#goodcompanyplayers

[brothermarc7theatre]

Musical Monday...errr....Tuesday

Hello and welcome to this delayed but lovely Musical Monday highlight. It is, yet again, another tech week for me, so I must feature the show in which I am working on. This gem of a musical is one that is seldom done, but when it is staged, it is an audience favorite. Let’s take a trip to the local parfumerie and take in the smells of this wonderful piece!

Musical Monday date: 10/22/2019

Musical: She Loves Me

Book, Music, and Lyrics: Joe Masteroff, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick

Broadway Run: ORIGINAL CAST= April 23, 1963 - January 11, 1964

                           1ST REVIVAL CAST= June 10, 1993 - June 19, 1994

                           2ND REVIVAL CAST= March 17, 2016 - July 10, 2016

Awards Won: ORIGINAL CAST= Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Jack Cassidy)

                       1ST REVIVAL CAST= Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Boyd Gaines)/Drama Desk Award for Outsanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Boyd Gaines)

                        2ND REVIVAL CAST= Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical (David Rockwell)/Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical or Revue, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Jane Krakowski),Outstanding Orchestrations (Larry Hochman), Outstanding Set Design for a Musical (David Rockwell)

Other: There was a one-night concert engagement in 2011 that starred Josh Radnor (Georg), Kelli O’Hara (Amalia), Gavin Creel (Kodaly), Jane Krakowski (Ilona), Rory O’Malley (Arpad), and Victor Garber (Mr. Maraczek). 

Fun Fact: The legacy of names who have played Amalia include Barbara Cook (Original Broadway Cast), Judy Kuhn (1993 Revival Cast), Kelli O’Hara (2011 Concert), Laura Benanti (2016 Revival Cast) among others.

She Loves Me runs at Good Company Players’ 2nd Space Theater from October 25th - December 22nd. It’s also the currently featured show on Drunk Broadway’s season five exploration into musicals over the years. So, point is, there is no shortage of She Loves Me for you to enjoy. Go fall in love with this charming score and tack on a gallon of vanilla ice cream to keep you company. 

[colferpics]

chriscolfer: DRESS REHEARSAL!!! Last chance to get tickets and sign up for the livestream! @GoodCompanyPlayers #AllTogetherNow #Fresno [posted Nov 14, 2021]

[dorothy16]

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chriscolfer I’m very excited to be hosting and performing in a benefit for the @GoodCompanyPlayers this Sunday, November 14th in Fresno, CA. For tickets visit gcplayers.com or to watch the livestream visit the link in my bio. 🎭

[glk-ca]

11-14-2021 - Finally, Chris's opening monologue from All Together Now! ❤

[brothermarc7theatre]

Musical Monday...errr....Tuesday

Hello and welcome to this week’s (delayed) Musical Monday. Forgive me the delay, but I am currently in double rehearsal mode! One of the shows, however, is in tech, so as is custom for me, I will be highlighting that title this week! Let’s go!

Musical Monday date: 9/17/2019

Musical: Man of La Mancha

Book, Music, and Lyrics: Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh, and Joe Darion

Broadway Run: ORIGINAL CAST= November 22, 1965 - June 26, 1971

                        1ST REVIVAL CAST= June 22, 1972 - October 21, 1972

                        2ND REVIVAL CAST= September 15, 1977 - December 31, 1977

                        3RD REVIVAL CAST= April 24, 1992 - July 26, 1992

                        4TH REVIVAL CAST= December 5, 2002 - August 31, 2003 

Awards Won: ORIGINAL CAST= Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Composer and Lyricist, Best Actor in a Musical (Richard Kiley), Best Scenic Design (Howard Bay), Best Direction of a Musical (Albert Marre)

                       1ST REVIVAL CAST= None

                        2ND REVIVAL CAST= None

                        3RD REVIVAL CAST= None

                        4TH REVIVAL CAST= None

Other: There is also a 1972 film adaptation starring Peter O’Toole (Don Quixote), Sophia Loren (Aldonza), and James Coco (Sancho). It received an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Scoring Original Song Score and/or Adaptation.

