By JOANNE DODDS
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
My dear fellow Puebloans, our talented young people need you! The usually sold out Summer Musical at the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center has seats available for tonight and the 20th through the 23rd at 7:30 p.m. The show is very good and the kids are great. Go. You will be glad that you did.
While we are on the subject, all of the arts are hurting nationwide. While I have a thing about math and reading skills, the arts are equally important. It is not enough to read the words. True understanding requires imagination, creativity, and exposure to the “Arts”. If our children are to be all that they can be, then participating in and experiencing live performances is essential and it starts with shows like the Summer Musical.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is the 51st. Summer Musical. Directors Wayne Genova and Donna Stinchcomb have been doing it for 26 years and their teamwork has paid off.
The large cast, recruited from Pueblo City Schools, did complex dance routines, knew every word to the songs and exuded a sense of fun which is hard to do when you are very young and on stage. Children’s Musical Director Tina Emmerson did a fine job with the wide range of young voices. The set design by John Wilbar and Nic Roberts was as good, if not better, than some of the Broadway Theater League sets. The costumes were at times pretty and at times funny. The program included a plot synopsis, a musical synopsis and all the other features that prepare the audience to enjoy the performance.
And, what a performance it was! At the end of play I overheard a woman say that she was tired when she came in but now she felt great! It was that kind of a show. From the opening notes of the Overture, played by the 17-member orchestra, under the direction of Michael DeLuca, the play was light-hearted.
Mixing Biblical times with the present gave the play a wacky tone that resonated with the cast. “One More Angel in Heaven Hoedown” featured the entire cast, as did most of the play.
Ninety percent of the play was a team effort but there were notable moments such as Torren Friberg and Sierra Reynolds during the hoedown, Carly Torres as Mrs. Potiphar chasing Joseph through a line of the Wives, Nick Radford as Jacob, Andrew Alfonso as the Butler and Dane Anderson as the Pharaoh/Elvis during the “Poor, Poor, Pharaoh” song. The “Cannaan Days” dance by Rebecca Higgs and Austyn Simpson was well done.
The biggest unit of the team were the very talented Brothers! They were Torren Friberg, Nate Adams, Dane Anderson, Joshua Dasher, Tyler Barnes, Andrew Alfonso, Cody Saunders, Austyn Simpson, Josh Smith, Christian Nafziger and Matt Comden. Coming as a close second were the equally talented Wives. They were Sierra Reynolds, Elizabeth Scoggins, Carly Torres, Alexandra Pepin, Kaitlyn Cook, Jerica Khosla, Rebecca Higgs, Shayla Margison, Ashley Minnich, Natalie Stanaway and Marie Kidd.
Saving the best for last, Jenilyn Bartolo and Kimberly Sewell as the Narrators were a wonderful mixture of shepherds of the younger performers, talented on-stage actors and singers of great talent. Both women are now in college pursing careers in music.
Zachary Friberg was Joseph who wore his coat of many colors with skill beyond his years. His singing voice was rich and deep. Every time he was on stage, the audience’s eyes were drawn to him. He was the talented star that held the show together. Bravo!
Article available from The Pueblo Chieftain
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
The Pueblo Connection/Patti Gallagher’s Musical Notes
By John M. Valdez, PPAG Reviewer
What does a Noble Prize and Academy Award winning Irish author, Two musical guys from New York, and some singers in Pueblo have in common? They all had some part in bringing a night of music to La Renaissance Restaurant. Patti Gallagher's Musical Notes brought the music of Lerner and Loewe to the excited but sparse crowd Thursday night. Lerner and Loewe have given us some of the most popular and best Broadway shows like My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, and Camelot.
Lerner and Loewe have delighted audiences for generations, from their first stage production in 1942, Life of the Party. To their final collaboration in 1974’s musical film The Little Prince. Without a doubt, their most famous and well-known show was My Fair Lady, based upon the play, Pygmalion written by the afore mentioned Irish author George Bernard Shaw. Shaw won an Oscar in 1934 for the screenplay of Pygmalion, based on that play.
As usual Mrs. Gallagher was outstanding doing what she does best joining her on stage was Brent Ritter who is constantly great and whose amazing tenor voice filled the space. Jenily Bartolo a complete and utter delight she shinned on "Show Me." The two standouts of the night were the youngsters of the group. Tabitha Rooney with her gorgeous and striking voice will surely go far. Thomas Runyon will most defiantly be one to watch. He was a joy to listen to, especially on his performance of "The Street Where You Live." The stunning list of songs included such Lerner and Loewe classics as, "I Could Have Danced All Night," and "Grown Accustom to Her Face," from the award winning My Fair Lady, "How to handle a Woman from Camelot," "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," from Gigi and one of my personal favorites from Brigadoon, "Heather on the Hill."
Mrs. Gallagher a Pueblo native and star of stage and screen returned to Pueblo and along with her equally famous and talented husband Ed created Musical Notes. Since its creation in 2005 they have been doing all they can to raise the spirit and awareness of arts, music and culture here in the Pueblo area and we all owe them a hardy thank you.
Providing the music for those on stage were the very well known, and talented Barbara and Michael Beck co-directors along with the Gallaghers. You would be well pleased to see this array of talent gracing this stage. So gather up the heather, root for Dover and enjoy Patti Gallagher’s Musical Notes’ tribute to the music of Lerner and Loewe.
What: Patti Gallagher’s Musical Notes
When: Friday and Saturday May 1-2
Time: Dinner 6:45pm, Show 7:45pm
Cost: $40 per person
What does a Noble Prize and Academy Award winning Irish author, Two musical guys from New York, and some singers in Pueblo have in common? They all had some part in bringing a night of music to La Renaissance Restaurant. Patti Gallagher's Musical Notes brought the music of Lerner and Loewe to the excited but sparse crowd Thursday night. Lerner and Loewe have given us some of the most popular and best Broadway shows like My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, and Camelot.
