Chorus Line: A Southern Gem##M:[more]##
I need to begin by saying I saw the original Chorus Line on Broadway back in the 1970s. It was a startling musical for its time, and broke new ground. High School South’s production of A Chorus Line last week was nothing less than remarkable by any standard, and was, at least for me, as enjoyable a night of theater as I’ve had, amateur or professional.
I’m not saying it was perfect, but then, neither is Broadway every night, and this production could easily be taken intact to Broadway without missing a beat. It was that good. For those of you who missed it (or may have been at North’s production, unfortunately scheduled for the same week), it is an ensemble piece about a group of dancers auditioning for a show. There are no “stars,” although some parts are more prominent than others. It is the interaction of these people trying to become members of the chorus that gives us insight into what that life is like.
It is NOT a show typically done by high schools, because some of the life-stories of these dancers, which form the focus of the drama, are touching, depressing, and perhaps still just a little racey, even in this day and age. But this cast put together by director Demi Ashton was the finest I’ve ever seen on the South stage. And the pit, all 36 members, all students (no ringers for the first time in my memory) under the direction of faculty member Charlie Ashton (he teaches computer technology, not music, is Demi Ashton’s husband, and is a professional musician in his own right) was astoundingly good. More on the pit later.
The “facilitator” for this show is the Director/Choreographer Zach, played so well and strongly by senior Zachary Zimbler that I could easily believe he was in his 30s. Absolutely committed to his vocation, we learn that he lost the love of Cassie, played by Allison Taaffe, some years before. Taaffe is a superlative dancer, and has a theatrical voice to match. I was stunned to find out she was a sophomore, because on stage she had the presence and look of the adult she was playing.
And that was just the first of many surprises about this cast. Senior Mitchell Akselrad as Mike brought down the house with a tap-dance routine with as much athleticism (including a flip) as any Olympic gymnast I’ve ever seen. His last name should be familiar, because his older and equally talented sister graced this stage for several years. He will be missed, but I have a feeling it’s not the last we’ll hear of him.
Julie Moorman played Sheila — the dancer with an attitude, self-assured and taking no prisoners — so convincingly I was equally surprised to find out she, too, was a sophomore. Her song “At The Ballet” becomes a trio with Bebe (Senior Bonnie White) and Maggie (another sophomore Rose Dzugan), a touching song/story beautifully performed, involving the full company executing ballet moves behind these three.
And then comes senior Annie Sandford playing the dizzy Kristine for comic relief partnered with senior Ryan Lupo as her dancer/husband Al with the very funny “Sing,” because she can’t. This song involves perfect timing and coordination to make it work, and I was not surprised that Annie and Ryan were up to the task. Annie made the small part of an elderly baseball fanatic in last year’s “Damn Yankees” so memorably humorous, I still laugh thinking about it.
Junior Alex Sasson’s Richie sang the number “Gimme The Ball” about his high school athletics experience with wonderful energy, making me wonder if he is a varsity athlete at the school as well. It would not surprise me. There were several ensemble montages which worked extremely well, one with a memorably humourous interlaced monologue by junior Zac Howes as Bobby and evolving into one of the big surprises of the evening, sophomore Melanie Fernandez as Diana singing “Nothing.” She describes her miserable experience in acting class at the high school for the performing arts. This young woman has talent to burn, a theatrical voice to die for, stage presence that seemed natural, and once again I simply could not believe that she was in 10th grade.
Junior John Presutto’s wonderfully oily Don gave a glimpse at the seedier side of experiences for a dancer trained in clubs and strip joints. Senior Caroline Seghers played the “surgically enhanced” dancer Val, who’s song “This and That” (a title changed for the high school version) defines the lengths to which a dancer will go for success. Everyone in the theater got the point, language changes notwithstanding. It was a perfect ending to the first act, although I don’t remember a break in the Broadway version.
The second act began with Cassie and Zach talking out their past, ending with Cassie singing “The Music and the Mirror” to convince Zach to put her in the chorus, once again demonstrating her wonderful dancing. The second surprise of the evening came immediately after this song. Junior Chris Reil’s Paul owned the stage for nearly 10 minutes as he told his story, becoming a “pony” (cross-dresser) dancer in an all-male revue, and finding his parents in the audience one night.
