Gender confusion has been in the playwright’s arsensal for decades. Probably the best-known and oldest example is Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” with its set of twins often appearing as the opposite sex.
Not surprisingly, Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me a Tenor”) uses The Bard’s play as a backdrop for his hilarious romp, “Leading Ladies,” Sunset Playhouse’s early summer offering.
Director Michael Pocaro said before the show, “I always get the wacky comedies.” That’s probably because he does such a good job with them. Ludwig’s “Ladies” contains opportunities for loads of laughs as its two main characters – down-on-their-luck British Shakespearean actors – try to pull off fraud that could net them a million each. The only catch: they must pretend to be women.
Those two actors, Mike Owens as Leo Clark and Brandon C. Haut as Jack Gable, must also present themselves – in drag—as Maxine (Owens) and Stephanie (Haut) to appear at the home of a wealthy, perpetually dying woman, Florence (Betty Petersen), as the long-lost nieces she has named as her heirs. It is a chance for the two struggling actors to get back on their feet, if they can pull it off. But it requires they play the most difficult roles of their lives!
There are so many complications along the way that only add to the hilarity as the pair stumble into Florence’s household in York, Pennsylvania, meeting her niece, Meg (Stephanie Pluta), who is getting ready to marry Duncan (Matt Carr), a greedy, uptight minister, as well as her doctor (Glenn Villa) and his son, Butch (Scott Korman). Butch is dating Audrey (Sarah Briana Monahan), Florence’s part-time helper. These relationships change faster than the pit crew at Indy as Leo and Jack often must appear as themselves to the household, as well as their Maxine and Stephanie characters. Perhaps the funniest scene occurs when Meg insists that Maxine and Leo see her together.
I’ve seen Mike Owens in the past couple years in a variety of shows and am so impressed with his ability to handle a wide range of comic roles – from his Noel Coward-like character in “The Man Who Came to Dinner” to his child-adult character in “Leaving Iowa.”
In “Leading Ladies,” Owens is at his comedic best. He and Haut are a wonderful pairing. Their verbal jousting on the train once Leo has cajoled Jack to take on the ruse is wonderfully done, the scene enhanced by the gentle rumbling of train wheels underneath the dialogue. Jan Pritzl handled the sound, which also included music of the era – the show is set in 1958 – that slowly faded into scenes, rather than abruptly being cut off, which I would’ve found annoying.
The two in drag are hilarious before they say or do anything, Owens being somewhat stout while Haut is tall and rail thin. I can’t imagine what costume designer Kate Dombrowski had to go through to find outfits for these two.
Pluta is perfect for her excitable, high energy character. As Meg, she demonstrates nicely her love for Shakespeare, cooing over Leo Clark when she gets to meet him. She, too, has good comic timing and can turn a phrase into laughs, like when she tells Leo she knew he was in love with her “when you (looked) at me, sort of cross-eyed, with your mouth dangling open.”
I just loved Monahan’s take on Audrey, who practices her roller skating for her new job. Monahan has no trouble with the extra demands, apparently having rolled during a stint at Disneyland. She keeps her ditzy, gum-chewing blonde character – who seems impressed with her own growing vocabulary – in an engaging state of bemusement. So much fun to watch!
Villa’s Doc is also appealing. I especially enjoyed his slightly inebriated character as the emcee of his men’s club entertainment – Leo and Jack performing bits from Shakespeare – with the Sunset audience doubling as the club’s audience. Villa engages well in the effectively staged scene.
Playwright Ludwig has provided lots of fodder for fun and frivolity for all the characters. Playing Florence, Betty Petersen gets to snap and snarl as Flo returns to life after Doc declares her dead. Peterson takes great joy getting back at her incompetent doctor, even ending up cha-chaing at her niece’s engagement party.
Director Pocaro has all performers up to speed with movement and dialogue in this fast-paced romp. Some costume malfunctions only added to the hilarity.
