THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES is an escapist delight @ Beck
Last spring Beck Center presented the musical JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA. The production was met with pickets and much controversy. Beck need not worry about hullabaloo with their present production, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, unless there is a cat-fight between two audience members wearing the same cotton candy colored prom dress or your candidate for queen doesn’t get elected. (Hey, suggestion to the Beck public relation’s people — have a “wear your prom dress and get in free night.”)
THE MAREVELOUS WONDERETTES is one of those escapist review shows that features familiar music usually sandwiched between some spoken lines that attempt to tell a rather far-fetched story. No one goes to learn anything. It’s all about enjoying the songs and the musical sounds.
And, in this William Roudebush production, there are a lot of songs and musical sounds to enjoy. The voices are good, the costumes era correct, and there is enough humor to get the most stodgy member of the audience to tap his feet and sing along with the 1950s and ’60s songs.
The review was the brainchild of Roger Bean, whose mother was a varsity song leader, the precursor to the present show choirs (think Glee). The participants entertained at school functions and dreamed of becoming celebrities. A local Brush High School group, The Poni Tails, actually succeeded in having a number one song on the national charts, several more hits, and a brief career.
In 1998, Bean was asked to write a new musical. Supposedly inspired by his mother’s past, he assembled a number of era songs and set them into a theme of best friends, singing at their prom, and the ensuing teen-age conflicts. Eventually, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES opened in New York City in 2008 where it ran until 2010.
Those of you who are old enough, think back to 1958. Those not old enough, this was the era of chiffon, prim and proper, and no worry about recessions or The Tea Party. Travel back to the fictitious Springfield High School prom where we meet the Wonderettes, four girls with crushes, hopes and fantasies as big as their crinoline skirts and hair! Don’t worry about the story line; it is incidental. Just focus on such songs as “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick On Your Collar,” “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” and “It’s My Party.” And finish the evening off by moving forward 10 years, where the group is reassembled for their tenth class reunion.
The quartette consists of the zaftig, outspoken, sensitive Betty Jean (Amiee Collier); the pretty, boyfriend-stealing Cindy Lou (Nikki Curmaci) whose dream in life is to be the prom queen; the prim and proper moral leader of the group, Missy (Theresa Kloos); and Suzy (Caitlin Elizabeth Reilly), a gum chewing cutie.
The Beck cast sings well, develops consistent characterizations, moves well and is delightful. Cast members get to vote for the prom queen and get selected to be a teacher heartthrob or the French teacher.
The gym prom setting, complete with homemade crepe paper decorations, is perfectly created by Ben Needham. David Glowe’s costume designs are era correct. Caitlin Elizabeth Reilly’s choreography emulates the ’50s and later the ’60s—the twist, the pony, stroll, hand jive, monkey and the Madison. Musical director Larry Goodpaster has the girls in good voice and the orchestra in perfect tune… underscoring, rather than drowning out the voices.
CAPSULE JUDGMENT: Beck’s THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES is one of those feel-good evenings of theatre that is slight on story and long on escapist entertainment. It makes for a delightful evening of nostalgia.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko. Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2011, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://RoyBerko.info. His reviews can also be found on NeOHIOpal and CoolCleveland.com.
Roy Berko, who is a life-long Clevelander, is a Renaissance man. Believing the line in Robert Frost’s poem “Road Not Taken,” each time he comes to a fork in the road, he has taken the path less traveled. He holds degrees, thought the doctorate from Kent State, University of Michigan and The Pennsylvania State University. His present roles, besides husband and grandfather, are professor, crisis counselor, author and entertainment reviewer… Read Roy Berko’s complete bio here
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Carol Drummond has been a professional designer for 25 years. Prior to starting her award-winning graphic design studio 15 years ago, Drummond Design, she graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, worked at a graphic design studio, a video production company, and a consumer products company. She has been an art docent for Mayfield City Schools and currently serves on the COSE Arts Network Advisory Committee. 
