FLORA THE RED MENACE Plays The Rising Action Theatre Now Thru 11/22; Audiences Delights, Critics not Convinced

This month, on October 16, the Rising Action Theatre opened the rarely produced Kander and Ebb musical Flora the Red Menace, giving some critics reason to understand why the musical rests among the duo's more obscure.  While the play seems to resonate with the Florida audiences today, the production, which runs through November 22 at The Rising Action Theatre, some feel that while the show comes close to capturing the dark allure of which Kander and Ebb are famous, it isn't quite up to snuff. 

Flora the Red Menace was the first collaboration between Kander and Ebb in the 1960s, who later wrote the Broadway hits Cabaret, Chicago, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. The musical was a Broadway vehicle for Liza Minnelli in her Broadway debut, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress. 

Flora tells the story of youthful idealism and naivete in the 1933's Depression where everyone is struggling to survive and get work. The ambitious and optimistic Flora Mezaros, freshly graduaed from school, gets a job as a fashion illustrator but gets a rude awakening when she joins the Communist Party out of idealism and love.

The Rising House production features direction by Kevin Coughlin and the newer book version by David Thompson. 

Despite garnering accolades for the direction, Rod Hagwood of the Sun Sentinel notes that despite the solid direction and relevant subject matter, "By the time she delivers a frazzled, fizzy anthem to close the show, it all stops ringing true; the sum of all the parts just don't add up to much of anything with any real bite."  He does conclude, however, that they journey getting there is "pleasant enough."

To read the full review in the Sun-Sentinel click here.

The Rising Actions' production of Flora the Red Menace, playing now through November 22, runs Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday Matinees at 2:00 p.m. Show Only Tickets are $35.00. Show plus Three Course Dinner at Primavera Restaurant (across the street) are $60.00. Tickets can be purchased by visiting http://www.risingactiontheatre.com.

Rising Action Theatre, Inc. is dedicated to promoting and educating the public in diversity and tolerance for all people through theatre arts. It will present plays with multi-cultural themes and works of social relevance.