#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]

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]

"Annie" show #704

The legacy of Annie is one of charm, fun, and enjoyment. Over the decades Annie has undergone thousands of productions ranging from children’s theatre to Broadway revivals. Some choose to honor the classic, traditional way it’s done, while others try to freshen it up a bit with a more modern take. Any way you stage it there is timelessness to the little redheaded orphan’s story that transcends concepts and decades. Good Company Players’ Annie is, by all definitions of the word, a bonus: Annie BONUS, if you will. Though there are comedic bits and family-friendly plot points embedded in the script, Director/Co-Choreographer Emily Pessano and Co-Choreographer Jessica Sarkisian have cast and staged an Annie which has flare and musical pizazz to it that most Annies lack. The following is a review not just about how good this production is, but highlighting the bonuses audiences are given in this wonderful production.

(Down Left: Joy Smith (Annie) and the Orphan Girls; Photo source: Good Company Players)

Joy Smith leads the cast as the titular heroine, Annie, with tenacity, making her a believable leader of her fellow orphan girls. Ms. Smith exudes a fiery youth in her performance throughout the scenes opposite Julie Lucido’s Miss Hannigan and Eric Estep’s Oliver Warbucks. The standards “Maybe” and “Tomorrow” are pitch perfect and astutely emoted in the hands of Ms. Smith’s surefire vocals, making them seem as if they’re being sung for the first time. Ms. Smith’s duet opposite Mr. Estep, “I Don’t Need Anything But You,” is a lovely Act Two highlight. Mr. Estep finds balance between being an easy going and in-command billionaire while having physical gravitas, which paves the way for his more emotional moments opposite Ms. Smith. “Something Was Missing” is a stirring solo in Mr. Estep’s range, giving the audience equal parts smooth vocals and engaging emotion. It’s often difficult to find an Annie and Warbucks who can nail such father-orphan/daughter chemistry so naturally and effectively, but Ms. Smith and Mr. Estep have every ounce of it.

(Standing Left: Charles Raab, Sitting: Roger Christansen (FDR), Joy Smith (Annie), Eric Estep (Oliver Warbucks); Photo source: Good Company Players)

Julie Lucido delivers a healthy dose of quirk in her commanding performance as Miss Hannigan, mother hen to the orphan girls. There are several moments in Ms. Lucido’s performance, many of which are opposite the orphans, where her Hannigan exudes laugh-out-loud moments of hysteria, frustration, and self-pity; “Little Girls” is done justice with Ms. Lucido’s singing and acting chops melding together in top fashion. Her comedic timing alongside Nicholas Nunez’s jovial Rooster and Mary Beth Carpenter’s memorably animated Lily St. Regis in the well-choreographed “Easy Street” is a song-and-dance highlight in the first act. Now, I do declare I may have never seen a true dancing Drake and Grace Farrell, but Good Company Players sure does have them with Steve Souza and Laurie Pessano, respectively. It’s a bonus which makes the dance breaks in “I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here” and Act Two’s “Servant’s Annie” a visual joy to watch. Miss Pessano gives a charming, exceedingly classy and devoted demeanor to Grace with outstanding vibrato throughout her solo moments, and Mr. Souza is a featured highlight as the head servant at the Warbucks mansion, Drake.

(L to R: Julie Lucido (Miss Hannigan), Nicholas Nunez (Rooster), Mary Beth Carpenter (Lily St. Regis); Photo source: Good Company Players)

Another bonus to the already stellar production and cast is that Ms. Emily Pessano and Ms. Sarkisian have crafted their ensemble to have detailed reactions in “Hooverville,” “N.Y.C,” and the chorus numbers in the Warbucks mansion to be funny and true to the script while not mugging any scenes or songs. The ensemble is a tight-knit group of singer-dancer-actors who can do all of the choreography with precision and energy. Furthermore, this Annie has excellent choreography that actually complements the score and scene work, especially in a properly percussive “Hard-Knock Life.” This is certainly a musical where jazz hands, box steps, and the occasional soft-shoe will suffice, but Good Company Players’ production doesn’t rely on these expected, simple moves, but rather pushes the demands just a bit, and the payoff is pure enjoyment. “Fully Dressed” is given a bump with an actual tap-dancing Bert Healy (played by Shawn Williams) and his fellow folio operator. Dorie Sanders, Kay Wilkins, and Jenna Erickson are in great sound and step as the Boylan sisters, and Roger Christiansen leads the Cabinet scene with sterling chops as FDR, leading a harmoniously joyful “Cabinet Tomorrow.”

(Down Right: Shawn Williams (Bert Healy) flanked by the Boylan Sisters and Steve Souza; Photo source: Good Company Players)

David Pierce’s set design has nice variance between the dirty orphanage and opulent Warbucks mansion. Andrea Henrickson’s lighting design is palette-perfect for the dreary “Hooverville” scene and excitingly bright for “N.Y.C” and uniform throughout the Warbucks mansion scenes and songs. In all, major congratulations is owed to Ms. Emily Pessano, who has directed this production in a way that allows each character to have a fully-realized persona and deeply rooted backstory without ever getting in the way of telling Thomas Meehan’s story, or belting out Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin’s score. Annie will continue singing about tomorrow through March 18th, so don’t delay in seeing it today!

