A Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Fun

Casey, an Elvis impersonator, loses his performing job at a Panama City nightclub just as he learns he is about to become a father.  In a twist of fate, he suddenly has to sub for one of the drag queens in the act that replaced him and learns that he not only has a knack for this performance style, but that it can pay really well, too.  Determined to provide for his family, Casey forges The Legend of Georgia McBride and it is currently playing at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

When I was asked to review this show, I cocked an eyebrow at the synopsis as I wasn’t certain how much mileage could be gotten out of the joke of a drag queen Elvis.  Turns out it was quite a bit as this show flies.  Matthew Lopez has written one of the best comedies I’ve seen as it truly made me laugh out loud with jokes and one-liners I never saw coming, but also has sensitivity and depth with several moving, heart-wrenching moments. 

OCP’s new Associate Artistic Director, Brady D. Patsy, has a fabulous directorial debut with this production.  Patsy has a firm grip on the beat changes of this story which is especially impressive as it often slides from over the top hilarity to raw, heart attack seriousness, sometimes within the span of a few beats.  Patsy does some impressive staging with Jim Othuse’s unique three pronged set (1/3 being the club’s dressing room, 1/3 being the club’s stage, and the other 1/3 being the apartment of Casey and his wife, Jo) as he makes use of each tiny space in such a way that it never feels bunched up or cramped.  Patsy has also led his thespians to platinum performances with nary a weak link in the group.

The show has some singular supporting performances from Dennis Collins as the prickly club owner/manager whose awkward introductions improve as the influx of money into the club increases.  Olivia Howard shines as Ryan’s wife, Jo, the level headed partner who justly frets about the lack of income to cover their living costs, especially with their incoming arrival.  Brock McCullough generates laughs as the soused Anorexia Nervosa whose passion for booze matches her inflated ego, but McCullough also gets one of the most devastating moments of a night with a monologue about true bravery in the face of prejudice.  Giovanni Rivera is a delight as the slightly nerdy best friend of Casey.

Ryan Figgins has one incredible acting debut as Casey.  Figgins has some fine instincts, a sincere delivery, and the guts to just dive into a role.  Figgins gives Casey a very decent nature and a slight immaturity as he’s a big kid who hasn’t fully adapted to adult responsibilities with his obliviousness to the family finances.  But when the pressure is on, he rises to the occasion as he’s willing to become a drag queen to pay the bills.  Figgins has phenomenal facial expressions from his heart in this throat looks when he does his first Edith Piaf number to his extreme confidence once he’s formed the identity of Georgia McBride.  Figgins also has a fine tenor voice with his song “Lost and Found”.  Figgins just needs to be a little louder in his more serious moments and to move the fingers on his left hand when he is playing the guitar to show chord changes.

Ryan Eberhart just eats the role of Miss Tracy Mills.  He is so theatrical and fits the larger than life nature of Mills to a T.  His mentoring of Casey in the art of drag queening are hilarious, but Eberhart is also capable of some serious acting such as when his Mills teaches Casey an important life lesson of figuring out who you are and hopefully to figure it out faster than she did (though Mills is enjoying the third 20 years of her life).

Jim Othuse’s lights help to enhance the show especially with the sometimes failing Cleo’s sign.  Lindsay Pape’s costumes are top of the line especially with the gowns and dresses of the drag queens and Casey’s Elvis costumes.  John Gibilisco’s sounds really suit the mood of the show from the use of Elvis numbers for the scene changes and the songs used in the revue scenes.  Roderick Cotton’s choreography help the realism of the revue scenes and make for a very entertaining curtain call.

If you’re looking for a laugh filled night that will put a squeeze on your heart at the same time, then go see The Legend of Georgia McBride.  It’ll cure what ails you.

The Legend of Georgia McBride runs at the Omaha Community Playhouse through Sept 18.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets start at $36 and may be purchased at the OCP Box Office, by phone at (402) 553-0800 or online at OmahaPlayhouse.com. Due to adult language and themes, this show is not suitable for children. The Omaha Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.

