Sean Fallon - Page 8

On Thursday, June 24, I thoroughly enjoyed Rogers and Hammerstein’s THE SOUND OF MUSIC, performed by Fairfield Center Stage, under the open summer skies on a beautiful Fairfield evening, at Fairfield Museum Commons.  I always look forward to Fairfield Center Stage productions, because they take innovative and creative risks that always manage to pay off for them!  They consistently provide a unique set that is perfectly suited to whatever show they are performing, giving the audience a true experience that goes beyond merely showing us the setting; it draws us right into it, as if we are there!  In this case, the hills are truly alive, because we, as the audience, sit on the outdoor land upon which Maria sings “The Sound of Music,” while making her entrance, through the audience.  Betzabeth Castro is phenomenal in the role of Maria, right from the start, showing true enjoyment in her singing, truly selling every note, and every line, with a powerful singing voice and stage presence. 

JUST DESSERTS brings top talent to the Legacy Theatre, giving people yet another reason to visit the lovely town of Stony Creek, CT. This original musical keeps the audience entertained from start to finish with intrigue and suspense as to who will win a baking contest and whether it will be won with integrity. Will the characters get their just desserts? Come to the show to find out!

One of my favorite annual theater traditions is attending AN EVENING OF ONE ACTS at the Ridgefield Theater Barn in Ridgefield, CT, always an amazing time with great comedy!  It was such a pleasure experiencing the 2021 AN EVENING OF ONE ACTS, on Friday, June 18.  I greatly enjoy the consistent high quality entertainment that the Ridgefield Theater Barn brings with these unique original one act stories!

During the pandemic, I have greatly missed the consistent high quality live performances from the Castle Craig Players.  I am looking forward to when they will be able to perform live, again, which I hope will be very soon.  In the meantime, I am happy to say that now, online, the Castle Craig Players have performed, recorded, and edited a production for viewing on YouTube.  IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST by Oscar Wilde is a British comedy, excellently performed by a talented cast of actors and actresses who are very consistent with their believable British accents.

In FUNNY HOW IT HAPPENS, Jarrod and Kelli skillfully selected the songs they performed to incorporate songs meaningful to their relationship, songs significant to their careers, and songs that have traditionally been audience favorites.  Every song was an excellent choice, whether they performed them solo or as a duet.  Their harmony and stage chemistry resonate the deep connection of two performers who are deeply in love with each other and want to communicate that love to their audiences.  I enjoyed every song whether it was a song I was familiar with or not.  Among the songs were “Close to You,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “Be My Baby,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” “Cabaret,” “I Got You, Babe,”  “New York State of Mind,” and even a lounge act arrangement of “You Give Love a Bad Name.”  The instrumentation, during this time of social distancing, was a solo piano, brilliantly played by Adam Ben David.   

On January 19, I had the pleasure of speaking on the phone with a very friendly, personable, down to Earth, and classy Broadway power couple.   Jarrod Spector (“Jersey Boys,” “Beautiful: the Carole King musical,' “The Cher Show”) and his wife Kelli Barrett (“Doctor Zhivago,” “Baby, It’s You,” “Wicked,” “The Royal Family”) spoke with me about their show FUNNY HOW IT HAPPENS, which they are scheduled to perform at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, CT on St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2021, at 4:00 PM and again at 8:00 PM.  This show includes comedy and musical numbers that reflect true stories about Jarrod and Kelli’s amazing journey towards their marriage and other shared experiences in their lives as a married couple.   

I had the pleasure of streaming Fairfield Center Stage’s production of A QUARANTINE CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE.  The innovative creativity from Fairfield Center Stage continues to mesmerize audiences with its ability to showcase a myriad of talented cast members and maximize available resources, even during this time of social distancing.  Yet again, Fairfield Center Stage has dared to go that extra mile undertaking a project more grandiose than that which many companies would even consider, and in doing so has again excelled in bringing the audience a phenomenal unique experience that we would not get anywhere else!  

Some people may wonder how it is possible to successfully pull off A CHRISMAS CAROL with only one actor playing the twenty-five different roles.  When you have an actor of the caliber of Patrick Spadaccino acting under the stellar direction of Scott R. Brill, this can and has been done with tremendous success.  Patrick Spadaccino’s myriad of roles are so convincing that it is easy for the audience to forget that this is only one actor bringing all this greatness to the stage!  His accents and voice inflections make it very clear which character is speaking, while his narration fills in the gaps.  The feeling, emotion, and energy he brings for a ninety minute non-stop performance is incredibly impressive.   Some nontraditional comical quips that he throws in are well received by the audience. The Ridgefield Theater Barn has returned with a truly great show!

How far would you go to help a suicidal loved one, especially if that person has already attempted suicide, but survived?  If you had the legal right to make treatment choices on behalf of your suicidal loved one, would you consent to your suicidal loved one receiving an extreme form of treatment that your suicidal loved one is apprehensive to receive? Would you overlook the attempted suicide and treat the situation as a mere poor decision during a rough time?  Could you emotionally handle the responsibility if your decision, either way, adversely impacts your suicidal loved one?  I hope you never find yourself in that situation, but if you do, the show NEXT TO NORMAL, which is running at the Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse, in Meriden, CT, as put on by the Castle Craig Players, challenges us to think of how we would react if confronted with this reality.  I had the pleasure of seeing this show on Sunday, March 8, 2020.  It is directed by Oliver Kochol and Ian Galligan.

