A Weekend in Winter Park with Sondheim
A Weekend in Winter Park with Sondheim
Produced and Directed by Jacquelyn Bell and Justin J Scarlat
Stages Theatre Co. at Breakthrough Theatre
Winter Park, FL</strong>
One thing about Sondheim – you can take his best love songs, give them Frankenstein lighting in a block box theater, and they still make perfect sense. In this collection of musical numbers, you’ll hear both hits as well as the Sondheim signatures numbers with odd chord progressions that can take years to grasp. Opening with “Invocation and Instructions” from “The Frogs” we hear an ancient Greek version of the traditional cell phone and candy wrapper speech that define individual theaters today. This one is sung by Justin Scarlat and Keith Newhouse, and while it’s a long as a TDT opener, it’s nearly as entertaining as the Alan Bruun’s threatening sing-a-long lectures from the old days at Mad Cow.
Generally, the selections are well suited to the singers – Judith Gill’s belting version of “Rose’s Turn” from Dolly, Newhouse’s soaring “Everybody say’s Don’t” from “Anyone Can Whistle”, and Natasha’s Harrisons sweaty “Sunday In The Park” fit well with their vocal ranges. But the ensemble numbers were the stars here, directors Bell and Scarlat did wonders with the staff and sound system on hand. “Weekend In The Country” and “God That’s Good (from “A Little Night Music” and “Sweeney Todd” flew, and even “Every Body’s Got the Right” from Assassins moved my cynical heart.
The lighting was dramatic, if odd looking with a forced perspective and a tendency to overuse lurid reds, but the glow chalk signature over the door and clever use of the center aisle made the show feel intimate – I could have kissed Ms. Gill as she sang and it wouldn’t have broken stride of the show. The only other issue I’ll mention is this show runs one weekend only, and that’s not enough time for everyone in town to enjoys America’s most challenging musical writer.
For more information, please visit http://www.breakthroughtheatre.com
