One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Playwright:   Dale Wasserman, based on the novel by Ken Kesey.

Venue:  The Edge Theatre, 1560 Teller Street, Lakewood Colorado.

Company:  The Edge Theatre Company

Running Time:  2 hours, 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

Date of Performance:  Thursday, June 13, 2013.

Dale Wasserman's script for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest takes place in a mental institution, the very place where we try to separate the sane from the insane and "treat" the insane. Randale P. McMurphy, a malingering convict trying to serve out his sentence in the relative comfort of a mental institution, is introduced into the mix of patients under the care of Nurse Ratched and Dr. Spivey.  

It's a perfect construct.  We see how the sane, but conniving McMurphy fares in the hands of mental health professionals.  Feigning insanity, rebelling at every opportunity, McMurphy would quickly be returned to prison if the mental health system works as expected.  Of course, it doesn't.  

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a very ambitious undertaking for The Edge.  It's a large cast (15-16) on a small stage, requiring careful blocking, lighting, and direction.  Despite the challenges, the production is seamless.  Director Rick Yaconis has made full use of every inch of the stage, while managing the intricate entrances and exits needed with such a large cast.

The set is simple but effective.  One gets the sense of being in the "institution," complete with the doors, windows, and a nurses station.  Lighting is "spot on."  At several points in the performance, Chief Bromden (Sam Gilstrap) is alone on a darkened stage for a monologue.  In each case, a single spotlight is used to great dramatic effect, lighting the Chief while he talks to his ancestors.

Left:  Scott Bellot (McMurphy)  Right:  Sam Gilstrap (Chief)

Gilstrap does something that is surely difficult for an actor:  he pretends he's deaf.  The illusion is complete; he does not respond to any speech, noise, or commotion.  Those who haven't seen the play (or the movie) might be surprised to learn that it's an act.  When he finally speaks, one marvels at the sound of his voice and the depth of his thoughts.  Gilstrap creates a convincing, powerful Chief who finds himself by the end of the play.

The patients who shuffle on and off stage (listed below) are at times frightening, charming, and puzzling.  They display a variety of mental issues, ranging from delusional to catatonic.  I think it no insult to say that each and every patient on this stage is convincingly crazy.  Joe Von Bokern (Billy Bibbitt) is outstanding; he flawlessly delivers lines that require repeated stuttering.  Besides the stuttering, though, Von Bokern must create a Billy who is vulnerable, innocent, and tragic. His performance brings out that vulnerability and innocence which ultimately contributes to his tragic end.  

Nurse Ratched is the villain here, and Jada Roberts is a sufficiently evil and menacing Ratched.  She never cracks a smile, unless she's getting the best of McMurphy. Roberts plays Ratched somewhat sympathetically.  She doesn't really dislike the patients, she's just following the rules.  That those rules are senseless, oppressive, degrading, and damaging to the patients is not her concern.

Maggy Stacy adds some spice, some heat, and some fun to the cast in her role as Candy Starr ("a common prostitute"). Stacy plays a floozy with flair, at times stealing the scene from Chief, Billy, and McMurphy.

Those have seen the film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest will remember Jack Nicholson playing Randle P. McMurphy.  That is one tough act to follow, but Scott Bellot is more than equal to the task.  He plays McMurphy with a swagger, a wink, and a smile.  He brings a mix of attitude, energy, and mischief to the performance, all of which are genuine traits we would expect in McMurphy.  I'm also told by some of the female audience members in the first row that his shirtless look is "hot."  

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a work that entertains, makes us laugh, but ultimately reveals much about how we treat our friends, families, and neighbors with mental problems.  It is much more dark than funny.

Despite their mental issues, each patient, in his own way, retains a great deal of what makes us all human beings.  That they are treated so poorly may make you uncomfortable.  That we, collectively, are responsible for a system that could swallow up a sane person (McMurphy) and totally ruin him may also make you uncomfortable.

And that, I think, is the ultimate value of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  We are reminded that we may someday be judged by the way we treat the "least" among us.  It's a reminder, sadly, that we truly need.