Lerner and Loewe have delighted audiences for generations, from their first stage production in 1942, Life of the Party. To their final collaboration in 1974’s musical film The Little Prince. Without a doubt, their most famous and well-known show was My Fair Lady, based upon the play, Pygmalion written by the afore mentioned Irish author George Bernard Shaw. Shaw won an Oscar in 1934 for the screenplay of Pygmalion, based on that play.
As usual Mrs. Gallagher was outstanding doing what she does best joining her on stage was Brent Ritter who is constantly great and whose amazing tenor voice filled the space. Jenily Bartolo a complete and utter delight she shinned on "Show Me." The two standouts of the night were the youngsters of the group. Tabitha Rooney with her gorgeous and striking voice will surely go far. Thomas Runyon will most defiantly be one to watch. He was a joy to listen to, especially on his performance of "The Street Where You Live." The stunning list of songs included such Lerner and Loewe classics as, "I Could Have Danced All Night," and "Grown Accustom to Her Face," from the award winning My Fair Lady, "How to handle a Woman from Camelot," "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," from Gigi and one of my personal favorites from Brigadoon, "Heather on the Hill."
Mrs. Gallagher a Pueblo native and star of stage and screen returned to Pueblo and along with her equally famous and talented husband Ed created Musical Notes. Since its creation in 2005 they have been doing all they can to raise the spirit and awareness of arts, music and culture here in the Pueblo area and we all owe them a hardy thank you.
Providing the music for those on stage were the very well known, and talented Barbara and Michael Beck co-directors along with the Gallaghers. You would be well pleased to see this array of talent gracing this stage. So gather up the heather, root for Dover and enjoy Patti Gallagher’s Musical Notes’ tribute to the music of Lerner and Loewe.
What: Patti Gallagher’s Musical Notes
When: Friday and Saturday May 1-2
Time: Dinner 6:45pm, Show 7:45pm
Cost: $40 per person
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Students Impress at "Jazz Night"
by Ed & Patti Gallagher, PPAG Reviewers
A wonderful event took place Saturday evening, April 11th, at the Olde Town Carriage House. Al Eberhardt brought two magnificent Jazz Bands from Colorado State University-Pueblo to a better environment for jazz.. Hoag Hall, at the University, is a very good venue for many shows but it does not lend itself to a performance of jazz bands. On the other hand, the Olde Town Carriage house is perfect because of its casual atmosphere with many tables for refreshments and a dance floor that allowed people to “get up” and dance to the super music including one father who danced with his child who was about two years old..
The evening included two different bands, CSU-Pueblo Jazz II, with Al Eberhardt directing and the CSU-Pueblo Jazz I directed by Brad Eastin. Jazz II played seven numbers from Bluff Point (John La Barbera) to You and Me Against the World (Paul Williams) to Sidewinder (Lee Morgan). All arrangements were so very “danceable.” It amazed me that most of the members of the band were students with only a few “pros” sitting in. Brad Eastin conducted the Jazz I group with nine numbers, less familiar jazz (less familiar to me), with several arrangements by Bill Holman (Arranger for Stan Kenton). And the dancing continued.
I was particularly impressed with Speak Low (K. Weill and Bill Holman), but there was great enthusiasm expressed by the audience for each number. Soloists, too many to mention, were unbelievably outstanding. I, coming to Colorado from Los Angeles, believe that both of these groups would be sensations in L.A.
The University has a superb Jazz Section in the Music School. With such outstanding professionals as Al Eberhardt and Brad Eastin (both alumni from the Air Force Academy Band) leading the teaching of jazz performance, the University needs to publicize the music department much more.
Al Eberhardt stated that these performances, in cooperation with the Olde Town Carriage House, are planned to be monthly events. Watch for the dates. Don’t miss the next one…You will not regret one minute of this experience.
A wonderful event took place Saturday evening, April 11th, at the Olde Town Carriage House. Al Eberhardt brought two magnificent Jazz Bands from Colorado State University-Pueblo to a better environment for jazz.. Hoag Hall, at the University, is a very good venue for many shows but it does not lend itself to a performance of jazz bands. On the other hand, the Olde Town Carriage house is perfect because of its casual atmosphere with many tables for refreshments and a dance floor that allowed people to “get up” and dance to the super music including one father who danced with his child who was about two years old..
The evening included two different bands, CSU-Pueblo Jazz II, with Al Eberhardt directing and the CSU-Pueblo Jazz I directed by Brad Eastin. Jazz II played seven numbers from Bluff Point (John La Barbera) to You and Me Against the World (Paul Williams) to Sidewinder (Lee Morgan). All arrangements were so very “danceable.” It amazed me that most of the members of the band were students with only a few “pros” sitting in. Brad Eastin conducted the Jazz I group with nine numbers, less familiar jazz (less familiar to me), with several arrangements by Bill Holman (Arranger for Stan Kenton). And the dancing continued.
I was particularly impressed with Speak Low (K. Weill and Bill Holman), but there was great enthusiasm expressed by the audience for each number. Soloists, too many to mention, were unbelievably outstanding. I, coming to Colorado from Los Angeles, believe that both of these groups would be sensations in L.A.
The University has a superb Jazz Section in the Music School. With such outstanding professionals as Al Eberhardt and Brad Eastin (both alumni from the Air Force Academy Band) leading the teaching of jazz performance, the University needs to publicize the music department much more.
Al Eberhardt stated that these performances, in cooperation with the Olde Town Carriage House, are planned to be monthly events. Watch for the dates. Don’t miss the next one…You will not regret one minute of this experience.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
CSU-Pueblo Chamber Ensemble and University Orchestra
by Sam Cogburn, PPAG Reviewer
In the five years that I have been attending CSU-Pueblo as a music major, I have had the privileged opportunity of watching our department grow. Nothing I’ve experienced has led me to realize this growth in the department, more than the chamber ensembles and university orchestra concert at Hoag Hall on April 15th. We most certainly have come a long way in a few short years. Not only in the sheer number of students, (particularly in the strings category), but also in the level of artistry achieved. This is credit to our leaders in the music department, along with all the professors and private teachers, and particularly to Dr. Jacob Chi with the amazing job he has done with the orchestra program.