If you go
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “Leading Ladies”
When: Through June 23
Where: 800 Elm Grove Road
Info/Tickets: 262-782-4430, SunsetPlayhouse.com
Archive for Furlan Productions
By MARILYN JOZWIK
If you thought the Christmas pageant depicted in “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” was over the top, wait until you see the one in Sunset Playhouse’s “Christmas Belles.” Think of “Christmas Belles” as the adult version of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” with a sackful of fun. If you’re looking for some laughs this holiday season, this show delivers in bunches.
From a tipsy version of the Christmas Story to an Elvis sighting, the pageant in Fayro, Texas, is one for the ages. But the lead-up to it is full of surprises and humor as the Futrelle sisters gather for one of the most unusual unplanned reunions you’ll ever see. In the hours before the pageant you’ll see them as far apart as the state of Texas and then finding just how much they need each other.
Honey Raye Futrelle, the town floozy, has taken over Tabernacle of the Lamb Church’s Christmas pageant from Miss Geneva, who directed the show for 27 years. Honey Raye has a Vegas production in mind for the show, complete with a guest appearance by a fourth wise man (a local celebrity who will be bringing her butternut squash lasagna for her gift), as well as a part for an Elvis impersonator. It’s sure to be the talk of the very small town for years, but, when things go very wrong and secrets are revealed before the show even starts, the play careens hilariously out of control.
The strength of the show, directed by Becky Spice, is its strong, well-defined characterizations by Sunset’s choices for the Futrelle sisters: Tamara Martinsek as Honey Raye; Heather Reynolds as Twink; and Diane Gard as Frankie. Twink has been incarcerated after setting a fire to avenge her husband’s cheating, but the sheriff is allowing her to see her sister’s pageant. Frankie, along with husband Dub, is expecting twins any minute, a late life second family as they have a grown daughter, Gina Jo (Nicole Gross), who is being romantically pursued by the church pastor, Justin (Keith R. Smith). Frankie and Gina Jo also come to support Honey Raye’s directorial efforts.
There are such fun folk in this show, and the comedy is almost non-stop. You meet Frankie’s husband (Paul Pfannenstiel), who is playing Santa at the town’s big department store for some extra cash, giving lots of opportunities for humor when he is dealing with a (ho-ho-ho) kidney stone – scenes which Pfannenstiel milks wonderfully. The pastor plays his reindeer helper. Then there’s the 10-gallon hat-wearing town sheriff (Parker Cristan), who has a soft spot for inmate Twink. Parker gives his bombastic sheriff a sort of Barney Fife likeability, while really letting it all out for his Elvis bit.
Nearly every scene ends with a zinger. And this cast knows how to deliver a zinger.
Martinsek as the dramatic Honey Raye, who wants to name her big-production Christmas pageant “Bethlehem Lalapalooza,” seems to be at the center of every scene with her big red hair, her thigh-high, leopard print boots and her big Southern personality. When she vents her anger by saying, “I am so furious I could spit nails,” it sounds like something she’s said time and time again. Martinsek is just a joy to watch.
Reynolds and Gard complete the sister act to perfection. The three are in sync with one another and the whole cast. Gross’s Gina Jo is just so sweet, while Cheryl Roloff as Rhonda Lynn, who keeps everyone fed in the church kitchen during play rehearsals, fits in nicely. Beverly Sargeant gives Miss Geneva a no-nonsense attitude as she provides a steady hand through the pageant’s shenanigans.
There are several smaller roles that have big moments in the show that get big laughs, including Joyce Sponcia, playing Patsy, the nosy, intolerant church benefactor. Sponcia is hilarious as she delivers an unconventional Christmas story, while Susan Zuern as Ozella makes the most of her unique solo in the pageant while playing the ukulele. Jacob Cesar as Raynerd, who insists on playing his role in the Christmas pageant with a Batman backpack, is convincing with his oft-proclaimed, “I just love Christmas,” and then saves the pageant with his touching sincerity.
A concluding singalong at the church pageant – and in the auditorium — puts a cherry on this delicious holiday production.
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “Christmas Belles”
When: Through Dec. 23
Where: 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove
Tickets/Info: sunsetplayhouse.com; 262-782-4430
Sunset puts on a delicious comedic romp in ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner’
By MARILYN JOZWIK
Everyone loves the Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” skit with its cascading array of misinterpretations.
