Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "shear madness"

“The Marvelous Wonderettes” Will Sing Their Way Into Your Heart

2010-08-19T01:21:10Z

Step into the Wells Fargo Pavilion and be transported back to Springfield High School’s 1958 Senior Prom, “Marvelous Dreams.”

The evening’s entertainment was supposed to be provided by The Crooning Crabcakes. Alas, Crabcakes lead singer and preacher’s son Billy Ray was caught smoking behind the school. So as not to set a bad example, the principle has canceled their show. The Marvelous Wonderettes are brought in as a last-minute substitution.

The Marvelous Wonderettes are Cindy Lou Huffington, Missy Miller, Betty Jean “B.J.” Reynolds and Suzy Simpeon. They are all Springfield High School’s (Go Chipmunks) Song Leaders.

For the next couple of hours, we learn about the Wonderettes’ relationships with each other and the loves of their lives during the decade between 1958 and 1968. Their stories are told through 33 songs from that decade.

“The Marvelous Wonderettes” writer and creator Roger Bean has done a pretty amazing job of taking mostly well-known and a few not-so-well-known songs of the period and weaving a complete story arc for the girls. Some of the song connections are cliché, and some are quite surprising. His choice of songs also demonstrate the major shift in popular music from the 1950s to the 1960s. The radical changes of the time are reflected in the women’s lives.

Bean directs his own work, successfully transferring it to the theater in the round.

Janet Miller’s choreography also contributes greatly to restaging the Wonderettes dance routines, keeping them connected with the audience on all sides.

Broadway and off-Broadway (including “The Marvelous Wonderettes”) actress Lindsay Mendez plays Betty Jean “B.J.” Reynolds. B.J. is the prankster in the group. She has a not-so-faithful boyfriend, Johnny.

Mendez also performs as a singer with collaborator Marco Paguia and his jazz trio at several New York City venues. She is also the lead singer for the cover band “Limbsakimbo” and is the wife of the show’s musical conductor, Michael Borth. More information on Lindsay Mendez can be found here.

Lowe Taylor has performed all four roles in “The Marvelous Wonderettes.” Along with the off-Broadway production of ‘Wonderettes,” she has numerous regional theater credits.

In her Music Circus debut, she plays Cindy Lou. Cindy Lou is the “Miss Perfect” that everyone loves to hate and is very successful at flirting with the boys, including B.J.’s Johnny. After high school, the now-Cynthia has a tragic relationship with the aforementioned preacher’s son, Billy Ray. Here is more information on Lowe Taylor.

Missy Cotton has performed the role of Missy Miller both in the off-Broadway production and at the Laguna Playhouse run. She has appeared at the Music Circus in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat,” “Annie,” and “A Funny Thing Happened .... Forum.”

Along with appearing in Broadway, off-Broadway and regional productions, Cotton originated roles in Roger Bean’s “Honky Tonk Laundry” (Katy Lane) and “Winter Wonderettes” (Missy).

Missy Miller is a character who tends to hold the group together and smooth over differences between the girls. She is a great singer, but her dance moves are not the smoothest. Missy shocks all in her revelation that her secret love is someone who is not appropriate to be in love with.

The fourth Wonderette, Suzy Simpeon, is played by Bets Malone. Malone originated the role of Suzy, starting with the first workshop of “The Marvelous Wonderettes.” She also appeared in the off-Broadway production and original cast recording.

Malone has been in four of Roger Bean’s productions, choreographing his “Route 66” last season at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. She has appeared at the Music Circus in “Fiddler..” and “1776” as well as several regional productions. She appears on DVD in “The Ten Commandments, the Musical,” with Val Kilmer and as the voice of Talulah the monkey in “Barbie as the Island Princess.” Her character Suzy is, shall we say, a little ditzy. Her love is Richie, who works the lights for the Wonderettes’ shows. Learn more about Bets Malone here.

All four actresses are great comedic talents and have wonderful voices. They realistically transition from the four girls at their senior prom to the young women at the 10-year reunion.

Bobby Pearce’s fun, period costumes (more) and especially hair, wig and makeup design by Judi Lewin contribute a lot to the transition as well. Lewis has worked extensively in theater, opera, television and film both in Los Angeles and her native Canada.

Recent University of California, Davis, MFA recipient Jamie Kumpf’s scenic design truly turns the Wells Fargo Pavilion into the Springfield High School Gymnasium. She has also designed for the Sacramento Theatre Company (“Gem of the Ocean”) and the B Street Theatre. Last season, as the resident scenic charge artist for the Music Circus, she designed “Altar Boys.”

The props the Wonderettes use in their shows are designed by Michael Carnahan, who created the props for several other “The Marvelous Wonderettes” productions as well as numerous shows in New York City, Toronto and throughout the United States.

Robert Sereno’s sound design is an important element. Much happens offstage, with Sereno giving us sounds from school bells to motorcycles. Sereno has been with the Music Circus and Broadway Sacramento since 1986. He also designed and engineered the new Cosmopolitan Cabaret where “Shear Madness” is currently appearing.