The first half of the concert consisted of four small chamber groups; two string quartets and two trios, all playing a single movement from larger works. The program started off nicely with a piece by Shostakovich, (a twentieth century Russian composer who wrote extensively for the string quartet). The group played very admirably, doing a great job with intonation especially considering the strange tonalities in the music and also some enjoyable solo work by each player at one time or another. This was followed by a short, delightful Schubert piece, and next a Minuet by Beethoven. Both groups delineated the sections quite well with good contrasts in style, although struggled slightly in places with intonation. The last small group to play ended with a lyrical and beautiful Andante by Tchaikovsky. The piece provided a contemplative end to the first half, played with high sensitivity. More presence from the first violinist in this last group was needed, along with a higher sense of phrasing and rubato, especially for the big cadences to end large sections.
After intermission, the university orchestra opened with the Overture to the opera Magic Flute. The orchestra director Dr. Jacob Chi provided the audience with insightful introductions to the pieces throughout the night, and was in fine form when leading the group. I had the privilege of studying conducting privately with Dr. Chi for a semester along with taking some required courses with him. It’s my belief that his artistry and musicianship as a conductor is of the highest level. He always moves effortlessly in ways that reflect the music beautifully without forgetting the technical aspects so that the group is able to follow him. Couple this with his oversized personality and it makes for a great leader.
Perhaps the highlight of the evening came in the next two pieces when first, Rebecca Phillips (violin) played the Allegro from a Mozart concerto followed by Lauren Bell (cello) playing two movements from a Vivaldi concerto. Still in high school, these two young ladies were the winners from the 2008 Southern Colorado Honor Orchestra Concerto Competition, and their playing demonstrated why. The Mozart played by Ms. Phillips was full of style and lyricism ending with a dazzling and lengthy cadenza. Ms. Bell opened with the slow movement (adagio) of her piece first, setting the profound tone of this work in Cm early, and then ended with a much more active Allegro ma non molto. Congratulations to both of these highly talented two young artists, it is really great to see this level of musicianship coming from the young people of our community.
Next came another piece by a smaller chamber group. It was the Aria from Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for Soprano and orchestra of violoncelli. Also joining the group were three double bass players, all led by Dr. Chi. CSUP music faculty member Barbara Beck sang the Soprano part. As a guitarist, I know this piece quite well as it was arranged for guitar and voice and is part of our standard repertoire. I was ecstatic when I saw it was on the program with its original instrumentation, something I had never heard before. It is a beautiful, romantic piece, with flowing melodic lines and lush harmonies. Ms. Beck was wonderful along with the principal cellist for this group, Stephanie Boese, who had extensive solo work with the melodic material, very pleasing indeed.
Before discussing the last piece, some of Dr. Chi’s recognitions to students should be noted. Concertmaster Erika Devins was recognized for her work and leading role in the orchestra, and also Theresa Richards (flute) and Daniel Smith (bass) were recognized for their achievements on their respective instruments and for their graduating status. Ms. Richards is planning on attending a school for flute playing in England with William Bennett in the near future, and Mr. Smith will be attending graduate school in Fort Collins this fall.
The last piece of the evening was the Carmen Suite No. 1 by Bizet. Taken from his 19th century opera, this music is light, fun, and certainly is a standard in the orchestra repertoire. The orchestra performed wonderfully, finishing with a crowd pleaser.
The full program on the night of the 15th was certainly an enjoyable one. Having attended a few orchestra concerts when I enrolled in school at CSUP five years ago, I am simply amazed at the development of our program. Congratulations to everyone involved!
In the five years that I have been attending CSU-Pueblo as a music major, I have had the privileged opportunity of watching our department grow. Nothing I’ve experienced has led me to realize this growth in the department, more than the chamber ensembles and university orchestra concert at Hoag Hall on April 15th. We most certainly have come a long way in a few short years. Not only in the sheer number of students, (particularly in the strings category), but also in the level of artistry achieved. This is credit to our leaders in the music department, along with all the professors and private teachers, and particularly to Dr. Jacob Chi with the amazing job he has done with the orchestra program.
The first half of the concert consisted of four small chamber groups; two string quartets and two trios, all playing a single movement from larger works. The program started off nicely with a piece by Shostakovich, (a twentieth century Russian composer who wrote extensively for the string quartet). The group played very admirably, doing a great job with intonation especially considering the strange tonalities in the music and also some enjoyable solo work by each player at one time or another. This was followed by a short, delightful Schubert piece, and next a Minuet by Beethoven. Both groups delineated the sections quite well with good contrasts in style, although struggled slightly in places with intonation. The last small group to play ended with a lyrical and beautiful Andante by Tchaikovsky. The piece provided a contemplative end to the first half, played with high sensitivity. More presence from the first violinist in this last group was needed, along with a higher sense of phrasing and rubato, especially for the big cadences to end large sections.
After intermission, the university orchestra opened with the Overture to the opera Magic Flute. The orchestra director Dr. Jacob Chi provided the audience with insightful introductions to the pieces throughout the night, and was in fine form when leading the group. I had the privilege of studying conducting privately with Dr. Chi for a semester along with taking some required courses with him. It’s my belief that his artistry and musicianship as a conductor is of the highest level. He always moves effortlessly in ways that reflect the music beautifully without forgetting the technical aspects so that the group is able to follow him. Couple this with his oversized personality and it makes for a great leader.
Perhaps the highlight of the evening came in the next two pieces when first, Rebecca Phillips (violin) played the Allegro from a Mozart concerto followed by Lauren Bell (cello) playing two movements from a Vivaldi concerto. Still in high school, these two young ladies were the winners from the 2008 Southern Colorado Honor Orchestra Concerto Competition, and their playing demonstrated why. The Mozart played by Ms. Phillips was full of style and lyricism ending with a dazzling and lengthy cadenza. Ms. Bell opened with the slow movement (adagio) of her piece first, setting the profound tone of this work in Cm early, and then ended with a much more active Allegro ma non molto. Congratulations to both of these highly talented two young artists, it is really great to see this level of musicianship coming from the young people of our community.