Imagine a similar bit going on for a little over 100 minutes, adding lies, purposeful confusions, hidden infidelities, as well as a host of misinterpretations, and you have the heart of “Don’t Dress for Dinner.”
The show, Sunset Playhouse’s current offering, is a dizzying series of farcical conversations meant to cover up a couple of affairs. Sunset’s cast, under the direction of Michael Pocaro, has successfully met this monumental challenge thanks to an ensemble of six who can handle the quickly developing situations and snappy dialogue expertly.
I realized early on that the show is remindful of “Boeing, Boeing,” which Sunset also successfully staged in recent years. The similarities are due to the fact that Marc Camoletti wrote both shows. Robin Hawdon adapted “Don’t Dress for Dinner.”
While “Boeing, Boeing” relies a lot on the classic farce device of people hiding behind and popping out of doors, “Don’t Dress for Dinner” is almost strictly a linguistical romp. Time and again the characters must utter a whole series of misunderstandings to cover up for themselves or someone else.
The story is set in 1960 in a country home – actually quite a tastefully renovated farmhouse – outside of Paris. Married couple Bernard (Keith R. Smith) and Jacqueline (Lori Nappe) are preparing for Jacqueline to spend the weekend away with her mother. Meanwhile, Bernard has invited his mistress Suzanne (Allison Chicorel), while his wife is gone, and arranged for Suzette (Ella Folkerts) from an agency to cook a romantic meal. Bernard’s friend Robert (Tyler Peters) has also been invited, as an alibi.
The plan looks like a good one for Bernard, until Jacqueline learns that Robert – who ironically happens to be her secret lover — is spending the weekend with Bernard. So, Jacqueline cancels her weekend with her mother in order to reunite with Robert.
Bernard finds out too late that his wife will not be gone for the weekend, but his friend as well as his cook and his lover are all on their way to his home with no chance of anyone’s stopping their arrival (these are the days before cell phones!).
Bernard convinces the unattached Robert to pretend that Suzanne is actually his – Robert’s– girlfriend, which sends Robert into a tizzy as he had hoped to share a secret liaison with Bernard’s wife that weekend. Complicating the complicated matters, Robert mistakes the cook Suzette for Bernard’s mistress Suzanne. And so on and so on.
While there’s lots of movement, most of this show’s comedy comes from the witty dialogue and fast-paced repartee. When Bernard asks Robert, “Is the coast clear?” he responds, “I don’t know about the coast, but it’s darn foggy around here.”
Director Pocaro has the players in a near constant state of motion, taking on all sorts of poses all over the couch and all over the room. Their movements are purposeful as they strut and run around the ample living room, ramble up and down the stairs, saunter into the kitchen or off to bedrooms that were once a cow stall and a piggery, stop frequently at the bar for libations and cower at accusations. There is not a dull moment as the attempts to mask the infidelities create a mountain of lies and some of the most preposterous conversations and situations, which end up with the men getting pummeled and even – in Bernard’s case – battered with a variety of liquids, prompting him to deadpan that he’ll “put on (his) wet suit.”
This is an amazing ensemble cast, with my favorites being Peters’ Robert and Folkerts’ Suzette. The two are perfectly cast and easily handle all the tricky dialogue and physical comedy. Their loopy tango – at which point Suzette is believed to be Robert’s niece — during the dinner party to open Act II is great fun. In that scene, Suzette is told to pretend she is Robert’s niece, which moves her to deliciously deliver the line: “You’re quite a dishy hunk, unc.”
Peters is perfect as Robert – expressive, but not so much as to look cartoonish. At one point his adept retelling of a laundry list of lies elicited applause from the audience.
Folkerts’ cook character is asked to play several characters – for which she insists on money up front from Robert and Bernard in a funny running bit – in order to conceal the affairs. Folkerts whisks among her dinner party incarnations with great comedic flair, at one point telling her employers: “I should get an Oscar for this.” Indeed.
