Taylor Smith

Nifty ‘nautical nonsense’ by Summer Stock Stage

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By John Lyle Belden

The very concept of “SpongeBob SquarePants” – conflating a living sea sponge with the rectangular kind from your kitchen – alerts you that none of this should be taken seriously (that, and its countless anthropomorphic absurdities).

But you likely know this, as the Nickelodeon animated series created by Stephen Hillenberg and voiced by comedian Tom Kenny has been entertaining children and childish adults for decades. Unsurprisingly, it also spawned a stage musical, now presented by the teen performer program of Summer Stock Stage at Schrott Center for the Arts on the Butler University campus, directed and choreographed by Jerico and Jonnie Hughes.

But can the quality silliness of the half-hour toon be sustained for two full acts of live theatre? To quote the familiar TV opening sequence: “Aye, Aye, Captain!”

However, Patchy the Pirate (Lucas Heiden) isn’t really needed for this show, despite how much he tries to get involved. With the traditional voiceover of a faux Cousteau, and the help of a just slightly off-stage foley artist (Ethan Cantrell), we meet our principal players: SpongeBob (Jaivean Wilson), Patrick (Taylor Smith), Squidward (Michael Washington), Sandy (Ariyana Johnson), Mr. Krabs (Simon Allen), his daughter Pearl (Madison Fleener), and Krabs’ devious rival Plankton (Lewis Claxon), accompanied by devoted AI partner Karen (Gracie Navarro).

The denizens of Bikini Bottom are played by Paige Murray (Mayor), Claire Kashman (Mrs. Puff), Ehren Knerr (Johnny the Bartender), Graham Bodkin (Perch Perkins), Eli Neal (Old Man Jenkins), Dexter Smith (Larry the Lobster), and Elijah Britt, Evan Cohen, Elowyn Dunn, Nayima Hall, Justice Harris, Eleanor Hendrickson, Seraphim Holmes, Shaleigh Hreskowsky, Henry Kirk, Jyone Kneeland, Isiah Littell, Collin McCune, Robert Newton, Quinn Potter, Vaben Sanders, Olivia Steele, and Keliyah Vincent.

Our tropical undersea village is shaken – literally – by the news that nearby volcano Mt. Humungous is about to erupt. Sandy – a genius inventor, as one would expect from a squirrel capable of living under the ocean – wants to tinker a way to stop the disaster. Plankton, on the other hand, persuades everyone that evacuation is the best option (which he will exploit in his newest evil scheme). Either way, they have until sundown of the next day, emphasized by a countdown clock projected above the stage, before their homes are destroyed.

What follows include a Krabs cash-grab; a benefit concert with The Electric Skates (Little, Steele, and Dexter Smith), with Squidward trying to work in his “Tentacle Spectacle;” Patrick receiving the cult-like devotion of a school of sardines; a Pirate musical number; SpongeBob’s climb to deliver Sandy’s Eruptor Interrupter; and general paranoia and mayhem, with boisterous gloating by Plankton.

This comes with plot-advancing pop songs by various artists including Jonathan Coulton, David Bowie with Brian Eno, Plain White T’s, T.I., Panic! At the Disco, Alex Ebert, Cyndi Lauper with Rob Hyman, Yolanda Adams, The Flaming Lips, Sara Bareilles, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry; Lady Antebellum, John Legend, They Might Be Giants, and Kenny with Andy Paley, as well as the SpongeBob Theme Song by Hillenburg, Derek Drymon, Mark Harrison and Blaise Smith.

One practically magical aspect of this production, which speaks to the talents of the cast, is that they so perfectly embody the spirit of their familiar characters, they “look” the part with just a few visual cues in hair and wardrobe, avoiding distracting and cumbersome outer costumes. Wilson practically glows with SpongeBob’s perpetual boyish optimism, Johnson with Sandy’s pragmatic can-do attitude. Taylor Smith’s Patrick nimbly employs voice and expression to capture the essence of his low-brains/high-loyalty personality. Likewise, Allen is spot-on in nailing the craven capitalist Krabs. With Fleener’s portrayal of Pearl, we see the show’s emphasis on her being a mildly spoiled teenage girl more than being a young whale. Washington expertly portrays Squidward in double-legged trousers with natural ease, including a dance with tentacle taps.