Next came another piece by a smaller chamber group. It was the Aria from Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for Soprano and orchestra of violoncelli. Also joining the group were three double bass players, all led by Dr. Chi. CSUP music faculty member Barbara Beck sang the Soprano part. As a guitarist, I know this piece quite well as it was arranged for guitar and voice and is part of our standard repertoire. I was ecstatic when I saw it was on the program with its original instrumentation, something I had never heard before. It is a beautiful, romantic piece, with flowing melodic lines and lush harmonies. Ms. Beck was wonderful along with the principal cellist for this group, Stephanie Boese, who had extensive solo work with the melodic material, very pleasing indeed.
Before discussing the last piece, some of Dr. Chi’s recognitions to students should be noted. Concertmaster Erika Devins was recognized for her work and leading role in the orchestra, and also Theresa Richards (flute) and Daniel Smith (bass) were recognized for their achievements on their respective instruments and for their graduating status. Ms. Richards is planning on attending a school for flute playing in England with William Bennett in the near future, and Mr. Smith will be attending graduate school in Fort Collins this fall.
The last piece of the evening was the Carmen Suite No. 1 by Bizet. Taken from his 19th century opera, this music is light, fun, and certainly is a standard in the orchestra repertoire. The orchestra performed wonderfully, finishing with a crowd pleaser.
The full program on the night of the 15th was certainly an enjoyable one. Having attended a few orchestra concerts when I enrolled in school at CSUP five years ago, I am simply amazed at the development of our program. Congratulations to everyone involved!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Imps Have a Hit with Kimberly Akimbo
By Sarah Bruestle, PPAG Reviewer
Five characters, multiple issues, one stage and a teenage octogenarian connecting them all. Kimberly was born with a genetic disorder from which she ages four times faster than normal. This comedy catches Kimberly around her sixteenth birthday. “Kimberly Akimbo” by David Lindsay-Abaire is being performed by The Impossible Players in April.
Beginning the play with lyrics of “I won’t grow up”, this play illustrates the life a teenage girl coping with her aging and frail body in addition to dealing with her family’s dysfunctional interactions. A pregnant hypochondriac mother, an alcoholic father, a scheming aunt, and a friend yearning for attention from his father. Laura Hays plays Kimberly, the sixteen year old who looks like she is going on 80.
The simple, functional stage allowed for easy transitions to observe the characters’ interactions in their home, car, or library with minimal set changes. Sound effects and lighting added to the story. The character appropriate costumes showed this family in their daily clothes. Make-up allowed the audience to see Kimberly age, yet her attire was that of a teenager. If it weren’t for her fragile walk, aged face, and grey hair the audience would swear they were watching a teenager on the stage.
Watching the cast grow-up, whether expedited by ailing health or personal decisions, you are guaranteed to laugh.
Performances April 16, 17, 18th, 8pm at Impossible Playhouse, 1201 N. Main St.
Tickets $10-Adults, $7-Seniors/Military, $5-Students, Call (719) 542-6969.
Five characters, multiple issues, one stage and a teenage octogenarian connecting them all. Kimberly was born with a genetic disorder from which she ages four times faster than normal. This comedy catches Kimberly around her sixteenth birthday. “Kimberly Akimbo” by David Lindsay-Abaire is being performed by The Impossible Players in April.
Beginning the play with lyrics of “I won’t grow up”, this play illustrates the life a teenage girl coping with her aging and frail body in addition to dealing with her family’s dysfunctional interactions. A pregnant hypochondriac mother, an alcoholic father, a scheming aunt, and a friend yearning for attention from his father. Laura Hays plays Kimberly, the sixteen year old who looks like she is going on 80.
The simple, functional stage allowed for easy transitions to observe the characters’ interactions in their home, car, or library with minimal set changes. Sound effects and lighting added to the story. The character appropriate costumes showed this family in their daily clothes. Make-up allowed the audience to see Kimberly age, yet her attire was that of a teenager. If it weren’t for her fragile walk, aged face, and grey hair the audience would swear they were watching a teenager on the stage.
Watching the cast grow-up, whether expedited by ailing health or personal decisions, you are guaranteed to laugh.
Performances April 16, 17, 18th, 8pm at Impossible Playhouse, 1201 N. Main St.
Tickets $10-Adults, $7-Seniors/Military, $5-Students, Call (719) 542-6969.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Grease a Revival of the 50's
by Patti and Ed Gallagher
The Steel City Theatre Company in cooperation with CSU-Pueblo Music Department presented a production of the musical “Grease”, opening on Thursday, March 19th at Hoag Hall on the CSU campus. It was an enjoyable presentation ending with a standing ovation. The show had many memorable moments, especially with much physical humor and wonderful dance sequences. The comic dialogue sequences, however, lacked snappy pacing with many deadly short moments of silence and were staged too far upstage away from the audience.
The show included a very large cast that caught the flavor of the 1950’s. Unfortunately, the diction of many of the cast was unclear although this did not include the enunciation of the leading characters, Sandy, played by Bethany Nafziger and Danny, acted by Curtis Fleecs, both displaying good singing voices. Bethany’s interpretation of the “nice” girl was underplayed but, at the end, when she was transformed into a much more appealing and aggressive persona, she was splendid. Curtis, the leading Greaser” was a consistently convincing character. Jenilyn Bartolo played Rizzo who succeeded in portraying a “naughty” young lady and did an outstanding job in singing and in preparing the audience for her transformation from the rivalry with Sandy to an influential friend. The singers were well prepared by Barbara Beck and the orchestra, directed by Alan Mills, was well balanced, never overpowering the singers. A few times it appeared that the microphone was turned off on the soloists making it difficult to catch the meaning of the songs. Especially effective were the dance sequences at the end of Act I and again at the end of Act II. There were so many characters that it would not be possible to review each, but outstanding performances were given by Jenni Barrett as Cha-Cha, Michaela Shults as Jan, Tanner Munson as Doody and very amusingly, the “Greasers”. There were excellent “cameo” performance by James Amos and Linda Harpel.