Unfortunate Son

An estranged, biracial couple confront their personal feelings, biases, perceptions, and demons on race and bias as they try to uncover the truth about their son’s involvement in an incident with the police.  This is American Son and it is currently playing at Benson Theatre.

Ladies and gentleman, this is theatre at its pinnacle.  At its peak, theatre not only entertains, but also educates and gets you to ask hard questions and look deep into yourself.  Christopher Demos-Brown has written a phenomenal script that raises excellent talking points and presents terrific POVs on race and bias.  Demos-Brown does superior work in showing how experience and reality influence perception and belief and how often we are unable to see the whole of a situation or story because we automatically filter it through said perceptions and beliefs.  Demos-Brown’s dialogue sparks with intensity and believability and you’ll feel as if you were paintbrushed with a brick, then had your stomach punched with a gauntlet from the inside out before the night is through.

This script is fantastic fodder for a great cast and director and this show has that in spades and then some.

Kathy Tyree does some of her finest directorial work to date with her deft handling of the material.  Tyree makes this show move as the performers ride their lines as if they’re riding bucking broncos.  The words don’t just move, they gallop.  Pacing was smooth as silk and the staging was brilliant as the performers are always on the move and take needed energy breaks (as much as they can be in a story this charged) during the quieter moments.  Tyree’s coaching of the cast was top of the line as each gave a spot-on performance with cue pickups as tight as the passing of a baton in a relay race.

Jared Cernousek and Jus. B help anchor the show with dynamite work in supporting roles.  Cernousek is in fine form as the green, newbie police officer who is still polishing his people skills and meticulously following the book as he tries to balance duty and protocol with assisting the concerned and frustrated parents.  Jus. B, who is fast becoming one of the city’s must watch performers, adds another feather to his cap with his portrayal of the polite, but no-nonsense liaison officer who can clearly take command of any situation in which he finds himself and can cut to the heart of a matter with a few well-spoken words.

But this show rides on the shoulders of the couple who have the bulk of the show’s grueling dialogue and Kerri Forrester and Matt Allen deliver the goods all night long.

Kerri Forrester is perfect as Kendra.  Forrester is utterly believable as the concerned mother as she frantically dials and redials her son and his friends in order to learn of his whereabouts and condition.  Forrester’s Kendra can come off as very abrasive, though said abrasiveness is born out of concern for her child and her frustration at the seeming inability of the white characters to understand things from her point of view as a black woman.  Forrester’s versatility is incredible in her numerous scenes with Allen as she vacillates between her anger with him at their separation to intelligent discussions about their different worlds to some very tender moments of love remembered between them.

Matt Allen is as natural as they come in the role of Scott.  An experienced FBI agent, Allen’s Scott comes off as more diplomatic than his estranged wife due to his understanding of the bureaucracy of police work and having likely dealt with high-pressure, life-threatening situations.  But he’s also capable of his own moments of anger and frustration that begin to bubble up into violence.  Allen adeptly carries his end of his conversations with Forrester especially his frustrations as one of the causes of their separation is his belief that she inserts race into situations where he believes it never came into play.

John Forsman is a technical force of nature as he designed a comfortable waiting room in the police department with its couch, chair, coffee table full of magazines, and billboard with announcements and wanted posters.  I was especially impressed with his window which displayed actual rainfall of a storm that intensified with the rising stakes of the story.  Forsman also made good use of sounds with the beep of incoming texts, thunder, and the sound of a video sent to Scott concerning the incident with his son.  Bradley Pesarchick well costumes his actors with the uniform of Officer Larkin, the suits of Scott and Lt. Stokes, to the rumpled clothes of Kendra who clearly had a sleepless night.

Benson Theatre is the newest artistic venue in Omaha and a work of this caliber has me convinced that it has a fine future.  This show asks some powerful questions without being judgmental.  Each character has valid points and each is also wrong at various moments as they let their biases and perceptions prevent them from seeing the whole.  This show is not an easy watch, but you also won’t be able to turn away.

