Tarzan The Stage Musical

Book by:  David Henry Hwang

Music and Lyrics by:  Phil Collins

Venue:  Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada CO, 80302.

Running Time:  2 hour, 15 minutes (includes 20 minute intermission).

Date of Performance:  Sunday, July 20, 2014

You know you're in for something special as soon as Tarzan The Stage Musical opens in Act 1, Scene 1.  You're immersed in an African jungle, as thunder, lightning, and a driving rain surround you.  Your view is filtered through a scrim in front of characters on a cliff, struggling to make it through the storm, vulnerable to a deadly leopard attack.  The sound, the lighting, and the total effect is one not unlike a post-impressionist painting by Henri Rousseau.  The Tarzan opening tableau is at once a beautiful but frightening masterpiece.  It is one of the most engaging opening scenes I have ever witnessed.

Henri Rousseau, Tiger in A Tropical Storm (1891)  Credit:  Wikipedia.

What follows is a kind of magical, if sometimes meandering, journey through two cultures; one of gorillas, and the other a British scientific expedition.  

With such a powerful opening scene, one is given to wonder whether the rest of the production can live up to the appetizer.  On every technical and professional level, Tarzan does indeed deliver on its opening promise.

Shannon McKinney's jungle lighting is superb; one gets the distinct impression that we are really seeing the rainforest, not a stage.  David Thomas treats the audience to an auditory gem, mixing music,vocals, and jungle background sounds, creating a totally immersive audio experience.  Think of the best movie sound tracks you have heard in surround sound.  That's what Thomas has done for Tarzan.

Making actors look like gorillas is pretty near impossible, but Meredith S. Murphy's costumes, combined with Diana Ben-Kiki's wigs and makeup, are about as close as you can get.  The effect is splendid; one immediately accepts the actors as gorillas.  

The Arvada Center has wisely engaged the considerable talents of Flying by Foy to swing its actors over and above the stage.  The vine swinging Tarzan and his gorilla family give the show the flavor of the original "noble savage" Tarzan of Edgar Rice Burroughs.  Considering the dangers of putting multiple actors on swinging vines for substantial parts of the performance, The Arvada Center deserves abundant credit for hiring Flying by Foy to insure their safety.

Brian Mallgrave's set design is a fully functional representation of a jungle rainforest.  However, it is not just functional; it is also a majestic green playground for his actors.

Every single technical, costume, make up, sound, set and lighting detail is spot on.  Tarzan is a BIG Broadway musical, and the Arvada Center has spared no expense to make it look, sound, and feel like a major Broadway production.  

Jennifer Lorae (Jane Porter) and Brian Ogilvie (Tarzan).

Brian Ogilvie is a picture perfect Tarzan, with washboard abs and a loincloth, he becomes the ape man.  The fact that he is gorgeous, though, does not distract the audience from seeing his immense acting and singing talents.  He is the whole package, bringing the title character alive.

Andrew Russell is imposing as the gorilla Terk, befriending Tarzan and helping him adapt to the gorilla culture.  Laurence A. Curry (Kerchak) is the patriarch of Tarzan's gorilla family, and Curry is adept at being both wise and frightening, sometimes simultaneously.  At the show I saw, Curry had a few minor vocal missteps in his otherwise capable performance.

Laurence Curry (Kerchak) and Shannon Steele (Kala).

Jennifer Lorae (Jane Porter) portrays Jane as both a proper British lady and woman who is physically attracted to Tarzan.  Her alternating innocence and lusting are both well played; Lorae is capable of showing us both personalities in the same character.  Her British accent is impeccable, and Tarzan's mutual attraction to her is easy for us to understand.

Shannan Steele (Kala) is Tarzan's surrogate gorilla mother; she is caring, loving, gentle, and charming.  She adopts the human boy and loves him as her own son.  Steele bridges the cultural gap, offering Tarzan a true and loving gorilla family.  Even under heavy make up and a gorilla suit, Steele is the focal point every time she is on stage.

Make no mistake; Tarzan is an impressive production.  However, like most musicals, it is more about the music than the message.  The message here, for my taste, is a weak one: What is the cruelest beast in the jungle?.  I understand that I may not be the ideal demographic for Tarzan.  At its core, it is a show for kids, and it works very well for that target audience.  

