Displaying items by tag: Jason Richards

I’m not holding back—Copley Theatre’s latest offering, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is an absolute winner! I’ve seen this delightfully offbeat musical brought to life at various theaters, but Copley’s rendition? It’s absolutely “F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S.” This production earns its place at the very top, possibly stealing the crown altogether.

And let’s take a moment to appreciate the venue! My inaugural visit to Copley Theatre was a treat in itself. Not only did I get to enjoy the hilarious, heartfelt magic of Spelling Bee, but I also had the chance to soak in the sleek elegance of this modern gem. With its stunning aesthetics, thoughtful conveniences, and intimate yet impeccably crafted stage setup, Copley has created an experience that’s as polished as it is inviting.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a brilliantly funny and deeply touching musical that captures the hilarity and heartache of middle school life through the lens of a high stakes spelling competition. With a sharp and witty book by Rachel Sheinkin and an engaging score by William Finn, the show offers a perfect blend of humor, warmth, and unforgettable musical moments.

At its core, the story introduces us to six wildly different young spellers, each of whom brings their own unique quirks, struggles, and aspirations to the stage. There’s Leaf Coneybear (Ben Broughton), the whimsical underdog with a heart of gold who’s as surprised as anyone to have qualified for the competition. Then there's Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Ann Delaney), a driven and socially conscious overachiever with a lisp and two doting dads rooting her on. And, of course, William Barfée (Teddy Gales) —brash, brilliant, and armed with his hilariously unconventional “magic foot” spelling strategy that leaves both contestants and audiences in awe. Other spellers include the pressure-laden Marcy Park (Shelbi Voss), an overachiever who excels at everything; the sweet yet neurotic Olive Ostrovsky (Elizabeth Stenholt), who’s grappling with absent parents; and the slightly obnoxious, juice-box-loving Chip Tolentino (Nic Dantes), facing the realities of puberty at an inopportune time.

The competition itself is overseen by an equally eccentric trio of adults: Rona Lisa Peretti (Veronica Garza), a former Bee champion turned upbeat host; Vice Principal Panch (Jason Richards), whose tightly wound demeanor hides his hilariously chaotic tendencies; and Mitch Mahoney (Naphtali Curry), the “comfort counselor” on parole, tasked with handing out juice boxes to eliminated contestants.

While Spelling Bee unfolds with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—enhanced by improv comedy and unexpected audience participation — the musical also delves into poignant themes. Beneath the humor lies a heartfelt exploration of identity, resilience, and the awkward beauty of adolescence. Each character’s journey speaks to the universal struggles of finding one's place in the world, making the show deeply relatable to audiences of all ages.

Highlighting the show’s standout performers is easy — it's the entire cast, hands down! Every single member of this ensemble is outstanding – and I truly mean that. Each spelling bee contestant shines with their own unique moments to revel in - and each gets plenty of big laughs – Gales, Delaney, Broughton, Voss, Stenholt, Dantes – all of them are terrific! As for the hosting adults, Garza as the charismatic event host and Richards as the stone-faced VP with a penchant for tossing out challenging words make a hysterical duo. Curry as the competition's "comfort counselor," also steals the spotlight in several scenes.

Shelbi Voss (front) is the overachiever, Marcy Park, in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Wonderfully directed by Stephen Schellhardt, the magic of Spelling Bee truly shines in many standout moments that follow the company’s opening number – a fresh and vibrant take on the show’s title song. Shelbi Voss dazzles as she command’s the stage with “I Speak Six Languages,” capped off with Music Director Kory Danielson’s own energetic and uniquely upbeat spin on the ending. Then there’s the stunning trio of Elizabeth Stenholt, Veronica Garza, and Naphtali Curry, who deliver a breathtaking showcase of vocal mastery in their emotionally charged performance of “The I Love You Song.” And Nic Dantes brings the house down with the hilariously awkward and unforgettable number “Chip’s Lament,” riotously portraying the character’s woes after a... let’s call it “untimely distraction” during the competition. These moments, and soooo many more, make this production soar.

With its clever writing, charmingly oddball characters, and emotionally resonant storytelling, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee proves that even something as seemingly mundane as a spelling competition can be transformed into a magical, uproariously funny, and deeply moving theatrical experience.