American Son plays at Benson Theatre through August 27.  Showtime is 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday.  Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at bensontheatre.org.  Due to mature themes and language, this show is not suitable for children.  Benson Theatre is located at 6054 Maple St in Omaha, NE.

Ark Valley Players Set to Perform ‘Cotton Patch Gospel’

Arkansas City, KS–Arkansas City’s community theatre, Ark Valley Players, is happy to announce tickets are available for the rollicking, foot-stomping, hand-clapping musical Cotton Patch Gospel. With book by Tom Key and Russell Treyz, it’s the “Greatest Story Ever Told” in a setting of rural Georgia with country music songs, the final and perhaps best work of Harry Chapin.  Performances are August 19 and 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the historic, climate-controlled Burford Theatre, 118 South Summit Street, Arkansas City (KS).  Dinner starts at 6:00 p.m.

Directors Dejon Ewing and Stephen Butler are excited to share the work of their talented cast members Jason Brewer, Spencer MacLaughlin, Jodie Stanley and Eric Swanson, all of Arkansas City, along with Thomas Meyer of Ponca City.

Dramatic Publishing writes, “This ‘Greatest Story Ever Retold’ is based on the book The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John by Clarence Jordan in which the Gospel is presented in a setting of rural Georgia with country music songs, the final and perhaps best work of Harry Chapin. As this Gospel begins, they sing that ‘Somethin’s a-brewin’ in Gainesville.’ Herod is the mayor of Atlanta and, inevitably, Christ is killed by local thugs only to rise again. Drama critics loved this show and so did a broad spectrum of religious commentators.”

Patrons interested in including dinner in their show plans will enjoy a meal of brisket, country style green beans, scalloped potatoes, corn bread, salad, and apple cobbler along with their show ticket for $40 each.  “Show Only” tickets are available for balcony seating at just $15 each.  For tickets call 620-442-3045.

OCP Holding Auditions for “Fences”

Omaha, NE–The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) is holding in-person auditions for Fences at the Omaha Community Playhouse, located at 6915 Cass St. Omaha, NE 68132 and Pear Tree Performing Arts at 4801 NW Radial Hwy Omaha, NE 68104 on Sunday, August 28 and Monday, August 29. To schedule an audition, please visit the website here.

Through upholding high ethical standards, demonstrating respect for all and consciously working to provide diverse representation, OCP is committed to creating an inclusive and safe environment in which all community members feel a sense of belonging, and does not discriminate in casting practices on the basis of an individual’s ethnicity, age, gender, physical and cognitive ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, country of origin or other factors. Omaha Community Playhouse is committed to diverse and inclusive casting.

Synopsis
A former African American League baseball player struggles to co-exist with the racial trauma he still
carries from his time in the league. When his frustrations lead to a series of tragic choices, his
relationships with his wife and son suffer the consequences. Set in the 1950s, Fences is the sixth
installment in The American Century Cycle, a series of ten plays by August Wilson that trace the
Black experience through 20th century America.

Directed By: Brady Patsy

Auditions are by appointment only. Please complete the audition form to schedule a time. When
arriving to audition at the Playhouse, please enter through the Stage Door entrance on the West side
of the building. Those auditioning should be prepared to spend 60-90 minutes at the audition.

Audition preparation: Click here for the audition material.
Roles: Click here for character breakdown.

For more information, please visit www.omahaplayhouse.com.

The ‘American Son’ Rises at Benson Theatre

Benson Theatre is pleased to announce the next production in Benson Theatre- Season 1, Coming Home . .

Christopher Demos-Brown’s American Son
Directed by Kathy Tyree

Production Dates: August 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27
Curtain Times: 7:30pm Thursdays through Saturdays, 2pm Matinees on Sundays

Synopsis
An estranged bi-racial couple must confront their feelings about race and bias after their son is
detained by the local police following a traffic stop incident. Their disparate histories and
backgrounds inform their assumptions as they try to find out what happened to their son.