The setting, a large painting of a 1950’s juke box surrounded by staircases, was painted exquisitely but the use of the full stage of Hoag Hall was a mistake. Although it was intended to give space for the many dances, the forward part of the stage could have been utilized to greater advantage. Also, placing the wonderful orchestra in the remote part of the stage was a error because it should be a much more vital part of the production, not a necessary evil.
Grease will be performed Saturday and Sunday, March 20 &21, 7:30pm at Hoag Hall. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved by calling 719-289-0293.
The Steel City Theatre Company in cooperation with CSU-Pueblo Music Department presented a production of the musical “Grease”, opening on Thursday, March 19th at Hoag Hall on the CSU campus. It was an enjoyable presentation ending with a standing ovation. The show had many memorable moments, especially with much physical humor and wonderful dance sequences. The comic dialogue sequences, however, lacked snappy pacing with many deadly short moments of silence and were staged too far upstage away from the audience.
The show included a very large cast that caught the flavor of the 1950’s. Unfortunately, the diction of many of the cast was unclear although this did not include the enunciation of the leading characters, Sandy, played by Bethany Nafziger and Danny, acted by Curtis Fleecs, both displaying good singing voices. Bethany’s interpretation of the “nice” girl was underplayed but, at the end, when she was transformed into a much more appealing and aggressive persona, she was splendid. Curtis, the leading Greaser” was a consistently convincing character. Jenilyn Bartolo played Rizzo who succeeded in portraying a “naughty” young lady and did an outstanding job in singing and in preparing the audience for her transformation from the rivalry with Sandy to an influential friend. The singers were well prepared by Barbara Beck and the orchestra, directed by Alan Mills, was well balanced, never overpowering the singers. A few times it appeared that the microphone was turned off on the soloists making it difficult to catch the meaning of the songs. Especially effective were the dance sequences at the end of Act I and again at the end of Act II. There were so many characters that it would not be possible to review each, but outstanding performances were given by Jenni Barrett as Cha-Cha, Michaela Shults as Jan, Tanner Munson as Doody and very amusingly, the “Greasers”. There were excellent “cameo” performance by James Amos and Linda Harpel.
The setting, a large painting of a 1950’s juke box surrounded by staircases, was painted exquisitely but the use of the full stage of Hoag Hall was a mistake. Although it was intended to give space for the many dances, the forward part of the stage could have been utilized to greater advantage. Also, placing the wonderful orchestra in the remote part of the stage was a error because it should be a much more vital part of the production, not a necessary evil.
Grease will be performed Saturday and Sunday, March 20 &21, 7:30pm at Hoag Hall. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved by calling 719-289-0293.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
'Pied Piper' bids Fernando adieu
By SCOTT WHITED
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
The pied pipers of the Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre for nigh onto the last decade have been the wife-and-husband team of Artistic Director Karen P. Schaffenburg and her husband, Artistic Adviser Fernando Schaffenburg. Fernando is best known to the Pueblo public as Herr Drosselmeier, the mysterious enchanter that he played for many years in SBT's annual production of "The Nutcracker."
Sadly, a week ago Friday, Fernando Schaffenburg went to join the Great Ballet Company del Cielo at the grand old age of 83. Saturday's performances of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," the latest entry in the Children's Playhouse Series at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, were dedicated to his memory. His former charges did him proud.
The hour-long production told of the popular folk tale in which the title character rids Hamelin of an unpleasant infestation of mice. When the town council refuses to pay up, the piper lures all of the town's children off and away, ne'er to be seen again.
The moral for the hundreds of children in the near-capacity crowd? Always pay the piper. Whether they understood the moral or not, most of the children - and their accompanying adults - enjoyed the goings-ons.
Emily Aldag as the Piper and her Lieutenant Piper, Rebecca Van Dover, were green-clad in tights reminiscent of this weekend's St. Patrick's Day festivities. They entranced both their mice and children targets with lithe aplomb, especially Van Dover. The plethora of pesky mice was led by Sydney Gettel as the Queen Mouse and Megan Duling as the Princess Mouse. Gettel has matured into possibly the company's finest young ballerina, and this performance was demonstrative of her lovely dancing skills. She was precise in her footwork, beautiful in her posture, and warm in her personal presentation. Duling was a delightful complement to Gettel. She is quickly blossoming into one of the corps' stalwart fixtures.
The "Rainbow" of Paige Cipperly, Grace Lobato, and Cissy McDaniel brought entertaining elan to their featured dance, sporting solid-red, solid-white, and solid-blue full-length leotards as the Piper wound her musical web around their befuddled resistance. They combined bemusement and amusement in proper teen-age proportions.
The balance of the troupe, consisting of some 40 members, acquitted themselves well, their brightly energetic performances complemented nicely by a simple-yet-effective set design by Timothy F. Gately and a wide variety of complementarily colorful costumes designed by Jennee Duling.
Fernando and Karen Schaffenburg worked closely with Sydney, Emily, Paige, Grace, Megan, Cissy and Rebecca, as well as most of Saturday's other performers, over an extended period of time. Their expertise and guidance will continue to bear fruit, even now that one of them has moved on to a greater gig.
Vaya con Dios, Herr Drosselmeier.
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
The pied pipers of the Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre for nigh onto the last decade have been the wife-and-husband team of Artistic Director Karen P. Schaffenburg and her husband, Artistic Adviser Fernando Schaffenburg. Fernando is best known to the Pueblo public as Herr Drosselmeier, the mysterious enchanter that he played for many years in SBT's annual production of "The Nutcracker."
Sadly, a week ago Friday, Fernando Schaffenburg went to join the Great Ballet Company del Cielo at the grand old age of 83. Saturday's performances of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," the latest entry in the Children's Playhouse Series at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, were dedicated to his memory. His former charges did him proud.
The hour-long production told of the popular folk tale in which the title character rids Hamelin of an unpleasant infestation of mice. When the town council refuses to pay up, the piper lures all of the town's children off and away, ne'er to be seen again.
The moral for the hundreds of children in the near-capacity crowd? Always pay the piper. Whether they understood the moral or not, most of the children - and their accompanying adults - enjoyed the goings-ons.
