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Reviews Theatre

‘The Madwoman of Chaillot’ offers perfect combination of humor and moral

The students of the University of Montana’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and School of Theatre & Dance provide the perfect combination of humor and moral with their latest production, The Madwoman of Chaillot

The play was written by Jean Giraudoux, adapted by Maurice Valency and perfectly directed by Randy Bolton.  It is being presented in the limitless black box at the Masquer Theatre in the University’s PAR/TV center.  Bolton’s direction was complemented by the wonderful work of Assistant Director Henry Maher, and Lighting Coordinator Mark Andrews and carried out to perfection by Stage Manager Cheyanne Chadwick and her Assistant Stage Manager Mikaila Stinar.

The play was written as an allegory during the Nazi occupation of France, but the undertones and story are just as relevant in today’s political climate.  Kudos to Dramaturge Joshua Kelly for his assistance in keeping the story ‘on point.”

The performance is a true ensemble piece, and the pacing of the show is like Speedy Gonzales on crack.  It is extremely fast paced, never drags, and keeps the audience on their toes as the dialogue moves between serious and hilarious, often in the same sentence.

Massive kudos to Natasha Conti, who brings the title character to life with an outstanding performance worthy of a Tony Award.   She is supported by the likewise amazing performances of Zach French as the Ragpicker, Hamilton Clement as Pierre and her three-woman morality council of Jenna Lockman as Constance, Annie Sacry as Gabrielle and Jasmine Sherman as Josephine.

Although the remainder of the cast turned in worthy performances, the other stand-out in this truly remarkable cast was the one who spoke the least, the Deaf-Mute played by Kira Mills.  She conveyed so much in her portrayal that went beyond words and made her performance truly memorable.

Madwoman is a true work of art and should be experienced by everyone.  Remaining performances are set for Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 9 at 2 p.m.  Tickets are available online at umt.edu/theatredance or at the UM Arts Box Office.

 

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Reviews Theatre

Laughter flows abundantly ‘Over the River & Through the Woods’

Plays do not seem to have the same drawing power for MCT as musicals, but if the crowd present on opening night last Friday are any indication, the current production of Over the River & Through the Woods should change that perception.

The production was perfectly directed by Teresa Waldorf, University of Montana adjunct instructor and Educational Outreach Coordinator for Montana Rep., with assistance from Scenic Designer Spencer Perry, Properties Designer Lesley Washburn, Costume Designer Kara Chandler, Sound Designer Gregory Boris and Hair & Make-up Designer Maeve Ball.  The set was breathtakingly beautiful, and one of the most elaborate this reviewer has ever seen at MCT.  Megan Wittshire provided the final piece of the production puzzle with a truly amazing job of stage management.

With a core cast of just five actors plus one amazing supporting member, the ensemble cast turned in a fine performance that kept the audience in stitches.  At times we laughed so hard we were on the verge of crying.  Throughout the memorable show, this cast taught us the value of having family close at hand, and left the audience not only entertained but educated on this fact.

While the story revolves around grandson Nick, played admirably by Ian Tooley, it was a true ensemble effort, with Mike Verdon (Frank), Anne-Marie Williams (Aida), Paul Ronaldo (Nunzio) and Salina Chatlain (Emma) each turning award-winning performances as Nick’s grandparents.  Brit Garner was perfectly cast in the supporting role of Caitlin,  niece of Emma’s Canasta partner brought in to help the grandparents keep Nick close to home.

This is definitely a play that needs to be seen, if not just for the humor provided by the amazing playwright Joe DiPietro.  You will leave the theater entertained and energized, and we highly recommend you bring your friends and family to this outstanding show.

Tickets are still available at the MCT Box Office or online at MCTinc.org.  Remaining performances are scheduled for 2 pm. on March 12, 18 and 19, 6:30 p.m. on March 12 and 19, and 7:30 p.m. on March 15, 16, 17 and 18.

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Reviews Theatre

UM’s production of ‘Thinner Than Water’ blasts preconceived notions of family dynamics

The latest black box production of the University of Montana’s School of Theatre & Dance and College of Visual and Performing Arts is Melissa Ross’ stirring drama Thinner Than Water, currently being staged in the Masquer Theatre at UM’s PAR/TV building.

We attended the opening night sold out production, and judging from the audience’s reactions, the performance was a smashing success.

One of the beauties of black box theatre is that there is no pre-constructed set on stage, which alleviates the audience building up any pre-conceived notions about the performance.  It was the perfect showcase for this production about family dynamics, since the material presented was not in keeping with the popular notion that “blood is thicker than water.”

Skillfully directed by John Kenneth DeBoer, with technical assistance from Scenic Designer Mike Monsos, Costume Designer Lynn Martyn, Lighting Designer Timothy McHenry and Audio Designer Caitlin Larson, the production was perfected staged managed by Sadie Framness.

Annika Hanson was perfectly cast as elder sister Renee, with much support from Matt McDaniel as Gary and Danielle N. Sather as Cassie, her siblings, and Megan Merhar as Gwen, who portrayed their father’s girlfriend.  Further support was provided by the amazing ensemble cast of Anna Evans as Angela, Jake Bender as Henry, Joshua Pitt as Benjy and Aaron Williams as Mark.

This was a true ensemble production, as each cast member contributed equally to the story line.  Even so, Hanson and Merhar were so relatable to the audience at large through their larger than life portrayals, while Pitt’s Benjy provided some much needed laughs and surprises.

This is a production that will definitely leave the audience questioning some of their long-held beliefs about family, while providing a story line that just about everyone can relate to.  We highly recommend this production, which is part of one of the best seasons of shows we have ever seen at the University.