Fun Fact: Richard Kiley had the pleasure and distinction to star as Don Quixote in three of the five Broadway productions. 

The Man of La Mancha production I am involved with is my first choreographic endeavor back in Fresno, and is opening this Thursday at Good Company Players’ Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theatre. It runs for two months, so if you’re around the Central Valley head on down and enjoy the hysterics and dramatics of Don Quixote, his beloved Dulcinea, and his wonderful sidekick, Sancho. Go see this show!

[brothermarc7theatre]

Season Announcements Wednesday

Hello! I have safely returned from a thrilling NYC 2019 trip, and welcome you back with a Season Announcement Wednesday! This week’s company was the starting ground for one of the Broadway stars I had the pleasure of seeing perform. Also, it’s one of my treasured home theatres. Let’s take a look at what Good Company Players is offering its 2020 audiences!

Shows/Dates @ Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater: Something Rotten (January 16th - March 15th); The King and I (March 19th - May 17th); Disney’s Freaky Friday (May 21st - July 12th); Guys and Dolls (July 16th - September 13th); Pippin (September 17th - November 8th); The Addams Family (November 12th, 2020 - January 10th, 2021)

Shows/Dates @ 2nd Space Theater: Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure (January 3rd - February 23rd); Enchanted April (February 28th - April 19th); This Random World (April 24th - June 14th); Living on Love (June 19th - August 9th); A Man for All Seasons (August 14th - October 11th); Holly Jolly Holidays (November 5th - December 20th)

Venues/Addresses: Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater @ 1226 N. Wishon Avenue, Fresno 93728

                                2nd Space Theater @ 928 E. Olive Avenue, Fresno 93728

Website: www.gcplayers.com

Facebook: “Like” them at- Good Company Players

Twitter: “Follow” them at- @GCPlayers and @rogerrockas

Description: Having been in service to Valley audiences for over 40 years, Good Company Players is a year-round theatre group that puts on musicals and plays. Over the years I have had the pleasure of seeing their productions of Grease, The Glass Menagerie, Hairspray, The Little Mermaid, Shenandoah (my 500th show), and a whole gaggly of others. In addition, I have had the pleasure to perform in their productions of West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Grapes of Wrath, Oklahoma!, Shrek, and a slew of others. This season, I will be working on their productions of Man of La Mancha and She Loves Me in the choreography department. With a 2020 season like this, I sure hope to see you at the theater! Go see a show!

[colferpics]

chriscolfer: A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended and live-streamed “All Together Now!” to celebrate and support the @GoodCompanyPlayers. It was a very fun and emotional night for us GCPeeps and I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! 🎭 [posted Nov 15, 2021]

[dorothy16]

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chriscolfer A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended and live-streamed “All Together Now!” to celebrate and support the @GoodCompanyPlayers. It was a very fun and emotional night for us GCPeeps and I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! 🎭

[brothermarc7theatre]

Season Announcement Wednesday

Hellooooo, out there! Wishing you the happiest Wednesday possible. This week I am taking us down to the Central Valley to one of my cherished, most at-home theaters. This is one of those theaters where I can see or do a show and feel like I never left. I literally wouldn't be the thespian I am today if it wasn't for the people who created and run this group. Professionalism, family, quality, and fun are part of this company's work ethic, and they are a never-miss as long as I can help it. I am very excited to highlight the 2019 season at Good Company Players!!