He didn’t sing, he didn’t dance, he just took the audience, the quietest audience I’ve ever witnessed, into his bizarre world. There were few dry eyes around me when he finished. It was theater at its best, and I, for one, was in awe of this student’s performance.
Junior Jonathan Amira’s Greg gave a very convincing picture of a male dancer who discovered his real identity at an early age, and has never looked back. Junior Caitlyn Stuart’s Judy was wonderful in providing small segments of comic relief, and sophomore Meggie Schmidt’s Wendy added immeasurably to the continuity in a part which, I understand, was written in because there was so much talent to choose from.
Another sophomore, Sarah Esmi, gave wonderful energy to the part of Connie. And finally senior Alyssa Gentile’s Leigh (Zach’s assistant) was a wonderful dancer, “instructing” the ensemble and making the seguays between scenes seamless.
This musical would try any cast, but director Demi Ashton, choreographer Marilyn Mangione Stoddard, and vocal director Janice Chapin put together an ensemble that could dance, sing, and act circles around many semi-pro theatrical productions. It was clear from what I was hearing that there was as good a choral ensemble behind the stage as was on the stage. We saw this student back-up chorus during the curtain call, which was another nice touch. The lighting set wonderful moods around the action on stage, and the balanced and full orchestrations from the pit were a joy to hear.
That requires further comment. I don’t remember strings in the Broadway production, but there were strings in this one. I checked the original cast album, and called someone “in the know” at the school. I was told that senior and student conductor Eric Kang arranged the string parts. He was also pianist in the pit orchestra and the rehearsal accompanist. I will never be able to hear some of these songs again without hearing Kang’s strings. This remarkable level of talent in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District must be among the highest in the nation.
I’ve seen too many shows to think that any show’s staging is easy, even when it appears to be minimalist as this one does. Hats off to student stage manager Alex Zuckerman and her production staff, and to the wonderful Pat Riley for her costuming.
If this review seems excessive in its superlatives, I won’t apologize. I had to keep reminding myself that the actors I was watching were in high school. They could just as easily have been the 20 and 30-somethings they were playing. This school’s outstanding talent never cease to amaze me, especially learning that the cast lost two days of rehearsal due to snow in the final tech week leading up to the opening night.
I understand the symphony orchestra and concert choir, many of whose members were in the pit and on and behind the stage, are leaving next week for Scotland. I hope the U.K. is ready for this school. Maybe they can play and sing the final number from this show, “What I Did For Love” as part of their program. Beginning as a solo for the incredible Diana, it evolved into an ensemble adding more and more voices as time went on. A full orchestral and choir version would blow the Scottish audiences away, as the stage version did me. What a cast. What a school.
Jack Cooper
North’s ‘Mattress’ No Sleeper
There could not be a more definitive contrast in two musicals at two high schools than High School South’s intimate “Chorus Line” and High School North’s lavish “Once Upon A Mattress.” For pure spectacle, “Once Upon A Mattress” repeated what had became a tradition with last year’s “Annie,” as this show filled the huge High School North stage with a large, beautifully costumed cast and productions numbers, choreographed by Sue Armellino, which were a dazzling presentation of colors and motion on an incredible set designed by director Robert Corriveau.
For a musical that opened in 1959 on Broadway as a showcase for Carol Burnett in the lead role with a fairly small cast, North’s production is about as big as I can ever imagine a show getting. To lessen the large size of North’s auditorium, Corriveau involved the audience from the start by having the two “minstrels (senior Bernie Balane and sophomore Daniel Martin) walk from the back of the theater through the audience singing “Many Moons Ago” in spotlight as a set-up for the story of the Princess and the Pea, on which this show is loosely based.
Senior Alessandra Ameen was the ultimate controlling mother (and wife) as Queen Aggravain, and was able to get laughs at will by just appearing on stage with a line or a look or an action. Senior Dan Fishman as her hapless son Prince Dauntless played his part with just the right mixture of frustration and determination to win the ever powerful Princess Winnifred (The Woebegone, but you can call her “Fred”) played wonderfully and energetically by senior Eden Casalino. It made me tired just watching her travel that stage.
