Reviews

A Secret Treasure: A Review of  The Secret Garden
By Sindy Castro: Asst. Reviews Editor: April 2008

            The Tallahassee Little Theatre recently opened its production of The Secret Garden, a fantastic musical that follows the story of Mary Lennox. In the play, Mary’s parents have passed away and she is sent to live with her uncle Archibald. Throughout the play, they both work at ridding themselves of their haunting pasts and moving towards a positive future which is symbolized by the cultivation of the secret garden.

Photo Provided by Matt M.

yan Hendricks did a great job in his direction of this musical by creating something truly special. He made sure that everything about the show was amazing, starting with the

Photo provided by Matt M.

casting for this show, which was great. With their beautiful voices filling the stage, the cast fully grasped their roles and committed themselves to the story. The level of accomplishment with this production made it seem to be coming from a professional touring company. The show started out with the beautiful voice of Lily (Jessica Wright Applegate) singing “Opening Dream,” where all of the characters in the show were introduced in a dream sequence.

Her operatic voice showcased her skills and how she has managed to master every note in her voice. Her voice and presence were so spectacular that she appeared to be a professional actress on BroadwayI was also surprised to discover Elyse Wahlquist who played Mary Lennox; a local Tallahassee talent who, though only a freshman in high school, carries such a confidence onstage that she could rival any other professional actress doing this for a longer period of time. At one point in the play where she is told that she has to go away to school, Elyse fully grasped the anger that Mary had inside of her and took over the scene with her ripping apart of everything in her uncle's office.
            Some of the most memorable moments in the show were not only showcased by the amazing talent of the cast, but also by that of the designers. This show was a professional production in every way.

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In Serious Need of a Full Night’s Sleep: Twilight of the Golds
By Katerina Gawlak: Asst. Features Editor: April 2008

            When seeing a show that is donating all proceeds to a charity like The Family Tree, one might be inclined to feel less negative about the actual entertainment provided because, hey, it’s for a good cause. Unfortunately, first time director Laura Guidry-Grimes may have needed such leniency in her production of Twilight of the Golds presented in the Augusta Conradi Studio Theatre this past March.

Photo Provided by Annie Heath

Twilight of the Golds tells the story of the Gold family that is among the first in the world to face a decision that many people might not have thought possible – whether terminating

a pregnancy based on what the child might become is morally right or wrong. Just as the Golds were clearly uncertain of what to do when faced with such a novel situation, it seemed that much of the production team of this show were also still in the process of finding their footing, even as the play debuted for its audiences.

            Time did not seem to be on the side of scenic designer Nathaniel Compton when considering the somewhat unsuccessful execution of what appeared to be a very clever set design.

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Smaller and Fiercer, Where Anything Goes
By Chelsye P. Ginn:
Staff Writer

            On the weekend of March 21-23, La Cosa Nostra Productions produced their bi-annual one-act festival, Smaller and Fiercer. Going into the event, I was skeptical about how I would receive the four student-written plays and the miniature opera that made up the night’s lineup. After all, one never knows what to expect in student shows. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome and further surprised by some of the show’s outrageous content (including, but not limited to, vaudeville dancing,

excessive poop jokes, and a dancing table).

            Any doubts I had about the quality of the show disappeared almost immediately when a disgruntled Brennan Murray scurried onto a stage that was donned with makeshift bathroom stalls and sombreros in Megan Tabaque’s Stalling Oedipus. Murray instantly engaged the audience as his character, Dick, began actively working toward the objective of finding solace in a women’s restroom (and struggling with the process).  He brought a contagious energy to his role, creating a lovable, quirky dork that won the audience’s approval through his endearing neuroses and clever quips of wisdom. Dick’s astringent female counterpart, Jane (Maureen McNeill),

furthered the play’s hilarity through her panicked antics upon discovering a man in the “little señorita’s room.” The  remarkable imaginations and character commitment of Murray and McNeill pulled the audience into the dank setting of a bathroom in a Mexican restaurant and created fierce dynamic chemistry that elicited both laughter and tender moments during the course of the play. Overall, Stalling Oedipus was a success, and though director-writer Tabaque had the monopoly on poop jokes for this production, she demonstrated great vision and potential through this work.

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Born Under Punches, But Not Strong Enough
By: Sindy Castro: Asst. Reviews Editor: April 2008

            It is always admirable to see new original productions because it makes the theatre more exciting to see that a group of students can collaborate to create something unique. Entering the Conradi Studio Theatre, I was excited to see what Born Under Punches had to offer, but I was disappointed to learn that the play was not as good as I expected.