Since musicals are more about the music than the message, that music has to be engaging.  Here, again, Tarzan is disappointing.  Phil Collins, who has had an impressive career making music, gives us little to remember here.  The score includes one of his fairly well known songs, You'll Be In My Heart, but otherwise, the music is largely forgettable.  I can pretty much guarantee that no one will leave the theater humming a tune from Tarzan.

I do, however, recommend Tarzan, as it is a marvelous production despite a lackluster script.  If you have kids, bring them.  Not only will they love it, but this is the kind of Broadway show that can inspire kids to get into theater.  For that reason alone, you should consider taking your kids to Tarzan.

NOTES:  

This show is suitable all ages, and highly recommended for kids of all ages.  

This show closes on August 3, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Beaujo's Colorado Style Pizza, 7525 W. 53rd Avenue, Arvada CO, 80002.  Beaujo's is only a few minutes drive to or from the Arvada Center, and offers a traditional Colorado pizza menu.  Choose from Mountain Pies, Prairie Pies, and gluten free pizzas.  Sandwiches, a salad bar, and a full bar are also available.  Happy hour is 3:00-6:00 PM, with daily specials on wells, wines, and beers.

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits:  Arvada Center For The Arts & Humanities, P. Switzer.

Director:  Gavin Meyer

Musical Director: David Nehls

Scenic Design:  Brian Mallgrave

Lighting Design:  Shannon McKinney

Sound Design:  David Thomas

Costume Design:  Meredith S. Murphy

Choreographer:   Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck (also appearing as the Leopard)

Wig & Make Up Design:  Diana Ben-Kiki

Flying by Foy.

Cast:

Tarzan:  Brian Ogilvie

Jane Porter:  Jennifer Lorae

Kala:  Shannan Steele

Kerchak:  Laurence A. Curry

The Full Monty

Book by:  Terrance McNally

Music & Lyrics:  David Yazbek

Company:  Theatre Aspen

Venue:  The Hurst Theatre, 470 Rio Grande Place, Aspen CO, 81611

Running Time:  2 hours 45 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Saturday, July 12, 2014

Theatre Aspen has an ambitious summer schedule; there are three shows running simultaneously in July, The Full Monty among them.  You might think the pace could dilute the quality, but you would be wrong.  The Full Monty is a first rate, fun, sexy, and raucous musical powerhouse.

For those who have seen neither the 1997 film nor the Broadway musical, The Full Monty is essentially a male strip show with a message.  The musical moves the story from England to Buffalo NY, where six unemployed steelworkers are desperately seeking both employment and dignity.  When the bank forecloses, the child support is in arrears, and the job outlook is bleak, desperate men will take desperate measures.  They will even strip for cash to pay the bills.

The Full Monty gives women and couples permission to gawk, leer, and cheer for the "regular guys" who will give them what they want:  the FULL Monty.  No teasing, no winking, no false modesty, but the full frontal fun that doesn't require a trip to a sleazy strip club.  Judging from the audience reaction, everyone was taking full advantage of the opportunity to have some of that forbidden fun.

Terrance McNally's book rises above the sexy subject matter, if only slightly, to reinforce some important family values.  The message here is that there is dignity in being or becoming the best father and husband possible.  Grace, courage, and ingenuity trump the shame and embarrassment of showing your "goods" to a thousand screaming fans.  It's a worthwhile message, but The Full Monty is really about having fun.  At that, it is a wild success.

It would be an understatement to say that the performers are very talented; their bios in the program are replete with Broadway, off-Broadway, regional theater, and film credits.  These are not your aspiring stars.  They are highly successful actors having a summer lark in the mountains.  

They've got the goods.

Take, for example, Tally Sessions, who plays Jerry Lukowski.  His Broadway credits include Big Fish and The House of Blue Leaves.  As the lead character for The Full Monty, he gets the chance to display not just his acting chops, but also his talent for singing and dancing.  He takes full advantage of the opportunity; he is unquestionably a true "triple threat."  His Jerry is sufficiently desperate, sufficiently pathetic, and, most importantly, a sufficiently devoted father.  Sessions brings all the dimensions of Lukowski's character into sharp focus, and injects a mischievous sense of fun into it in the process.

