'Burgh Vivant

by Michael Buzzelli

Glamour is often associated with romantic attractiveness, but it can also be used to describe an illusion or a magic spell.  In “Indulgence,” Lucy Darling (Carisa Hendrix) is glamour personified in both meanings of the word.

The magician has become an Internet sensation, best known for her crowd work, riffing with her audience, improvising. In a petite venue like Liberty Magic, nearly half the audience gets a moment in the spotlight with well-coifed. elegantly dressed meteoric media star.

Her crowd work ensures that every night is different when mixing it up with her fans. The comedy is hilarious. There were several laugh out loud moments, especially a bit where she answers hand-written notes written by the audience. In Thursday night’s show, there were several moments of serendipity, a man asking a personal problem in his downstairs area happened to be sitting near a gynecologist. While his organ was not her area of expertise, it made for some riotous laughter.

Side note: In an effort to remain impartial, I had to reveal that I was reviewing her show for ‘Burgh Vivant, which acted as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card, excluding me from participating. She did, however, manage to jibe and sling barbs in my direction.

The magic tricks are scattered throughout the show, between the comedy bits, but they are utterly astonishing. Darling made objects appear from seemingly nowhere. Since she was wearing a sleeveless ensemble, there were no sleeves to hide any objects.

Consider dropping the extra dough for the Skeleton Key, its a VIP experience with Darling, where she lets her hair down (metaphorically). Lucy Darling reverts to Carisa Hendrix, detailing her life in Saskatchewan, while doing some closeup magic. Skeleton Key holders also get a photo op with the magician.

Indulge in a night of guilty pleasure and see some amazing feats of magic in “Indulgence.”

-MB

Lucy Darling’s show, Indulgence, plays until June 22 at Liberty Magic, 811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and more information, go here. 

By: Joseph Szalinski

One of the things I don’t miss about school is group projects. Either you don’t feel like you’re pulling your weight, or you get saddled with all of the responsibilities. Add in the awkward dynamics of being an adolescent, and said situation becomes more difficult to navigate. This is the framework for Vigilance Theater Group’s latest production, Mac Beth, directed by Ingrid Sonnichsen and Brooke Echnat, now running at Washington’s Landing.

First staged in 2020, playwright Erica Schmidt’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Scottish classic adds a few extra elements to the mix. A gaggle of classmates decide to put on a production of the tragedy that should not be said aloud in theatrical spaces, with the assistance of smartphones, snacks, and some intoxicating beverages. While the plot points of The Bard’s script play out normally, barring some mumbled frustration and the like, extra drama plays out offstage. Eagle-eyed audience members are able to peer into the complexities of this friend group by watching what certain members are up to when they aren’t in the middle of a scene.

Unlike a typical reimaging of MacBeth, this cast plays two parts simultaneously, a testament to their skills onstage. Dynamic physicality and incredible delivery of difficult dialogue are behind every stellar performance.

MacBeth and Lady MacBeth are as crazed and desperate as ever, courtesy of Mal MacKenzie and Sarah Dugan. The dastardly duo is imbued with renewed humanity that renders them far more tragic than they once were.

Witches are as integral to the story as the titular character, and Bradleigh Bell, Lulu James, and Marisa Postava brilliantly bring them to life. Calculating, cackling, and a slightly comedic, this trio serves as entertaining bookends to a riveting show.

Kendall Mason and Veta Piscitella fantastically finish off the cast as Banquo and MacDuff, fulfilling the prophecy that they’ll amaze audiences. The famous squabble at the end, masterminded by fight choreographer, Marisa Postava, is wonderfully executed.

Being that the show is set and performed outdoors, technical elements are a bit limited but are used ingeniously. Costuming by Allie Lampman-Sims honors the source material while staying true to what a student would wear. Props by Zev Woskoff and Allie Lampman-Sims are effective yet humorous, for instance, a Ring Pop one of the girls is enjoying is used in their show-within-a-show. Music is another technical element at the mercy of the performers. One of the things the students have with them is a speaker, which they make use of at various moments throughout the play. In regard to the stage itself, the production excellently utilizes the space, sectioning off the “cul-de-sac” at the end of the trail for performers to orbit around. A few cast members are even daring enough to scamper across some nearby rocks, which isn’t just a commitment to their respective roles, but to the unique venue as well.

