REVIEW: "Good Night, Desdemona" and "Music Man, Jr."

RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON JULY 8, 2008 KKIM, 1000A.M., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE

GREETINGS AGAIN, FELLOW THEATRE-GOERS! THIS WEEK, MY COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE FOCUSES ON TWO OUTSTANDING SHOWS-"GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA," A COMEDY AT THE VORTEX, AND "THE MUSIC MAN JUNIOR," A MUSICAL AT THE BOX PERFORMANCE SPACE, 1025 LOMAS BLVD.

"GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" IS ABOUT A SHAKESPEAREAN SCHOLAR WHO FINDS HERSELF BACK IN THE ERA WHEN THE CHARACTERS IN THE BARD'S TRAGEDIES "OTHELLO" AND "ROMEO AND "JULIET" WERE ALIVE. IT'S A SLAPSTICK COMEDY, WITH TWISTED MEANING OF LINES FROM HIS CLASSICS, AND BEHAVIOR OUT OF CHARACTER FROM THE ORIGINAL STORIES. THE PLAYWRIGHT, ANN-MARIE MACDONALD, KNEW SHAKESPEARE QUITE WELL TO BE ABLE TO DRAW PARALLELS WITH SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, AND THE DIRECTOR, VICTORIA LIBERATORI, WAS INGENOUS IN BRINGING OUT ALL COMEDIC ASPECTS IN THIS ADULTERATED SCRIPT BY THE WAY SHE HAS THE ACTORS PERFORM THEIR ROLES. THE ELABORATE COSTUMES AND DUELING SEQUENCES FURTHER RESEMBLE LIFE AS IT SUPPOSEDLY EXISTED, ADDING MORE WACKINESS TO THIS PRODUCTION, WHICH THE AUDIENCE FOUND MOST ENTERTAINING, NONSTOP. THE FIVE ACTORS ARE IDEALLY CAST-LORI STEWART, A FEISTY DESDEMONA; HEATHER YEO, A DEMURE JULIET; BRIDGET KELLY, LADY-IN-WAITING; BENJAMIN LIBERMAN, A POMPOUS OTHELLO; AND DREW GROVES, A BUFFOONISH ROMEO. THESE ARE THEIR MAIN ROLES, BUT ALL ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN ALSO PLAYING THEIR MULTIPLE PARTS. "GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" IS SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN "I HATE HAMLET" THROUGH AUGUST 3, SO CHECK FOR THE DATE IT'S PLAYING. FOR RESERVATIONS, CALL THE VORTEX AT 247-8600.

SHIFTING TO "MUSIC MAN JUNIOR," A SCALED-DOWN ADAPTATION OF MEREDITH WILLSON'S HIT MUSICAL "MUSIC MAN," (WHICH I WAS ONCE IN), BUT IT'S AN UP-SCALE PRODUCTION IN EVERY SENSE AS PERFORMED BY CARDBOARD PLAYHOUSE-THE RESIDENT DRAMATIC ARTS GROUP AT THE BOX PERFORMANCE SPACE. QUOTING DIRECTOR KRISTIN BERG, "THIS IS A CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF THE MUSICAL-IT HAS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW." WELL, ALMOST ALL, EXCEPT FOR
BARBERSHOPPERS SINGING LIDA ROSE AND MARIAN SINGING HER LIBRARIAN SONG. BUT LETS NOT BE PICKY, WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO RAVE ABOUT-AND IS THERE EVER....
DIRECTOR KRISTEN BERG HAS DONE A FABULOUS JOB IN PRODUCING AND STAGING THIS SHOW; LEADS, STAFFORD DOUGLAS AS HAROLD HILL, AND GIGI GUAJARDO AS MARIAN THE LIBRARIAN, ARE GREAT, BOTH SINGING AND ACTING; THE YOUNGSTERS ARE SIMPLY ADORABLE IN PLAYING OTHER GROWN-UP PARTS; PLUS LIGHTING AND OTHER EFFECTS ARE INDEED PROFESSIONAL.
IN ADDITION TO ITS WONDERFUL MUSIC, THIS ABRIDGED "MUSIC MAN" IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE TO INTRODUCE YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE JOY AND MAGIC OF SHOW BUSINESS. THIS CAST HAS YOUNGSTERS FROM AGE SIX AND UP, AND YOU CAN TELL FROM THE LOOK ON THEIR FACES THE THRILL IT IS FOR THEM TO BE ON STAGE. THE LAST SHOW IS THIS SUNDAY-SO, CALL 404-1578AND TAKE YOUR KIDS! CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR BERG, FOR A SPLENDIFEROUS SHOW!
THAT'S MY TAKE ON SHOWS YOU CAN ENJOY THIS WEEKEND-ALONG WITH "BEDROON FARCE" WHICH OPENS THIS WEEKEND AT THE ADOBE. ALSO, VISIT THE LAVENDER FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AT LOS POBLANOS INN--WHICH YOU'RE SURE TO ENJOY IF YOU REMEMBER PENNY REMBE'S INTERVIEW WITH GRANT KUCK HERE ON HIS SHOW LAST WEEK.

THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ME, RAVING RICHARD, WITH MY COMMENTARIES HEARD TUESDAYS AT 3:30 ON KMIM, ALBUQUERQUE, CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND SIMULCAST ON 94.7, SANTA FE; ALSO SEEN ON THE INTERNET AT KKIMAM1000.COM AND ALBTHEATRE.ORG. LET ME AGAIN SAY THANKS FOR SUPPORTING LIVE THEATRE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND IN SANTA FE.