Of course, Sessions is not the only talent on the Theatre Aspen stage.  The show starts with a bawdy, brassy strip show put on by Richard Jarrett ("Keno" Walsh).  I've seen 3-4 productions of The Full Monty, but Jarrett's "warm up" act is by far the best I've ever seen.  In fact, "warm up" doesn't do it justice.  He heats up the crowd to a fever pitch.  Dane Agostinis (Dave Bukatinsky) is marvelous; he exudes masculinity and fragility in equal measure.  Where the others have "six packs," Agostinis has a twelve pack on display.  As he says, "who wants to see THIS dance?"  

The answer, of course, is we all do.  Agostinis represents all of us, the regular guys and gals who do our best to hide our flaws from the world.  We want to see him dance because that gives the rest of us hope that we could do the same.  He overcomes his fear of laughter and humiliation, and in the process, helps all of us with our fears.

The musicians are excellent, but the mix is sometimes a little too heavy; the lyrics can jumble at times.  That said, though, The Full Monty, a la Theatre Aspen, is a high energy hoot.  The production values are top shelf, the talent is amazing, and the venue is spectacular.  If you are looking for a summer mountain getaway, get your tickets.  It's the best show in town, and maybe the best musical in Colorado right now.

Hurst Theatre, Theatre Aspen.

NOTES:  

Parking can be difficult, but there is a public garage at the Visitor Center on Rio Grande.  The theater is in Rio Grande Park, about a 5 minute walk from the parking garage.  The theater is the tent-like structure just past the skate park.

If you have time, spend a few minutes (or longer) at the John Denver Sanctuary, adjacent to the theater.  It's a beautiful and fitting memorial to the man and his music.  Lyrics to some of his most famous songs are etched into stones in the Song Garden.

This show closes on August 9, 2014.  

This show is suitable for mature teenagers; but it is not recommended for children under 12. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Aspen is a foodie paradise.  However, even in the summer, reservations are recommended at the best restaurants.  Since I'm not a foodie, I won't make a recommendation for fine dining in Aspen.  Rather, I will just give you a link or two to help you get started if you're into fine dining.

Forbes Travel Guide

Food and Wine

Taster's Pizza, Aspen.

Much more to my simple tastes was Taster's Pizza, 455 Rio Grande Place, conveniently located at near the parking garage for Theatre Aspen.  Pizza, calzones, pasta, and salads, fast and at a reasonable price.  It's NOT for 
foodies.  It's for the rest of us.

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits: Theatre Aspen

Creative Team:

Director/Choreographer:  Mark Martino

Musical Direction:  Eric Alsford

Scenic Design/Lighting:  Paul Black  

Sound Design:  David Thomas  :  

Production Manager:  Vernon Willet

Costumer:  Nicole M. Harrison

Musicians:

David Dyer:  Conductor, Keyboards

Nicole Patrick:  Drums, Percussion

Scott Wasserman:  Abelton Programmer

Cast:

Georgie Bukatinsky:  Nancy Anderson

Buddy "Keno" Walsh/Ensemble:  Richard Jarrett

Reg Willoughby/Ensemble:  Ed Foran

Marty/Ton Giordano/Ensemble:  John Caliendo

Jerry Lukowski:  Tally Sessions

Dave Bukatinsky:  Dane Agositinis

Malcolm McGregor:  Ben Liebert

Ethan Girard:  Spencer Plachy

Nathan Lukowski:  Carter Graham

Susan Hershey/Molly/Ensemble:  Amber Carson

Joanie Lish/Ensemble:  Kyra Wharton

Estelle Genovese/Ensemble:  Elise Kinnon

Pam Lukowski:  Erica Aubrey

Teddy Slaughter/Ensemble:  Todd Fenstermaker

Harold Nichols:  James Ludwig

Vicki Nichols:  Michele Ragusa

Jeanette Burmesiter:  Mary Stout

Noah "Horse" T. Simmons:  Randy Donaldson

Dolores/Ensemble:  Bailey Frankenberg

Gruesome Playground Injuries

Gruesome Playground Injuries by Raviv Joseph.  Doug (Jamie Wollrab), Kayleen (Laila Ayad)

Playwright:  Rajiv Joseph

Company:  Triptych Theatre Company

Venue:  Carsen Theatre, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder CO, 80302.

Running Time:  1 hour, 30 minutes (no intermission).