Vigilance is the Pittsburgh area’s premiere immersive theatre company. While the immersive nature of each production varies, every show they helm is unforgettable and sure to prompt discussion and thought for some time to come. Quite an astounding addition to the annals of “Shakespeare in the Park.”

-JS

“Mac Beth” continues its run June 6-15^th at Washington’s Landing. For tickets and additional information, click here.

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, Ph.D.

South Park Theatre revives Donald L. Coburn’s 1976 play, The Gin Game. (The card game, not a drinking game, in case, like me, you were thinking the latter.) Coburn’s play won the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for drama, but it has never sustained long production runs.

Director Joe Eberle brings Coburn’s two-person show to South Park Theatre. The cozy South Park stage is the perfect venue for this intimate play. It takes place at a nursing home over a series of gin games between new residents Weller Martin (Mark Yochum) and Fonsia Dorsey (Marianne Shaffer).

The mid-1970s The Gin Game falls far short in comparison, but it seems inspired by Edward Albee’s 1962 landmark play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Weller and Fonsia are older versions of Albee’s middle-aged George and Martha as they descend from get-to-know-you nursing home niceties into full-fledged psychological warfare.

The play gets progressively darker, and Eberle wavers a bit in embracing the vitriol. Yochum’s crisp hand movements and frequent situational cursing authentically punctuate the production. However, when it comes to doling out verbal abuse, Yochum is a bit restrained. It’s a testimony to his character that it’s hard for him to tap into the dark side, but it does muddy the waters and leaves the play a bit tepid. Weller uses a cane, but Eberle doesn’t have Yochum consistently lean into it.

In terms of casting, Eberle nails it. Yochum and Shaffer are well-matched equals with effortless chemistry. This isn’t surprising given the program reveals they were not only in the same high school graduating class, but they acted together in a play back then.

Shaffer brings a quiet power to Fonsia’s character. Fonsia shares she divorced her husband when her son was a toddler and suggests it was because Walter was abusive. Given divorce was uncommon in the period of her youth, she was clearly ahead of her time. This makes it all the more perplexing when she tolerates Weller’s erratically cruel behavior.

Weller is proud he’s a seasoned gin player. In fact, he recounts air travel in terms of the number of gin games it took between destinations from his days as a businessman. Weller tutors novice Fonsia on the basics so she can play. However, the frequency with which she wins irks, then infuriates, Weller. Coburn’s writing leaves a number of unanswered questions in the plot, which is perhaps why the play never attained major success. Given the supposed mismatch in their game skills, once her winning streak starts, we’re never certain Fonsia is just pretending to be a beginner – or what her motivations would be to lie at the outset.

Amy Farber’s set design is genius. She creates a clapboard cute nursing home patio where the play takes place. It’s also a little worn and fringed with pockets of forgotten clutter that symbolize the ways in which the home’s residents have “lived too long” as Weller refers to the two of them at one point.

In fact, Weller and Fonsia are brought together by absence. They meet on visitation day when neither of them have any visitors, making the patio a refuge. The buzz of voices from inside the center stage French doors bleed out, reminding them they are just outside the action. Weller and Fonsia never utilize the French doors, but a door on stage right, visually reinforcing the ways in which they are sidelined.

Darien O’Neal’s costume design advances the plot and the relationship between Weller and Fonsia. When they first meet, they’re both in dismal housewear. Weller is wrapped in a plaid bathrobe, and Fonsia is in a pink house dress. In perfect attention to detail, Fonsia’s slippers aren’t even fully on her feet. Her downtrodden state is made visual with the backs of her slippers folded and crushed beneath her heels. In the next scene, hope springs as Weller sports a suit and tie, and Fonsia’s floral dress is topped with a dusty rose cardigan.