Emily Aldag as the Piper and her Lieutenant Piper, Rebecca Van Dover, were green-clad in tights reminiscent of this weekend's St. Patrick's Day festivities. They entranced both their mice and children targets with lithe aplomb, especially Van Dover. The plethora of pesky mice was led by Sydney Gettel as the Queen Mouse and Megan Duling as the Princess Mouse. Gettel has matured into possibly the company's finest young ballerina, and this performance was demonstrative of her lovely dancing skills. She was precise in her footwork, beautiful in her posture, and warm in her personal presentation. Duling was a delightful complement to Gettel. She is quickly blossoming into one of the corps' stalwart fixtures.
The "Rainbow" of Paige Cipperly, Grace Lobato, and Cissy McDaniel brought entertaining elan to their featured dance, sporting solid-red, solid-white, and solid-blue full-length leotards as the Piper wound her musical web around their befuddled resistance. They combined bemusement and amusement in proper teen-age proportions.
The balance of the troupe, consisting of some 40 members, acquitted themselves well, their brightly energetic performances complemented nicely by a simple-yet-effective set design by Timothy F. Gately and a wide variety of complementarily colorful costumes designed by Jennee Duling.
Fernando and Karen Schaffenburg worked closely with Sydney, Emily, Paige, Grace, Megan, Cissy and Rebecca, as well as most of Saturday's other performers, over an extended period of time. Their expertise and guidance will continue to bear fruit, even now that one of them has moved on to a greater gig.
Vaya con Dios, Herr Drosselmeier.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Chorale’s ‘Creation’ a Contemplation (unabridged)
Scott Whited
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN REVIEWER
As God hath created order out of primordial chaos, so the Pueblo Choral Society hath brought impressive harmonic arrangement out of a disparate group of local musical entities.
The Chorale presented Franz Josef Haydn’s “The Creation” Saturday evening at Hoag Recital Hall on the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus. A near-full house was treated to not only the full-throated Choral Society itself, but also to a number of guest artists: CSU-Pueblo’s Concert Choir; Pueblo County High School’s “Voices of ‘09”; and especially a 36-member Guest Orchestra assembled by Dan Masterson and under the guidance of Concertmaster Ilya Shpilberg. The result was a musical experience not often encountered by local audiences: a classic oratorio, the focus of which was the creation story as depicted in Genesis.
An extended orchestral overture entitled “The Representation of Chaos” brought a dramatic tension to the evening’s first moments. Called a “musical depiction of a beauty almost frightening in its chromatic and dissonant texture” by renowned composer Leonard Bernstein, the sequence transformed to a more familiar harmonic structure as the piece moved to the primary performance device of the evening – a series of soloists singing extended lyrical passages from the Biblical text.
Bass Brent Ritter portrayed The Angel Raphael, commencing the vocal music with the eternal “In the beginning God created the heav’n and the earth.” He was followed by tenor John Blinn as The Angel Uriel and soprano Rose DePalma as The Angel Gabriel. The three celebrated God as He brought forth the light, the rain and snow, the land and rivers, until “with verdure clad the fields appear.” Punctuated and beautifully augmented by the combined choirs and the orchestra, by the end of Part I, many in the audience felt communion with one of the more powerful passages: “They marvel at the wondrous work with awe and joy, the hosts celestial.”
Though not celestial, the hosts terrestrial soared as though their voices were wingèd.
In Part II, God brought forth the great whales and flutt’ring creatures, and every living creature after his kind. But the whole was lacking still. The Angels Uriel and Raphael told us of God that, “Male and female created He them, and behold, it was very good.”
The combined musical forces could not hold back at this foundational animation of that which had been without Life, bursting forth with a crescendoing “Achieved is the glorious work. The praise of God shall be our song. Glory be to the Creator, forever be His name exalted, Hallelujah.”
Part III featured mezzo-soprano LaShele Warren as Eve and baritone Charles Rann as Adam. They were both much appreciative of the Creator’s largesse and vowed to Him that they would “praise Thee now and evermore.” The assembled musical multitudes seconded that emotion, and a well-deserved standing ovation was heard round about.
To partake of a monumental sacred work by a major classic composer, one that will celebrate the 210th anniversary of its premiere in just 10 days, is both uplifting and somewhat disconcerting. Language and music such as this is elemental, moving past sensory interpreters directly to primal nerve centers. The vibrating vocal chords and violin strings give embodiment to making one’s hair stand on end.
And yet we are creatures of habit. More appropriately, we are creatures of popular culture. The extended solos, beautifully sung though they were almost uniformly, became – at times – tedious. Where was the hook? Where was the middle-eight? Ah, here is the authority of the scores-strong choir, overwhelming our doubts with mesmerizing power.
The fault – to the degree there may be one – is not in our (pop) stars, but in ourselves. Artistic Director Mark Hudson made a bold choice for one of his last outings as conductor of the Choral Society, and the entire ensemble is to be commended for challenging its audience – to rewarding results.
One final observation: it was noted with happiness by more than one patron that it was a joy to see younger performers such as DePalma and Warren take their well-deserved places in the PCS spotlight.
The Pueblo Choral Society’s next performance is “The World of Love” on April 25 at the Pueblo Convention Center.
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN REVIEWER
As God hath created order out of primordial chaos, so the Pueblo Choral Society hath brought impressive harmonic arrangement out of a disparate group of local musical entities.
The Chorale presented Franz Josef Haydn’s “The Creation” Saturday evening at Hoag Recital Hall on the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus. A near-full house was treated to not only the full-throated Choral Society itself, but also to a number of guest artists: CSU-Pueblo’s Concert Choir; Pueblo County High School’s “Voices of ‘09”; and especially a 36-member Guest Orchestra assembled by Dan Masterson and under the guidance of Concertmaster Ilya Shpilberg. The result was a musical experience not often encountered by local audiences: a classic oratorio, the focus of which was the creation story as depicted in Genesis.