Date of Performance:  Thursday, July 10, 2014 (Preview performance)

Rajiv Joseph is a gifted playwright; his Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo garnered him a finalist nomination for a Pulitzer Prize in 2010.  Bengal Tiger is a broad, profound and challenging script, dealing with very big issues.  Unlike Bengal Tiger, Gruesome Playground Injuries (hereafter GPI) narrowly focuses on two self destructive friends who are incapable of emotional growth.

While the two plays have distinctly different focal points, both put the audience in awkward, powerful and yet delicate emotional situations that show us real people at their best...and at their worst.

GPI tells a non-linear story about Doug (Jamie Wollrab) and Kayleen (Laila Ayad) over a period of 30 years.  Friends since they were both eight years old, Doug and Kayleen constantly drift apart and then reconnect during their personal crises.  Doug specializes in physical injuries; he "breaks his face" on the playground and gets hit by lightning, for starters.  Kayleen's crises are more emotional than physical, although her rape contains both elements.  Neither is capable of learning from his or her mistakes.  The episodic crises in bedrooms and emergency rooms are both predictable and inevitable. 

Triptych's production features crackling performances from both Jamie Wollrab and Laila Ayad.  Their chemistry is palpable; their friendship is so deep as to border on platonic love.  Their damaged souls are on constant display, whether they are 8 years old or full grown adults.  

Wollrab is an accomplished, first rate actor; here he ranges from a hurt little boy to a broken adult, evoking our empathy and our sympathy at every turn and at every age.  When Doug learns that Kayleen was raped, he is furious.  Wollrab explodes with sincere fury; he is clearly capable of killing the rapist.  As a child, Wollrab retreats into his little boy mode, speaking in a little boy voice, with little boy facial expressions.  His Doug is simultaneously innocent and toxic, devoted and distant, caring and careless.

Laila Ayad is a talented actress who both complements and confronts Wollrab.  Her alternately angry and loving relationship with Doug is masterful.  She fiercely provokes Doug at times, and yet she can tenderly touch him when he most needs a touch.  She can kiss him one moment, and vomit the next.  She alternately loves and hates Doug, and Ayad makes each moment credible and even logical.  

Director Eric Hunnicutt has added some interesting touches to his version of GPI. I counted approximately seven (7) costume changes for the cast; Hunnicut puts those costumes changes on stage, in full view of the audience.  The first was was a little jarring, but I came to see the costume changes as a metaphor for the these characters who do not "change" no matter what clothes they wear.  Neither Doug nor Kayleen grow emotionally over the 30 year span, and changing their clothes doesn't change their characters.  It's a constant reminder that Doug and Kayleen can change how they look but not who they are. 

Hunnicutt doesn't use projections or some other typical method to tell us what we need to know about the scene changes.  I won't spoil how he gives those cues to the audience, but I found it very effective.  It not only gives the audience the necessary information, but the information stays in their consciousness as the time line shifts back and forth.

Lights (Kevin Fulton) and sound (Rick Reid) are both effective and subtle.  Fulton lights the stage during the costume changes by having the actors switch on floor lamps.  He's signaling to the audience that a costume change is happening, and when the floor lamps are switched off, we know we're back to the story.  Rick Reid's sound design includes an unobtrusive but eery heart monitor during a scene in which Wollrab has literally no lines to speak.  Reid's background "beep...beep...beep" is all we need to hear from Wollrab.

Joseph's final scene is somewhat anticlimactic, leaving the audience in the emotional detritus of his two characters.  There is lesson, no growth, no resolution for them, or for us.  We have witnessed a 30 year friendship that nobly withstands episodic crises, but which never fully blossoms.  Joseph's question for us is "Do we have a Doug or a Kayleen in our lives?"  

Sadly, the answer for most of us is probably "yes."  

We know exactly who Doug and Kayleen are, because we know people just like them.  

Doug (Jamie Wollrab) and Kayleen (Laila Ayad).  

NOTES:  

This show is suitable for teens and up.  Be aware, though, that the script includes adult language and implied rape and violence.

If you're traveling from the north, south, or east, plan on road construction on both Highways 36 and 93.  Both roads can be challenging until the work is done (if ever).  Possible alternate route:  I-25 to exit 229, then west on Highway 7.  Highway 7 becomes Baseline Road near Boulder.  

This show closes on July 20, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Cantina Laredo, 1680 29th Street (29th Street Mall) is close to the theater, and offers an upscale, gourmet Mexican menu.  Dos XX Lager and Amber on draft, and an excellent Margarita menu.  Happy Hour specials, 4:00-7:00 PM.  Dinner menu has several gluten free choices.  It's definitely an upscale atmosphere in the dining room; tables include white linen tablecloths.  Patio seating if you're feeling more casual (and if the weather permits).  Free (and plentiful) parking.