A second story line in this show deals with Sir Harry (sophomore Matt Jacques) and his Lady Larkin (Kristen Orloff, class year unlisted), whom, we and Harry are told by Larkin, has become in a family way after spending an evening with Harry watching the sun set on a hill in the kingdom. They cannot get married until the Prince is married, something the queen is bound and determined to prevent.
And so the plot, and the humor, thickens. Jacques and Orloff had voices which blended wonderfully on the duet “In A Little While.” But a real nod must go to senior Evan Wisser, who has graced this stage many times, playing one of the toughest roles in any show, that of King Sextimus, who has been made mute by a spell. Wisser pantomimes his way through 98 percent of the show, getting more laughs by saying nothing than many actors get with comedy lines. The ultimate hen-pecked husband, Sextimus as played by Wisser was constantly engaging and one looked forward to his entrances with his sidekicks the Jester (junior Cristina Gil) and minstrel Daniel Martin.
These three “sing” a trio, “The Minstrel, The Jester and I,” a humorous ditty in which the King mimes his lines. It was a memorable moment among many in this show, including the Jester’s second act song and dance, “Very Soft Shoes” with the Ghost of Sliding Peter Jingle (junior Kristen Roman), beautifully executed and engaging.
The Princess’s Ladies-In-Waiting, Rowena (senior Aimee Tunnacliffe), Merrill (sophomore Stephanie Brown), and Lucille (freshman Jade Samuels) join her in a song in which she longs for the “swamps of home.” We can expect to see more of these two non-graduating ensemble members.
Sophomore Dylan Roth played the Wizard, the foil for the queen, deftly handling her schemes at every turn. Supporting roles were ably played by junior Amanda Thomas as Princess No. 12 who loses her bid for the prince in a TV gameshow style quiz, senior Seena Vali as Sir Studley, and sophomore Michael Pfeiffer as Sir Luce, freshman Katie Lucerne as Lady Mabell, and junior Mallika Jois as the Nightingale, whose beautiful voice tries to lull the princess to sleep until she is told in no uncertain terms to stop by Fred from atop an enormous eight-foot high bed.
There are 46 other members of the cast who compose the “Knights and Ladies,” providing wonderful musical support to the production numbers, not surprisingly since they have been coached by North’s outstanding choral director Mary Jacobsen. Music Director (and North’s award-winning band director) Mark Bencivengo’s 24-member all-student pit was more than up to the task of playing what I judged to be a difficult score.
I mentioned the incredible costumes at the beginning of this review, and a nod is due to costumer Christine Roth for filling the stage with such flowing and colorful period clothes. Senior Kevin Friis, sound engineer, had his hands and fingers full as I lost track of the wireless mics he was controlling on the cast at around 20, with more microphones evident in the pit, a mix job worthy of many Broadway shows. Director/Set Designer/Lighting Designer Robert Corriveau and Choreographer Sue Armellino, along with Assistant Director Cherylanne Moffit created a fantasy that will no doubt live in the memories of this cast and their families for a long time.
Editor’s note: Jack Cooper is the pen name for a writer who closely follows the high school drama and music scene.
Jack Cooper
Re-Elect Hsueh
I believe the township of West Windsor has been well served by Shing-Fu Hsueh and it is important that he is re-elected to continue the good work he is doing for our community.
Shing has been successful in bringing additional funding to this town: $500,”000 for the Senior Center, $125,”000 for planning around the Junction Station. He has worked hard to convince the state to pick up the tab for fixing the Alexander Road bridge, and the grants for the clean up of Grover Mill Pond. This experience and his background for detail will continue to be a big asset in balancing the economic realities and the municipal requirements of our community — the taxpayers.
And there’s more to come.
He has always been sincere, honest, and diligent in his involvement with our local government. So I would urge my fellow citizens to re-elect Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh on Tuesday, May 10.
Hassan R. Syed
1 Cardinal Drive, West Windsor
