Rich Mehrenberg - Page 13

Sometimes life imitates art in strange and unpredictable ways. On Friday May 27th, I saw Fulton Theatre's production of Man Of La Mancha. For reasons that will soon become clear, my commentary will be presented alongside select lyrics of the show's iconic number, The Impossible Dream.

Dance the night away with Hairspray at Hershey. The musical adaption of the John Waters' film is a celebration of acceptance and individuality. Niki Metcalf stars as vibrant teen, Tracy Turnblad. Metcalf is a joyful performer who exudes confidence. Metcalf has a good voice and uses it to great effect. One minor critique is that while she is a competent dancer, her moves don't really pop like I have seen in other productions. Tracy usually sticks out (in a good way) compared to the other teens, but that just wasn't coming across. Perhaps the flaw lies the choreography, not the dancer?

Feel free to disagree, but EPAC's current production of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is a great example of attempting to create a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Fog machines! Stripper poles! Poop jokes!  This ain’t your Grandma’s dinner theater! Dutch Apple goes outside their comfort zone with the funny and fun musical, Rock of Ages.

Strap on your boogie shoes, get out your Afro pick, and hustle down to Hanover Little Theatre. Their current production of Polyester is more fun than a double date with Pinky Tuscadero and Florence Jean Castlebury. This was my first visit to HLT, and they did not disappoint! Perks like friendly parking attendants, modest ticket prices, and excellent, yet intimate sight lines, makes this a great venue.

The Ephrata Performing Arts Center takes a step outside of the community theater comfort zone with their recent production of Hedda Gabler. While many theaters are catering to the greatest common denominator, EPAC continues to take risks and prioritize quality over quantity. This production is a perfect example of that mission.

The Fulton's The Sound of Music is easily the best production in Lancaster County since live theatre opened back up. The show's dazzling sets, impressive singing, and memorable characters come together to provide the audience with a spectacular night of entertainment. Director and choreographer, Marc Robin, must be congratulated for overseeing this gift.

Let me answer the big question right off the bat...does it actually rain, on stage, in Dutch Apple's production of Singin' in the Rain? You bet it does! Through a combination of twinkling lights and a very effective sprinkler system, actor Alex Fullerton gleefully taps. skips, and twirls throughout a spectacular downpour. Fullerton looked like he was having a lot of fun stomping through puddles, and it puts the audience in cheerful spirits for the show's intermission.

Changing Channels, by John Reeger, is a story of 1950's television, the Red Scare, and the costs of standing your ground. Peter Bisgaier and Kate Fahrer star as Eddie Gilroy and Maggie Carlin, stars of 'For Pete's Sake' (the play's equivalent of The Honeymooners). When their show gets transferred to the CBS network, everyone involved is destined for fame and fortune, with one small hitch. Maggie is accused (inaccurately) of being a Communist sympathizer during the height of McCarthyism.

Nostalgia is king (or more appropriately, queen) in Beehive, Dutch Apple's 269th production. This tuneful musical is a celebration of the female singers of the 1960's. A cast of six talented and diverse performers (Lindsay Aeriel Grimble, Temperance Jones, Martina Long, Danielle, Poznanovic, Madison Paige Buck, and Kira Rangel) highlights the various sounds, events and styles of that famous decade,

Broadway World is proud to present the following interview with two leads from EPAC's current school ​​​​​​​production of Les Miserables. Brett Devlin plays reformed criminal Jean Valjean and Ben Galosi plays his single-minded adversary, Javert.

The Fulton Theater's mainstage production of Cinderella has much to compare and contrast with their current fourth floor production of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol. Whereas, Cinderella has a cast of dozens, JMCC is a one man show.

The Fulton's Christmas production of Cinderella is a real-life fairy tale. With lavish costumes, intricate sets, and a large, talented cast, this is a show designed for 'happily ever afters'. Although this show isn't specifically Christmas-themed, it is obvious that the Fulton pulled out all the stops, both creative and financial to bring their traditionally elaborate December production to the stage.

Dutch Apple Dinner Theater kicked off the holiday season with their current production of Miracle on 34th Street. I had assumed that this was a new musical based on the classic film, but after doing a little digging, it turns out it was written in 1963 by Meredith Wilson, creator of The Music Man. The show seems fresh with a few exceptions.

The Belmont Theatre's annual October offering is Blithe Spirit, a classic comedy about marriage and the ghosts of the past.

Don't let the name fool ya. EPAC's production of Something Rotten is totally fresh. In fact, it is their best show post-pandemic, by far. (Any show that rhymes 'penis' and 'genius' in it's first ten minutes is gonna crack you up!)

The course of true love never did run smooth, but a good Shakespeare play often does. That is my take away from a recently viewing of Gamut Theatre's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This show is fresh, fun, and funny. The remarkable 24 character show was performed by 14 actors, which calls for a lot of double and even triple billing.