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits:  Triptych Theatre Company.

Director:  Eric Hunnicutt

Scenic Design:  Scott Schuster

Lighting Design:  Kevin Fulton

Sound Design:  Rick Reid

Costume Design:  Caroline Smith

Production/Stage Manager:  Lara Maerz

Cast:

Doug:  Jamie Wollrab

Kayleen:  Laila Ayad

Company

L-R:  Shahara Ray (Joanne), Margaret Ozaki (Jenny), Adam Shelton (Bobby),  Danielle Gillespie (Susan)

Book by:  George Furth 

Music and Lyrics by:  Stephen Sondheim

Company:  Equinox Theatre Company

Venue:  Bug Theatre Theatre, 3654 Navajo Street, Denver CO, 80211.

Running Time:  2 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

Date of Performance:  Saturday, July 5, 2014 

"Did you ever want to be single again, even for just an hour?"

It's an interesting, if somewhat cynical question.  Married or single?  Which is the better way to spend your life?  Is it better to have your "freedom" or to have "company" for life?  

Sondheim is perhaps the best living American contributor to musical theater; his works include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A Little Night Music, and Sweeney Todd.  Perhaps the crown jewels of his resume are the lyrics he wrote for West Side Story and Gypsy.  

Company won six (6) Tony Awards when it debuted on Broadway in 1971. 

Producing Company on the small stage at the Bug Theatre is a challenge.  With a cast of fourteen singers/actors, and a twelve piece orchestra (yes...that's right, a total of 26 performers), it's a huge project (see below for a detailed list of performers/musicians).  

Lest you think the task impossibly difficult, here's the news:  Equinox is more than equal to the challenge.

Director Colin Roybal has minimized the traffic problems created by so many actors entering and exiting the stage by seating them onstage, in the dark, in front of the orchestra.  They are still visible to the audience, but not part of the action.  They enter and exit, but they are constantly onstage.  In effect, they become a mirror of the audience, watching us through the dim light, as we watch them.  I thought this might be distracting.  It's not.  In fact, it rather reinforces the "company" theme they bring to the story.  They're like the "company" that lurks in our lives and never really leaves us.

Adam Shelton (Bobby)

Roybal's cast and orchestra are unquestionably talented.  Adam Shelton (Bobby) has a rich, full, voice to match his first rate acting skills.  Pay attention to his facial gestures; he can convey his mood with saying or singing a word.  Mica Dominguez-Robinson (Marta) has a heavenly voice, and she knows how to use it.  Paul (Matt Cantwell) stands out in every number; he's a natural on the stage.  In fact, all of the voices are superb; when the company combines their voices the effect is like a well tuned engine that both hums and roars. 

The onstage talent (and that includes the orchestra) is on

Side by Side by Side

full display as the second act opens with Side by Side by Side.  It's a marvelous, upbeat, rollicking, high energy gem of a tune that showcases the ample acting, singing, and dancing expertise of this cast.  (See this for an idea of how Side by Side by Side can light up a stage).  I sat up straight in my seat, marveling at the sights, sounds, and energy generated by these performers. 

Sondheim's story is complex, but not very profound, which would make Company a fairly typical Broadway musical.  Bobby's friends, despite their less than optimal marriages, are always trying to hook him up with the right girl.  It turns out that Bobby has already met the right girl(s).  Many of them.  He has also met some guys, and one of them may also be right for him, but he's not talking.  Bobby has a classic male aversion to commitment.  Whether he's ready to work on his relationship issues is something that you'll have to buy a ticket to find out.

It occurred to me that Bobby's dilemma may have a lot more relevance than I realized at first.  The nation is on the verge of permitting same sex marriages in all 50 states.  If you're gay, lesbian, or transgender, and if you've been thinking about marrying the person of your dreams, you may want to see Company just to get some witty and worthwhile perspective on the pros and cons of being married...or single.

I would be negligent if I failed to mention the orchestra, toiling, as it were, in the semi-darkness of their upstage lair.  It's not a musical without live music, and this orchestra is the heartbeat of Company.  So to the orchestra, a tip of my hat for making Sondheim's marvelous music come to life for all of us out in the audience. 