An extended orchestral overture entitled “The Representation of Chaos” brought a dramatic tension to the evening’s first moments. Called a “musical depiction of a beauty almost frightening in its chromatic and dissonant texture” by renowned composer Leonard Bernstein, the sequence transformed to a more familiar harmonic structure as the piece moved to the primary performance device of the evening – a series of soloists singing extended lyrical passages from the Biblical text.
Bass Brent Ritter portrayed The Angel Raphael, commencing the vocal music with the eternal “In the beginning God created the heav’n and the earth.” He was followed by tenor John Blinn as The Angel Uriel and soprano Rose DePalma as The Angel Gabriel. The three celebrated God as He brought forth the light, the rain and snow, the land and rivers, until “with verdure clad the fields appear.” Punctuated and beautifully augmented by the combined choirs and the orchestra, by the end of Part I, many in the audience felt communion with one of the more powerful passages: “They marvel at the wondrous work with awe and joy, the hosts celestial.”
Though not celestial, the hosts terrestrial soared as though their voices were wingèd.
In Part II, God brought forth the great whales and flutt’ring creatures, and every living creature after his kind. But the whole was lacking still. The Angels Uriel and Raphael told us of God that, “Male and female created He them, and behold, it was very good.”
The combined musical forces could not hold back at this foundational animation of that which had been without Life, bursting forth with a crescendoing “Achieved is the glorious work. The praise of God shall be our song. Glory be to the Creator, forever be His name exalted, Hallelujah.”
Part III featured mezzo-soprano LaShele Warren as Eve and baritone Charles Rann as Adam. They were both much appreciative of the Creator’s largesse and vowed to Him that they would “praise Thee now and evermore.” The assembled musical multitudes seconded that emotion, and a well-deserved standing ovation was heard round about.
To partake of a monumental sacred work by a major classic composer, one that will celebrate the 210th anniversary of its premiere in just 10 days, is both uplifting and somewhat disconcerting. Language and music such as this is elemental, moving past sensory interpreters directly to primal nerve centers. The vibrating vocal chords and violin strings give embodiment to making one’s hair stand on end.
And yet we are creatures of habit. More appropriately, we are creatures of popular culture. The extended solos, beautifully sung though they were almost uniformly, became – at times – tedious. Where was the hook? Where was the middle-eight? Ah, here is the authority of the scores-strong choir, overwhelming our doubts with mesmerizing power.
The fault – to the degree there may be one – is not in our (pop) stars, but in ourselves. Artistic Director Mark Hudson made a bold choice for one of his last outings as conductor of the Choral Society, and the entire ensemble is to be commended for challenging its audience – to rewarding results.
One final observation: it was noted with happiness by more than one patron that it was a joy to see younger performers such as DePalma and Warren take their well-deserved places in the PCS spotlight.
The Pueblo Choral Society’s next performance is “The World of Love” on April 25 at the Pueblo Convention Center.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Imps stage must-see 'Murders'
Joanne Dodds
PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Call your friends and relatives: The Impossible Players are doing a first-rate, world-class, you-must-not-miss-it play.
The title, "Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," is a turnoff but the play is wonderful.
First of all, it's not a musical. There are a couple of clever, written-for-this-performance lyrics, but that's all. Instead, it is an Agatha Christie-style mystery surrounded by a comedy. Every comic device from slapstick to tricky dialogue is used to perfection.
One of the stars of the performance is the stage design by David Massmann and Tom Massmann. On first glance it looks like a library in an old mansion. The books and chairs are just what you would expect. As the play progresses, you learn differently. Old mansions always have secrets.
The 12-member cast couldn't be better. Each character added a dollop of reality to each scene they were in. Added together, they were a tasty treat indeed. The reluctant hero (Paul Abeyta) early in the play explains to the heroine (Amber Gene Stupnik) that he is a comedian and comedians are not heroes. Naturally, the heroine is beautiful, and not what she claims to be. Together, they lead the others players through a story with more plot changes than a soap opera.
The mansion's hostess and patron of the arts (Mandie Victor) has invited everyone to her mansion on a dark and stormy night, complete with blizzards and lights that go out. She is delightfully batty. Her partner in crime is the Inspector (Dale Tate) who adds a bit of sanity to the crazy cast.
Normally I am not very fond of drunks, but Therese Simony as the tipsy writer was a hoot. She captured the self-absorbed theater personality to a T. Her lines are perfect. When the song writer (Steve Adams) says that he is not imitating Jerome Kern, she clarifies that is true but he is imitating others. She then does a short "who's who" of the 1940s musical comedy theater. Theater buffs will love the "gee I know that" moments throughout the play.
The director (Jeff Garman) had just come from Hollywood where he directed films that everyone claimed to have seen but hadn't. He was just as stuffed up with himself as one would expect.
The maid (Adelita Fierro) was at times charming, at times sexy, and often downright scary. She was a little hard to understand but you got the gist of her dialogue.
Every play has to have a producer (Trish Thompson) and rumor has it that more than one actor has wanted to kill this one -- hint, hint.
To round out the cast there was an Irishman (Jack Passanante, Jr.), whose play credits were mysteriously vague, and two phantoms (Dawn Thompson and Bill Wright).
It must be repeated that everyone made a real contribution to the success of the play.
The real directors of this delightful event were Tom Massmann and Kelley Buck-Adams. Whatever they are doing next, I want to come!
The remaining performances will be at 8 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 26-28. Call 542-6969 for reservations.
PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Call your friends and relatives: The Impossible Players are doing a first-rate, world-class, you-must-not-miss-it play.
The title, "Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," is a turnoff but the play is wonderful.
First of all, it's not a musical. There are a couple of clever, written-for-this-performance lyrics, but that's all. Instead, it is an Agatha Christie-style mystery surrounded by a comedy. Every comic device from slapstick to tricky dialogue is used to perfection.
One of the stars of the performance is the stage design by David Massmann and Tom Massmann. On first glance it looks like a library in an old mansion. The books and chairs are just what you would expect. As the play progresses, you learn differently. Old mansions always have secrets.