[brothermarc7theatre]

"Sense and Sensibility" show #692

When Jane Austen wrote the famed novel, Sense and Sensibility, she had clear messages to project on her current and future society. Kate Hamill’s stage adaptation captures Miss Austen’s colloquial syntax with a more modern mood and farcical structure. Where Miss Hamill’s foil lies is in her dialogue and narration, written in such a way that assumes audiences have read the novel or seen a film adaptation. However, Kathleen McKinley has helmed a production at Good Company Players that captures the strictures of familial devotion and obligations in a crafty way. The emphasis in Miss McKinley’s direction focuses on the men of Sense and Sensibility and how they love and live by intent and inheritance rather than by impulse and interest, while the women understand and respect these limitations, but in an empowered fashion. Along with a completely committed and perfectly cast ensemble, Miss McKinley’s direction marries the playwright’s assumptions to storytelling for the unsuspecting audience to follow, resulting in a thoroughly entertaining evening at the theater.

Bringing this esteemed novel to life is a group of completely capable principals mixed in and with an entertaining, quirky, gossipy chorus. The commentary and narrations by the ever-changing chorus are executed with fast-paced delivery and animated precision. Ruth Griffin’s choreography is a charming addition to the chorus’ sharp movements and visually stimulating poses, in addition to the several partner dances embedded in the show.  The only drawl in this device (the fault of the playwright, not production team) is that the first act begins with such lightning-quick exposition that Act Two seems like a crawl to the end with scene after scene after scene. However, Miss McKinley nearly does away with the flaw in structure by incorporating plot-driven scene changes that engage the audience rather than halt the pace. Even more to the solution, David Pierce’s fluidly mobile scenic design allows for instant changes in locale, and even a few humorous bits that are taken full advantage of (farcical doors are always fun). Further compliments need to be thrown at Mr. Pierce for creating an effervescent scenic design, with a variety of set dressings that are not just period appropriate but are draped with a detailed beauty that offers a gracious visual under Joielle Adams’ atmospheric lighting design.

(Na'Vauge Jackson (Marianne) and Jessica Knotts (Elinor); Photo source: Good Company Players)

The leading sisterly ingénues are Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, played with excellence by Jessica Knotts and Na’Vauge Jackson, respectively. Both Miss Knotts and Miss Jackson deliver well-tempered performances complete with a comedic air and romantic seriousness. The stakes of losing their loved one(s) are constantly apparent, even amidst the more humorous scenes. Terry Lewis delivers a quirky, albeit serious, entertaining performance as Edward Ferrars, eventual suitor to Elinor. Mr. Lewis endows his Edward with a steadfast physicality and the humility and honor the role is written to have. The chemistry between Mr. Lewis and Miss Knotts is a palpable connection that serves as the pinnacle plot point the audience is drawn to, filled with inner drive that is effectively expressed outwardly. Among Marianne’s various suitors, Alex Vaux’s John Willoughby and Daniel Sutherland’s Col. Brandon are the two the audience meets. Mr. Vaux’s delivery of John is that of a likeable loaf, balancing the essence of a cad by truly thinking he is of true intentions (even among a decorated past) to the point of audience-induced pity, and appropriately so. Mr. Sutherland is a steadfast seeker of Marianne’s affections, effectively slow burning through the devastatingly alluring dedication he has to Marianne; his Act Two monologue serves as a high point in Mr. Sutherland’s journey as the Colonel.

(Cast of Sense and Sensibility; Photo source: Good Company Players) 

Now, what’s nice about having a cast like Miss McKinley’s is that the principal and featured actors are versatile chameleons who can handle the duality of pushing the plot, doubling/tripling/even quadrupling in roles, and serving as the narrative chorus; this effect is put to great use in Miss McKinley and Miss Griffin’s staging. Featured standout performances come from Alyssa Gaynor and Benjamin Geddert as the Steele siblings, who are complimentary counterparts in their humorously dainty demeanor. Julia Reimer provides an appropriately stalwart turn as matronly Mrs. Dashwood, dropping the occasional punchlines of comedy with a veteran’s coy inflection. Finally, Larry Mattox and Patricia Hoffman as boisterously fun Mr. Middelton and Mrs. Jennings.

In all, a capital production is housed in the 2nd Space Theater, and whether you’re a Jane Austen fan or not, it just makes sensible sense to go see this show.

[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]

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]

"Sister Act" show #656

“It’s gonna be fabulous, baby!” This ongoing mantra of Deloris Van Cartier is one of the driving forces that make Sister Act a potentially fun musical to see. Though Cheri and Bill Steinkellner’s book has some weaknesses in its fluidity, Alan Menken’s exciting music compliments Glenn Slater’s quite clever lyrics, making the musical an easily digestible adaption of the iconic film. Camille Gaston leads the Good Company Players production as Deloris, and for good reason: her energy, dynamite power as vocalist and comic timing marry the mantra to her many strengths as a leading actress; she truly is fabulous, baby! Coupled with Laurie Pessano’s crafty direction, this relatively tepid musical finds moments of dazzling heights.