Equinox has taken on a weighty task, and triumphed over the challenges like the big leaguers they are.  Company is a standout, and a superb addition to the Equinox resumé.  In fact, it may well be their best musical production to date.

By way...if you're married, have you thought about the question I asked at the top of this post?  Would you like to be single again, even for just an hour?  

Whatever your answer would be, ask yourself another question now:

Do you really believe the grass is greener somewhere else?  

NOTES:  

This show is suitable for teens and up.  Be aware, though, that the script includes drug use and adult situations.

This show closes on July 19, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Gaetano's Excellente Cucina and Cocktails, 3760 Tejon Street, Denver.  Not unlike the setting for the final scene of the final episode of The Sopranos, Gaetano's is an authentic Italian restaurant once frequented by the local Italian community.  Check out the mug shots in the restrooms; some of Gaetano's clients were wanted by the local and national law enforcement folks.

The food is excellent (try the Lobster Ravioli), and the cocktails are unique.  The sign in the bar states that "The choice of a cocktail is a statement of character."  Choose carefully.  

Free parking across the street.

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits:  Equinox Theatre Company.

Director/Set & Light Design:  Colin Roybal

Music Direction:  Hunter Hall & Michelle Fitzgerald

Production Sound:  Curt Behm

Costume Design:  Susan Rahmsdorff

Cast:

Bobby:  Adam Shelton

Marta:  Mica Dominguez-Robinson

Sarah:  Nancy Begley

David:  Devin Bustamante

Susan:  Danielle Gillespie

Larry:  Joel Silverman

Paul: Matt Cantwell

April:  Kristi Siedow-Thompson

Kathy:  Angela Mendez

Harry:  Patrick Brownson

Jenny:  Margaret Ozaki

Peter:  Timothy Kennedy

Joanne:  Shahara Ray

Amy:  Natasha Gleichmann

Orchestra:

Piano 1:  Michelle Fitzgerald

Piano 2:  Hunter Hall

Violin 1:  Aimee Nelson

Violin 2:  Nancy Larson

Viola:  Karen C. Keehn (Fridays), Marily De Queiroz (Saturdays)

Percussion:  Brian Jaffe

Trombone:  Gary Hand

Cello:  Kevin E. Johnson

Bass:  Ian Hanson

Reed 1:  JD Little

Reed 2:  Aeryk Parker

Trumpet:  Erica Jaffe

The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

Playwright:  Edward Albee 

Company:  Springs Ensemble Theatre Company (SET)

Venue:  Springs Ensemble Theatre, 1903 East Cache La Poudre Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80909.

Running Time:  95 minutes (no intermission).

Date of Performance:  Sunday, June 22, 2014 

Never having seen Albee's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia (hereafter referred to as The Goat), I wasn't sure what to expect.  

Now I know.  

For those who may be similarly unfamiliar with The Goat, be forewarned.  It is very INTENSE.  Springs Ensemble Theater (hereafter referred to as SET) may want to consider providing seat belts and crash helmets to the audience. It should come with a WARNING to sit down, buckle up, and keep your arms inside the ride at all times.  The Goat is disturbing, challenging, frightening, repulsive, and unquestionably the very best theater I have seen in a very long time.

Continuing with the warning theme, the script contains abundant adult language and adult content, including references to incest, bestiality, and pedophilia.  Many would find the themes in The Goat repugnant.  If you might be one of those troubled by these topics, read no further. 

I won't give away the details of the plot, as those details are crucial to the intensity of the performance.  For the details, I suggest that you buy a ticket as soon as possible and discover them just as I did, sitting in a small room with four very talented actors doing a "bang up" job with a strange, but wonderful, script. 

What I can say is that there is love, loss, and heartbreak of a most unusual type.  The married couple, Martin and his wife Stevie, are happy and successful until Martin is outed by his friend Ross; it turns out he's having an affair.  An affair with a goat.  And Martin is in love with Sylvia...his goat friend.  

If you've ever had a relationship go bad on you, The Goat might make you feel better.  No doubt, the circumstances of your breakup were better than those visited upon Stevie.  After all, if your competition is another woman, it doesn't seem so bad.  But a goat?  A GOAT?