Tickets cost $22 and be purchased at http://www.bensontheatre.org.

Benson Theatre is located at 6054 Maple St in Omaha, NE.

A “Choice” Selection Being Served at BlueBarn this Season

BLUEBARN Theatre is proud to announce our 34th Season: CHOICE!

Season 34 Mainstage

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Oct. 6 – Oct. 31, 2022

Washington Irving’s masterpiece comes to spooky life with a top-notch ensemble and sheer theatrical invention. Omaha’s own Ben Beck and Jill Anderson incorporate music, dance, and puppetry into a world premiere adaptation, with scenic design by Sarah Rowe and original music composed by Olga Smola. The Headless Horseman rides again!

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) by Michael Carleton, Jim Fitzgerald, and John K. Alvarez
Original Music by Will Knapp
November 25 – December 18, 2022

Instead of performing Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic for the umpteenth time, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told – plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung. A madcap romp through the holiday season, this laugh-out-loud comedy offers a hilarious alternative to anthropomorphic Nutcrackers and singing Victorian children.

What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck
Feb 2. – Feb. 26, 2023

Fifteen year old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Hailed as the best play of the year in 2019 by the New York Times and earning two Tony Award nominations, this boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.

The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh
Mar. 30 – Apr. 23, 2023

Brought from Guangzhou in 1834 as an “exotic oddity” The Chinese Lady follows the true story of the first woman from China to enter America. Afong Moy is paraded around for the American public to indulge their voyeuristic curiosities by delivering a performance of her “ethnicity”. Over the course of 55 years, Afong Moy begins to challenge her views of herself, her culture in the hands of others, and her disconnect from her homeland while grappling with her search for her own identity in America.
“By the end of Mr. Suh’s extraordinary play, we look at Afong and see whole centuries of American history. She’s no longer the Chinese lady. She is us.” The New York Times

Dance Nation by Clare Barron
May 25 – June 25, 2023

Somewhere in America, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers’ plots to take over the world. And if their new routine is good enough, they’ll claw their way to the top at the Boogie Crown Grand Prix Finals in Tampa Bay. A 2019 Pulitzer Prize finalist for drama, Dance Nation is a stark, unrelenting exploration of female power featuring a multigenerational cast of women portraying our 13-year-old heroines.

Season 34 Happenings

The Big Damn Door Festival
August 25-28 & Sept 1-4, 2022

The BLUEBARN invites you to celebrate THREE ARTIST-DRIVEN approaches to innovation in the creation of new work for the stage. Our Big Damn Doors are not just a primary feature of the architecture of the BLUEBARN, but a metaphor for the festival itself: wide-open doors and unbounded possibilities. BLUEBARN is proud to support emerging artists from the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan area whose work has the power to drive change in our community, and who’ve been most impacted from systemic biases in opportunity. Artists that identify as Global Majority (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQIA2s+, neurodiverse, and artists with disabilities have been prioritized.

Musing: A Storytelling Series
October 26, 2022 & April 19, 2023

Last season’s live storytelling sensation, Musing, returns to the BLUEBARN stage! Story curator Seth Fox will present Miscellanea Volumes One & Two: Storyteller’s Choice – two one-night-only events that feature compelling true stories exploring a variety of themes, all told by the people who lived them.
To have your story considered for a future Musing event, or for more detailed information about Musing, please contact story curator Seth Fox at musingomaha@gmail.com.

New TruBLU memberships go on sale Monday, 8/15! Renewing TruBLU members, check your email for your renewal link, or call our box office at (402) 345-1576. For more information on Season 34, visit http://bluebarn.org/plays-events!