Smith and Nappe as Bernard and Jacqueline are also quite adept. I loved their characters’ straight-faced confessions looking out at the audience, stock-still, in Act II, a perfectly timed pause — albeit short one — in all the madcap madness that only added to its effectiveness.
I’ve seen Chicorel, who played Bernard’s model-girlfriend, play this sort of role a number of times and she is always spot-on with her timing and audience engagement, just as she is here, jockeying between moments of bemusement and lividity. Nick Zuiker as Suzette’s husband George makes a brief, but pivotal appearance toward the end of the show that really wraps things up nicely.
Nick Korneski and Matthew Carr designed a good-looking, wide open stage, adding stone accents for the farmhouse feel and allowing performers lots of room to roam and romp. And they needed every inch of it.
If you go:
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “Don’t Dress for Dinner”
When: Through May 6
Where: 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove
Info/Tickets: 262-782-4430; www.sunsetplayhouse.com
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST review By MARILYN JOZWIK
At first blush, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” might appear an odd choice for a holiday show. But after seeing Sunset Playhouse’s lavish, fun-filled and thoroughly entertaining production there’s no doubt it was a wise choice. Plus, the transformation of the Beast is not unlike those in other holiday stories, like “A Christmas Carol.”
From the opening scene it is apparent the show is something special. A handsome, spacious set of large, dark side staircases is mostly in shadows as the full, accomplished orchestra – playing Alan Menken’s beautiful music — accompanies the scene in the prince’s foreboding, yet opulent, mansion where a ball is taking place. The prince is arrogant and selfish. His unkindness catches up to him after an old woman casts a spell, turning him into an unsightly Beast and his servants into objects. If the Beast can find a woman to love, who will love him in return, the spell will be broken.
Sunset’s version has all the makings of a full-scale Broadway production in the skilled hands of director Karl Miller and music director Mark Mrozek.
Each character we see is beautifully costumed, perfectly cast and gives a memorable performance as his or her unforgettable character. If this were a cake, Belle (Stephanie Staszak), Gaston (Tim Albrechtson), Lefou (Jim Donaldson) and the Beast/Prince (Keith R. Smith) would comprise it. Lumiere and Cogsworth would be the frosting. The remaining cast would provide sprinkles and other decorations, some to a greater degree.
The first act moves quickly. We learn about Belle, the widowed inventor’s daughter; both father and daughter are considered odd by the townsfolk in their French village. Belle is beautiful, but always has her nose in a book, which gives her escape from mundane village life. The town blowhard and braggart, the handsome Gaston, is convinced no woman would refuse his proposal of marriage, including Belle, whom he aggressively woos in his most arrogant manner. His sidekick, LeFou, only bolsters his selfishness and rudeness.
Belle’s world is turned upside-down when she goes searching for her father (Tom Marks), who has become lost deep in the woods and seeks shelter in the Beast’s mansion. The Beast throws the intruder in a cell, which is where Belle finds him. She unselfishly offers to replace her father in the cell, where she becomes the Beast’s prisoner.
This development brings hope to the servants, who have been turned into a candle holder, clock, woman’s bureau, teapot, teacup, and feather duster. If they can tame the Beast’s unruly manners, perhaps he and Belle could fall in love, which would break the spell and turn them all back into humans.
In Act Two we see lots of the characters at the mansion, and these are an absolute delight. Topping that list are the stellar performances of Richards’ Cogsworth and Welch’s Lumiere. I have always enjoyed Richards’ performances and I missed seeing him in recent productions. His Cogsworth is a scene stealer as he toddles around in a near constant state of consternation, spouting off in a sort of snooty, affected English to the audience’s delight. Welch follows up on an outstanding performance as Cornelius in “Hello, Dolly!” with his Lumiere. Welch moves so well as the tall, stately candelabra swaying and bending like a graceful tree, while capturing a French accent nicely. The two play off each other wonderfully. They also are most comfortable with the objects they’ve been turned into. They move and act so easily in their characterizations that they are a surprise when seen as humans.
