BWW Reviews: Some Great Laughs with RISE 'N SHINE WITH BETTE & JULIETTE (Salute: to the 1st Ladies of Television)

Rise 'n Shine with Bette & Juliette (Salute: to the 1st Ladies of Television)/ created by Craig Taggart & Chris Pudlo/ directed by Kurt Koehler/Cavern Club Celebrity Theater @ Casita Del Campo/ every fourth Tuesday of the month thru Nov. 24, 2015

The brainchild of Craig Taggart & Chris Pudlo, Rise 'n Shine with Bette & Juliette, exudes a fun "Let's put on a show!" vibe via a talented troupe of enthusiastic performers. The central conceit of these monthly show's an early morning talk show hosted by Bette Midler (Taggart) and Juliette Lewis (Pudlo) titled Rise 'n Shine with Bette & Juliette. With different themes and guests to inhabit their hour gabfest, this particular episode (#8) paid homage to the leading ladies of television.

Taggart well channeled a pretty good Bette Midler. He had her speaking voice inflections down, as well as her singing vocals. Taggart nicely sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" to accompany the memoriam video of TV ladies who've past. Bravo for pulling that serious bit off in the midst of all the comedic shenanigans.

Pudlo as Lewis' trickier to pull off as Lewis has few distinctive, if any, diva mannerisms or characteristics. Kudos to Pudlo for picking such an unlikely and challenging choice as Juliette to embody. But Pudlo's Juliette has a comfortable rivalry rapport with Taggart's Bette.

Bette and Juliette's guests for this installment included Sarah Jessica Parker (a delightful Kelly Tighe), Oprah (a spot-on Niketta Scott, though an impossibly skinnier version that Miss O could only wish she ever was), Florence Henderson and Donna Mills (Mikey Scott nailed both impersonations!), Roseanne and Sally Struthers (an entertaining Teddy Margas who also warmed up the audience).

Video clips of "I Love Lucy," "Sex and the City," and "The Carol Burnett Show" while complementing the onstage performers, also served as reminders of how really funny these shows were, especially "The Carol Burnett Show." Closing number had all six costumed (by Taggart) as various Carol Burnett characters. Very nice!

Next episode April 28.

betteandjuliette.brownpapertickets.com

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