Shows/Dates:

*Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater- Mamma Mia! (January 17th - March 17th); Hairspray (March 21st - May 19th); Newsies (May 23rd - July 14th); Calamity Jane (July 18th - September 15th); Man of La Mancha (September 19th - November  10th); Elf, the Musical (November 14th, 2019 - January 12th, 2020)

*2nd Space Theater- Driving Miss Daisy (January 4th - February 24th); A Shot in the Dark (March 1st - April 20th); Brighton Beach Memoirs (April 26th - June 16th); The Savannah Sipping Society (June 21st -  August 11th); My Cousin Rachel (August 16th - October 13th); She Loves Me (October 25th - December 22nd)

Venues/Address:

*Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater @ 1226 N. Wishon Avenue, Fresno 93728   

*2nd Space Theater @ 928 E. Olive Avenue, Fresno 93728

Website: www.gcplayers.com

Facebook: "Like" them at- Good Company Players

Twitter: "Follow" them at- @gcplayers & @rogerrockas

Description: It was 2006, I was a freshman at Fresno State University, and I was meandering around town to see what theatre offerings were available. On an unsuspecting Friday night, some friends and I walked through the doors at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater and saw their production of Grease. I was immediately enthralled and sold. In 2008, I made my Good Company Players acting debut in their production of Rebecca, and performed/choreographed shows there through 2014. Since moving to the Bay Area I have gone back to see their productions of Crazy For You, All Shook Up, Shenandoah (my 500th show!), The Glass Menagerie, Camelot, Annie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Into the Woods, among many, many others. Since I will living in Fresno again come June 2019, I am very excited at the opportunities to work with them again and see more of their shows. If you're searching around Fresno for some theatrical entertainment, why don't you make a night at either one of Good Company Players' theaters the choice for you! Go see a show!

[brothermarc7theatre]

“The Drowsy Chaperone” show #668

Welcome to a modern-day harmonious journey back to 1928 musical theatre! The Man in Chair (apartment resident and wittily-opinioned aficionado of all things theatre and life) has allowed the audience into his home to alieve his feeling blue. He takes us on a journey through the remastered, double-disc recording of The Drowsy Chaperone. When this wildly funny and charming production comes to life in his apartment, the audience is treated to the show itself with the Man in Chair’s explications, quips, and thoughts on the plot, music, and reflection of his own life accompanying it. Denise Graziani has compiled a stellar cast and helmed this musical in sterling form, allowing for the 1920′s style to come through with ease, and giving Steve Souza (playing Man in Chair) all the room to breathe in the jokes and assist the audience to digest the emotional charm the role offers.

(Steve Souza (Man in Chair); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Mr. Souza delivers a beautifully genial performance as Man in Chair. His presence exudes the comfortability of being in his home, a wonderfully decorated set design by David Pierce. The musical theatre décor and furniture all play into the fun entrances, exits, and blocking choices Miss Graziani has graciously constructed with variety for the audience. Mr. Souza’s endless array of monologues and expositional asides are delivered with enthusiasm, varying degrees of sass and genuineness, and culminates with a heart wrenching monologue just before the final number. Tim Smith and Emily Pessano play the love struck bridegroom and starlet bride, Robert and Janet, respectively. Mr. Smith’s crisp vocals and dashing presence make him an ideal Robert Martin, whose character is performed by Percy Hyman, a former toothpaste model. Miss Pessano exudes the 1920s triple-threat ingénue gravitas with a champion performance in “Show Off” and pairs well with Mr. Smith in a beautifully sung “Accident Waiting to Happen.” Mr. Smith teams up with Shawn Williams’ memorably animated George, Robert’s best man, for a classic tap dancing duet in “Cold Feets.” Aside from just a stellar tap turn by both, the humor and semi-plot pushing dialogue is handled efficiently and with great humor.

