reviewed by Natasha Lomonossoff

The third production to play in the Springer Theatre  at the 1000 Islands PLayhouse, Meredith  Wilson’s  The Music Man,  continues the feel-good theme  for the  Playhouse’s 40th season.  Directed and choreographed by Stephanie Graham (who was also responsible for the 2019 production of Anne of Green Gables),   The Music Man tells the story of a con hartist who indergoes a change of heart during his most recent swindling attempt in the town of River City, Iowa. The musical numbers and choreography are easily the highlight of this production, as they provide excitement to the action occurring onstage. A lot of laughs are also had, which help to carry the story along.

Set in the early 20^th century, the musical opens with a group of men on a train chatting about Harold Hill, a well-known conman. A statement by one of them, “But he doesn’t know the territory,” serves to demonstrate the challenge Hill (David Leyshon) will face when he comes to River City to enact his con; this turns out to be posing as an organizer for a children’s band to sell instruments before leaving without giving any lessons. This sequence, as well as Hill’s arrival in town, are all presented in song. The first three opening songs (“Rock Island,” “Iowa Stubborn,” and “(Ya Got) Trouble”) are lively, yet seem to be reflecting the main character’s maxim that “singing is just sustained talking.”

After he arrives, the librarian character of Marian Paroo (Kate Blackburn) is introduced, giving a piano lesson to her sister. She is later established as the love interest of Harold, which complicates his attempt to swindle the town. Side plots include the growing confidence of her younger brother Winthrop (Matthew Fournier) under Hill’s tutelage and the romance between youth Tommy Dijilas (Daniel Yeh) and Zaneeta Shinn (Meghan Caine), daughter of River City’s disapproving mayor (David Talbot).

The overall story is fairly easy to follow and stresses the importance of truth over appearances, but it is the musical numbers which really stand out in this production of The Music Man. Special highlights include the rendition of “Goodnight, My Someone” by Blackburn and the rollicking dance of the town children in the library during “Marian the Librarian” (Graham’s choreography is especially well-executed in the latter sequence). The two main characters, Harold and Marian, are amply realized by Leyshorn and Blackburn respectively; other exceptional portrayals are made by Talbot as Mayor Shinn, Fournier as Winthrop, Michael MacEachern as Harold’s fast-talking con partner Marcellus Washburn, and Makayla Vanderhost as Marian’s younger sister Amaryllis (the interactions between them are delightful to watch).

On a technical front, the set design by Brandon Kleiman is particularly impressive. The beginning set-up consists of a row of white arches at the sides with well-constructed miniature buildings in the middle of the stage. Hanging on top is a round, blue sign that says “River City, Iowa,” which is present throughout the show. Different sets are used and put together nimbly, such as the walls of books and tables in the library, as well as the bridge and starry backdrop for when Marian and Harold have a romantic meeting. The costumes are also authentic to the period in which the musical is set, something which co-costume designers Robin Fisher and Joshua Quinlan deserve credit for.

Overall, TIP’s production The Music Man is an enjoyable show which is able to provide entertainment for a wide audience, no matter their age.

The Music Man continues at the Springer Theatre in Gananoque, ON until August 20. For information and tickets, see The Music Man – Thousand Islands Playhouse (1000islandsplayhouse.com).

The Music Man: Book, Music & Lyrics by Meredith Wilson

Cast

Marian Paroo: Kate Blackburn
Zaneeta Shinn/Dance Captain: Meghan Caine
Ethel Toffelmier/Farmer’s Wife: Naomi Costain
Charlie Cowell/Farmer/Constable Locke: Michael Cox
Winthrop Paroo: Matthew Fournier
Mrs. Squires: Jasmine Huang
Olin Britt/Quartet/Salesman: Spencer Laing
Harold Hill: David Leyshorn
Marcellus Washburn/Salesman: Michael MacEachern
Alma Hix: Alison J. Palmer
Oliver Hix/Quartet/Salesman: Hal Wesley Rogers
Mayor Shinn/Conductor: David Talbot
Jacey Squires/Quartet/Salesman: Rob Torr
Mrs. Paroo: Rennie Wilkinson
Eulalie Mackenzie Shinn: Seana-Lee Wood
Amaryllis: Makayla Vanderhost
Tommy Djilas/Newspaper Reader: Daniel Yeh
Ewart Dunlop/Quartet/Salesman: Robert Yeretch

Creative Team

Director & Choreographer: Stephanie Graham
Music Director: Rachel Cameron
Asst. Choreographer: Keleshaye Christmas-Simpson
Set Designer: Brandon Kleiman
Co-Costume Designer: Robin Fisher
Co-Costume Designer: Joshua Quinlan
Lighting Designer: Renee Brode
Sound Designer: Deanna Choi
Stage Manager: Jordan Guetter
Asst. Stage Manager: Cristina Hernandez
Asst. Stage Manager: Arielle Voght
Youth Ensemble Supervisor: Sedona Jones

 

Thousand Island Playhouse’s production of Robin Hawdon’s farce Perfect Wedding (directed by Krista Jackson) at the Springer Theatre marks not only the return of live theatre in much of Ontario but also the 40^th anniversary of the playhouse itself. As a production, Perfect Wedding is emblematic of the kind of enjoyable, feel-good comedies that TIP specializes in. The light-hearted nature of it meshes well with the playhouse’s reputation as a destination theatre. A play focusing on a wedding day gone wrong, Perfect Wedding wraps up questions of identity and infidelity into an off-the-cuff formula that inevitably ensues in a chain of misunderstandings.

