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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews The Full Monty Reviewed by Sherry Deatrick Entire contents are copyright © 2008 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved.
CenterStage's production of The Full Monty is as close to a professional production as a community theater can get. It certainly helps that their sound system is finally being upgraded, and no crackling mics were heard for a change. The sound system is now crystal clear. But I attribute the show's success to the teamwork of these outstanding performers, musicians, directors, crew and volunteers. Attention to detail is obviously of great importance here. The musical is set in Buffalo, where a group of unemployed steelworkers resort to desperate measures to regain their self-esteem. Artistic and Scenic Director John Leffert's use of steel-colored pillars on each side of the stage, with a "steel" curtain at the rear, is visually stunning. The steel, therefore, becomes a silent character in the play that alternately mocks the men and is mocked by them, as when Ethan (Kyle Braun), one of the out-of-work men, keeps trying to dance up the walls like Donald O'Connor in Singin' in the Rain. As the play begins, a group of rowdy women are enjoying a Chippendale show at Giordano's Night Club. Jon Adams, as the male stripper, had a real ball during his opening number the night I saw the show, and the ladies went wild. Meanwhile, the men gather at the union hall, where they introduce themselves to the audience during the sad song, "Scrap." Jerry Lukowski (played flawlessly by Alex Craig) begins, singing "What do I want? That's easy, asshole — I want a job ... I want to feel like a person instead of a slob." In song, the men reveal their inner weaknesses without resorting to dull expository dialog. They loudly snap their chairs onto a rack as they file out, dejected and angry. The steel curtain parts and a real Volkswagen appears, with the nerdy Malcom (Jeremy Moon) slumped over the wheel. (Getting this car on stage was no simple task. I later learned the crew and volunteers actually LIFTED the car up the front steps of the Jewish Community Center, and steered it down the hall, where it once again was LIFTED on the stage. Now that's giving your "all" for the audience.) Jerry and his friend, Dave Bukatinsky (Monty Fields), find Malcolm in his VW and sing a hilarious song about helping a friend commit suicide, "Big Ass Rock." This darkly comic moment showcases the men's beautiful harmonies while the song parodies pop culture and the horror of death. It's riveting. The men decide to put together their own version of a Chippendale act, convinced that women will pay good money to see "real men." Their fellow former co-workers comically audition, while spandex-wearing Jeanette Burmeister (played with gusto by Liz Vissing), accompanies them on piano. Frank Goodloe, III (as Horse) impresses with his randy version of the Funky Chicken dance in an homage to James Brown's "Doin' It To Death" riff. Sandra Simpson's choreography really shines in the Act I finale, "Michael Jordan's Ball." I sat mesmerized watching the men gracefully run around each other passing imaginary basketballs. Theresa Bagan's lighting choices complemented the choreography perfectly, bathing the men in an eerie green light to emphasize their transformation from klutzy doofuses to agile ecdysiasts. You simply must see this. One of the more subtle but highly effective scenes involves the working-class men's acceptance of a homosexual relationship that develops in their group. Their understated reaction is just how it should be in real life, but most often isn't. "Good for them," says Jerry. Other highlights in the second act are the lilting "You Rule My World," and "The Goods," where the men start to lose their nerve. They imagine the women's reaction to their show — "He's fat, he's old, he's skinny, he's
bald — and their egos (and other parts) shrivel up. Finally, it's the men's big opening. Their song, "Let It Go" reminds me of the Tom Jones number "You Can Leave Your Hat On" (which was in the movie version of The Full Monty). Alex Craig accomplishes the difficult task of making the audience root for Jerry despite his many flaws. Jerry, a man-child who is way behind in his child support, thinks that by acting like a child, his son (Max Abner) will love him. Craig's voice never faltered on opening night and was especially touching as he sang "Breeze Off the River" to his sleeping son. Abner is perfect as the teenaged son who is more mature than his dad. His deadpan delivery masks an actor who is dedicated to his craft. Sarah Meuler (last seen in Pandora Productions' Regrets Only) is fine as Jerry's long-suffering ex-wife. Melissa Shepherd, an excellent singer, is a tad too shrill as Dave's wife, Georgie. In other productions I've seen, Georgie is a bit more approachable. Overall, you couldn't ask for a better cast. Some of these actors appeared in the Clarksville Little Theatre production in May of 2007, which no doubt helped them prepare for this show. CenterStage's production follows the Broadway version as closely as possible. Except for a few awkward timing issues between Craig and Fields early on, the show moved along smoothly on opening night. I've seen quite a few CenterStage productions, and it strikes me that the musicals that resonate most deeply with Artistic Director John Leffert are the most successful. A no-brainer, you say? That's not necessarily so, and I don't mean to imply that others are not worth seeing, but it's obvious that Leffert's heart is in this production and he is passionate about sharing his vision. I hope he will continue to bring quality theater to Louisville audiences. One minor irritation I must address is the CenterStage
program. I realize it's probably cost-effective
to print one brochure for the whole season, and
insert a flyer outlining the show being performed.
However, it's annoying and time-consuming to search
for the pertinent cast members' bios amid those
of a raft of actors who do not appear in the show
at hand. Further, the inserts often fall out. In
this case, the name of the lyricist/composer was
misspelled. ("Yasbek" instead of "Yazbek.")
The Full Monty Posted Sept. 7, 2008
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