News and Reviews!
The Republican, "65 Years of Broadway" - Seven Angels Theater
Performers made local musical just ‘loverly’
By James V. Ruocco
From The Republican - American
Waterbury – “This looks like Halloween,” lamented one excited man
during the second act of Tom Chute’s three-hour musical “65 Years of
Broadway.” He wasn’t, of course, referring to the production. He
was reacting to the many costume changes that transformed local
performers into phantoms, witches, hippies, hookers, drag queens,
ball players, and strippers.
Those designs, smartly executed by Jennifer Emerson and
Jessica Grover, recalled moments from “The Wiz,” “Phantom of the
Opera,” “Fosse,” “La Cage Aux Folles,” “Damn Yankees,” and “Gypsy.”
Other shows featured in the Tony Awards salute included “The King
and I,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “My Fair Lady,” “Cabaret,” “The Music
Man,” and “Sunset Boulevard.”
The production, directed by Tom Chute, also paid tribute
to WATR’s 65th anniversary. But unless you listen to the station,
nostalgia about Meadow Street, Jay Clark, and 1934, isn’t going to
mean a thing. Nor will links to WATR and Broadway Tony winners.
Divided into seven segments, ranging from “The First
Tonys” to “The 90s,” the production was best viewed for the
performances of many local theater vets and newcomers. Let’s start
with some highlights by kids and newcomers.
Nine-year-old Andrew Blau from Glastonbury was
sensational. Given edited versions of “Wilkommen,” “76 Trombones,”
and “Ya Got Trouble” to perform, this youngster surprised everyone
with his polished delivery of the lyrics and strong stage
personality.
Dillon Ford offered theatergoers a sweet, perfectly
pitched rendition of “My Fair Lady’s” poignant “On the Street Where
You Live.” Ten-year-old Jozef Fahey was not only the best part of
“Together Wherever We Go,” but managed to stand out even when lots
of other kids and adults were around him. It’s called stage
presence.
Marissa Follow, of Wolcott, gave a showstopping
interpretation of “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” from “My Fair Lady.” In
addition to her very professional sounding singing voice, she acted
the part of Eliza Doolittle perfectly and had no problem with the
English accent.
Equally impressive was Seven Angels newcomer Kelly
Boylin. Her beguiling vocal “On My Own,” from “Les Miserables”
sounded right off the Broadway show album.
David O’Connor and Asa Wember’s excellent set design
nicely reflected the show’s Tony Award theme. The costumes by
Emerson and Glover complemented the show’s different styles,
periods, and mood swings. They were handsome, colorful and when the
song called for it – in the best sense “very Halloweenish.
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Tackles EVITA
Hartford - A cast of over 50 students from the Greater
Hartford Academy of the Arts at The Learning Corridor will tackle
the major production of EVITA for their annual spring musical. Under
the direction of Julia Kiley, who has worked with such Broadway
luminaries as Martin Charmin, John Weidman, Jerry Zaks, and
Stephen Sondheim, the talented cast of diverse high school
students from all over Connecticut will show everyone what hours of
rehearsals and commitment can do. With students on stage, behind the
scenes and in the orchestra pit, nearly one quarter of the Academy
students will come together for this amazing production.
Eva Peron, Argentina 's controversial First Lady
is the subject of this dynamic musical masterpiece. As an
illegitimate fifteen-year-old, Eva escaped her dirt-poor existence
for the bright lights of Buenos Aires . Driven by ambition and
blessed with beauty and charisma, she was a starlet at
twenty-two, the president's mistress at twenty-four, First Lady at
twenty-seven, and dead at thirty-three. Told through a compelling
score and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the production fuses
haunting chorales with exuberant Latin, pop and jazz influences,
EVITA creates and arresting theatrical portrait as complex as the
woman herself.
EVITA is known as one of the most challenging
musicals to perform. “The Academy students do themselves proud and
more in tackling and -to date- realizing this intricate piece of
theater. They are a testament to the "Art of the Possible," states
Julia Kiley.