(L to R: Shawn Williams (George), Tim Smith (Robert), Emily Pessano (Janet), Jessica Sarkisian (The Drowsy Chaperone); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Laurie Pessano and Charles Raab make a delightful pairing as forgetful hostess of the household where the wedding is to take place, Mrs. Tottendale, and her butler, Underling, respectively. They deliver a laugh out loud performance in the Spit Take scene, playing the laughs well and timing the rewind effect perfectly. Later, the duo blesses the audience with a lovely song-and-dance turn in “Love is Always Lovely.” Jeff Lusk, the producer of the show Janet is about to leave due to her wedding, is brisk, gruff, and all-around commanding as Mr. Feldzieg. His comedic timing and personality shifts between the different characters he encounters are seamless and well-detailed. London Garcia offers a lovable side to the bubbly Kitty, a chorine girl hoping to break out into a leading part. Miss Garcia’s leadership of “Toledo Surprise,” alongside Greg Ruud and Nicholas Nunez as the Gangsters, is exciting and dazzling the whole way through. Mr. Ruud and Mr. Nunez serve up and knock out of the park all the comedic puns and bits the Gangsters have when “disguised” as unsuspecting pastry chefs.

(L to R: Nicholas Nunez (Gangster), Jeff Lusk (Feldzieg), and Greg Ruud (Gangster); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Erik W. Valencia is a dashing Aldolpho, delivering a great “Aldolpho” while playing the sexy Latin lover stereotype well opposite Jessica Sarkisian’s excellent Chaperone. Miss Sarkisian’s big time to shine is in her torch song, “As We Stumble Along,” in which she balances elegance and dripping sarcasm within the gift of a beautiful voice. Finally, with rare but significant time to shine, Camille Gaston soars as Trix, the Aviatrix, in the opening number, “Fancy Dress,” and taking the stage in true character form in “I Do, I Do in the Sky.”

(Center: Camille Gaston (Trix), flanked by Cast members of The Drowsy Chaperone; Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Kaye Migaki’s precise choreography is both exhilarating and smart, especially with the exuberant “Toledo Surprise,” tap-tastic “Cold Feets,” and trick-centric “Show Off.” Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed’s period-appropriate costumes juxtapose the Main in Chair’s humble apartment garb with the 1920’s outfits with class and pizazz. The Drowsy Chaperone will spin on the record player through November 12th so make it a point to check out this seldom done but absolutely sensational musical.

[brothermarc7theatre]

"Damn Yankees" show #646

“You’ve gotta have heart.

All you really need is heart.

When the odds are sayin’ you’ll never win

That’s when the grin should start.”

It’s as if this was the mantra Richard Adler, Jerry Ross, George Abbott, and Douglas Wallop used when writing their Tony-winning hit, Damn Yankees. Though this musical has plenty of heart, its flaws and dated views of society, gender roles, and theatrical logic take precedence over any heart and grinning it may have. Good Company Players’ is currently playing a production of Damn Yankees, one with plenty of heart and commitment to almost overcome the jarring setbacks the book and score inherently burden its cast with.

(Kay Kelm (Meg Boyd) and Jason Fregoso (Joe Boyd); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Working in director Dan Pessano’s favor is that he has helmed this damn show to showcase the sweeter side of the score, the funnier side of the book, and lets Julie Lucido’s appropriately cute and flashy choreography take over for the dance numbers. At the crux of the play is an average joe named Joe Boyd who wants his Washington Senators to win, even if it means becoming a ball player himself by making a deal with the devil, instantly resulting in him leaving his wife and being the 20-years’ younger, Joe Hardy. This happens immediately after a very fun “Six Months out of Every Year,” followed even quicker by Young Joe becoming home/wife sick. The erratic pacing of the opening exposition and Joe's impulsive nature is simply implied in the dialogue rather than supported or explained, resulting in theatrical logic being tossed aside when following our leading ball player. Thankfully, Tim Smith is a charming, suave, likeable Joe Hardy, crooning well in “A Man Doesn’t Know,” and paired well with Kay Kelm as Meg Boyd for a sweet performance in the Act Two duet, “Near To You.” Paige Parker dons the iconic heels and demeanor of the devil’s right hand woman, Lola. Miss Parker has crafted a cunning, delightful villainess-turned-love struck woman throughout the performance. Highlights involve a fun “A Little Brains, A Little Talent,” an excellent “Whatever Lola Wants” and a fantastic turn in the choreographic highlight, “Two Lost Souls.”