While I have heard wonderful things about the musical CATS and about the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CT, I had never experienced either until March 5, 2020, when both far exceeded my expectations when I saw this musical masterpiece phenomenally performed by an extraordinary cast, to a packed audience representing numerous demographics, leaving us all united with an amazing memory of such an incredible theatrical experience!

On Saturday, February 22, I had the pleasure of seeing LOOPED at the Connecticut Cabaret Theatre in Berlin, CT.  This comedy by Matthew Lombardo is based on a true story that took place back in 1965.  Director Kris McMurray brings out the best in talented actress Kelly Boucher who stars as Tallulah Bankhead, as well as talented actor Chris Pearson, who plays Danny Miller.  The stage chemistry between Kelly Boucher and Chris Pearson is comically brilliant, and further enhanced by James J. Moran, who provides live vocals from the back of the theatre, as Steve the sound engineer!  The deliveries are sensational, from all three cast members, making all three characters completely believable.  The facial expressions, body language, vocal tones and mannerisms displayed by Kelly Boucher and Chris Pearson, including their reactions to each other, are phenomenal, both staying in character the whole time, to the point in which as an audience member, it is easy to forget that you are not watching the real people who are being portrayed.  The sharp contrast between Tallulah's over-the-top personality and Danny Miller's more professional and proper personality is where the majority of the humor arises.  The audience was laughing all throughout the show!

On Saturday, February 22, I had the pleasure of seeing the opening performance of THE LITTLE MERMAID at the Downtown Cabaret Children's Theatre, in Bridgeport, CT. This adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story, made famous to younger generations by the animated Disney movie is written by Phill Hill.  Having never personally read the Hans Christian Andersen story, my character name references will be based on the Disney adaptation, which I do believe is likely to be the version most well known.  Ricky Altamirano directs, choreographs and stars as Hermit, the crab Disney calls a?oeSebastian.a??

NEWSIES in Westport is a must-see masterpiece! A combination of local talent and Broadway talent help create a moving show that touches the hearts of all the viewers! I highly recommend this show!

No matter how many times you may have seen GODSPELL before, it is definitely worth your time to see the ACT of Connecticut's vastly different interpretation which I like to refer to as a?oeGodspell on Caffeine.a?? The energy and comedy levels are magnified to the nth degree, with every cast member, including the teens and children, all bringing their A game, and electrifying the stage with non-stop adrenaline, reminiscent of the Energizer Bunny.

On Saturday, February 1, I had the pleasure of revisiting THE SOUNDS OF THE SEVENTIES at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport, CT.  I enjoyed it even more this second time seeing it!  This approximate two hour performance includes nearly fifty different songs, performed by four extremely talented cast members.  Mikayla Petrilla, Saige Bryan, Everton Ricketts, and Kyle Riedinger all have incredible voices, a strong stage presence, tremendous acting skills, tight stage chemistry with each other, and a positive attitude of genuinely enjoying their performance, radiating positive energy all throughout this packed house!   The choreography by Jennifer Kaye helps highlight the excellent dancing and synchronization skills from this first rate cast.  The excited audience reactions including singing and dancing along during certain parts of the show indicate that the rest of the audience shares my extremely positive views of this incredible show!

On Friday, January 31, 2020, I had the pleasure of seeing SMORGASBORD! at the Ridgefield Theater Barn in Ridgefield, CT.  This musical revue has music and lyrics by Bradford Blake who is also directs the show.  Under the excellent accompaniment of musical director Charles Smith on keyboard, Charles Casimiro on stand-up bass, and Robert Kogut on percussion, the talented singing cast of Anya Caravella, Robert Geils, Tracey Marble, and Zachery Theis provide a highly entertaining show comprised of song after song, each conveying its own story, without a central storyline, the songs linked only by the consistent pattern of comical food-themed lyrics.

On Friday, January 17, I had the pleasure of seeing 8-TRACK THE SOUNDS OF THE 70S at the Connecticut Cabaret Theatre in Berlin, CT.  This new musical conceived by Rick Seeber constitutes performances of mainstream United States chart-topping songs from the 1970s.  Incredibly talented singers Jason Beaulieu, Dan Frye, Emily Gray, and Erica Whitfield have excellent stage chemistry and vocal harmony with each other in this musical event under the wonderful direction of Kris McMurray.

On Saturday, January 11, I had the pleasure of seeing THREE PIGS at the Downtown Cabaret Children's Theatre in Bridgeport, CT.   This was an excellent start to a new decade of theatrical experiences!  The stellar cast brings their A game to this Chris Gensur adaptation of this classic children's tale. 

I am convinced that the absolute best live performance of this timeless Charles Dickens story that has impacted generations, internationally, is this one performed by Fairfield Center Stage.  This is a wonderful experience all-around!

On Saturday, December 14, I had the pleasure of seeing THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES at the Ridgefield Theater Barn in Ridgefield, CT. This comedic musical has the audience laughing from start to finish, while keeping everyone entertained with great oldies songs from the 1950s and 1960s. The excellent singing and acting brings all four characters to life, under the writing of Roger Bean, direction of Foster Evans Reese, and musical direction of Benjamin McCormack who leads the talented live band that is onstage, in the back of the stage.