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" at The Edge is a sobering theater experience.  It is also a theater experience not to be missed.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  Photos by Rachel D. Graham for The Edge Theatre Company.

GRATUITOUS SOAPBOX COMMENTARY

If any reader has the impression that the treatment of the mentally ill as depicted in the 1960's has somehow magically been remedied, please disabuse yourself of that notion.  Consider this:  while recent gun control debates have emphasized the problems with the availability of weapons for the mentally ill, there is little likelihood that anything will change.

Nor is the issue limited to treatment of the mentally ill.  Other vulnerable individuals whose care is left to the professionals routinely suffer similar results.

If nothing else, perhaps The Edge and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest will be a catalyst for a few individuals to take action.  Changing the system is difficult, perhaps impossible.  But there is honor in the effort, and a chance that even the poor, defenseless and weak among us may someday be treated with dignity.

For that, I thank The Edge and the cast and crew of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  May your contribution to the community someday be remembered as the difference you made by putting on a powerful, provocative One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

NOTES:  

Photo Credits:  Rachel D. Graham for The Edge Theatre Company.

This show closes on June 30, 2013.  

There is some strong language and some disturbing violence in this performance, so use discretion if you want to bring children.  

Pre-show dining suggestions:  Elephant Bar or Ted's Montana Grill in the Belmar area.  Both restaurants are within a few minutes of the theater.

Director:  Rick Yaconis

Scenic Design:  Justin Lane

Lighting/Sound Design:  Alex Ruhlin

Costumer Design:  Caroline Smith

Cast (The Staff):

Dr. Spivey:  Randy Diamon

Nurse Ratched:  Jada Roberts

Nurse Flinn:  Kelly Ann Dwyer

Aide Warren:  Peter T. Marullo

Aide Williams:  Ryan Danielson

Aide Turkle:  Donovan Arterburn III

Cast (The Patients):

Randle P. McMurphy:  Scott Bellot

Dale Harding:  Ken Street

Chief Bromden:  Sam Gilstrap

Scanlon:  Leroy Lenard

Cheswick:  John Greene

Martini:  Ryan Goold

Ruckley:  Bob Byrnes

Cast (The Guests):

Candy Starr:  Maggy Stacy

Sandra:  Amanda Flageolle

Sylvia

Playwright:   A. R. Gurney

Venue:  John Hand Theater, 7653 East 1st Place, Denver Colorado

Company:  Sylvia is a joint production of the Firehouse and Spotlight Theatre Companies.  

Running Time:  2 hours, 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Friday, June 7, 2013

Full disclosure:  There are two kinds of people in this world:  those who love dogs and those who love cats.  I'm a dog person, so my objectivity here could be compromised.  Sylvia (the title character) is a dog.  

Dogs are unique pets; they love their owners unconditionally.  The same cannot be said of cats, birds, or fish.  In fact, it can't always be said of people either.  We love some of the people in our lives, but with the possible exception of the love we have for our children, our love is usually conditional.  Sylvia (the dog) brings her unconditional love to Greg and Kate, empty nesters whose relationship is profoundly affected by Sylvia's unrelenting devotion to Greg.

Kate never wanted a dog, much less a dog like Sylvia.  She quickly senses that she must compete with Sylvia for Greg's love, and that she may ultimately lose that competition.  When Greg brought Sylvia home, he effectively introduced a third person into a committed couples' relationship.  He didn't foresee the impact Sylvia would have on his marriage or on his career.

Portraying an animal onstage is a challenge; one must not only express the animals' thoughts and emotions, but also the appropriate mannerisms for that animal.  Sometimes this is accomplished through technical marvels (Warhorse, Lion King).  In Sylvia, it is accomplished by a thorough understanding and recreation of dog's personality, movements, and habits.  The effect is, frankly, amazing.

Sara Metz as Sylvia is the most convincing dog you may ever see onstage.  She nails it. 