Also striking in this very funny and heartwarming musical were the details in set of the high school gymnasium and the overall show production and choreography. When you put it all together, audience members get an intimate, next-level theatre experience.

For those unaware, Copley Theatre (part of the Paramount Theatre family) is nestled in the heart of downtown Aurora. This 165-seat gem stands as an inviting and contemporary performance venue that really delivers, thanks to its recent extensive renovations, elevating it to a cutting-edge space designed for captivating and thought-provoking productions. Copley Theatre is also celebrated for hosting the Paramount Theatre's BOLD Series, a carefully curated lineup of productions that showcase a blend of timeless classics and modern works meant to inspire, challenge, and entertain. The recent upgrades also introduced an elegant lounge and bar area, adding a touch of sophistication and comfort to the theatergoing experience. I feel I can safely say that, whether you're an avid theatergoer or exploring the performing arts for the first time, Copley Theatre promises an enriching and memorable journey into the world of live entertainment.

See this show! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is being performed through April 27^th at Copley Theatre located at 8 East Galena Boulevard in Aurora. Tickets are in the $55 range and the show’s running time is two hours including a fifteen-minute intermission. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.

Very highly recommended!

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/!

There has never been a better Broadway marriage of story and storyteller – until Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, three decades later, anyway – than Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and songsmith Roger Miller. Floating between aching country ballads, soulful slave spirituals, and the side-splitting novelty tunes that made Miller famous, Big River brought an American classic about century-old America into the 20th century, earning seven Tony Awards in the process. And now through October 15, Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana, ferries Huck, Jim, and their story of friendship and freedom to today’s audiences, showing that the stories and the struggles of America haven’t changed all that much.

While Twain’s tale is titled for its teller – the author’s most famous creation – Huck Finn was the original Nick Carraway, in that he is best when playing narrator for the other characters and their quandaries. And in TATC’s production of Big River, James Romney’s Huck is just such a narrator. Romney’s work is fine – his voice is strong, his acting is as well, and he’s got boyish charm galore – but it’s when he allows the rest of the cast to shine that he’s at his best, supporting each of the people we meet along the Mississippi as they spin their yarns, share their pain, and make us chuckle.

The first people we meet are the orchestra, led by pianist and musical director, Bill Underwood. Part of the simple but gorgeous set, the group fits right into the rural riverside, playing guitars, mandolins, accordion, harmonica, and even the jaw harp. Their accompaniment throughout is just the right balance of polished and down home; they’re part of the set and part of the spectacle, bringing the surroundings to life without stealing the show.

Huck’s fellow townsfolk enter as the opening overture plays, each dancing and playing percussion – washboard, shakers, the tambourine. Liz Chidester’s stern Miss Watson is a favorite, a spinsterly hoot. And Kyle Quinlivan’s Tom Sawyer, who will reappear throughout, starts us off expecting a comical adventure, more puckish even than Huck as he leads the local lads in the energetic “We Are the Boys.”

Another member of Huck’s St. Petersburg is town drunkard and the boy’s old man, Pap Finn, played by Bret Tuomi. His swaggering, staggering rendition of the bluesy “Guv’ment” is the first real showstopper. Tuomi later retakes the stage as the King, a conman whose partner in crime, the Duke played by Jason Richards, struts and preens and malaprops his way into the townspeople’s pockets and the audience’s hearts, a highlight being a ludicrous Shakespearean soliloquy. Seeing grifters hoodwink the general populace for their own gain has never been so much fun – or, sadly, so timely.

But even as the cast entertains, the darkest side of humanity is always present. The ensemble cast playing slaves – slaves in Huck’s hometown, and those enslaved on down the river – give the show gravitas not just with their singing, but by their mere presence. Adhana Reid delivers a lovely hymn, “How Blest We Are,” while Camille Robinson provides a highlight in the reprise of “Waitin’ for the Light to Shine.” But early on, as Jim and Huck hear voices from the other bank sing the lament, “The Crossing,” Jim knows these are escaped slaves who’ve been recaptured simply from the sound of their voices. And because Jim tells us, we know this, too. And we hurt right along with him.

