Review: COMPANY at Manes Studio Theatre

Stephen Sondheim’s powerful emotional musical about love, marriage, and being the last single person in a group of married friends, COMPANY, has been brought to life by director Rick Grossman at Manes Studio Theatre. First performed on Broadway in 1970, this groundbreaking show won 6 Tony awards and broke the mold for how musicals were structured.

Told through Bobby’s eyes, the show explores the difficulties and joys of long-term relationships, as well as the fear of being in them. Bobby, played by Aaron Mor, is pressured by his group of married and about-to-be married friends into settling down and getting married himself. Mor’s vocals were stellar throughout. From “Someone is Waiting” in Act One to the absolutely breathtaking climax of the show, “Being Alive,” Mor consistently brought the house down.

The minimalistic, modern set by Rick Grossman and Daniel Bishop perfectly reflected the hard-edged Manhattan backdrop. It allowed plenty of room and flexibility for the performers to move elements around easily, giving each scene its own identity and each couple their own “home base”.

Cherry Manniello echoed the stark, modern aesthetic in her work as Costume Designer. Bobby and all the couples were dressed in black and white, while the women Bobby dated were in brightly colored clothing. This visually reinforced Bobby’s perception that marriage is an “all or nothing” proposition, but dating is full of life and vibrant options.

Patrice Richardson as Joanne showed all the strength and gruff the role demanded. She captured the snide bitterness of “Ladies Who Lunch” and, when called for, was also the voice of wisdom for Bobby.

As Harry, Stuart Oates’ tenor was beautiful and perfectly suited for “Sorry/Grateful”. He touched the hearts of everyone in the audience with his heartfelt performance.

“You Could Drive A Person Crazy” was perfectly harmonized by Heidi Jaye (April), Kheyla Perez (Marta), and Gabrielle Sprinkle (Kathy). Jaye’s “Barcelona” was sweet and delicate, as was her entire portrayal of April. In contrast, Perez’s “Another Hundred People” was energetic and deliberate with her creative and no-nonsense take on Marta. Sprinkle, as Kathy was the perfect balance between sweet and strong.

“Have I Got A Girl For You” with Oates (Harry), Ethan Fried (Larry), Matt Fama (Peter), Niles Wilson (David), and Joe Bebry (Paul) was a light-hearted number where the men literally spun Bobby around in a whirlwind. Attempting to live vicariously through him, each man bragged to Bobby of the various women whom they would introduce him to.

Rita Sarli was every bit as chaotic and neurotic as you could want in an Amy. She conquered the incredibly fast-paced and manic “Getting Married Today” with confidence, perfect comedic timing, and great vocals.

From their respective sets, the women, including Morgan Faye Neuhedel (Sarah), Julie Durfee (Susan), Angela Citrola (Jenny), Sarli (Amy), and Richardson (Joanne), gave a wonderful rendition of the Gershwin-esque, “Poor Baby”. As their husbands dismissed their concerns, the women couldn’t help but be worried about Bobby being all alone, the poor baby.

The ballet, “Tick Tock” Choreographed by Morgan Faye Neuhedel and danced by Gabrielle Sprinkle, thrilled the audience. This rarely performed piece was a joy to see on stage.

Photo credit: Brianna Acevedo