As mentioned, Michael Borth conducts what is a much smaller orchestra than usual for Music Circus productions. The orchestra consists of Mike McMullen (woodwinds), Tom Phillips (guitars), Brian Kendrick (drums/percussion) and much-beloved Sacramento keyboardist Chris Schlagel. The orchestra does perform to the usual Music Circus high standards.

Given Tuesday night’s opening-night audience reaction, the Music Circus has proved that it can take a smaller-scale production with only four actors and create a highly entertaining evening.

8:00 pm Thurs. Fri. Sat. 2:00 Thurs. Sat. 7:30 Sunday (last show)
Wells Fargo Pavillon 1419 H St. Sacramento
$41-$53
(916)557-1999 or here

Top photo: Lowe Taylor as Cindy Lou, Lindsay Mendez as Betty Jean, Bets Malone as Suzy and Misty Cotton as Missy Photo by Charr Crail. All photos courtsey California Musical Theatre

Cosmopolitan Cabaret announces 2010 season

2009-11-25T03:44:12Z

On Monday, Cosmopolitan Cabaret announced its 2010 season, the cabaret's first scheduled season with a full lineup of shows. Nov. 30, California Musical Theatre, which runs the Cosmopolitan Cabaret as well as the Music Circus and Broadway Sacramento, will begin selling tickets for the three shows making up the season.

The 2010 season will begin Jan. 26 with My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, followed by a murder-mystery non-musical play called Shear Madness and end with Suds, an upbeat love story with a 1960s top-40 soundtrack.

Last September, the cabaret began its first show, Forever Plaid, as an open-ended run. It ended after a year, earlier than had been hoped. But it lasted 387 performances and drew 46,000 people before closing as the longest-running, professional-equity theatre production in Sacramento history.

"We were hoping it was going to run for five years and be a smash hit," said Christopher Bower, CMT's director of marketing. "But we didn't really have a certain date in mind (to close), we were just going to see how it went."

Last spring, CMT management decided to move to a normal cabaret season with several productions per year.

"We got hit pretty hard with the economy going down the tubes right after we opened, but it started to get its legs and we decided last spring that it might be better to go with a season format," Bower said.

As CMT executive producer Richard Lewis saw ticket sales dwindling, he decided to close Forever Plaid, according to an article in the Sacramento Bee. On Sept. 22, CMT opened Late Night Catechism: 'Til Death Do Us Part, a one-woman show which ended Nov. 22.

The production featured a minimalist set, with Emmy-Award winning actress Nonie Newton-Breen playing a nun who offers humorous lessons on various Catholic sacraments.

She will reprise her role as a nun for six weeks beginning Tuesday, Nov. 24 in Sister's Christmas Catechism, followed by a one-week encore show of 'Til Death beginning Jan. 5, 2010. Both shows have improvised material with heavy audience interaction.

Bower said that there is much to be learned from the first year, and the CMT won't know if the cabaret is a success until having completed several more seasons. He also said Forever Plaid was so funny and well done, once the word got out, people started buying tickets quickly.

"Artistically, the show itself got great reviews and great audience response," Bower added. "Financially, (the year) had its ups and downs but it's a learning process. We didn't really know what to expect, we'd never run a cabaret-style theatre before."

Cosmopolitan Cabaret is located on the corner of 10th and K streets.

The following is the Cosmopolitan Cabaret's 2010 season schedule and plot summaries, taken from www.californiamusicaltheatre.com:

My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra

Jan. 26 - May 9 (previews Jan. 26 – 28, opening night, Friday, Jan. 29).

The four-person musical review celebrates the music of this icon of cool: a singer whose style, voice and attitude defined much of 20th century music. Two dynamic couples perform 58 songs made famous by the Chairman of the Board, including "Strangers in the Night," "I’ve Got You Under My Skin" and “New York, New York.”

Shear Madness

May 25 - Sept. 5 (previews May 25 – 30, opening night, Tuesday, June 1).

Taking place in a beauty salon, this uproarious whodunit includes colorful characters, spontaneity and topical humor. And the audience gets to solve the crime! "Shear Madness" has had long-running engagements around the country including Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C. (9,000 performances and counting) and the original Boston production which opened in 1980 and is still going strong.

Suds

Sept. 21 - Jan. 9, 2011 (previews Sept. 21 – 23, opening night, Friday, Sept. 24)

Suds is a delightful musical about a teenage girl and the guardian angels who come to teach her about finding true love. This bubbly musical set in a laundromat features hits from the '60s including "Where the Boys Are," "These Boots Are Made for Walkin’," "Respect," "I Feel Good" and "Do You Want to Know a Secret."

Subscriptions are available for purchase beginning Monday, Nov. 30, at the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office, 1419 H St., Sacramento, or by calling (916) 557-1999.

Subscription tickets are discounted more than 20 percent off the price of the tickets sold separately. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evening performances and Thursday matinee performances are $79 for the three-show package. Friday and Saturday evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinee packages are only $89. Subscriptions for premium tables on the first tier are $89 and $99 respectively. Discounts are available for groups from 12 to 199 by calling (916) 557-1198.

Single-show tickets for each of the productions will go on sale at a later date.