'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels:' Great Big Fun!

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Book by Jeffrey Lane, Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek    

Director, Mark Martino; Choreographer, Denis Jones; Musical Director, Phil Reno; Scenic Design, Dan Kuchar; Costume Design, Angela M. Kahler; Lighting Design, Christopher S. Chambers; Sound Design, James McCartney

CAST (in order of appearance): Lawrence Jameson, Brent Barrett; Andre Thibault, John Scherer; Muriel Eubanks, Dee Hoty; Freddy Benson, Perry Ojeda; Jolene Oakes, Heather Parcells; Christine Colgate, Stephanie Youell; Ladies and Gentlemen of the Ensemble: Jodi Atkins, Dennis O'Bannion, Roxanne Barlow, Christophe Cabellero, Warren Curtis, Amanda Kloots, Krista Kurtzberg, Kia Lee, Koh Mochizuki, Rachelle Rak, Mark Roland, Franklyn Warfield

Performances through August 2 at Cape Playhouse, Dennis, Massachusetts

Box Office 877-385-3911 or www.capeplayhouse.com

Notice to patrons of the Cape Playhouse: Fasten your safety belts for a fast-paced, fun, and wicked ride on the con artist carousel and try your luck at grabbing the brass ring, the family heirloom of the esteemed prince. Be prepared to lose your troubles, your heart, and your wallet (just kidding) to the characters in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels now in the midst of a joyous fortnight at the venerable summer theatre in Dennis Village.

Attractive men in tuxedoes and stunning women in colorful evening gowns and sparkling jewels dance around the white filigree arches which suggest a hotel veranda on the French Riviera, introducing us to the domain of Lawrence Jameson. In a debauched world of wealthy jetsetters and high rollers full of ennui as they seek their next thrill, he is more than willing to "Give Them What They Want" and acquire a few baubles for himself in the process. Aided by his amiable attaché Andre, the Chief of Police of Beaumont Sur Mer, Lawrence swindles women out of their money by pretending to be prince of a non-existent country who must fund a revolution to regain his throne.

When Brent Barrett strolls onto the scene in his crisp, white dinner jacket, all charming and debonair, it is no surprise that every woman throws herself – and her jewelry – in his direction. His Jameson is smart and sexy, less silver spoon than John Lithgow, less tongue in cheek than Jonathan Pryce, and the (worthy) center of attention until his competition comes to town. Crass and rumpled small-time crook Freddy Benson (Perry Ojeda) is his polar opposite and seemingly no match for the continental gentleman, but looks can be deceiving. Realizing that the territory is not big enough for both of them, they wager that the first to fleece $50,000 from the "Soap Queen" Christine Colgate, a beautiful, young American heiress, wins the right to remain on the island, while the other must leave. When Freddy appeals to her sympathy as a psychosomatically disabled soldier in a wheelchair, needing the money to pay for his treatment, Lawrence arrives as the renowned psychiatrist Dr. Shüffhausen, ready to take on the case and collect the five-figure fee.

From overture to finale, every song and dance advances the story, entertains, and showcases the talents of the twelve chorus boys and girls, as well as the five names above the title. Choreographer Denis Jones creates an elegant mood with the broad, sweeping opening number for the swells at the casino, a raucous hoedown in "Oklahoma?" (an audience favorite, judging by the hootin' and hollerin'), and an exotic, exciting tango in "The More We Dance." The eight-piece orchestra conducted by Musical Director Phil Reno provides a lively, full-bodied accompaniment worthy of any Broadway show and that goes for the acting and voices in this cast as well.

Starting with the women, Stephanie Youell (Christine) is blessed with a voice that can belt ("Here I Am"), purr ("Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True"), and blend ("Love Is My Legs"). She takes her character from wide-eyed innocent abroad to tough broad and makes the transition seamless. Three-time Tony nominee Dee Hoty (Muriel) puts her own lovely spin on the lonely divorcée, combining an understated flair for comedy with her rich singing and lithe dancing. Her chemistry with John Scherer (Andre) develops slowly, but they fire on all burners in an adorable second act pas de deux ("Like Zis/Like Zat"), even as one of her earrings flew off on opening night. Heather Parcells, currently appearing in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, is a force of nature and struts her stuff as the good ol' girl from Oklahoma with designs on Lawrence. This gal is a triple threat – sings, dances, and shoots!

The role of Andre calls for the actor to stand in Lawrence's shadow, provide support for his endeavors, and run interference for him until he gets to step out with Muriel. Scherer is up to the challenge as he infuses Andre with a ho-hum air of "I've seen it all before" and no need to get excited, "I'm French." Ojeda's Freddy seems to embrace Lawrence's assessment that what he lacks in grace, he makes up for in vulgarity. He is a crotch-grabbing, booty-shaking, trailer dweller aspiring to acquire "Great Big Stuff" and his fluid movements are a riot in that number. (Note: Listen for the lyric change for the local audience.) When Freddy is wheelchair-bound, Ojeda's comedic skills are not handicapped, he simply relies on facial expressions and smaller movements to elicit equally large laughs. And, oh, by the way, this kid can sing, too.

With an impressive list of Broadway credits, Brent Barrett is undeniably the star in this show, but melds comfortably with the ensemble. His beautiful baritone voice is a pleasure to hear, most especially in his 11 o'clock solo "Love Sneaks In." He stands alone at center stage, no props, no backup, just the spotlight and his star quality conveying the emptiness of Jameson's life. It is a moving moment.

Dan Kuchar's designs include a backdrop with a silhouetted village with twinkling lights; Lawrence's posh, stylish home; gritty country storefronts in Oklahoma; and the basement lair of Ruprecht, a player in one of the more amusing cons pulled off by the Scoundrels. Set pieces move on and off as needed for a balcony, a bedroom, and a dining car on a train. When the latter had some technical difficulties on opening night, the cast had fun with some ad libs and the audience loved being witness to something that only happens in live theatre. Presumably, train wrecks and flying earrings won't be a nightly occurrence!

Based on the 1988 film of the same name, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opened on Broadway in March, 2005, and had 666 performances through September, 2006. It received eleven Tony nominations and Norbert Leo Butz (Freddy) won the award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. The book tells a good story with some unexpected twists, the score is varied and entertaining, and Director Mark Martino puts it all together for a snappy, heartfelt production at the Cape Playhouse. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is great big fun, and that's no con!