Thinner Than Water can be see today and next Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., as well as 7:30 p.m. performances on March 1, 2 and 3.  Tickets are available at the UMArts Box Office or online at umt.edu/theatredance.

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Reviews Theatre

MCT rises to new heights with its production of Urinetown the Musical

Community theatre, when it’s done well, can be a true blessing, and the community of Missoula is very fortunate to have MCT in its midst for the past 29 years since it opened its doors in 1988.

We have been lucky to have witnessed the past four seasons of MCT productions, and we can truly say that the work done on the 2016-2017 season is some of the best we have ever witnessed.  Case in point – the current production of Urinetown: the Musical is easily the best show to come out of MCT during its tenure.  We were so glad to be there on opening night on Friday to witness its greatness.

What sets this show apart is the fact that it does not take itself seriously, but from start to finish takes a tongue-in-check approach that truly endears the show to participants and audiences alike.

Reid Reimers as Officer Lockstock is the consummate narrator and a damn fine actor.  His portrayal is spot-on, and his interactions with Haley Court as Little Sally are among the many bright spots of this production.  Speaking of Court, and having performed with her in her first show (Spamalot) four years ago, her growth as an actress has been nothing short of remarkable.

But they were not the only stars of this remarkable show, which was brilliantly directed by Joseph Martinez, with choreography by Megan Wittshire, music direction by Scott Koljonen, Scenic Design by Theresa K. Jenson and J. Scott Reilly, Lighting Design by Daniel Norton, Props Design by Lesley Washburn, Costume Design by Linda Muth and Sound Design by Gregory Boris, all perfectly carried out by stage director Kera Rivera.

Rachel Shull, who recently returned to Missoula from Utah, is pivotal as Penelope Pennywise, the administrator of Public Amenity #9.  Her voice took her solos to new heights and her comedic timing was perfect as she brought this very interesting character to life.  Equally as compelling was the return of Tim Shonkwiler as Bobby Strong, who provided the perfect nemesis for Shull’s character and ultimately led to her redemption, and Taylor Caprara as Hope Cladwell, the naïve daughter of villain Caldwell B. Cladwell, owner of UGC, played by Kelly Cutler.  Caprara was perfectly cast in this role, and demonstrated immense talent in her portrayal of her character’s eye-opening experience and eventual rise to power.  On the other hand, Cutler’s performance brought forth the perfect villain in Cladwell, and gave the audience a character truly worthy of its animosity.

Of the remaining cast members, all 17 turned in outstanding performances, but one truly shone in her role as one of Bobby Strong’s followers.  Carlyn Runnels, who portrayed Tiny Tom in the cop ensemble, was a singing and dancing machine, and stole the scene with her brilliance and award-worthy skills.

If you are a true musical theatre nerd, MCT is having a contest to see how many of the many musical references contained in this production can be identified by the audience.   Some of them are quite obvious to even the casual theater lover, while others will only be apparent to the true connoisseur of musical theater.   Regardless of which category you fit, it is fun to try and find them, sort of like the theatre’s version of Pokémon Go!

You should definitely make plans to attend this show, which continues today with performances at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., followed by 7:30 p.m. performances on January 25-28, 6:30 p.m. performance on January 29, and 2 p.m. matinees on January 28 and 29.  Call the box office at 728-7529 to inquire about the availability of tickets.   Friday’s opening night was sold out.

 

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Reviews

UM’s production of Dracula is a sexy scary good time

The University of Montana’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Theatre and Dance chose William McNulty’s play Dracula as their first production of the 2016-17 school year.  Perfectly timed to coincide with Halloween, this production raises the bar on what should be an amazing season.

Perfectly directed by second year MFA candidate Joel Shura, the set was designed by UM Instructor Brian Gregoire, with costumes designed by fellow Instructor Sarah Fulford.  UM students also assisted in achieving Shura’s artistic vision, including Mark Andrews on lighting design and Timothy McHenry on audio design.  The show was wonderfully stage managed by fellow student Kathryn Louise.

The play is based on Bram Stoker’s original novel, Dracula, and may seem different to those who have not read the book.  The play captures the allure of Dracula and Stoker’s intent on bringing this eerie story to life.  Shura adds to that mystique by crafting his production to show Dracula metaphorically as a spider who traps his victims in the web he spins.  That vision is readily apparent in the set design, which incorporates a maze of webs all across the stage.

While the entire ensemble was well casted, several of the actors turned in Oscar-worthy performances, the best of which was Karl Boveng as Robert Renfield, who stole the show with his perfect interpretation of this relatively minor character.  Fine performances were also turned in by Kurtis Hassinger in the title role, as well as by Ryson Sparacino as Dr. Van Helsing and Hudson Therriault as the Monster, whose acrobatic skills were most evident.  Annie Sacry had her moments in the role of Lucy Westphal, but was not consistent in her performance, while Zach French’s portrayal of Jonathan Harker seemed almost robotic.  Kudos also to Mariclaire Bozarth as Mina Grant/the Bride, Christina Heagney as Margaret Sullivan and Sienna Faydo as the Child/Bride, who were wonderful in their portrayal of Dracula’s minions.  Hunter S. Hash as Dr. Thomas Seward and Treyson Sherk as Norbert Briggs performed well in their roles.

Missoula always seems to have an abundance of shows at Halloween, with three of them this year to choose from, including MCT’s Disney’s Tarzan the Musical and the Montana Actors’ Theatre annual treat, The Rocky Horror Show.  We believe that UM’s production of Dracula is just as worthy of your attention.  Tickets are still available for the final two shows on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Don’t miss it!