The play’s most memorable moments are when Weller and Fonsia banter and poke fun at nursing home life. They elicit easy laughter from the audience as they ponder small injustices, such as the frequent serving of stewed tomatoes, which no one likes them. Fonsia sing songs, “I don’t take my medication; I take our medication.” One easily envisions nursing home staff members in scrubs speaking in hushed, child-like tones as they administer tiny paper cups of pills.

The play covers a spectrum of emotions and reminds us of the delicate intricacies of human relationships, regardless of one’s age.

-TR, Ph.D.

South Park Theatre’s production of The Gin Game runs through June 14, 2025 at South Park Theatre, South Park Township, PA, 15129. Purchase tickets online here.

By Michael Buzzelli

Actors Roy Schieder (Patrick Cannon), Robert Shaw (Patrick Jordan), and Richard Dreyfuss (Quinn Patrick Shannon) spend their days in holding on a boat, in a behind-the-screams look at “Jaws” in Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon’s “The Shark is Broken.” 

Side note: Technically there are three sharks named Bruce, which is perfect because this show has three actors named Patrick.

Tensions between the actors are high because the mechanical parts of the robotic shark, nicknamed Bruce, keep breaking down in the ocean water, delaying the production.

After popping up in one-off roles in TV shows from “Bewitched” to “Gunsmoke,” Dreyfuss gets his first film in “American Graffiti,” but he’s looking at “Jaws” to catapult him to the next level. He considers him the star of the production.

Shaw, who wants to spend most of his time at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey, despises Dreyfuss. He sees Dreyfuss as a neurotic, vainglorious idiot and refers to him as “Boy,” despite Dreyfuss’s protestations.

Scheider, who spends most of his time trying to find some peace between takes, becomes the referee they need to keep them from killing one another.

When the playwright Shaw, son of Robert Shaw, read his father’s diaries, he contacted Nixon to help him draft a script, using the extraordinary difficulties on the set as the perfect backdrop to tell an amusing and engaging story about his father and the film. Clearly, Shaw and Nixon embellished, but they made a perfect mechanical fish story.

“The Shark is Broken” is a jet-black comedy that proves to be a marvelous showcase for Shannon, Cannon and Jordan (sounds like a rhymy law firm).

Shannon inhabits Richard Dreyfuss body and soul. He looks and sounds like Dreyfuss. It’s hard to remember that he isn’t.  He is triumphant in the role. 

Squint and you’ll see Quint, Jordan’s deliciously dark, brooding take on Robert Shaw.

Cannon plays Scheider with panache. He is the measured peacekeeper who pops out an array of facts, trivia and minutiae to enliven their spirits on the boat. He gets a terrific moment of rage where he thinks he’s found nirvana only to be immediately interrupted.

Tony Ferrieri’s set is another masterwork by the master scenic designer. It’s a literal cutaway of the boat, but instead of just slicing off a portion so the audience can see the interior, the cutouts are chomp marks made from a very, very big shark.

The production never feels claustrophobic on the tiny boat, because Director Steve (Stevo) Parys has a steady and on the helm.

Shout-out to voice coach Don Wadsworth, who was able to help the actors slip seamlessly into their roles by sounding exactly like the men they’re playing. 

It’s hard to imagine that a play about three actors bitching about the trials and tribulations on set could be engaging, it’s actually enthralling. “The Shark is Broken,” much like Bruce the mechanical shark, is greater than the sum of its parts.

-MB

“The Shark is Broken” is on the Bingo O’Malley stage, inside barebones theater, 1211 Braddock Avenue, Braddock, PA 15104. More shows are being added to this sold-out show, look for more information here.

 

 

 

by Michael Buzzelli

Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin (Victoria Frings) faces near-insurmountable odds to become a champion of champagne in ‘Madame Clicquot: A Revolutionary Musical.”

Her disapproving father, Nicolas (Steve Blanchard), cements an important business deal with Phillipe Clicquot (Joseph Domencic). He promises his daughter to Phillipe’s son, François Clicquot (Christian Thompson).

While it’s an arranged marriage, Barbe-Nicole and François fall in love. Together, they challenge both of their fathers to run the wine business, perfecting the Champagne region’s bubbly beverage.