(Tim Smith (Joe Hardy) and Pagie Parker (Lola); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Mr. Abbott and Mr. Wallop’s strongest-written roles are Mr. Applegate (the Devil) and Sister. Terry Lewis and Ethel Birrell both deliver a phenomenal job in showing the consistent humor and journey these characters endure. Miss Birrell makes the few-but-memorable humorous lines laugh-out-loud moments, and leads a charming “Heart (reprise).” Mr. Lewis is an Applegate that has a logical turmoil going on within: being a devil with limited powers. Mr. Lewis not only delivers this power struggle with delightful takes to the audience, comedic inflections, and hilarious deliveries, but shines in Miss Lucido’s wonderful choreography in the hat-and-cane number, “Those Were the Good Old Days.” 

(Terry Lewis (Mr. Applegate); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Featured standout Emily Pessano makes a delightfully comedic turn as Gloria Thorpe, making the as written pushy, bothersome reporter a genuine professional with backbone and wit rather than a product of the times where women were expected to just be homemakers and mothers. Miss Pessano leads the ballplayer ensemble well in “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO” in both singing and dancing, bringing that 1950’s musical style to the Roger Rocka’s stage in jovial fashion. Jesse McCoy, Daniel Sutherland, Greg Ruud, and Marcus Cardenas sing a fine quartet in the earlier quoted musical piece, “Heart,” with Mr. McCoy and Mr. Sutherland leading the ballplayers in a fine Act Two romp, “The Game.”

(Emily Pessano (Gloria) leading the Ballplayers in "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO;" Photo credit: Good Company Players)

David Pierce’s functional scenic design encompasses a passable dugout, Boyd home, and a beautifully-lit (lighting by Andrea Henrickson) club for “Two Lost Souls” while adding some excellently-detailed aesthetics on the walls in the form of vintage baseball cards. With a committed ensemble to boot, one must simply enter into Damn Yankees with the 1950’s musical goggles on, and turn off the 2017 PC mindset. The music is lovely, the performances are very well-directed and well-performed, so don’t let a few decades’ of social progress get in the way of a charming production. 

[brothermarc7theatre]

Season Announcement Wednesday

Hello and congratulations on making it to Hump Day! For this week's Season highlight, I am travelling down to one of my home-is-where-the-heart-is theatre companies in the Central Valley. They will always be a piece of my theatrical heart, a theatre where I always know I am going to enjoy. Here is the 2017 season for Good Company Players!

Shows/Dates: ROGER ROCKA'S DINNER THEATER= The Will Rogers Follies (current - March 12th); Peter and the Starcatcher (March16th - May 14th); Damn Yankees (May 18th - July 9th); Sister Act (July 13th - September 10th); The Drowsy Chaperone (September 14th - November 12th); Breaking Up is Hard to Do (November 16th - January 7th, 2018)

                         2ND SPACE THEATER= Blithe Spirit (current - February 26th); H.M.S. Pinafore (March 2nd - April 23rd); Stage Door (April 27th - June 18th); Neil Simon's Fools (June 22nd - August 20th); The Hound of the Baskervilles (August 24th - October 15th); A Christmas Carol (November 2nd - December 23rd)

Venues/Addresses: ROGER ROCKA'S DINNER THEATER= 1226 N. Wishon Avenue, Fresno 93728

                              2ND SPACE THEATER= 928 E. Olive Avenue, Fresno 93728

Website: www.gcplayers.com

Facebook: "Like" them at- Good Company Players, Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater, 2nd Space Theatre

Twitter: "Follow" them at- @GCPlayers , @rogerrockas

Description: Being an alum of Good Company Players, I will always be loud and proud as to how valuable this theatre company is. Having been around for 40+ years, they continuously provide quality theatre, at two venues, year-round. Of recent ventures, I have seen their productions of The Will Rogers Follies, Camelot, Hello, Dolly, The Little Mermaid, and The Glass Menagerie, among many, many others. Also, they were the company who staged my 500th show, Shenadoah. With their 2017 season already under way, head on over to the Good Company Players website and book your dates for the upcoming titles. Go see a show, and perhaps I'll see you at the theater!