REVIEW: YOU GOT NERVE!, a work in progress @ Karamu
YOU GOT NERVE!, a work in progress @ Karamu
In 1915, Russell Jelliffe and Rowena Woodham, a pair of Oberlin graduates, opened The Playhouse Settlement House at the corner of East 38th and Central Avenue. Little did they realize that besides getting people of all races and creeds to share common ventures, they were laying the foundation for what today is the oldest African American theatre in America. A theatre that has helped hone such luminaries as actors Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Robert Guillaume, Dick Latessa and Ron O’Neal, as well as playwright and poet Langston Hughes. Cleveland legends Dorothy and Reuben Silver served on the organization’s staff for 21 years.
The Playhouse Settlement was renamed Karamu, a Swahili word meaning “a place of enjoyment in the center of the community,” in 1941. It is indeed a place of enjoyment which has many community building traditions, such as members of the audience being personally thanked by the entire cast during a procession following each show. And, each show starts with a homey interaction between the vivacious Vivian Wilson, the organization’s Marketing Director, and the audience.
In honor of its 97th anniversary, which is named “The Season of Joy and Perseverance,” Karamu Theatre is presenting a world premiere of a play by its Playwright in Residence, Michael Oatman. A native Clevelander, Oatman, who is a member of the Playwrights Unit at the Cleveland Play House, has written a number of plays including LET IT BLEED, which was premiered at The New Work, New Ways Festival at the University of Nebraska, and BEFORE I DIE; THE WAR AGAINST TUPAC SHAKUR presented at CPH’s Fusion Festival. This year, he was the recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize “Emerging Artist Award.”
The basic story of YOU GOT NERVE! centers on a group of inner city kids who hassle students at the Cleveland School of the Performing Arts when the school’s campus is moved into an area that lacks safety. As a result of a fight which ensues, both groups are assigned to community service in the senior citizens home which was trashed as it became the uninvited host for the conflict.
As often is the case with the presentation of a new script, YOU GOT NERVE! needs further development. There are some nice moments, such as relating the history of such issues as the poll tax and the connection between the youth and the seniors, but it is definitely a work in progress. Some of the language is not that used in natural speech. Lines often sound like written rather than oral language. There are just too many side topics that cause the story to lack focus. Teenage love, homelessness, Alzheimer’s, inner city/suburban differences, the African American class system, youth-elderly lack of understanding, historical Black music and entertainers, all come and go within the play’s framework, with none completely developed. What’s the author’s intent and purpose? Specifically, what is he expecting us to carry from the theatre?
The large cast, many of whom are students at the School of the Performing Arts, puts out full effort. There are some nice performances, including those by Chelsea Anderson, who develops a consistent identity as Claire, a bright young lady who lives to sing; Brenda Adrine, as Ms. Adrienne, one of the home’s senior residents, has a nice grasp of the character; and Antaune Rogers, though playing a character way beyond his years, correctly speaks ideas rather than just words.
On the other hand, there are overdone characterizations with the performers feigning the characters, rather than being the person. Many of the lines seem read, rather than spoken. There is a lack of projection by some actors, so ideas get lost. Director Terrence Spivey needed to work with the cast on realistic performance and idea development. Most of the cast are performers in training, and needed more assistance.
Capsule judgment: YOU GOT NERVE! is a work in progress, both as a script and a production. It’s nice to see Karamu using students from The School of the Performing Arts and blending them with community members to help them broaden their experience base.
Roy Berko, who is a life-long Clevelander, is a Renaissance man. Believing the line in Robert Frost’s poem “Road Not Taken,” each time he comes to a fork in the road, he has taken the path less traveled. He holds degrees, thought the doctorate from Kent State, University of Michigan and The Pennsylvania State University. His present roles, besides husband and grandfather, are professor, crisis counselor, author and entertainment reviewer… Read Roy Berko’s complete bio here
WIN $500 by using the free Cool Cleveland app now available for your iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch by clicking here, and for your Android smartphone or tablet by clicking here.
[Click here to return to the current issue of Cool Cleveland]
Posted on Wednesday, September 21st, 2011, in Commentary, News, Performance, Review, Roy Berko, Theatre | No Comments »