After a disastrous business trip, François hires Louis Bohne (Paolo Montalban) to sell the wines.

A rival vintner, Jean-Rémy Moët (Jonathan Christopher) of Moët Chandon, seethes with jealousy, a Salieri to Clicquot’s Mozart. Jean-Rémy uses his friendship with Napoleone Bonaparte (Nick Laughlin) to freeze the Clicquot’s out of the court, preventing her from selling her Champagne to the rich.

Their rivalry continues throughout the story, with Moët besting her at every turn, until the very end. No spoilers, but the full story can be found in a history book, or, at the very least, on her Wikipedia page.

Barbe-Nicole Clicquot was a strong, independent woman ahead of her time, and Frings plays her perfectly.

Montalban is charismatic and charming.

Laughlin’s Napoleon is hilarious. He minces and preens throughout the show. He garners a giggle just by walking out onto the stage: King George now with extra-strength foppishness!

P.S. It’s always great to laugh at narcissistic tyrants. There are too many of those these days.

Mark Ciglar’s projection design combined with Paul Miller’s lighting design makes “Madame Clicquot” thrilling and spectacular. In the opening act, Paris is set on fire during the French Revolution, and the scenery bursts into flame. During the brief courtship between Barbe-Nicole and François, the duo hangs out on the roof of the vineyard. The golden hues of sunset on the vineyard with narrow, neat rows of vines in the background made it a perfectly romantic setting.

Laurie Glodowski’s fervent direction and magnificent choreography lends perfectly to the sweeping epic. The choreography in the invasion, featured dancing Russian Cossacks was one of the highlights of the show.

The show is still in development and has a few kinks to work out.  On preview night there were a few missteps, but the cast handled them with aplomb.

Madame Clicquot has multiple tragedies beset upon her; from escaping the French Revolution as a young girl (Mariana Mangual), to facing challenges as a woman every step of the way. The winery is almost perpetually in foreclosure before things finally turn around in the last act. It gets a smidge tedious watching her suffer, but the ending is sweet.

Clicquot’s legacy includes three inventions that revolutionized the making of champagne, including three firsts: vintage champagne; the riddling table; and blended rosé champagne. Her story needs to be told, and Lisette Glodowski and Richard C. Walter (who wrote the book, music and lyrics) are here to tell it.

MB

More information about “Madame Clicquot: A Revolutionary Musical” can be found here.

 

By Michael Buzzelli

City Theatre celebrated its first 50 years with its own unique, irreverent style at its most significant fundraising event, the Bash on Saturday, May 17th.

VIP guests were treated to a glorious repast catered by Sprezzatura Catering.  Instead of opening the street to a festival, like last year’s Bash, City Theatre presented a cabaret of sorts on the Main Stage Theatre.

The show, hosted by drag queen, DIxie Surewood (in a rotating collection of sparkly couture) featured live music, performers, two short documentaries, proclamations for local government officials, and more.

Side note: My calendar is filling up with iconic new holidays such as City Theatre Day and Monteze Freeland Day.

One of the documentaries, a brief history of the City Theatre’s fifty remarkable years, narrated by Joanna Obuzor, was both humorous and historically significant.

James McNeel enticed the audience to donate while delivering a sobering message about the state of the Arts in the current political climate (without mentioning Lord Voldemort by name).

Shane McLaughlin and Julianne Avolio rocked out with a preview of the theatre’s upcoming show, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” backed up by a band under Camille Rolla’s musical direction.

Jerreme Rodriguez sang a plea to his potential sugar daddy, in “Sugar Daddy,” another preview song from “Hedwig.”

A special treat of the night was a raucously funny sketch with Lara Hayhurst, reprising her role as Dusty from Selina Fillinger’s “POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive,” with the original Broadway Bernie, Lea DeLaria, and our local Bernie, Missy Moreno. It was side-splittingly hilarious.

After an astonishing fifty years, City Theatre still knows how to throw a party, and the Bash is one of Pittsburgh’s best when it comes to celebrating the vast array of the city and the City’s talent.