Andy Anderson (Greg) and Sara Metz (Sylvia)

From the first few lines of the first scene, she not an actress-she is a dog.  She IS Sylvia.  Playing Sylvia is physically exhausting to watch, and I'm sure it's physically exhausting for Metz to perform.  She must need a "dog nap" (as opposed to a "cat nap") after the show.  She is onstage for nearly the entire performance and is constantly moving around on her hands and knees. 

Emma Messenger (Tom/Phyllis/Leslie) plays multiple roles, convincingly portraying both male and female characters with equal ease.  She is a gifted actress; she appeared last year in the marvelous ensemble for The Laramie Project.  (If you missed The Laramie Project, you missed one of the best local productions of 2012.)  Messenger's roles here are important for the plot, but also for her ability to deliver a punchline that has punch.  She wrings out every possible laugh every time she is on stage.

Andy Anderson (Greg) must be a dog lover offstage, because he is definitely a dog lover onstage.  To his credit, Greg returns Sylvia's unconditional love, but to his detriment, the love he has for Sylvia is love he has denied to Kate.  Anderson helps us understand and empathize with the lovable but misguided (and frankly lost) Greg.

Molly Killoran is a complex Kate; she's career woman, wife, and mother.  She's  justifiably

Sara Metz (Sylvia) and Molly Killoran (Kate)

conflicted by the distressing relationship between her husband and his dog.  Her character arc requires her to go from rejecting Sylvia to accepting her.  Killoran never misses a beat; the audience believes her evolution from rejection to acceptance.  

Katie Mangett (Director) skillfully brings out all the emotional and comedic moments, and has an obvious insight into all the things we love about dogs.  

Sylvia is a comedy with a message about our relationships to our dogs and to each other.  It's an important message, delivered with laugh out loud fun.  (I couldn't stop laughing at Sylvia's reaction to a cat on her turf; it's hilarious.)  Whether you favor canines or felines, you will be charmed, amused, and perhaps inspired by Sylvia.  It's an entertaining show that will both make you laugh and make you think.  

SPOILER ALERT:  Never having seen Sylvia, I did not know it includes music (a single song).  It's a poignant moment in the script, and Anderson, Metz, and Killoran are marvelous singing both individually and harmonizing together for Cole Porter's Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye.

Chemo

MORE FULL DISCLOSURE:  It's a long story, but I have a cat.  I don't "own" a cat; no one does.  Chemo is a male Blue Russian cat, which creates conflict and competition for both of us.  So far, I'm still the Alpha Male in the house, but he's gaining on me.  Chemo is one of the main reasons I fall in the "dog person" category.

NOTES:  

Photo Credits:  Spotlight Theatre Company.

This show closes on June 29, 2013.  

Expect some F-bombs here (yes, Sylvia has a potty mouth), so use discretion if you want to bring children.  (No nudity or violence).  Pre-show dining suggestions:  Salty Rita's and Serioz Pizza, both nearby at Lowry Town Center.

Director:  Katie Mangett

Scenic Design:  Bernie Cardell

Lighting Design:  Brian Miller

Costumer Design:  Greg West

Cast:

Sylvia:  Sara Metz

Greg:  Andy Anderson

Kate:  Molly Killoran

Tom/Phyllis/Leslie:  Emma Messenger

The Drowsy Chaperone

Max Ferguson, Scott RC Levy, & Becca Vourvoulas

Book by:   Bob Martin and Don McKellar

Venue:  Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Running Time:  2 hours, 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Friday, May 31, 2013

The Drowsy Chaperone begins with a bit of irony; the narrator/Man in Chair is "blue" ("blue" being a little self-conscious anxiety resulting in a non-specific sadness). The cure for the blues?  Man in Chair takes us back to a fictional 1928 musical (one of his favorites) called "The Drowsy Chaperone."  The irony is that although the Man in Chair is blue, no one else is after the exhilarating, laugh out loud romp that is The Drowsy Chaperone.

A play within a play, the Man in Chair plays his cherished 33 and 1/3 RPM long playing record (Google it if you don't know what that is) of the Drowsy Chaperone original soundtrack as the story plays out before our eyes on the stage.