The 12-member cast couldn't be better. Each character added a dollop of reality to each scene they were in. Added together, they were a tasty treat indeed. The reluctant hero (Paul Abeyta) early in the play explains to the heroine (Amber Gene Stupnik) that he is a comedian and comedians are not heroes. Naturally, the heroine is beautiful, and not what she claims to be. Together, they lead the others players through a story with more plot changes than a soap opera.
The mansion's hostess and patron of the arts (Mandie Victor) has invited everyone to her mansion on a dark and stormy night, complete with blizzards and lights that go out. She is delightfully batty. Her partner in crime is the Inspector (Dale Tate) who adds a bit of sanity to the crazy cast.
Normally I am not very fond of drunks, but Therese Simony as the tipsy writer was a hoot. She captured the self-absorbed theater personality to a T. Her lines are perfect. When the song writer (Steve Adams) says that he is not imitating Jerome Kern, she clarifies that is true but he is imitating others. She then does a short "who's who" of the 1940s musical comedy theater. Theater buffs will love the "gee I know that" moments throughout the play.
The director (Jeff Garman) had just come from Hollywood where he directed films that everyone claimed to have seen but hadn't. He was just as stuffed up with himself as one would expect.
The maid (Adelita Fierro) was at times charming, at times sexy, and often downright scary. She was a little hard to understand but you got the gist of her dialogue.
Every play has to have a producer (Trish Thompson) and rumor has it that more than one actor has wanted to kill this one -- hint, hint.
To round out the cast there was an Irishman (Jack Passanante, Jr.), whose play credits were mysteriously vague, and two phantoms (Dawn Thompson and Bill Wright).
It must be repeated that everyone made a real contribution to the success of the play.
The real directors of this delightful event were Tom Massmann and Kelley Buck-Adams. Whatever they are doing next, I want to come!
The remaining performances will be at 8 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 26-28. Call 542-6969 for reservations.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Musical Comedy Of Murders Review
John M. Valdez, PPAG Reviewer
Do you remember what you were doing in April 1987? I was in a rush to prepare for my high school graduation. OUCH! Meanwhile “The Musical Comedy of Murders of 1940” was premiering on Broadway in New York. Its author John Bishop directed it. The show is a tribute to the sylish and intricate murder mysteries of the 1940’s. The complex murders that only seem to happen in the dark mansions of rich and important people. Shocking murders, which can be solved only by great men like Sherlock Holmes and Phillip Marlowe.
The Impossible Players continued their 2008 season on Thursday Feb. 19th as it opened its production of this intriguing farce. The sparse but supportive crowd enjoyed the show their enjoyment was helped by the energy and skill of the actors on stage.
The entire play takes place in the Chappaqua, New York Mansion of Ms. Elsa Von Grosseknueten. Acted brilliantly by Mandie Victor. She has invited a group of theatre people to her home in the guise of an audition. Many are connected to a notorious unsolved sling of murders in traveling show called Manhattan Holiday.
While there two murders take place. As the play progresses we learn more and more about the characters each of whom has reason to be the infamous Stage Door Slasher. We are kept on the edge of our seats in wonder till the end of the show.
The cast seemed to have a bit of opening night jitters and for a while it was a struggle to hear some of the dialogue, and the comic timing was a bit off. But all recovered very nicely. As the cast grew more comfortable in their roles the laughter and excitement became stronger.
The standouts in the show were Mandie mentioned above. She took the role of the wealthy patroness with too much time on her hands to heart and shined. Listening to Mr. Jack Passante Jr. playing with a number of accents was a gem. Playing two great theatre clichés of the writers were Therese Simony as Bernice Roth and Steve Adams as Roger Hopewell. Both seemed to relish and enjoy their roles. The major sparkle of the stage last night was Adelita Fierro as Helga. Without giving anything away her range on stage was a joy to watch.
The show can be seen Feb. 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28. All show times are 8:00 pm doors will open at 7:30. Tickets are $10 for Adults, $7 for seniors and members of the Military, and $5 for students. Tickets may be purchased at the door or call 719-542-6969 to make reservations.
Do you remember what you were doing in April 1987? I was in a rush to prepare for my high school graduation. OUCH! Meanwhile “The Musical Comedy of Murders of 1940” was premiering on Broadway in New York. Its author John Bishop directed it. The show is a tribute to the sylish and intricate murder mysteries of the 1940’s. The complex murders that only seem to happen in the dark mansions of rich and important people. Shocking murders, which can be solved only by great men like Sherlock Holmes and Phillip Marlowe.
The Impossible Players continued their 2008 season on Thursday Feb. 19th as it opened its production of this intriguing farce. The sparse but supportive crowd enjoyed the show their enjoyment was helped by the energy and skill of the actors on stage.
The entire play takes place in the Chappaqua, New York Mansion of Ms. Elsa Von Grosseknueten. Acted brilliantly by Mandie Victor. She has invited a group of theatre people to her home in the guise of an audition. Many are connected to a notorious unsolved sling of murders in traveling show called Manhattan Holiday.
While there two murders take place. As the play progresses we learn more and more about the characters each of whom has reason to be the infamous Stage Door Slasher. We are kept on the edge of our seats in wonder till the end of the show.
The cast seemed to have a bit of opening night jitters and for a while it was a struggle to hear some of the dialogue, and the comic timing was a bit off. But all recovered very nicely. As the cast grew more comfortable in their roles the laughter and excitement became stronger.
The standouts in the show were Mandie mentioned above. She took the role of the wealthy patroness with too much time on her hands to heart and shined. Listening to Mr. Jack Passante Jr. playing with a number of accents was a gem. Playing two great theatre clichés of the writers were Therese Simony as Bernice Roth and Steve Adams as Roger Hopewell. Both seemed to relish and enjoy their roles. The major sparkle of the stage last night was Adelita Fierro as Helga. Without giving anything away her range on stage was a joy to watch.
The show can be seen Feb. 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28. All show times are 8:00 pm doors will open at 7:30. Tickets are $10 for Adults, $7 for seniors and members of the Military, and $5 for students. Tickets may be purchased at the door or call 719-542-6969 to make reservations.
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