There will be two students sharing the role of EVITA.
Kelly Boylin is a junior at Coginchuag Regional High School in
Durham and is a 3 rd year Music major at the Academy. She
appeared in last year's production of 42 nd Street and
recently in a staged reading of the upcoming Broadway musical,
Kid Who Played the Palace , in NYC. She is the recipient of the
Goodspeed Opera House Guild award in musical theater as well as the
Shoreline Arts Alliance Scholarship in vocal performance. "The
chance to play EVITA is amazing and will provide a wonderful growth
experience for me", says Kelly.
Courtney Shaw currently a senior at Glastonbury
High School and is a 4 th year Theater major at the Academy. She has
been performing since the age of 8 with such theater groups as Hole
in the Wall Theater and Ivoryton Playhouse as well as numerous
school productions. Some of the plays include A Christmas Carol,
Quilters, A Spiders' Web, Eponine in Les Miserables and
Ado Annie in Oklahoma ! Courtney is also a member of the
Actors Equity Membership Candidate Program. Courtney states,
"Playing EVITA will be my most challenging and most memorable role
thus far."
Playing the magnificent role of Juan Peron is Trey
Martino who is a senior at Glastonbury High School . Trey is
a 1 st year Theater Design & Production major at the Academy and his
theater credits include: Les Miserables, Arsenic and Old Lace,
Children of Eden , George M., A Funny Thing Happened
on the Way to the Forum, and Beauty and the Beast . Trey
is involved behind the scenes of many productions throughout C
onnecticut and he conducts the Glastonbury High School Spring
Orchestra.
Ralph Colon, Jr., a senior at Bulkeley High School
from our very own Hartford is playing the role of Che
Guevara . Ralph has been a student at the Academy of two
years and is training as a 4 th year Theater major. His theater
credits include: 42 nd Street , A Chorus Line, Fiddler
on the Roof, Cinderella, Children of Eden , Our Town, The
Light Hand, and Till Then. Before moving to Connecticut ,
Ralph attended Howard W. Blake High School of the Performing Arts in
Tampa , Florida . Ralph is also a member of the Actors Equity
Membership Candidate Program.
Students Create “Writing Pictures” – An Original Production
Based On “ Uncle Tom's Cabin”
HARTFORD, CT, -- A unique celebration of Black
History Month will once again take place at The Learning Corridor in
Hartford, February 4-7, with the musical production of “Writing
Pictures: The Harriet Beecher Stowe Experience.” The production's
original script and score have been created, and will be performed,
by 25 students of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, one of
four schools at The Learning Corridor. The event celebrates the 150
th anniversary of the publication of “Uncle Tom's Cabin” and is
co-produced by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford .
“This is a unique and significantly different project,”
remarked Mary Ellen, Public Relations & Marketing for the Harriet
Beecher Stowe Center . “I know of no other performance or artistic
rendition of Stowe's masterpiece which is as original or special as
this production. The students make the difference. Their deep,
personal contribution and amazing creativity make this an
extraordinary celebration of Black History Month.”
Representing a diversity of high school students from the
greater Hartford area, the 25 cast members created “Writing
Pictures” through many hours of discussion, improvisation, free
writing and research. After a class assignment to read “Uncle Tom's
Cabin” and a two-month workshop, the students presented public
readings of the show during December. The readings were followed by
a Question & Answer session with the audience, which encompassed
ideas and questions on current issues of racism and diversity. The
students used these exchanges to help create the final script and
score. It's been an extraordinary journey, from idea to fully staged
musical.
“Audiences who witnessed these powerful readings and
participated in the Q&A watched with intensity and even shed tears
as these high school students sang songs and read poetry depicting
Harriet Beecher Stowe's struggles,” said Mark Wilson, director. “The
show is simply extraordinary. Using Stowe's experience, it evokes
our own profound feelings about diversity and racism which are then
magically wedded into a fantastic, artistic production.” Assisting
Wilson in the “Writing Pictures” production were Matt Farrell,
assistant director, and Jason Paige, a New York-based musical
director.