[brothermarc7theatre]

"The Will Rogers Follies" show #598

“He told us the truth, and made us laugh at it.” If there ever was a definition as to what a humorist should do, that must be it. That description, coming from the character Clem Rogers, Will’s father, is one of the final lines the audience hears after an evening with Will, Betty Blake, Clem, and the whole Wrangling gang. Having never seen this show before, and not being alive during the tenure of Will Rogers’ fame, Good Company Players’ recently opened production was my first look into the life of this famous Oklahoma personality. With a more than relevant book for today’s political climate, plenty of yuk-yuk jokes, rope tricks, and dancing girls, Dan Pessano has helmed a perfectly balanced …Follies, elegantly teetering between Ziegfeld punch and a genuine love story between Will and his wife, Betty. This …Follies is a production without a folly to it!

(Ted Nunes (Will); Photo Source: Good Company Players)

An evening with Will Rogers is what’s in store for Fresno audiences, and Ted Nunes is the man embodying this iconic talent. Mr. Nunes finds success in his performance by employing an effective, relaxed presence that makes you lean forward with total engagement to hear the next joke or lyric. Mr. Nunes’ air of casual intrigue drives the delivery of his many monologues in personable fashion; he’s an approachable figure, one that you want to listen to. His chemistry opposite Abigail Nolte, playing Betty Blake, is a well-developed ‘love at first’ sight romance that blossoms beautifully in song and scene. “The First Wedding” is a delightful duet for the two love/song birds, one that couples the Ziegfeld Follies style with Mr. Pessano’s well-developed honest look into the Rogers’ marriage. Miss Nolte shines on her own with a gorgeous “My Unknown Someone,” while Mr. Nunes tenderly delivers an impeccably lovely “Look Around.”

(Abigail Nolte (Betty); Photo Source: Good Company Players)

Showcasing stellar vocal chops and dance abilities are the members of the Cowboy Quartet (Alex Figueroa, Tim Smith, Chase Stubblefield, and Shawn Williams) in a terrific turn at “Give a Man Enough Rope.” Greg Ruud dons the cowboy hat of Clem Rogers, performing his way through a gallant “It’s a Boy,” and “Clem’s Return.” However, worth more than just the tunes Clem has, the dialogue Mr. Nunes and Mr. Ruud share are the crux of the play: a father-son relationship that packs the one-two punch of those witty …Follies’ jokes. Mr. Ruud nails the comedy Clem has been given, but never at the expense of showing the deeply rooted love Clem has towards Will, culminating in a flawlessly acted final scene when Clem tells Will a story about meeting St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

(The Ziegfeld Girls and Wranglers of The Will Rogers Follies; Photo Source: Good Company Players)

Ashley Wilkinson’s choreography is absolutely great, especially in the Act Two lightning speed, hand-slapping number “The Campaign/Our Favorite Son.” Though the Saturday evening performance I saw exposed some sloppiness in the execution of the choreography, the liveliness in Miss Wilkinson’s choreography was on sterling display, making dance turns a welcomed break amidst the scenes and ballads. David Pierce’s set and beautifully-detailed mural of Will does the job of expanding the intimacy of the Roger Rocka’s stage while still maintaining the song, dance, and monologue feel of the Peter Stone's book and the Cy Coleman/Betty Comden/Adolph Green score. The projections are a lovely touch, filled with pictures and clips of Will and his dazzling rope tricks. Andrea Henrickson's reliable lighting design does a fine job of highlighting Mr. Pierce’s set, as well as adding a touch of flare to Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed’s beautiful costumes, especially with the ensemble and the Six Sisters. In all, Mr. Pessano has gathered the right cast and team to show and tell this story, a production that audiences of all ages are sure to enjoy.