The play begins with a man named Bill (Nathan Howe) waking up in a hotel room bed next to a mysterious woman named Judy (Rachel VanDuzer). While it is quickly established that this occurrence is the result of a drunken encounter during the previous night, the stakes are heightened by the fact that it is the morning of Bill’s wedding to day to Rachel (Reena Jolly). Things go from bad to worse once he realizes that the space for their liaison is meant to be his and Rachel’s honeymoon suite. As Bill hastily beckons Rachel to leave, his best man Tom (Dan Mousseau) appears. With the danger of Rachel arriving soon, he involves Tom in a ploy to pass the woman off as the latter’s girlfriend; a hotel cleaning lady named Julie (Jenny Weisz), however, is mistaken by Tom to be Judy when she comes in to investigate the room. What follows are hilarious mishaps and contrived stories, until the truth is eventually revealed.

Each of the actors in this production do well in enacting physical humour for maximum effect, eliciting plenty of laughter from the audience. While a British accent can be hard to maintain for North American actors, Mousseau and Weisz do an especially convincing job of it. Weisz’s character is delightful as an innocent bystander who gets swept up in the madness of the intrigue, with her incredulity at the whole situation being easy to relate to. Rachel’s boisterous mother Daphne, portrayed by Alana Bridgewater, also acts as a humorous intruder into the younger people’s drama with her busybody personality.

To be sure, there are moments when the play addresses very real concerns of unfaithfulness and mistrust among friends, with Judy’s identity turning out to have ramifications for everyone involved. Yet, as with most comedies, these issues are transformed into pleasant jokes, reminding viewers that the purpose of the play is indeed good fun – and that it is.

On the technical front, the set design especially shines. The re-created hotel room by John Dinning is elaborate and features no less than four doors that are amply used for rushing in and out of. Although there might have been more of a clear demarcation between the bedroom and living room sections of the suite (which are treated by the actors as being separate spaces), it still serves its purpose capably for this production.

Perfect Wedding runs in the Springer Theatre at the Thousand Islands Playhouse until July 10. For information and tickets, see Perfect Wedding – Thousand Islands Playhouse (1000islandsplayhouse.com)

Author: Robin Hawdon

Cast:

Daphne – Alana Bridgewater
Bill – Nathan Howe
Rachel – Reena Jolly
Tom – Dan Mousseau
Judy – Rachel VanDuzer
Julie – Jenny Weisz

Creative Team:

Director – Krista Jackson
Set & Costume Designer – John Dinning
Lighting Designer – Echo Zhou
Sound Designer – Richard Feren
Stage Manager – Scott Spider

Assistant Stage Manager –Alysse Szatkowski

Miss Caledonia, the final show in Thousand Island Playhouse’s 2021 season, provides a cheerful story for the increasingly cold month of November. It indeed aims to warm hearts not merely in a literal sense, but also on an emotional level, with its tale of a young girl growing up in Caledonia, Ontario who dreams of stardom. The play, written by Melody Johnson and directed by Brett Christopher, also involves music, with the inclusion of violinist Quinn Dooley on stage alongside Janelle Hanna, who portrays all the characters in the play. The result is a harmonizing effect at times, which adds more flavour to the actions being enacted by Hanna. The element of music makes the play more engaging overall, particularly if one is watching it via livestream.

The plot of Miss Caledonia is a feel-good one: set in 1955, it follows the story of Peggy Douglas, who is determined to enter the local pageant despite the objections of her parents (who are hard-working Scottish farmers). In a reverie at the beginning of the play, she muses about how she can then make it to Miss Canada and eventually Hollywood, treading the paths of actresses such as Debbie Reynolds. With the spirit of Bing Crosby’s portrait accompanying her, Peggy pursues her aspiration amidst challenges from her parents and later on, a teacher. The result is a somewhat worn, though charming story about the importance of following one’s passion.

As a performer, Hanna is vivid and captivating to watch. She artfully conveys impressions of multiple characters, ranging from Peggy and her parents to her competitors at the pageant. Peggy’s mother and father are particularly memorable characters, as Hanna effectively creates a contrast between their down to earth attitudes and Peggy’s youthful naivete. While Dooley mainly provides musical accompaniment for the scenes that take place, she always takes care to match her presence to the mood at hand, often smiling or expressing another facial expression to go along with Peggy’s sentiments. A moment when Dooley’s violin provides a particularly apt touch is when she plays the sound of a bow and arrow as Peggy is performing that activity.

In terms of the show’s technical elements, the sound, lighting and set work well enough together for the most part. The set includes a mixture of both indoor and outdoor elements (such as hay), which adequately double for the different spaces that are portrayed throughout. The décor used onstage is also fitting for a 1950s farm home. Lighting is also effective, with the blue tone creating a mellow effect periodically. A neat moment for the livestream production occurred when the camera panned up from Dooley to a recreation of the night sky with bright stars.

Overall, Miss Caledonia is a well-meaning production that successfully recreates a dream of childhood for its audience (as alluded to by Brett Christopher in the play’s program).

Miss Caledonia, written by Melody A. Johnson. Musical arrangements and original score by Alison Porter

Cast:

Fiddler: Quinn Dooley
Peggy Ann Douglas: Janelle Hanna

Creative Team:

Director: Brett Christopher
Set Designer: Anna Treusch
Costume Designer: Jayne Christopher
Sound Designer: Richard Feren
Lighting Designer: Raha Javanfar
Stage Manager: Rebecca Eamon Campbell