Of course, you wouldn’t have a successful “Beauty and the Beast” without a wonderful Beauty and a wonderful Beast, which is the case here. Staszak brings all the right qualities to the lovely Belle, including a lovely singing voice. She shows her wanderlust, her love for her father and her disgust for the loathsome Gaston. But her tenderness is really apparent in the moving finale as she expresses her love for the wounded Beast in a tear-inducing scene.
Smith’s Beast is also well-drawn. I really like all his soft growls and groans as he struggles to become charming. When he is told to be a gentleman by his servants, he repeats the line several times until the final time when he utters “be a gentle man.” It would have been perfect if his voice would have had a deeper timbre more befitting the Beast.
Albrechtson has all the bravado needed for the arrogant Gaston and leaves no doubt as to why he is admired by the villagers for his looks and athleticism as he sings “Gaston” with the ensemble. He is the ultimate chauvinist, dismissing Belle’s reading habit by saying, “Soon she’ll start getting ideas and start thinking.” Donaldson, as always, gives an energetic characterization, this time as LeFou, Gaston’s sidekick, mugging expressively to make for another memorable character.
As Madame De La Grande Bouche, the singer turned into a woman’s bureau, Sharon Tyler has the perfect diva presence and a soaring soprano voice to add effortless top notes to ensemble pieces.
There are so many outstanding scenes here, it’s hard to know where to begin. Every one is a gem. “Be Our Guest,” which features the dancing dinnerware and other kitchen items, is a centerpiece, marvelously staged with clever choreography and beautiful singing to Howard Ashman’s and Tim Rice’s clever lyrics.
The dancing is crisp, with all performers at a high level. The mug routine in “Gaston” is a picture of precision. I especially enjoy watching A.J. Pawelski, who appears in several roles with sparkling presence and dance energy.
There are so many, many small moments that are gems, really showcasing the humor and wit in the play. I just love when the servants gather on the stairs as the Beast visits Belle in her room to convince her to have dinner with him. His anger quickly rises and the servants all encourage him, each in his/her own way in words and actions, “to breathe.” A funny bit.
The servants, also including Marcee Doherty-Elst as Mrs. Potts, Agrim Cincotta as Chip and Lydia Rose Eiche as Babette, really gel and are so much fun to watch in “Human Again,” as they mull the possibility of returning to their former lives.
The finale with the entire cast is an incredible, joyous celebration, a perfect way to put a cherry on this exquisite holiday dessert.
If you go
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
When: Through Dec. 23
Where: 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove
Tickets/Info: 262-782-4430/www.sunsetplayhouse.com
By Marilyn Jozwik
I was told that there would be laughter and there would be tears during Sunset Playhouse’s presentation of Joe DiPietro’s “Over the River and Through the Woods,” my first viewing of the show.
I didn’t quite get to the tears part – though there were some wonderfully done, emotion-filled scenes – but there was plenty of laughter. In fact, throughout most of the first act, there was a constant array of laughter, ranging from tittering to belly laughs.
The theme of the show is family. Nick (Ben Braun) is the 29-year-old, single grandson of Frank (Scott Kopischke) and Aida (Joan End), as well as Nunzio (Raffaello Frattura) and Emma (Linda Wirth). Nick’s parents have moved to Florida, but Nick still lives in New Jersey and has Sunday dinner with both sets of grandparents every week. Nick is often reminded of the importance of his family. “Tengo familia” his grandparents repeat to him often, impressing upon their grandson his role in the family.
Nick loves his family dearly but is frustrated by their old ways and lack of empathy for his generation. They don’t want to learn how to use the new devices he gives them as gifts, they argue endlessly about minutiae and they fuss over him like mother hens, especially his grandmother Aida, whose first remark when he arrives – or when most anyone arrives, for that matter – is “You look hungry.” She moves in and out of her kitchen, bringing splendid meals and desserts like a short order cook. “That’s their secret – they suck you in with the food,” says Nick.