L-R Amy Brooks (Stevie), Steve Emily (Martin), Christian O'Shaughnessy (Billy)

As I mentioned, there are four fine actors here at the top of their game.  Steve Emily (Martin) is central, locked in, and a joy to watch.  He may not want The Goat on his resume, since he's a very credible practitioner of bestiality, incest, and perhaps pedophilia here.  Regardless, he veers from dementia to barnyard lust to a full on mouth kiss with his teenage son, all with a "why is everybody picking on me" attitude.  It truly is a masterful performance.

Amy Brooks' performance (Stevie) is dazzling, as is every costume Emory John Collinson puts on her, including the blood splattered one at the end.  She lets go of a long, deep primal scream as she tries, in vain, to process what is happening to her husband and her marriage.  

Billy (Christian O'Shaughnessy), Stevie and Martin's gay son, is understandably distressed about the events.  Still, he loves his parents, despite their flaws.  O'Shaughnessy (who bears a striking resemblance to Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong) is a convincing gay teenager.  He also rocks Emory John Collinson's costumes, looking like he just stepped off a photo shoot set for GQ magazine.

Ross (Tom Auclair) has the smallest role in terms of lines, but he has a very critical role as the one who betrays Martin and spills the dirty secrets.  Auclair wants us to believe he had no choice, and we almost do believe that...but not quite.  Which is exactly what Albee wants.

Director Max Ferguson has assembled a marvelous cast on a marvelous set that he uses and abuses in every possible way.  He takes the characters and the audience on a roller coaster ride while watching a script driven train wreck on the stage.  

The Goat at SET is unforgettable theater.  It is the best production I have seen yet at SET.  Anyone who enjoys the edgiest, the gutsiest, and the most provocative and challenging drama in Colorado should try to get a ticket.  If you can.  

You won't regret it, and you'll not forget it.

NOTES:  

This show is suitable for adults only, and even then it is not for ALL adults.  The content is strictly for open minded persons who are willing to have their sensitivities challenged.  

This show closes on June 29, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Phantom Canyon Brewing Company, 2 E. Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs.  Happy Hour 3:00-600 PM, and 10:00 PM to close (pints for $2.75, pitchers $10.00).  Full selection of handcrafted beers brewed on premises.  It's a fifteen minute drive to/from the theater, so plan accordingly.  Street parking (meters and pay lots).  Menus here.

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits:  Springs Ensemble Theatre.

Director:  Max Ferguson

Set Design: June Scott Barfield

Lighting Design:  Jeremiah Miller

Costume Design:  Emory John Collinson

Sound Design:  Pat Collins

Cast:

Martin:  Steve Emily

Stevie:  Amy Brooks

Ross:  Tom Auclair

Billy:  Christian O'Shaughnessy

The Well of Happiness

Playwright:  Stuart Ostfeld

Company:  Theatre Company of Lafayette (TCL)

Venue:  Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson Street, Lafayette CO

Running Time:  1 hour 50 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Friday, June 20, 2014 (This production is a Colorado Premiere.)

First things first; The Well of Happiness is not for everybody.  It's a serious drama, with serious issues (teenagers, violence, and guns), and provocative and sometimes disturbing content.  Warnings aside, however, The Well of Happiness is an exceptional theater experience.  If you can handle the subject matter, you will definitely be glad you saw this production.

The story line is difficult to describe without spoiling the show, but here's a minimal outline.  Melanie, or "Mel," (Beth Davis) is a freelance advertising agent with a great track record.  We learn that she has just done a brilliant advertising campaign for a clothing line, bringing a female perspective to her clients.   She's a bit obsessive/compulsive; she obviously thoroughly researches and analyzes how to successfully sell her client's products.

Her boss, Nathan (Artemus Martin), asks her to take on a difficult (perhaps impossible) task:  design an advertising campaign for a handgun made specifically for women.  She reluctantly accepts.

Mel (Beth Davis)

Handguns are a product that would be very difficult to sell unless you have a full understanding of both the product and the consumer.  Mel has neither, so she does her research.  She attends a gun safety class.  She does some target shooting at a range.  She reads up  on "state of the art" firearms.  In fact, she becomes so immersed in the gun culture that she becomes a gun owner.

Mel's teenage son Collin (Donny Petro) lives in an alternate world, one where he can live as a non-conforming, anti-social narcissist.  Oh.  And he has a fascination with guns.

Mel and her son are on a trajectory that can only end in tragedy, and so it does.