Having won five Tony Awards in 2006, The Drowsy Chaperone is a nearly perfect night at the theater.  It has an inventive and very funny script, engaging music, and fizzy choreography.  Predictably, it is no small feat to put this production together.  Finding the right mix of acting, singing, dancing, comedic timing, and musical talent is difficult, but the success of The Drowsy Chaperone depends heavily on all of these elements.

Director Cory Moosman has put together a superb cast that is more than equal to the task.  Each is multitalented, and the cast is truly greater than the sum of the its parts.  They don't just bring the necessary talent to the stage, but also an infectious energy and a sincere sense of fun.  

Becca Vourvoulas as Janet Van De Graaff

Becca Vourvoulas (as Janet Van De Graaff) is a show stopper; she can hold a note for what seems like an eternity.  The term "takes your breath away" is descriptive; that she doesn't pass out from a lack of oxygen is amazing.  

Max Ferguson (as Robert Martin) and Zachary Seliquini Guzman (as George) are marvelous doing "Cold Feets" in the first act.  Tap dancing is not yet a lost art, but it's close.  Ferguson and Guzman remind us why we love the clickety clack of feet on floorboards.  The two of them do a difficult dance routine flawlessly and with a flourish. They earned the spontaneous, sincere applause the audience showered on them at the end of the number.

The technical crew is as talented as the cast; the set, lighting, sound, and costumes were all top shelf.  Costume designer Janson Fangio dressed the cast in authentic 1920s outfits, with an emphasis on color, fit, and finish.  Thanks to Fangio. everyone on the stage looked picture perfect for their roles.  

Obviously, no musical production can succeed without excellent music, and the musicians under Jay Hahn's direction provide it in abundance.  All too often the musicians labor in the background, in the dark, and in a pit.  Director Cory Moosman wisely gave the audience a chance to recognize them at the opening of the second act.  

I haven't said much about the plot here; it is a farce, after all, and what else do you need to know?  Suffice it to say that virtually every woman on stage is wearing a wedding dress at the end.  I don't do spoilers, so you'll have to see for yourself how a show about a wedding (singular) turns into a show about a half dozen couples heading to the altar.

The Drowsy Chaperone ticks all the boxes.  It's a high energy, outrageously funny evening of musical theater.  

NOTES:  

Photo Credits:  

Jeff Kearney, T. D. C. Photography, and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

This show closes on Sunday June 2, 2013.  

This is a family show; there's no vulgarity, no nudity, and no violence.  For pre-show dining, check out Cafe 36 at the Fine Arts Center.  They do a special menu for each production; The Drowsy Chaperone menu was excellent.  I highly recommend the Adobo Braised Pork Relleno.

Director:  Cory Moosman

Scenic Design:  Erik D. Diaz

Lighting Design:  Jonathan Spencer

Costumer Design:  Janson Fangio

Sound Design:  Christian Medovich

Musical Director:  Jay Hahn

Choreography:  Mary Ripper Baker

Cast:

Man in Chair:  Scott RC Levy (also Producing Artistic Director)

Mrs. Tottendale:  Laurie Gabriel

Robert Martin:  Max Ferguson

George:  Zachary Seliquini Guzman

Adolpho:  Stephen Day

Janet Van De Graaff:  Becca Vourvoulas

The Drowsy Chaperone:  Amy Sue Hardy

A Message from Bill....

Coming out of the woods....

May, 2013 has been very difficult at my house.  

Linda passed away.  

We had contracted to sell our condo and buy a single family home; I closed on May 20 on the new place.  Without her.  With a great deal of help and support from family and friends, I have now fully occupied the new place.

It's time now for me to get back to work.

Linda loved theater, and I couldn't help but be swept up in her enthusiasm.  She would have wanted me to keep going to, enjoying, and writing about the Denver theater experience.

Of course, it's not like actual work.  I love the Denver theater community.  All of it.  Every company, every venue, and every show.  I can be critical, but the experience of live theater always has its rewards. 

Watch for postings in the near future.  I hope to start with "The Drowsy Chaperone" at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.  I'll try to catch "Baby" at Cherry Creek as it was one of Linda's favorite musicals.