This approach to costuming especially works for Plankton; Claxon sometimes puppets his near-microscopic self, and his flashy green outfit with a (coincidental?) resemblance to Marvel’s Loki helps hint at his cooly sinister intent.

The overall style, from the musical’s book by Kyle Jarrow to the Hughes’s approach and cast and crew’s all-in energy give us a kids show that embraces that part in all of us that wants a fun time and adventure with characters who feel like friends.

This production “The SpongeBob Musical” only has the one weekend: If you see this right after we post, perhaps you can make it to the Saturday or Sunday (July 26-27) performances at Schrott, 610 W. 46th St., Indianapolis (next to Clowes). Info and tickets at summerstockstage.com.

Fall for the charms of SSS ‘Music Man’

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By John Lyle Belden

It’s an often-told story: A stranger comes into a sleepy town and everything changes. However, in this case, that’s the stranger’s plan the whole time.

Summer Stock Stage presents a full production of Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man,” directed by founding artistic director Emily Ristine Holloway. And I do mean “full” – the whole musical on the full-size Ayers Auditorium stage (at Park Tudor School) with orchestra in the back, led by Mike Berg Raunick, and a cast that Holloway tongue-in-cheek calls “seventy-six actors” (a rough count in the program is close to that number). They represent 30 different Indiana schools, she said, mainly teenagers with younger children in age-appropriate roles.

This company gives an exceptional performance throughout, from the overture to the curtain call.

In 1912, “Professor” Harold Hill (Justus Palumbo) arrives in River City, Iowa, a practiced con man posing as a traveling salesman of band instruments and uniforms. The grift involves convincing a town it needs a youth band, selling them everything they need with the promise he’ll organize and teach, but skipping town with the money before giving a single actual lesson.

Iowans aren’t that easy to fool, especially town librarian Marian Paroo (Jilayne Kistner), but Hill accepts the challenge, demonizing the new pool tables downtown and getting everyone singing and dancing as they await the arrival of their instruments. Both Marian and Mayor Shinn (Andrew King) suspect something dishonest is happening, but are swept up in the events of that magical summer. Marion’s shy, lisping little brother Winthrop Paroo (Tad Klovsky) is coming out of his shell; meanwhile, local delinquent Tommy Djilas (Justice Harris) is doing honest work, albeit as Hill’s unwitting accomplice.

But even master manipulator Hill isn’t immune to changing attitudes – or love.

The cast also features Gracie Reckamp as Amaryllis, the girl with a crush on Winthrop; Taylor Smith as Marcellus Washburn, an old friend of Hill’s now in on the scam; Paige Murray as the Mayor’s wife Eulalie, who wishes to be seen as cultured so is easily talked into leading a women’s dance committee; Gabi Bradley as Zaneeta Shin, the Mayor’s daughter who is seeing Tommy; Elizabeth Hutson as Marion and Winthrop’s mother, who takes a shine to Hill from the beginning; Caleb Trinoskey as Charlie Cowell, a crude traveling salesman out to expose Hill; and Martini Otaletan, Jackson Bullock, Thomas Bowling, and Colin Alber as city School Board members who find themselves formed into a pitch-perfect barbershop quartet.

Palumbo and Kistner, both college-bound high school graduates, give professional-level performances as Harold and Marion. He gives Hill suave charisma and endless charm; while she presents as nobody’s fool, while understanding that this “band” may be the best thing to ever happen to this town.

King amuses with his bossy bluster as Mayor Shinn. Murray easily steals scenes as his wife. Hutson’s Mrs. Paroo is a steady presence, an old Irish soul whose only desire is for love to prevail. Klovsky, naturally, charms as Winthrop.

While the songs and story are what makes this musical famous, this production features some incredible dancing, choreographed by Phillip Crawshaw. The big numbers fill the stage with precision and dazzling moves; moments when Tommy and Zaneeta pair up really pop; and the movement and clever use of the books during “Marian the Librarian” are simply stunning.

For anyone who likes “The Music Man,” or is open to it, this brilliant production is a must. Performances are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 28-30. The Saturday Matinee is a “sensory-friendly” performance for patrons who would be more comfortable with that. Park Tudor is at 7200 N. College Ave., Indianapolis, follow the signs to Ayers Auditorium. Go to summerstockstage.com for tickets.