(Far Down Left: Camille Gaston (Deloris) and the Nuns; Photo credit: Good Company Players) 

After witnessing her beau committing murder, Deloris takes refuge at a convent, disguised as a nun. Mother Superior, who is in charge of the nuns in the convent, clashes with Deloris’ secular ways while trying to live up to her own vows and faith-based calling in the church. Comedy, songs, some romance, and plenty of nun puns make up this story of two women who learn where faith can truly take you and end up seeing eye-to-eye on human relationships. As mentioned, Miss Gaston is the perfect choice to fulfill the audience’s memory of Whoopi Goldberg’s emphatic performance in the films. “Take Me to Heaven” and “Fabulous, Baby!” kick off her performance well, and when she finally gets to break out in a heavenly leadership of “Raise Your Voice,” Miss Gaston gets to truly display the musical gifts she has to offer. Along the way, Deloris is written to have some downright funny insults and one-liners, all of which Miss Gaston delivers with ease, consistency, and nuance. Cori Randolph dons the habit as leading nun, Mother Superior. Her vocals in “Here Within These Walls” and “I Haven’t Got a Prayer” are welcomed attributes in these more timid solo moments, but it’s the comedic inflection which grants Miss Randolph free passage to an enlightening turn in this complicated role. The question “How do you solve a problem like Superior?” is not easily answered, as she is written to be likeable but still remain anti-Deloris for so long, creating an imbalance of funny, poised, and strict. Well, Miss Pessano’s placement and direction of Miss Randolph and the clear chemistry she and Miss Gaston share when in the convent, especially at the end of show, makes Miss Randolph a standout performer.

(Dorie Sanders (Mary Robert) flanked by the Nuns; Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Dorie Sanders delivers a wonderful performance as newly-integrated postulant, Mary Robert. Her breakout moment in “Raise Your Voice” gets a bit overshadowed among the nun chorus vocals, but she is without a doubt a standout turn in her in Act Two solo, “The Life I Never Led.” Miss Sanders’ coy, shy demeanor never weakens her performance, which is a possibility in such a “church mousy”-type role. Rather, Miss Sanders capitalizes on the vocal moments in solo or company numbers, as well as in the well-staged Bar scene early in Act One to show how Mary Robert truly does want to bust out of her shell and experience life to the fullest. Julie Andrews and Ethel Birrell deliver memorable moments as Sisters Mary Lazarus and Mary Patrick, respectively, by finding moments in “It’s Good to be a Nun” and “Raise Your Voice” to give the little details of characterization they have to offer the Nun chorus.

(Lex Martin (Eddie), flanked by the Ensemble; Photo credit: Good Company Players)

Representing the guys well are Lex Martin and Jesse McCoy, playing “sweaty” Eddie the cop and murderous boyfriend, Curtis, respectively. Mr. Martin truly has one moment to shine musically and that is in “I Could Be That Guy.” The number requires an otherwise timid, spineless Eddie to literally tear away from his shell and deliver a soulful plea that he could be “that guy” for Deloris. In what is perhaps the best-staged number of this production, Mr. Martin delivers his solo with the twinkle, hope, and nerdy boogie moves that truly make the audience want him to win Deloris’ affections. Mr. McCoy does a stellar job singing about all the ways he’s going to injure the unsuspecting Deloris in a hilarious “When I Find My Baby,” backed up well by his three unintimidating goofball gang members, TJ (played by Liam Olson), Joey (played by Christopher Hoffman), and Pablo (played by Nicholas Nunez).  Mr. Olson, Mr. Hoffman, and Mr. Nunez also have their musical moment to shine in, the so cleverly written and lively attempt at Nun Flirting 101, “Lady in the Long Black Dress.” Even with the trimmed solos, the number hits its mark with the three of these singer-actors delivering excellent personalized touches to how they would pursue the heart of a celibate nun.  Charles Raab makes for a whimsical Monsignor O’Hara, adding dashes of silly outbursts of enthusiasm once the convent starts making some serious money thanks to Deloris’ choir performances with the nuns.

(L to R Upstage: Christopher Hoffman (Joey), Liam Olson (TJ), Nicholas Nunez (Pablo), Standing: Jesse McCoy (Curtis); Photo credit: Good Company Players)

David Pierce’s set design is nicely constructed, containing several beautiful stained-glass windows most would find in a church. The Bar and Eddie’s police station are detailed just enough to effectively contextualize without becoming visually distracting. Evan Commins’ lighting design does most of the heavy work in the transitions and dance numbers, and is marvelous at maintaining the focus in the “Fabulous, Baby! (reprise)” fantasy sequence, keeping Miss Pessano’s clever, intertwining staging of the Fantasy Dancers, Miss Gaston, and the Nun chorus illuminated and vibrant. Sister Act will keep on preachin’ and singin’ through September 10th, so head over to Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater for some well-done theatrical communion.

[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.