Food is a big part of the play. And these are some of the most relatable moments. Early on, Aida asks Nick what kind of cheese he wants on his sandwich, “chedda” or “Muensta,” as they say with their New Jersey accents, in a hilarious bit. Next comes the crumb cake that Aida serves as Nick tries to make a big announcement. “This is a one-sentence announcement. You don’t have to cater it,” says Nick. The grandparents make a production of serving the cake and coffee, chattering about who wants what, how good the cake is, and on and on. Nick is becoming more and more frustrated with their habits.
When Nick finally tells them news they don’t like – which seems like a betrayal of family, to them — the grandparents set in motion a whole series of events to try to undo Nick’s plans. Along the way, Nick learns a lot more about his grandparents and their past that gives him an even deeper appreciation of this incredible gift of family.
DiPietro, the playwright, has a gift for comedy, as he also displays in “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” There is lots to laugh at in both these shows, with “I Love You” having perhaps a meatier script.
This cast, under the direction of Brian Zelinski, does a fine job with the comedy and capturing the emotional pitches the show attains.
As the tightly-wound Nick, Braun has all the right qualities. In the first act, he is in a near constant state of annoyance as his grandparents’ whirl around on a merry-go-round of small talk, food presentations and petty arguments. He communicates with his hands, his face, his whole body, conveying his emotions. His is a demanding role and Braun is up to the challenge. In Act II, Nick sees a different side of his grandparents, and we see a different side of Nick. Braun plays the transformation beautifully.
Kopischke and End as Frank and Aida are the more subdued set of grandparents, while Raffaello and Wirth as Nunzio and Emma have only one volume to their conversations – loud.
I have loved Joan End in every play I’ve seen her in, most recently in “The Foreigner.” Here, she plays a sort of Edith Bunker character that knows only one mode – maternal. End has such warmth and sweetness about her character that Aida draws you in. She beams at every compliment about her culinary skills and unabashedly shows the joys of service.
As her husband, Frank, Kopischke seems to always be in the center. His emotional stories of leaving his home in Italy when he was 14 are touching and his slightly out-of-touch and myopic view of the world is endearing. Kopischke gives Frank an introspective quality, a thoughtful manner. Nunzio, played by Frattura, is just the opposite. He’s boisterous and demonstrative, and says what he thinks when he thinks it. Nunzio’s wife, Emma, played by Wirth, rivals her husband in tone and passion. These two, as are End and Kopischke, are a perfect pairing.
As Caitlin O’Hare, a family friend, Deanna Strasse brings just the right amount of bemusement as she meets Nick’s warm and expressive Italian family. While Nick is visibly angered at his family’s mealtime conversation, Caitlin is charmed. Strasse’s pleased look is a nice contrast to Nick’s look of exasperation. The two handle wonderfully a pivotal scene in which Caitlin helps Nick learn to appreciate just what he has.
The ensemble cast is first-rate, tackling some of the tricky exchanges expertly. When playing Trivial Pursuit, Nunzio has a hard time coming up with a name and the grandparents go off on a rollicking discussion of “the guy with the ears” and “the woman with the hair” without ever coming up with names. It’s hilarious, with Wirth and Frattura verbally dueling as if in a tennis match.
Nick Korneski’s set of Frank and Aida’s living room is warm and inviting, but I just couldn’t take my eyes off the big picture above the window. It just seemed an odd place to put it. Marty Wallner’s lighting is spot on, highlighting various characters and scenes to home in on the emotions.
You don’t have to be Italian to appreciate the messages delivered so well here, mainly that family matters. But the need to succeed and to reach our potential is important, too, as long as we don’t lose sight of those who formed us. Those values are articulated with humor and emotion in Sunset’s presentation of “Over the River and Through the Woods.” If nothing else, it will make you want to start a tradition of Sunday family dinners.
If you go
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “Over the River and Through the Woods”
Where: 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove
When: Through Sept. 24
Tickets: (262) 782-4430; www.sunsetplayhouse.com
Costume Designing Through Time
By Joanne Cunningham, Costume Designer
Certainly one of the most challenging and interesting aspects of designing costumes for a show is creating a look that is appropriate to the era in which the story takes place. Most scripts specify the time (sometimes the exact year, sometimes just a decade) when the action occurs. Sometimes the director has his or her own idea for the era they want to use.