Thanks to all for your tremendous support during an emotionally challenging time for me.  

As of today, though, it's a new day.  I'm getting back to the magic created daily on stages all over Colorado.

Bill

It's a new day....

My heart is broken.

Linda passed away on Monday, May 6, 2013.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer on May 2, 2006; we put in her hospice exactly 7 years later on May 2, 2013.

She was my wife.

She was my partner.

She was my lover.

She was my best friend.

I already miss her.  I will never forget her. 

She was a Henry Judge for the Colorado Theater Guild.  Theater was her love and her passion.  We spent many hours in theaters all over the front range, and she loved EVERY minute of it.

I have not been posting much lately, as Linda's health rapidly declined in the last few weeks.  I spent most of my time recently supporting and caring for her.  Many thanks to all who have helped me during the most difficult time of my life.

I hope to resume reviews soon; I know that's what Linda would want.  

For those who tend to put it off, I ask you to honor Linda by doing regular breast self exams.

I want to thank Rick Yaconis at "The Edge Theatre" for dedicating the Monday, May 6 performance of The Shadow Box to Linda.  I know she would have been surprised, proud, and ecstatic about the dedication.

Bill

https://www.facebook.com/bilweeler

Always...Patsy Cline

Photo by Ronnie Gallup

Written by:   Ted Swindley

Venue:  Parker Arts, Culture, & Events Center, Parker, Colorado

Producer:  Starkey Theatrix

Running Time:  2 hours (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Saturday, April 20, 2013, 2:00 PM

John Moore, a very wise and widely respected theater critic, recently expressed the opinion that: 

"Two things the new generation of self-starting blogger critics have in common: Almost none of them are paid anything close to gas money to write about theater. And, perhaps coincidentally—perhaps not—what they write is almost always insufferably, uselessly positive."  

As a "self starting blogger critic," I fully agree.  If one is going to "hold the mirror up to the artists," that mirror must include the warts.  Although I am sometimes guilty as charged, I also point out the warts when necessary, such as here, here, and here.

However, despite Mr. Moore's excellent advice, I won't be reporting any warts for Always...Patsy Cline.  That's not due to the reasons Mr. Moor points out in his opinion piece;  rather, it's because there aren't any. 

There are so many things done right in Always...Patsy Cline that it's difficult to know where to start.  So here's a short list of what really works well:

1.  The set is striking, and Director John Moore makes full use of all of it.  

2.  The band (The Bodacious Bobs) is excellent, and Moore puts them in the center of the        stage, not in a pit.  That's a great move; music is, after all, performance art. Seeing the performance as well as hearing it puts faces to the music.  

3.  The lighting, including follow spots for the actors as they stride all over the stage and into the audience, is precise, focused, and sharp.  

4.  The costumes range from basic (for Louise Seger, portrayed by Carla Kaiser Kotrc) to stunning (for Patsy Cline, played by Megan Van De Hey).  Van De Hey performs at one point in a black sparkly evening gown that literally lights up the stage, and follows that with her skin tight gold lamé pants with cowgirl boots.  Costumers Rae and Laurie Klapperich have expertly dressed their characters to bring out their separate but complementary personalities.

5.  The multimedia (audio, video, photos) piece is projected on a giant screen behind the actresses.  Sometimes these technical tricks intrude and detract; here they enhance and emphasize the story.

The real strength, though, of Always...Patsy Cline is the heartfelt and engaging performances by Megan Van De Hey and Carla Kaiser Kotrc.  Both are at the top of their games, charming each other and the audience with their sincerity, humor, and love for each other.

Given the title, one would expect Patsy Cline to be the starring role here.  But one would be wrong; these two actresses are the very definition of "co-stars."  While music is certainly the focus of Always...Patsy Cline, there is also a story here, and they share equally in telling that story.  It's about the unlikely relationship between a housewife and a celebrity that endured until Cline's death in an airplane crash in 1963.  Van De Hey and Kaiser Kotrc have a special chemistry; the audience never doubts the love each has for the other as they tell their story.

