Category Archives: Review

“She Loves Me” at Arvada Center

She Loves Me Logo

Hungarian Parfumerie is Delightful Locale for “She Loves Me!”

By Tom Jones
November 30, 2014

Maraczek’s Parfumerie in the 1930s Budapest is an attractive location for the entertaining “She Loves Me” now on stage at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities! The parfumerie is initially shown from the outside beginning with a warm summer day, and continuing through the falling of autumn leaves, and the welcome snow of the Christmas Season. When the set’s interior opens the audience is drawn into the splendid interior. No detail is missing in the shop’s displays.

The set alone is worth the price of admission, enhanced by the delightful show! “She Loves Me” is based on a 1937 play by Miklos Laszlo, “Parfumerie.” Many years later the story became the basis for a 1940 movie, “The Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart. The basic plot turned up again in 1949 in the Judy Garland musical, “In the Good Old Summertime, and again in 1988 in the Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks hit, “You’ve got Mail.”

Photo Credit P. Switzer Photography 2014
Photo Credit P. Switzer Photography 2014

The current musical version, “She Loves Me” (as seen in Arvada this season) is based on the 1963 Broadway musical by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. Life was somewhat more simple than the world of today. Girl and boy meet, fall in “hate” – or is it just thinly disguised “love”? The shop’s staff is a well-trained group of clerks, when looking-for-work Amalia Balash arrives on the scene, in search of a job. Julia Jackson is heartwarming as the eager Amalia. Mark Rubald is very good as the shop owner, Mr. Maraczek. He isn’t interested in any new staff, but finds Amalia so capable that he gives her a chance!

Amalia’s arrival on the scene is not warmly received by clerk George Nowack, excellently played by Andrew Russell. He finds her particularly offensive, as he lives in a dream world. He has been responding to lonely-hearts ads in the newspaper and believes he is in love with a “Dear Friend” that he has never met!

Photo Credit P. Switzer Photography 2014
Photo Credit P. Switzer Photography 2014

An especially talented cast has been assembled for this wintertime/Christmas gift to the community. Joining with Julia Jackson, Mark Rubald and Andrew Russell are supporting leads and each is given a chance to shine! Clerks in the shop include Ilona Ritter, delightfully played by Jennifer Lorae teamed opposite Gregory Gerbrandt as Steven Kodaly, a snake-in-the grass lech who believes that he can charm his way to whatever he wants. Parker Redford plays the young Arpad Laszlo, wanting to be more than a delivery boy. And Rob Costigan is a marvel as the experienced and insecure elder clerk, Ladislov Sipos. A comic delight is Stephen Day as the waiter in the cafe where the two “Friends” are set to meet. The”meeting” turns into a great scene where the waiter is trying to keep some sort of decorum, reminding everyone that the cafe presumes to provide a “Romantic Atmosphere” while chaos reigns!”The entire cast is flawless, with not a mis-step anywhere!

There are no “hit” songs in the show, but the music is very rewarding “Dear Friend” “Vanilla Ice Cream” and “She Loves Me” are especially memorable!

Photo Credit P. Switzer Photography 2014
Photo Credit P. Switzer Photography 2014

The production is directed by Gavin Mayer, with David Nehls as musical director. Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck provides the excellent choreography. Lighting is by Vance McKenzie, with sound by David Thomas. The beautiful set is credited to Brian Mallgrave, as scenic designer. The set not only includes interior and exterior of the perfume shop, but also a hospital room, Amalia’s bedroom, and a super cafe – scene of raucous of comedy.

The cast is large and all are excellent, as is the orchestra under direction of David Nehls.

“She Loves Me” is a very rewarding look at life in Europe nearly 100 years ago. The show has many delightful minor treasures – the woman walking her dog – each dressed appropriate to the season, the falling autumn leaves, and the first snow! Everything comes together at the frenzy of Christmas shopping – with a fun, somewhat unusual look at “The 12 Days of Christmas!”

“She Loves Me” is a charming addition to the Holiday Season!

“She Loves Me”
Tuesday through Saturday through December 21, 2014
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, CO
For information go to www.arvadacenter.org or call 720-898-7200

“Miracle on 34th Street” at Candlelight

Miracle“Miracle on 34th Street” is Reminder that Christmas is Nearly Here!