Most designers have some eras with which they feel the most comfortable. For those shows, not a lot of research is involved. For example, I have a pretty easy time envisioning the look of the 1950s and 1960s, probably because I grew up in that era. I can close my eyes and see what the clothes looked like back then, and this makes it easier to find suitable costumes for shows that take place at that time.
Other decades…or centuries, for that matter…take research to understand. Women’s silhouettes, for instance, have changed drastically over time. Appropriate accessories, types of fabrics, sometimes even color choices need to be understood in order to create the proper mood on stage. In the past year or so I’ve designed a number of shows that took place in the Victorian era, a time I knew little about until I started researching it. Fortunately for me (and other designers, I’m sure!), it’s now pretty easy to Google “1890s women’s evening wear” or any other topic and get hundreds of images to start my research. I usually also seek out articles that explain more about the do’s and do not’s of fashion at that time, mainly because an online image search can just as easily lead to inaccurate examples as it can to accurate ones.
On rare occasions, a play or musical will cover a span of more than one time period, whether by chronological action (as THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB will do later this season) or by other theatrical devices. In the case of MOON OVER BUFFALO, there are two plays that take place within the play itself. The actual time period of the play is post-WWII, so the day-to-day costumes need to evoke a 1940s/50s feel. But embedded within the play there are two completely different eras as well. Some of the characters become actors in a scene from CYRANO DE BERGERAC, which takes place in the 1600s, and some are in a scene from PRIVATE LIVES which calls for 1920s evening wear.
In other words, this show has taken a whole lot of research on my part to figure out how to portray those three eras with some degree of accuracy so that they each evoke a certain “feel”. Make plans to come see MOON OVER BUFFALO to see if I’ve been able to pull it off!
Single tickets for our 2016-17 Season will go on sale to the public on July 5th. We have a great line-up so be sure to order your tickets online or stop at the box office starting July 5th for the best seating selection.
We will be offering 8 shows as a part of our Furlan Auditorium Productions. The shows are: MOON OVER BUFFALO, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB, AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, and HELLO, DOLLY!
In addition to our Furlan shows, we will offer 6 Musical MainStage Concerts and 6 SideNotes Cabarets that are not-to-be-missed.
Our box office hours are: Tuesday 1 – 7PM, Weds – Friday 1 – 5PM and Saturday 1 – 4PM. Be sure to stop in as soon as you can to get the best seats. You can also call our box office at 262-782-4430 or buy all of your tickets on SunsetPlayhouse.com
SUNSET PLAYHOUSE 2016-17 FURLAN AUDITORIUM PRODUCTIONS
Sunset Playhouse recently held our 2016-17 Season Preview Party where we announced eight productions to be offered as part of its 2016-17 Furlan Auditorium Season, including hilarious comedies, edgy dramas, intriguing mysteries, and Broadway musicals.
T
he Furlan season begins in September with MOON OVER BUFFALO (directed by Michael Pocaro), a comical look at a couple of over-the-hill actors trying to keep their marriage and their ragtag touring company afloat. October will bring FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (directed by Diana Alioto), the beloved musical story of Tevye, Golde , their five daughters, and the colorful community of Anatevka. In December, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (directed by Michael Pocaro) launches the holidays with a couple struggling to mount the annual church pageant while forced to cast a family of raucous, misbehaving bullies.
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU (directed by Brian Zelinski), a classic screwball comedy in which everything that can go wrong absolutely does, kicks off the new year. March will find us in that LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (directed by Tommy Lueck), with its meek floral assistant, Seymour Krelborn, stumbling across a new breed of plant which can only survive on human blood. Then we’ll meet five southern women, whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team. A heartwarming story of love and laughter, THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB will be directed by Dustin Martin.
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (directed by Carol Dolphin), is the mystery that keeps on giving as eight dinner party guests meet their demise one by one. The Furlan 2016-17 season wraps up in a big, boisterous way with the musical HELLO, DOLLY! (directed by Tom Weissgerber). This turn-of-the-century New York City story of matchmaker Dolly Levi, features a memorable, Tony-Award winning Jerry Herman score.
