which he must take (along with a mysterious heart-shaped box) on a week’s vacation to Monte Carlo. Should he not fulfil the itinerary, the money will go to The Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. Given his current situation – including the annoyance of aggressive mutts outside his home – he will do anything to prevent those dogs from getting their paws on that money.

From here on we meet a revolving cast of characters including Annabel (Logan Hill), a bookish all-American young woman determined to get the money for the Dog Home; Rita (Diana O’Halloran), Anthony’s vain and legally blind lover who embezzled the six million dollars in question from her own husband, converted it to diamonds, and, before he could run away with Anthony instead shot him in a fit of jealousy; Vinnie (Brett Mutter), Rita’s optometrist brother who must come along because she told her husband that he stole the diamonds; and Luigi (Thomas J. Cannon), a very nosy local on the Riviera who is determined to accompany Harry and his uncle throughout their adventures.

John Vessels Jr., Josh Maldonado, Nathalie Cruz, and Hannah Boswell round out the cast playing all the other oddball characters needed. However, these four are so skillful and versatile, they are truly the grit that makes the production shine.

Cruz’s turn as Dominique, a sassy chanteuse, brings out all her sultry talent and singing chops. Boswell gets her chance to shine as Harry’s nosy landlady intercepting the life-altering telegram as well as starring in a hilarious nightmare. Maldonado brings to life a bevy of hilarious goofy characters. As for Vessels, I am convinced this man could read a phone book and have you in stitches; his turn as the Monte Carlo emcee is a sheer delight.

Arce, as the titular “Stiff,” shows incredible skill in being absolutely still and unresponsive with all the mayhem going on around him. However, he does also get a dance break.

Musical direction is by Brandon Vos, choreography by Carol Worcel, and interesting stage design – colorful, with plenty of doors to slam – by Jay Ganz.

So, turn off the news, ignore the weather, and hop a ride along to sunny, funny, Monte Carlo to just escape reality and have a good laugh. “Lucky Stiff” runs through Feb. 15 (yes, the show has a romantic subplot, making this a potential Valentine’s date) at The Studio Theater in the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. Get tickets at atistage.org or thecenterpresents.org.

ATI presents romantic pen-pal predicament

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

By John Lyle Belden

Easing us out of the Spooky Season and into the Holidays, Actors Theatre of Indiana presents the classic musical, “She Loves Me.”

With book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick (who would next write “Fiddler on the Roof”), this “Holiday Love Story,” based on a 1937 play by Miklos Laszlo, so perfectly fits the template of the modern rom-com, it even inspired one – the 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail.”

In 1930s Budapest, Maraczek’s Parfumerie opens with a sales staff that includes anxious yet jaded family man Sipos (John Vessels), hopeless romantic Ilona (Nathalie Cruz), suave ladies’ man Kodaly (Eric Olson), shy yet competent Georg (Jacob Butler), eager delivery and stock boy Arpad (Ben Friessen), and Mr. Maraczek (Darrin Murrell) himself. Business is brisk this summer day, but there is uncertainty that the new musical cigarette boxes will sell. The boss bets Georg its price that at least one box will – then Amalia (Sophie Jones), a headstrong woman seeking a job at the shop, persuades a customer to gladly buy.

With her costing him money, then taking a job alongside her at the store, Georg and Amalia bicker. They can’t stand each other. However, each has also privately written lonely-hearts letters to an anonymous lover – of course, unknowingly, each other. As the calendar turns to December, the “dear friends” decide to meet in person, at a café notorious for romantic rendezvous. What could go wrong?

Butler and Jones are nicely cast as the sweet and sassy secret (to each other) lovers, whose angry sparks generated at work hide a flame growing in spite of itself. Vessels gives dignified charm to his Hungarian everyman that contributes to the comedy without stealing scenes. Likewise Cruz, who in her Act II solo makes being barely literate sound like an adventure. Friesen, whose character has the same last name as the original playwright, makes an interesting catalyst to several scenes while cheerfully playing the maturing lad making his way in the world. Olson gives us a bad boy in both the playful and eventually literal sense, breaking hearts and making scenes with panache. It was good to see Murrell, a steady hand both on stage and off (as ATI’s Associate Artistic Director), as the good-natured but firm – and troubled – boss.

Customers adding little touches of fun in the shop, and appearing in other roles, are Elizabeth Akers, Cynthia Collins, Terrance Lambert, Josh Maldonado, Carrie Neal, and Brett Mutter, who has a wonderful turn as the café head waiter.

Note that it’s not all fun and romance, as subplots include infidelity and a moment of self-harm. But true to romantic stories throughout the ages, all will be well in the end.

The show is directed by Richard J. Roberts, who is also resident dramaturg at Indiana Repertory Theatre. Thus, he found this story interesting as a look into the relatively carefree atmosphere of Eastern European cities in the years before World War II and the strife that followed. Unlike the air of denial that permeates “Cabaret,” this reflects more of a genuine joy that – especially from our perspective – is worth celebrating though (or because) it can prove fleeting.

Choreography is by Carol Worcel, with music and vocal direction by Nathan Perry, and Jessica Greenhoe is stage manager.

For those who enjoy watching the journey from meet-cute to “I do,” or need an idea for your next romantic date, may I suggest “She Loves Me,” performances through Nov. 17 in The Studio Theater at The Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. Get info and tickets at atistage.org or thecenterpresents.org.

Old theater tradition done afresh under Indy’s sky

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

By John Lyle Belden

Something interesting is happening on Indy’s westside. A commedia dell’arte troupe, wandering from the Renaissance to modern day, has found its truck broken down on the campus of Marian University. So, in order to raise the funds to continue their journey home, A Company of Wayward Saints will perform for us – after all, a rich Duke may be in the audience!

In this instance, life is imitating art, as local actor Adam Tran and friends have been conducting a GoFundMe online campaign (still ongoing) to finance this production of “A Company of Wayward Saints,” the 1963 play by George Herman.

Tran leads the troupe as Harlequin. The others also play character archetypes: the boastful Capitano (Davey Pelsue), wisecracking know-it-all Dottore (Ronn Johnston), the unfortunate Pantalone (Zach Stonerock), misunderstood youth Scapino (Josh Maldonado), the beautiful Columbine (Kelsey Leigh Miller), grasping Ruffiana (Miranda Nehrig), and the Lovers, Isabella (Nina DeWitt) and Aurelia (Andrea Heiden).

To perform what they call commedia la improvviso, they need a prompt from the audience. Harlequin reveals the mysterious Duke has asked for “The History of Man.” A tall order. “I will play God,” the Captain bellows, and the play is on. But as members of the company lament, “As actors, temperament is our original sin,” and dissension builds in the ranks.

This performance is a wonderfully unique experience, though you should bring lawn chairs to sit by the busted flatbed truck that is the stage. The actors give their all for the art, as though they don’t worry about getting paid (or is this like hustling for tips?). Johnston can land a cheesy punchline in the first act, and bring surprising tenderness to an unexpectedly dramatic scene with the Lovers in the second. Maldonado displays tumbling skill along with his acting chops, and shares a charming and touching scene with Nehrig. Miller nicely turns the Odysseus legend on its ear, and has a fun look at love and marriage with Stonerock. Tran shows his depth with the final scene – a scene of finality – opposite Pelsue.

Performances are this Friday through Sunday, May 18-20, by the Amphitheater at Marian University, 3200 Cold Spring Road. Get info at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acompanyofwaywardsaintsindy/.