By Tom Jones
November 16, 2014

With the arrival of Macy’s televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, can Christmas be far behind? The famous Parade is front and center at the beginning of “Miracle on 34th Street” on the stage at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown through December 31. The curtains open to a terrifically appealing view of the front of Macy’s Department Store on 34th Street in New York City. The created mood is delightful – parade lovers looking skyward at the large balloons, the clown-costumed technicians doing their best to hold onto the ropes of the balloons. Even the high=-kicking Rockettes from Radio City Music Hall are there!
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The Last Romance, Creede Repertory Charmer on stage at Arvada Center

TheLastRomance

Tear ducts open as senior citizens find friendship on a New Jersey Park Bench

By Tom Jones, October 19, 2014

“The Last Romance” Creede Repertory Charmer on stage at Arvada Center

Hoboken, New Jersey is on the banks of the Hudson River overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Ralph Bellini, an 80-year-old widower, has recently recovered from a stroke, and has gone to a park to relax, and possibly to make some human contact with persons who are walking their dogs. He lives nearby with his sister, Rose, who has been taking care of him for several years. Her husband left her for another woman 22 years ago, but she refuses to divorce him, with the naive hope that he will someday return to her.
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Journey to the West at OpenStage Theatre

Heavenly Exiles Make 16-year “Journey to the West” in Search of Clues to Immortality!

Reviewed by Tom Jones

Journey LogoYes, an orphaned Buddhist monk and three disciples are on a quest – searching to find sacred scrolls that hold the key to immortality. They are currently on the stage of Lincoln’s Center’s Magnolia Theater, in OpenStage’s impressive production of “Journey to the West.” Man’s search for the meaning of life, for immortality, and to bring enlightenment to the world have been themes of literature and theatre for centuries. The “search” occurs in “the Iliad” and “The Odyssey,” in “Pippin,” and even in “The Wizard of Oz!”
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Miss Saigon at Midtown Arts Center

MissSiagon-sm“Miss Saigon” at Midtown Arts Center Wows Audience with Tale of the Fall of Vietnam!

Reviewed by Tom Jones

“What do you do for an encore?” Claude-Michel Schoenberg and Alain Boublil found worldwide fame with their incredible stage production “Les Miserables” in London in 1985, and in New York in 1987. They were not content to sit back and count their money, however, as they launched “Miss Saigon” in London in 1989, on Broadway in 1991 with Schoenberg again providing the music; lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.  “Saigon” went on to receive an enormous following, and a London revival in 2014 set a new world record for opening day ticket sales.
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The Year of Magical Thinking at Bas Bleu

Bas Bleu's Production of "The Year of Magical Thinking"Reviewed by Tom Jones

“Wendy Ishii Triumphs as Joan Didion in “The Year of Magical Thinking” at Bas Bleu

Joan Didion and her husband, John Gregory Dunne, were both respected writers  living in New York City, but with strong ties to California. Their only child, a recently-married adult daughter, had been hospitalized for five days, and was in a coma in a New York hospital. Her parents had just returned to their apartment, after visiting with the daughter, when Mr. Dunne slumped over the table at dinnertime and died.
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The Great Goddess Bazaar at Bas Bleu!

bazaar_posterReviewed by Tom Jones, September 6, 2014

Tammy L. Meneghini Becomes Nine Different Women in “The Great Goddess Bazaar” at Fort Collins’ Bas Bleu!

Don’t let the title throw you off! “The Great Goddess Bazaar” is actually a mesmerizing one-woman show where Boulder actress Tammy L. Meneghini virtually inhabits the persona of nine different woman – just by changing shoes!
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Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse

7Brides

Reviewed by Tom Jones

“Terrific Dancing Lights up Candlelight Stage with “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”

Before the show began I asked Jordan Centeno, an accomplished dancer who plays Brother Daniel, about the show’s dancing.  His comment, “It is ‘heavy duty’ dancing!”

He was spot-on, as the dancing is nothing short of terrific! It was the dancing that caught the audience’s interest in the original movie musical in 1954, especially the barn-raising scene at the county social. The movie, starring Howard Keel and Jane Powell was honored a few years ago by the American Film Institute as one of the best American musical films ever made. This time around Choreographer Stephen Bertles and Dance Captain Tracey Zimmerman-Dennig have created exuberant dances, showcasing the incredible talents of a seasoned cast!
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