-MB

It’s not to late to continue the spirit of giving. Donations to City Theatre can be made here. 

 

 

Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD and Theron Raymond (6th grader)

Little Lake Theatre Company continues its 77th season with Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel’s adaptation of Dan Brown’s 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code. The book is the second in Brown’s series featuring Harvard professor of symbology, Robert Langdon.

The Da Vinci Code is in fact the best-selling American novel of all time. Tom Hanks famously brought Langdon to life in Ron Howard’s 2006 film adaptation. Translating this internationally beloved treasure to the stage is no small feat for Patrick Cannon who’s both Little Lake’s artistic director as well as the show’s director. However, Cannon proves more than equal to the task.

If you’ve read the book or seen the movie – or both, it’s incredibly fast-paced. Langdon (Arjun Kumar) and Parisian cryptologist, Sophie Neveu (Chelsea Davis) are being pursued as they’re on a quest for the Holy Grail. Patrick Cannon smartly sustains the furious pacing by choosing a simple set design. Instead of moving props, lighting and sound cues demarcate scene changes and elucidate characters.

Nicole White’s brilliant lighting design uses color to create categorization. The first time red light is used is to symbolize the swastika at the play’s start when Langdon is lecturing to a Parisian audience about symbology. Nicole White goes on to bathe the religious figures from the Opus Dei order in red light, symbolizing both their blood flow from self-flagellation as well as the danger they pose.

Anthony Del Grosso is not just the sound designer. Del Grosso also wrote an original score for this Little Lake production. If the world is lucky, this will become the play’s de facto. The play only came to the U.S. for the first time in 2023 after premiering in the UK in 2022. The ethereal qualities of Del Grosso’s guitar-strained sections are particularly enchanting.

While Cannon triumphs, so does Arjun Kumar as Langdon. Following in the footsteps of Tom Hanks could be daunting. However, Kumar pays homage to the man we think of as Robert Langdon while still making the character his own. Kumar is notably most comfortable when lecturing. Even in one on one conversations, he’s most confident when he lectures on a known symbology topic. It’s not surprising, but a bit wistful and tragic, when Sophie asks him at one point whom he can call. It turns out his most significant personal relationship is with his tropical fish as he self-deprecatingly refers to himself as “their food god.”

Chelsea Davis brings a quietly intense energy to Sophie Neveu. She quickly discerns how to motivate Langdon. Davis’ subtle facial expressions of masked patience when Langdon lapses into professor mode are priceless.

The production’s only weak link is Lynnelle Goins as Maria. Her robotic recitation turns what is supposed to be an emotional reunion into something blander than a plain bagel, but her role is thankfully small.

John Reilly brings a fiery reimaging to Sir Ian McKellan’s cinematic portrayal of eccentric billionaire Sir Leigh Teabing. Costume designer Sylvia Sims-Linkish outfits Teabing in a cherry red velvet blazer that’s reminiscent of Daddy Warbucks, and Reilly’s jolly nature keeps us guessing at his character’s motivations.

Dialect coach Lisa Ann Goldsmith works magic with the cast as they flawlessly bridge American, French and British accents.

Little Lake is the first theatre in the area to produce The Da Vinci Code, so don’t miss the chance to see Patrick Cannon guide this dynamic thriller.

-TKR, Ph.D. & TR

Little Lake’s production of The Da Vinci Code runs through June 1, 2025 at Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg, PA, 15317.  Purchase tickets online here.

by Claire DeMarco

Traumatic events that happen in the past are rarely forgotten, nor are they often forgiven.  Sometimes the participants are so entrenched in their interpretation of the grievance, it becomes difficult for either party to make the first move.

It’s the early 1940’s and Henrik (Sam Tsoutsouvas) lives at an old remote castle and has lived there his entire life.  He’s retired from the military.

He has not seen or talked to his longtime friend, Konrad (Jack Wetherall) for over forty years. Konrad has lived in London among other locations for a long time.  This is his first visit back to his hometown.

Henrik and Konrad meet about their past relationship, once close but now broken. Henrik has been waiting for this day for a long time.