Beth Davis is adept in the central role of Mel in The Well of Happiness, convincingly moving from skeptic to true believer.  There is a scene at a shooting range, where Mel fires her weapon for the first time.  Her experience is as profound and as unforgettable as losing her virginity.  (The connection between sex and firearms is an interesting one, but somewhat off topic here.)  Mel's distaste for guns evaporates before our eyes as she embraces the power and control she can wield with the proper weapon.

L-R Troy (Michael Samarzia), Lisa Ann (Molly Bibeau), Collin (Donny Petro)

Donny Petro is creepy as Collin; he is as disconnected and dangerous as a teenager can be.  One sometimes wonders how parents failed to prevent the carnage their children inflicted at places like Columbine High School or Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Petro deftly demonstrates the problem; Collin a moderately lovable child with serious but mostly secret psychiatric issues.  We all know about kids like Collin, but we only know their names posthumously, after they have inflicted their mayhem on the innocent.  Petro puts a face on those kids, and it's a very scary face indeed.

Molly Bibeau shines as Lisa Ann, the naive victim of Collin's senseless mayhem. Bibeau embodies the recklessness of youth, oblivious to the danger she foolishly falls into.

Artemus Martin (as Nathan, Mel's advertising boss) knows Mel is the best shot he has at getting the gun account, but he fears she won't take the assignment.  To help her make a decision, he offers her a partnership in the firm.  Martin shows us a boss who is sensitive to the ethical issues, but still determined to get the client to sign a contract.  It works.  Mel takes the assignment despite her misgivings.

Madge Montgomery has directed The Well of Happiness before, and it shows.  Montgomery understands the gravity of the script, the sensitivity of the subjects, and the tragedy that plays out on stage.  She has inspired a small but dedicated group of volunteers, both on and off stage, to perform at their respective peaks.  The set, the props (including non-lethal firearms), the costumes, the lighting, and the sound were all at a level one rarely sees in community theater.

Ostfeld's script is at once intelligent and brutal.  The story is not preachy but personal.  It carefully avoids taking a position on the politics of gun ownership while demonstrating the painful reality of guns falling into the wrong hands.  It's a smart story that provokes both sides to question their positions.

The central point here, though, is less about guns and more about our consumer culture.  Any product, of any kind, can be marketed successfully to virtually any group.  "Marketing ethics," if there is such a thing, must be solely focused on the clients, not on the consumers.  Advertising sells guns.  Advertising sells tobacco.  Advertising could probably sell heroin and nuclear weapons if they were legal.  Marketing executives have no moral or ethical problem selling any product, even if that product is harmful or unsafe for consumers.  Their interest is only that what increases their own bottom line.  Ostfeld's point is well made, and it's a sad reflection on both the corporate mindset and on consumers collective ignorance.

The Well of Happiness is one of the best shows I've seen at TCL.  If you're looking for a smart, provocative, and challenging night of theater, go to The Well.

Ron (Tom Doyle)

NOTES:

There is ample free street parking at the theater.

This show closes on June 28, 2014.

This show is suitable for mature teenagers; but it is not recommended for children under 12.  Gunshots (starter pistols) used during the performance.  Discretion is recommended, as the subject matter may be disturbing to both teenagers and adults.

Pre or post show dining suggestion:

Waterloo Restaurant, 809 Main Street, Louisville CO.  Waterloo is an interesting mix of British and classic country music influences ("God Bless Johnny Cash"), inspired by the Waterloo Record Store in Austin TX.  Happy Hour is 3:00-6:00 PM daily.  Draft beers include Guinness (of course), Boddington's, and Left Hand Sawtooth Ale.  Live music some nights, rock and roll always.  Menu here.  

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits: Lafayette Theatre Company


Director:  Madge Montgomery

Scenic Design/Construction:  Chris Pash, Pam Bennett, Howard Lee Smith

Sound Design/Projections:  Madge Montgomery

Lighting Design:  Brian Miller

Production Manager:  Artemus Martin


Cast:

Melanie ("Mel"):  Beth Davis

Collin:  Donny Petro

Troy:  Michael Samarzia

Lisa Ann:  Molly Bibeau

Nathan:  Artemus Martin

Detective Dale:  Bill Graham

Dana:  Heather Murray-Price

Ron:  Tom Doyle

Pat:  Artemus Martin

Connie/A Woman:  Judy Wolf