Obviously, no musical production can succeed without excellent music. Always...Patsy Cline has Patsy's library of country hits, and they still sound great 50 years later.  With the Bodacious Bobs providing the instruments and Megan Van De Hey the lyrics, one can actually believe for two hours that Patsy never died in that crash.  Van De Hey looks like, and sounds like, the Patsy Cline America loved...and still loves.  

Despite good advice to the contrary, I can find no warts in Always...Patsy Cline.  Perhaps the director will forgive me for this "relentless sea of acidic sunshine."  I certainly hope so, because in my view, Always...Patsy Cline is a very rewarding evening of music and memories, served up by an excellent cast and crew.  

NOTES:  

Photo Credit:  John Moore

This show has been extended, but will close on April 27, 2013.  

This is a family show; there's no vulgarity, no nudity, and no violence.  

Tickets (if you can get them) are here.

Director:  John Moore

Scenic Design:  Shaun Albrechtson

Lighting Design:  Richard Spomer

Costumers:  Rae and Laurie Klapperich

Musical Director:  Jalyn Courtenay Webb

Cast:

Patsy Cline:  Megan Van De Hey

Louise Seger:  Carla Kaiser Kotrc

Also on stage:  The Bodacious Bobs

Joe Bob:  Piano (Neal Dunfee)

Jim Bob:  Pedal Steel Guitar (Bob Case)

Billy Bob:  Lead Guitar (Jason Tyler Vaughn)

Jay Bob:  Bass Guitar (Scott Alan Smith)

Bob Bob:  Drums (Dan Hoeye)

The Other Place

Playwright:   Sharr White

Venue:  The Dairy Center for the Arts,  Boulder Colorado

Company:  Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company

Running Time:  85 minutes (no intermission)

Date of Performance:  Thursday, April 4, 2013

We all believe that we are operating in a shared, structured world.  Reality is, well, "real."  It's fixed, constant, inflexible.  Or so we believe.

Unfortunately, this belief is sometimes wrong.  It can be valid 98% of the time, but there are those rare and disturbing times when "reality" as we know it utterly fails us.  

Reality, ironically, is actually personal, subjective, and pliable.  We define it with tiny electrical charges and chemical reactions in our brains, and then filter the results through our personal experiences.  The truth is that sometimes the electrical charges and chemical reactions run amok, distorting our "reality."  That distortion and loss of reality is at the core of The Other Place.  

The story is told by Dr. Juliana Smithton (Rachel Fowler), who is obviously a brilliant biophysicist who works as a research scientist for a pharmaceutical company.  As the show opens, she is lecturing a group of doctors who have traveled to the Virgin Islands to hear her pitch the revolutionary new drug the company has developed.  The new drug, ironically, is designed to treat the disease she is developing before our eyes. 

She's smart, sassy, focused, and professional, but she has an "episode" and becomes disoriented during her Power Point presentation.  As we soon learn, she is losing her grip on her memories, her faculties, and her family.  

Erica Young, Josh Hartwell, Rachel Fowler

Rachel Fowler's performance is intense, moving gracefully from an intelligent professional woman to a confused, angry victim of episodic dementia.  It would be an understatement to say Fowler does this well; her performance is inspired, convincing, and acutely personal.  She connects with the audience in a way that makes us suffer the confusion, the frustration, and the anger with her.  We cannot help but be drawn into the frightening "reality" she inhabits.

Josh Hartwell is magnificent as Smithton's husband; he is at times loving and supportive of his wife, and at times frustrated and angry with her.  He's a reluctant but devoted caregiver, but he's also an oncologist, utterly unable to do what he is trained to do:  treat and cure his patient.  Hartwell plays the role with a perfect mix of the husband, doctor, caregiver, father personas that the script requires.

Erica Young plays multiple roles, which actually advances the story by giving Julianna's confusion some plausible context.  Young moves seamlessly from character to character.  Pay attention to her portrayal of a woman who comes home to find a stranger in her house.  Young delicately mixes the surprise, the fear, and the sensitivity of the character in a way that is both appropriate and credible.