MOON OVER BUFFALO – September 8-25, 2016
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – October 13 – November 6, 2016
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER – December 1-23, 2016
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU – January 19 – February 4, 2017
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS – March 2-19, 2017
THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB – April 20 – May 7, 2017
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE – June 1-18, 2017
HELLO, DOLLY! – July 13 – August 6, 2017
Season tickets for the 2016-17 season at Sunset Playhouse are now on sale, both Full Package and the Pick & Choose Flexible Package. Individual tickets will go on sale July 5, 2016.
Well, spring has sprung and we can finally venture outside so why not get out of the house and head over to Sunset for one of our upcoming productions? April will be a very busy month at the Playhouse. Next week (April 7-9), our SideNotes Cabaret will present HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS, an evening of Broadway show tunes. Then you won’t want to miss the Sunset premiere of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE*, April 21st through May 8th. This hilarious yet touching musical tells the story of six students who vie for the championship of a lifetime. Our final Musical MainStage concert of the season, RING-A-DING-DING: SINATRA & CO. (April 25-26), will swing to the sounds of the big band era with hits from folks like Frank, Ella, Bing, and Rosie.
We hope you were able to attend our sold-out 2016-17 Season Preview Party! This wonderful celebration showcased Sunset’s upcoming season, with scenes and songs from our Furlan Auditorium Productions, SideNotes Cabaret Series, and our Musical MainStage Concert Series.
If you are a season subscriber, you should have received your season ticket packet. If you would like to subscribe, please contact the box office and we will be happy to mail you subscription information. We offer both full-season packages and our popular Pick & Choose option which allows you to purchase four or more vouchers good for any show at any time and save money!
Finally, under the direction of Project Manager Jan Pritzl, work is underway on the creation of our new lower-level classroom/rehearsal hall. Thanks to a grant from Heart of Canal, we are excited to create this wonderful and much-needed addition for all our students and volunteers.
*Suggested for mature audiences only
Ghosts
Any reputable theater is supposedly haunted. Indeed, Sunset has its share of ghost stories, although I have never seen or heard any phantoms myself.
Well, unless we count the dozens and dozens I’ve costumed, that is.
In October I designed both the adult and junior versions of Addams Family, which meant finding or building costumes for countless ghostly ancestors. Eighteen in the adult cast, probably close to 30 in the junior cast…that’s a lot of ghosts. The fun part of doing those shows was that those costumes could come entirely from my imagination. There are no preconceived notions of exactly what the Addams Family’s ancestors look like, so as long as I pulled ideas from many times in history, I felt confident that the audience would accept my choices.
There is a slightly different challenge with my latest group of ghosts (yes, add more ghosts to my costuming list!)…the four iconic spirits in A Christmas Carol. Unlike the aforementioned wildly imaginative ancestors, the spirits in A Christmas Carol are firmly fixed in most people’s memories. Whether having seen the show on another stage, on TV, or even in the Mr. Magoo classic cartoon, nearly everyone has an idea of just what the ghosts are supposed to look like.
I don’t believe that it is the job of a costume designer to simply copy what someone else has done (although, believe it or not, there are no patents on costume designs so I could copy one exactly if I wanted to), so I have been striving to find my own vision while staying true to what the audiences will expect. Jacob Marley needs to be ragged and ghostly, more on the order of the Addams Family ghosts and decided less cheerful than the Ghost of Christmas Present, who should call to mind a jovial Father Christmas. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come must be intimidating and terrifying. Those three are portrayed similarly enough in every show to help guide my own design.
The Ghost of Christmas Past has been the most challenging, especially since every production seems to portray that spirit in vastly different ways. I needed to find a look that would suit this particular ghost’s demeanor and would provide a sharp contrast to Marley, whose arrival directly precedes that of Christmas Past.
All four of these Christmas spirits definitely have their own identities and looks. I hope that audiences will appreciate each of them in their own right, and that Sunset’s newest cast of ghosts will “live” up to expectations!
Joanne Cunningham