The Will Rogers Follies plays at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater through March 12th, so mosey on over to your calendar and find a date to head out and see one of America’s favorite personalities grace the stage one more time.

[brothermarc7theatre]

"Hello, Dolly" show #563

Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi is a matchmaker of many, many kinds. She can make anybody into anything they want to be, as indicated on her numerous business cards. However, when she decides that she has found a match for herself, to replace her deceased husband, she hightails it to New York in order to capture half-a-millionaire, Mr. Horace Vandergelder. Thanks to Michael Stewart’s charming book (based on Thornton Wilder’s classic play, The Matchmaker), this fun, romantic plot is what has made Hello, Dolly a constant title in regional and community theater repetoires. However, it is Jerry Herman’s award-winning score that has made it one of Broadway’s classic Golden Age musicals.

Janet Glaude takes on the role of Dolly in Good Company Players’ current production of Hello, Dolly. Glaude brings a warm, sassy demeanor to her performance of Dolly, making her a strong character, but absolutely relatable and down-to-earth. Glaude’s passionate delivery of Stewart’s poignantly written monologues showcases her solid acting chops. Her vocals glisten in “I Put My Hand In,” “So Long, Dearie,” and especially in a high-energy “Before the Parade Passes By,” making Glaude’s overall performance one of class and elegance. Opposite Glaude is a hilarious Gordon Moore, whose militant Horace acts as a great juxtaposition to the free-spirited Dolly. Moore excels at getting laughs with his many takes to the audience after a punch line or quip is sent his way. His ending love scene with Glaude is a fine culmination of two act’s worth of insults, awkward encounters, and an ever-growing love that is seen through opposing chemistry.

(Janet Glaude (Dolly) and Gordon Moore (Horace); Photo Source: Good Company Players)

Delivering a standout performance is Tim Smith as Horace’s chief clerk, Cornelius Hackl. Smith exudes confidence in the Act One romp “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” and swooning charisma in the Act Two ballad, “It Only Takes a Moment.” Alongside Smith is Marcus Cardenas as the younger clerk to Horace, Barnaby Tucker. Cardenas plays his Tucker with a youthful earnestness, and helps Smith nail the song-and-dance style of an outstanding “Dancing.” When Cornelius and Barnaby meet two unsuspecting hat shop employees, the sparks fly and love enters the lives of all four retail workers. Hackl falls for Mrs. Irene Molloy, played flawlessly by Abigail Nolte. Through flirty behavior and tenderness, Nolte makes her Irene Molloy a character to pay attention to. Nolte delivers every note of “Ribbons Down My Back” with a sterling sound and well-played coyness. Not to be left going stag, Tucker pursues the oh-so-innocent Minnie Fay, played by Kindle Lynn Cowger. From her contributions in a fun “Motherhood March” to her final bat of the eyes to Tucker, Cowger delivers an entertaining, tenacious Minnie, complete with spunky naiveté, making her a more flushed out, likeable character to follow.

  (Abigail Nolte (Irene) and Tim Smith (Cornelius); Photo Source: Good Company Players)

Director Steve Souza helms this production with absolute crisp direction, making great use of his ensemble, principals, and technical aspects. Souza’s concept brings an entertaining, animated quality to the 1964 Tony-winning play while still having a classic Broadway touch. Souza and Kaye Migaki’s choreography of the Cornelius/Barnaby dance turns are filled with flair, and the iconic “Waiter’s Gallop” has energy and athleticism, making it a show-stopping number among an all-around wonderfully choreographed show. Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed’s bright costumes perfectly punctuate Souza’s many ensemble bits, making them stand out as a unit and individually when the time calls for it.

(Waiters, Janet Glaude (Dolly) and members of the Hello, Dolly cast; Photo Source: Good Company Players)

Hello, Dolly will continue its run at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater through July 17th and I highly suggest you book your tickets now. A classic such as …Dolly will only have so many years left until a whole new generation is less inspired to stage it, unfortunately. Go see this show!