The Other Place literally takes us out of our comfort zone, to "the other place," where memories and reality are not what they seem.  It's a disturbing detour from that comfort zone, and a must see theater experience.  The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (BETC) has three hits in a row by my count, How the World Began and Ghost Writer being the other two.  If you haven't seen something at BETC this season, you have missed what may be the best productions on the front range this year.  

NOTES:  

This show runs through April 7, 2013. A few vulgarities may offend some, but this play is otherwise suitable for teens and up.  However, the subject is disturbing, especially if a loved one has suffered Alzheimer's or other dementia.  

Playwright Sharr Wright is a graduate of Fairview High School, which is less than 5 miles from the Dairy Center where his work is making its Regional Premiere.

Photo Credits:  Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company

Tickets (if you can get them) are here.

Director:  Penny Walrath Cole

Scenic Design:  Christopher M. Waller

Sound Design:  Andrew Metzroth

Lighting Design:  Steven McDonald

Costume Design:  Charlotte Ballard

Cast:

Dr. Juliana Smithton:  Rachel Fowler

Dr. Ian Smithton:  Josh Hartwell

The Woman:  Erica Young

The Man:  Benaiah Anderson

Spamalot

Book & Lyrics:   Eric Idle  

Music:  John Du Prez & Eric Idle

Venue:  Buell Theater,  Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 950 13th Street, Denver Colorado

Company:  Phoenix Entertainment

Running Time:  2 hours, 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

I was never a big fan of Monty Python.  I had a chance to see Spamalot at the Denver Center the last time it played Denver, but I turned it down.  It was an expensive evening out that I didn't think I'd enjoy very much.

That's a mistake I will NOT make again.  It turns out that you don't have to be a Python fan to appreciate the comic genius that is Spamalot.

The current touring production is in Denver for a very brief run (March 28-30), again at the Buell Theater.  Opening night was a nearly full house, and the audience was fully engaged from the opening note of the overture.

If you haven't seen Spamalot, you don't have to worry about any spoilers ahead.  The script is, to be delicate, not exactly a detailed, historically accurate story about Camelot.  It's impossible to spoil the plot, which is loosely based on a search for the "Holy Grail."  

The story (and that may be a generous characterization) is strictly a vehicle for the humor.  If you're a Python fan, the humor is what matters, and here it runs the gamut from pratfalls to sight gags; from flatulence jokes to bad puns ("alms for the poor" is unforgettable).  This touring production is spectacular; it even includes a Las Vegas style dancing and singing extravaganza ("what happens in Camelot stays in Camelot").  The choreography and music are splendidly executed, even as they sometimes skewer the very Broadway genre we are seeing ("The Song That Goes Like This" and "The Diva's Lament").  If you don't leave the theater humming "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," check your pulse.  You may need medical attention.

If there's a message for us in Spamalot (and I think there is), it's to find your place in the world:

"When your life seems to drift

When we all need a lift

Trim your sail

You won't fail

Find your Grail, Find your Grail"

Good advice, delivered with heart and humor.  

Spamalot is, at its heart, an exquisite satire, giving us caricatures of British history, French rudeness, frolicking Finns, Jewish producers/performers, and most importantly, a stinging indictment of Broadway theater "entertainment."  It's all in good fun, of course, especially if your favorite ox is not being gored.

If you're looking for your own Holy Grail, Spamalot is a great start for your quest.  

NOTES:  

This show runs through March 30, 2013. Suitable for tweens and up.  

Tickets here.

Director:  Mike Nichols, recreated by BT McNicholl

Scenic Design:  James Kronzer

Choreography:  Casey Nicholaw, recreated by Scott Taylor

Sound Design:  Craig Cassidy

Lighting Design:  Mike Baldassari

Cast (main characters):

King Arthur:  Arthur Rowan

Sir Lancelot:  Adam Grabau

Sir Dennis Galahad:  Joshua Taylor Hamilton

Lady of the Lake:  Abigail Raye