Marcie (Chelsea Whitehead) and Brandon (Adam Douglas Ryan)
Photo Provided by Lydia Nabors

            Born Under Punches, written by Luke Bolton, is about four

individuals finding their way in life, dealing with issues such as sex and trust. There are several different storylines to follow: Brandon (Adam Douglas Ryan) is busy following his ambitions for power by preaching abstinence in several places; Paul (Chris Hollis), Brandon’s friend, comes back after three years, having left without notice and supposedly having problems with sex; the two female characters Marcie…

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The Annex shines light on our own Inner Circles
By: Katie Ritchie: Staff Writer: April 2008

            This past weekend, the Annex was home to La Cosa Nostra’s Inner Circles, a play written and directed by our very own Verhanika Wood. The story details the breakdown of a lifetime friendship between three girls as their lives progress through graduate school. Each girl represents the hidden battles that haunt us all, including the need to absorb the spotlight, the desire to please everyone, and the longing to fit in.

The small space of the Annex was transformed into four playing areas, with the seating creating a window pane border between the areas. With chairs interspersed between the four playing areas and around the outside walls of the annex, if one were to look from the air, he or she would see a window pane, almost as if the actors are being watched or analyzed from outside. Each area was distinctively different; one referenced a classy restaurant theme, with a black and white designed floor, while the other three were references to each different character. Scattered with

clothes and bright oranges, purples, and pinks, the room was the dominant playing area for most of Maureen’s significant scenes (played by Kalin Diener). Just as the set helped define the characters, so did the costumes. Extensive as they were, the costumes seemed to follow a theme for each character. Pink seemed to dominate the wardrobe of Anya (played by Ally Pekins). Likewise, yellow and green were dominating for Victoria (Nicole Dramis).

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The Truth Isn’t So Sweet: Re/Membering Aunt Jemima
By: Alicia Richardson
Asst. Reviews Editor: April 2008

            Like many other unwitting breakfast lovers, I have always enjoyed Aunt Jemima’s pancake mix without realizing the real story behind the woman on the box. It never occurred to me that she had one. I only thought of her as a made-up caricature, but never as an actual person. I gained a whole new perspective by seeing Glenda Dickerson’s Re/Membering Aunt Jemima: A Menstrual Show. 

Photo Provided by Marcus Finley

            The play tells the tale of Aunt Jemima: from her working days in a plantation home to putting her famous recipe into a pancake mix. In the play, Aunt Jemima uses her famed image as a stereotypical “mammy” to help parlay her career into
acting. Dickerson chose an intriguing form to tell the story: a minstrel show. American minstrel shows began in the early 1800s and quickly gained popularity by exploiting Black stereotypes, oftentimes in black face.

            I was wary of the minstrel premise at first, but relieved to see the satire of the piece evident from the play’s start. Painted portraits of all the major players lined the walls of the lobby. However, none of the portraits had faces, except for a few sets of red, clown-like lips. The artwork was a fitting prelude to a show about smiling, yet unhappy and unknown entities.

The Black Actors Guild’s production had an intimate setting, with
audience and performers both onstage. It made the Conradi more of a black box and less of a proscenium, giving the actors more of an opportunity to interact with the crowd, as the play’s vaudeville-like routines sometimes required a little wink or nudge to an audience member. The close proximity allowed the performers to ham it up.

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The Play’s the Thing Is a Wonderful Thing
By Stacey Bridewell: Staff Writer: April 2008

         From the moment the curtain rose at the Asolo’s Mertz Theatre in Sarasota, I was already impressed with the set, courtesy of scenic designer Nathan Heverin. A peach-colored art deco hotel suite appeared like a dream as the play began. The doors of the room’s balcony were opened to reveal a glittering gulf in the moonlight. The song “Moonglow” drifted lazily into the theatre and set a nostalgic tone for a 1930s comedic romp written by Ferenc Molnár and adapted by P.G. Wodehouse.

         The Play’s the Thing begins with three men arriving at a luxurious
Palm Beach hotel late in the night. Mansky, Sandor Turai, and Albert Adam are producer, playwright, and director. Albert is engaged to Ilona, the star of the three men’s upcoming play and the occupant of the suite next door. The three men have arrived at the hotel earlier than they were expected. Albert is devastated to overhear an unsettling conversation in the other room between Ilona and her previous lover, the actor Almady. The rest of the play devolves into Sandor’s plot to patch things up between Ilona and Albert. It is a plot reminiscent of the twists and turns of Shakespeare’s plays.

Each man is clad in a white dinner suit very reminiscent of the era. Costume designer, Andrea Huelse, did a superb job of evoking the gentility and charm of 1930s fashion. The main female character, Ilona, appeared in several breathtaking silk dresses, one of which had an adorable pair of fluffy heels to match. Each time she reappeared in a different outfit, there was a faint ooh and aah from the ladies in the audience. 

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