Lots of innocuous banter ensues as the two discuss each other’s lives, rehashing old memories, catching up on recent events. Intertwined are serious discussions on the Russian Revolution, death (theirs) and at their age (in their 70’s) they don’t have much time to live.

But after lunch things get heated.  Konrad is more disheveled – no jacket, hair messed, drinking a lot.  Henrik finally speaks out, questioning Konrad on what happened years ago. In addition to his piercing questions, he also suggests what he believes are possible answers.

Will we fully understand how Henrik’s late wife Krisztina fits into the equation or does she?  Does her detailed diary provide any solutions?

Is there more than one reason for Henrik and Konrad’s initial separation?

Is hunting for the truth finally revealed?

Tsoutsouvas is outstanding as Henrik.  He is the aggressor as he pushes Konrad, using psychological tactics as attempts to bring out what really happened (or what he thinks happened) years ago.  His obsession with this moment is intense.

Wetherall excels as he portrays Konrad with a more casual approach as he interacts with Henrik.  His facial expressions often relay his emotional state.

Although there is one scene where Tsoutsouvas basically has a monologue for twenty plus minutes while Wetherall sits placidly in a nearby chair, our concentration is not only on Tsoutsouvas but Wetherall as well.  Tsoutsouvas is forceful, constantly asking Wetherall questions, demanding answers, yet never getting any.  He is authoritative and commanding.  But it is Wetherall who also captures our attention as he sits without moving, with a facial expression that never changes. He is alert and aware of the interrogation from Tsoutsouvas but it’s also obvious that his mind is elsewhere.

Both actors have to be strong to pull this scene off and they reinforce one another’s performance brilliantly.

Susie McGregor-Laine is delightful as Nini, Henrik’s long-time nurse/housekeeper. Although she works for Henrik, it’s obvious that she has a lot to say about everything, even the upcoming reunion.  Henrik listens!

This is an excellent production of a psychological drama.

“Embers” was adapted by Christopher Hampton from a book by Sándor Márai.

Scenic Design by Johnmichael Bohach is stunning, dark as befits an old castle but equally warm, filled with old world charm and opulence.

Lighting Designer Andrew David Ostrowski’s lighting effects complement the set design. Kudos to Director Andrew Paul.

-CED

“Embers” is a production of Kinetic Theatre Company and is performed at Carnegie Stage, 25 West Main Street, Carnegie, PA.  Performances run from May 15^th – May 25^th. For more information, click here.

 

 

by Michael Buzzelli

Three couples have vastly different reactions when thoughts of pregnancy dance in their heads in “Baby.”

Danny (Branden Max Stroppel) and Lizzie (Saige Smith) are college kids who have just moved in together.

Pam (Lindsay Bayer Ray) and Nicki (Maria Bechtell) are trying various methods of insemination.

Alan (Allan Synder, with two L’s) and Arlene (Becki Toth) have four grown children, having Empty Nest Syndrome, when they have a whoopsie during a romantic getaway.

Each couple faces a variety of challenges, moving the story along over the next nine months of their lives.

While the musical first ran in 1983-84, this is a slightly revised version of the original musical, which includes (at some points tacked on) a wider range of diverse characters turning Pam and Nick (adding an i to the end of her name, changing the character’s sex) into a lesbian couple and adding some physical limitations to Danny and Lizzie.

Note: The revised version contains some inconsistences with Lizzie’s legally blind status, and Danny’s partially deaf status that could have been written with a bit more care. For example, in the noisy train station, Danny is the one who hears the last call for boarding, instead of Lizzie, more attention could have been placed on their needing to see each other’s faces when they speak, and the ASL is used inconsistently, etc.

The cast is phenomenal, especially our leading ladies, Smith, Toth, Bechtell, and Bayer Ray.

Smith shines in her role. She is quickly proving to be one of Pittsburgh’s brightest stars.

Toth is a powerhouse. She belts out some gorgeous lyrics and has natural comedic skills. She accomplishes more with an eyeroll or a facial expression than most actors.

Bechtell has a glorious singing voice, in solo numbers, and when harmonizing with Bayer Ray and the other cast members.

