BWW Student Blog: Jessica Vanek - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at the Las Vegas Little Theatre Is Anything But Little

Jess here. I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend a production of A Little Night Music at the Las Vegas Little Theatre, a well-established theatre company here in town. As Sondheim is my favorite composer, this was immensely pleasing to see. The story is set in 1900's Sweden, and follows the lives of Fredrik Egerman and his young wife, Anne. Their inner turmoil when dealing with all things romantic is apparent from the outset, with "Soon/Later/Now" sung by Anne, Fredrik, and Fredrik's son, Henrik, clearly defining the show's underlying premise of frustration, longing and infidelity. When actress Desiree Armfeldt, Fredrik's former lover, happens by their town on tour, an opportunity to rekindle the romance comes into play, however foiled by the unexpected arrival of Desiree's married lover, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm. Subsequently, the development of several unbeknownst love triangles and pairings surface in Act II, as the group members all rendezvous at the country estate of Desiree's mother, Madame Armfeldt, for a climactic "Weekend in the Country."

One of the main things I loved about this show is that it was one of the few productions I've ever seen where I was engaged for the entire performance. LVLT's smaller theatre venue provided the perfect touch of intimacy, allowing the cast members to really connect with the audience. The stage hosted several stand out performances, including Glenn Heath as Fredrik Egerman, Amanda Collins as Anne Egerman, Barbara Costa as Madame Armfeldt, and Melissa Riezler as Desiree Armfeldt. Heath's portrayal of Fredrik as a grounded, to the point man, played in realistic contrast to his amorous, yet frustrated self in regard to the betrayal of his marriage. When he sings "You Must Meet my Wife" his touching delivery almost seems to make his choices acceptable. Collins' played the fluttery ingénue character of Anne beautifully. She did a perfect job in capturing the naivety of the role, and her vocals were especially impressive. Barbara Costa was an incredible Madame Armfeldt. It was obvious that she had thought out every complex relationship she shared, using her lyrical expression to elegantly tell her tales. Finally, I'd like to recognize the talent of Melissa Riezler as the infamous Desiree Armfeldt. Her entrancing performance of "Send in the Clowns" brought a new meaning to heartbreak, longing and pain. Her expressive interpretation helped the audience finally understand the true meaning of the world renowned ballad. London Mace as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm and April Sauline as Petra were also both very entertaining. The swarthiness of Mace made him the perfect villain, and the comedic timing of Sauline kept the audience laughing whenever she was on stage. All of the actors in the show and ensemble had clear understandings of their characters, and their relevance to the plot.

The minimalist set design by Ron Lindblom was extremely efficient and served the story well. I also loved all of the period appropriate costumes by Rose Scarborough, and choreography by Lysander Abadia. The combination of the set and costumes, along with the movement in the scenes made the show visually pleasing. Lastly, I would like to applaud the director, Walter Niejadlik and musical director, Toby McEvoy for their incredible production. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the performance. The orchestra, under the direction of McEvoy, mastered the extremely challenging score, which is never a simple undertaking when dealing with Sondheim. This show was a refreshing change for the Las Vegas arts community. As I mentioned earlier, I am a huge Sondheim buff, and the fact that his shows are rarely done in Las Vegas is a reality I find disappointing. I couldn't be happier that Las Vegas Little Theatre took a risk and produced such a difficult show, because it was nothing short of wonderful! I believe that bringing Sondheim into the valley is extremely important, and I hope that other theatre companies will follow suit. Sondheim's music and lyrics deserve to be heard, and performed by a cast as talented as this one. If you get the chance, I'd highly recommend seeing this production. Per Madame Armfeldt, the summer night has "three smiles." "The first smile smiles at the young, who know nothing. The second, at the fools who know too little.... and the third at the old who know too much." Don't miss it. Tickets, dates, and times are available on their website.

Bring up the curtain, la la la, bring down the curtain, la la la, bring up the curtain, la la la, hi-ho, the glamorous life! - Stephen Sondheim