Blessed with a big, beautiful voice, and an even bigger and more beautiful presence, Jonathan Butler-Duplessis, as Jim, is the heart of this production, just as Jim is the heart of the book and the musical. Whether cleaning a catfish or chained to a cabin, whether telling of his daughter’s scarlet fever or telling tall tales to Huck aboard their raft, we feel for and with and through Butler-Duplessis’ Jim. This culminates in his rendition of Roger Miller’s finest gospel tune – and perhaps the finest tune Miller ever wrote – “Free at Last.” Shackled there on center stage, Butler-Duplessis shows us the sorrow this man has seen and hints at the hope that freedom may bring.

But perhaps for this writer, the most powerful moment comes at the end of the first act. As Huck joins the shysters in plotting their latest scheme in “When the Sun Goes Down in the South,” Jim returns to the show’s main theme, the yearning, churning “Muddy Water.” Jonathan Butler-Deplessis’ solo soars over his raftmates’ shenanigans, in a plea for freedom, for justice, for life. In 1800's Missouri or in modern times, there is injustice and there are those who stand against it. Yesterday and today, there is good and there is evil. And in that moment, I sure got the shivers as TATC’s Big River allows the good to rise above.

Big River is being performed at Theatre at the Center in Munster, IN through October 15th. For more show information visit www.theatreatthecenter.com. A Wonderful Life: The Musical begins November 16th.

In 1996 Ragtime made its stage debut in Toronto and a year later it found itself making waves on Broadway. Based on the 1975 novel by E.L. Dotorow, the musical, with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, kept gaining momentum winning thirteen Tony Awards in 1998. Now, to close out its 2016-2017 season, Griffin Theatre Company reimagines the modern classic, thanks to the creative minds of director Scott Weinstein and Matt Deitchman, who adds new music orchestrations to the mix.

Taking place in New York City, Ragtime takes us back to the turn of the century, beginning in 1906, where three families who couldn’t be more different are followed – a young African American couple, a recently immigrated Jewish father and daughter and a privileged white family. As the story unfolds, the families come across one another, but in doing so, and along the way, we see the vast difference in treatment each receives as Ragtime touches on social justice, race relations and immigration. With plenty of parallels in today’s America, Ragtime serves as not just an entertaining musical, but also as a lesson to which we can all learn from.

Throughout the story we also meet a handful of influential historic figures including Henry Ford, Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan and Booker T. Washington and are reminded of the impact each had made in a rapidly changing America.

Filled with many lively characters such as Coalhouse Walker JR (admirably played by Denzel Tsopnang) who brings "ragtime music" alive with his jazzy Harlem-styled piano playing and Tateh (played with great zest and sentiment by Jason Richards), the colorful Jewish immigrant who just wants to build a life for his daughter, this is a musical that constantly keeps one engaged.

Katherine Thomas makes quite an impression in her debut for Griffin Theatre as Coalhouse Walker’s love interest Sarah particularly shining in numbers “Your Daddy’s Son” and “President”. Laura McClain as Mother also impresses and moves the house during her rendition of “Back to Before”. Other standouts performances include Joe Capstick who undertakes a handful of roles including Houdini, Frederick Harris as Booker T. Washington, a very funny Caitlin Collins as Eveyln Nesbit and an ensemble that truly delivers in every way.

Imaginatively staged at Den Theatre’s Main Theatre, the venue holds a new look as it is transformed into a theatre in the round, the audience surrounding the action. A ragtime band is present throughout the show, two pianos, a clarinet (Dan Hickey) and an occasional flute to giving us a newly-orchestrated chamber version behind the music direction of Jermaine Hill and Ellen Morris, each of whom mans a piano throughout.

There is a reason that Ragtime has won so many awards and has been revived so often by numerous theatre companies. Simply put, the music is outstanding, it’s story is educational as it is entertaining and its message is timeless. Griffin Theatre does justice to this definitive production putting forth a commendable cast, an inviting set, polished music production and lighting and spot on costumes that throw the audience back in time to 1906.

Recommended.

Ragtime is being performed at Den Theatre’s Main Stage and has been extended through July 22nd. For this quality production tickets are a bargain at just $39. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.griffintheatre.com.