Stoppel is another stand out, fresh from Point Park’s “Arcadia.”

Synder gets a lot of laughs, mostly from various aches and pains his character suffers as an aging father-to-be.

The excellent cast is backed up by a superb band under Deana Muro’s musical direction. Her band included fan-favorite musicians such as Shelby Williams, Alex Weibel, Paule Thompson and Kamran Mian.

Johnmichael Bohach’s set is straight out of “Babes in Toyland,” a playful stack of colorful building blocks seen in every nursery around the world.

While the first act of the show is a bit long, director Kristiann Menotiades enlivens the scene changes cute interstitial bits from the chorus/crew as they set the stage. William Forrest Smith gets a few playful moments, and Isabella Corea and Sarah Hennessy provide amusing bits, particularly in “The Ladies Sing their Song.” Menotiades’ casting choices are excellent.

If you’re looking for a show with pathos, humor and heart, “Baby” delivers.

-MB

“Baby” runs until May 25 at the New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. For tickets and additional information, please go here.

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by Claire DeMarco

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” is not a traditional musical comedy with a plot, but rather a series of vignettes. These storylines cover the many stages of love and relationships, including, but not limited to, early dating, marriage, marriage with children, marriage forever, and divorce.

In this production, nine actors play multiple parts. The actors are Dylan Beasley, Christa Brook, Elena Falgione, Ivy Ferris, Rebecca Godlove, Mike Leahy, Kristin Pacelli, Brock Stanley, and Audrey Wells.

With nineteen scenes in a fast-paced show, we watch interpretations of love and life relationships and how they change and evolve over time.

“Funerals Are for Dating” finds two people alone in a funeral home, proving that love can be found in the most unexpected places.

“The Family that Drives…” features the song “On the Highway of Love.” It presents a madcap, yet probably not exaggerated, skit of a family traveling together – kids fighting in the back seat, mom carrying some precious concoction she’s made (in a plastic container, of course).

“Scared Straight” spoofs the dating game for those over 30 with a skit set in a prison. One of the inmates is a single person looking for love.

This is just a tease of the many comedic scenes in this entertaining and well-done production of a popular off-Broadway musical comedy.

Note:  The entire cast is excellent.  All nine actors play a multitude of characters of varying ages with unique personalities. Coordination between and among the players is critical and successful.  In addition to their acting chops, they are all excellent singers.

Elena Falgione is a dynamo in “The Very First Dating Video of Rosie Ritz!  Her characterization of a recently divorced woman recording a video with a dating service is comedy at its best.  Her timing, great comedic timing (and a little too much wine), makes this performance a showstopper.

Stanley’s facial expressions and mannerisms are excellent. His take as a prisoner in “Scared Straight” is both scary and funny. His smile becomes almost sinister, in a Jack Nicholson “Shining” sort of way, as he presents his credentials as a potential match in the dating game.

Ferris is delightful as the too-busy girl in ‘Not Tonight, I’m Busy, Busy, Busy,’ trying to justify why she wants to skip past the first date because she has ‘better things to do’.

Pacelli and Leahy complement one another in “Lasagna Incident”.  As a dating couple, both awkwardly attempt to take their relationship to the next level.  Leahy is convincing as the backward, clumsy suitor, while Pacelli offers a solution by inviting him to dinner for lasagna.  Pacelli sums up the upcoming evening with a beautifully sung version of “I Will Be Loved Tonight”.

Caught in a funeral home, Wells plays a shy woman who becomes the target of a flirtatious, talkative man (Stanley). As a widow, her demeanor is at first cautious. She rapidly warms up to the prospect of involvement with this talkative widower as they spend the afternoon in the funeral home.  The scene ends with them both singing “I Can Live with That” with gusto.,

The Studio of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall is a perfect location for this production.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro—music by Jimmy Roberts.

The set is simplistic with a few handheld props and chair rearrangements when necessary.

Kudos to Director Connor McCanlus and Choreographer Victor Aponte.

-CED

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” runs May 9 to May 18th at The Studio of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Carnegie, PA.  For tickets and additional information, click here.