Gregory Hancock gives fairy tales a fun twist

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

By John Lyle Belden

An issue I sometimes have with dance is that I find it hard to follow exactly what is going on, what the dancers are trying to portray — there is no such problem with “Once Upon a Time,” by Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre.

The subject matter is as familiar as childhood — popular fairy tales. But Gregory Glade Hancock and his dancers have put their own spin (and leap, and…) on the stories to freshen the narrative. Like in the musical “Into the Woods,” they all seem to occupy the same fanciful space, including an Enchanted Forest, in which the dancers got to work their own choreography.

Red Riding Hood (Hannah Brown) starts the stories by making her delivery. It seems Grandma appreciates the goodies so much, she just wants to dance with Red, though she does look suspiciously furry. As it turns out, the Wolf (Olivia Payton) while big, isn’t so bad — despite harassing pigs — and mostly just wants to get belly-rubs from the Princesses. 

Narcoleptic Beauty (Chloe Holzman) — turns out it wasn’t just a cursed spinning-wheel — turns in the show’s best performance, especially when constantly dancing in and out of consciousness with the Handsome Prince (Thomas Mason). She puts in moments of gracefully collapsing throughout the show, to great comic effect. As for his Highness, being the only man in the company, he has to be everybody’s Prince, which does result in a chase scene or two. But the one he loves is himself, exemplified with his solo number with a hand-mirror — what a “selfie” was 500 years ago.

In other stories coming to life: 

  • Cinderella (Camden Lancaster) sweeps through, dreaming of future happiness, but the glass that is most important to her is in the spectacles on her face, not the shoes on her feet. The Fairy Godmother (Hannah Winkler) gives her frames worthy of Elton John. But Cindy’s desire to look good is greater than her myopia, with appropriately funny results.
  • Little Bo Peep (Josie Moody) has given up on sheep and herds the Three Little Pigs (Payton*, Winkler, and Jillian Hogan). 

(*Not only ironic — playing Pig and Wolf — but I could have sworn all three Pigs were with the Wolf when he huffed and puffed them. Talk about talent.)

  • Rapunzel (Zoe Maish) has the strongest weave in the kingdom, which others can’t resist messing with. 
  • Snow White (Anna Williamson) shakes off the apple’s effect and, with the Prince otherwise occupied, looks for love elsewhere. Seven young students don cap and beard as the Seven Dwarves (Annabelle Breeden, Ashton Curry, Violet Kitchen, Vincent Kitchen, Josephine Meadows, Isabella Webb, and Elli Thacker) — one of which also opens the show by playing the Boy in pajamas with the storybook of these twisted tales.
  • Pinocchio (Morgan Beane) is the Trickster character of the show. Having not learned his lessons yet, he gets his long nose into all manner of mischief throughout the evening.
  • As for the Witch (Abigail Lessaris), the apple isn’t the only curse that’s failing. Her powers have fizzled, and she dances desperately to rekindle them — but be careful what you wish for.

We are also enchanted by some fairies (Zoe Hacker, Alyssa Henderson, Evangeline Meadows, Megan Webb). The supporting cast (who also act as ushers) include Stephanie Blaufuss, Allie Hanning, Audrey Holloway, Molly Kinkade, Stella Kitchen, Sophia Rice, Taylor Smith, Audrey Springer, Ava Thomas, and Rebecca Zigmond. 

This is the Hancock company’s annual cabaret fundraiser, fitting nicely into the big black-box studio of the Academy of GHDT (329 Gradle Drive, Carmel, near the Center for the Performing Arts). The students don’t pressure you too much to give, though there is a clever “grow Rapunzel’s hair” board to track giving. There is also a free treat at every seat.

The talent and athleticism are amazing to watch, with graceful and easy-to-follow storytelling through movement. This show gives a chuckle to all ages, is an easy inspiration to youth — and reminds the casual viewer that there is more to dance than “The Nutcracker.”

It’s also very popular. The final performances Saturday and Sunday are sold out, but Friday, Feb. 21, has been added. Get tickets at ghdtonceuponatime.eventbrite.com. Get company information at www.gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org.