A Lost and Troubled Soul

L to R: Noah Berry, Andy Harvey, Daniel Thompson, Karen Pappas, Kimberly Braun, Michael Perrie, Jr., Millicent Hunnicutt, Evan Raines, Horace Smith, and Matt Smolko star in “Hank Williams: Lost Highway”

He was a musical genius troubled by demons.  He was the first megastar of country music.  And he left this world far too soon.  He was Hank Williams and you can watch his story in Hank Williams:  Lost Highway currently playing at Maples Repertory Theatre.

On very rare occasions I actually attend a show purely as a patron.  This was meant to be one of those times, but after seeing this show I felt obligated to put fingers to keyboard to share the gloriousness of this production.

Simply put, this is the finest show I’ve seen mounted at Maples Repertory since I first discovered this theatre.  It’s brilliantly directed.  It’s stellarly acted and sung.  Randal Myler and Mark Harelik conjured a pretty intriguing way of sharing Williams’ story.  It’s told in the vignette style, showing events from the life of Williams and using a nice touch of a pair of characters silently listening to Williams’ music on the radio.  They are people involved in Hank’s life, but they also serve as his id and the fans of Williams, respectively.  Williams’ numbers are skillfully placed as there’s no set up for each particular song, yet each song feels as if it was deliberately placed in its slot for a specific reason.

Todd Davison provided a spectacular piece of direction for this production.  This is a tricky show to direct as it does not tell a complete and connected story.  As such, each vignette is a mini-play in and of itself with its own build, climax, and resolution.  But there still has to be a unifying x factor to tie the vignettes together and Davison has that factor firmly in the palm of his hand as the transitions felt seamless.  He staged the show very effectively though some sightlines might be obscured from your view if you’re sitting at the farthest edges of the theatre.  His coaching of his actors is beyond reproach.  As my friend who joined me said, “There isn’t a flat tire in the lot.”  The acting is pitch perfect and the singing is angelic.

The supporting characters carry a heavy load in this show as they not only help to tell Williams’ story, but also have to play their own instruments.  Justin P. Cowan’s musical supervision is sure and certain with the cast nailing the interpretations of Williams’ songs to the floor.  Evan Raines provides some fine fiddling while Daniel Thompson sizzles on harmonica and, I think, a mandolin.  Amazing acting performances are supplied by Karen Pappas as Williams’ somewhat dominating mother, Mama Lilly.  Kimberly Braun skillfully sings badly as Williams’ wife, Audrey, whose ambitions far exceed her talent.  Andy Harvey brings a quiet leadership as Williams’ manager, Fred Rose.  Matt Smolko and Noah Berry shine as Jimmy and Hoss, friends and bandmates of Williams.  Berry especially impresses as the loyal friend who sticks by Williams until his demons become too heavy for him to support.  Millicent Hunnicutt does sterling work as a waitress who gets a one-night fling with Williams and also being a spiritual representation of his fans.  Horace Smith dominates as Tee-Tot, a street singer who inspires Williams’ career and serves as his emotional anchor and id as he appears to sing during Williams’ times of troubles to remind him of why he sings.  Smith has a beautiful, deep baritone that is Heaven sent and transports you to the heights and depths of emotion.

This show ultimately lives and dies by the performer playing Hank Williams and this show not only lives, but thrives, thanks to the talents of Michael Perrie, Jr.  If Perrie doesn’t get a Broadway World nomination for Best Actor in a Musical, it’s going to be a crime because he pulls off something truly amazing with the role.

Perrie simply IS Hank Williams.  Perrie perfectly duplicates his speaking and singing voice right down to the yodeling vibrato falsetto Williams often used in his songs.  Perrie is so much fun to watch due to his animation and attention to detail, finding little bits of business that enhance action and doesn’t pull attention away from the primary moment.  His body language was incredible as he well communicates Williams’ back issues from a botched spina bifida surgery with his grunts, grimaces, and twists.  Perrie’s drunken staggering and slurred speech in Williams’ darker moments is natural and realistic.  His song interpretation and emoting of said songs is so powerful that when he started crying during “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”, I wanted to cry along with him.

Charles Johnson has designed a simple set of a barn, farmhouse front, and steps to be all of the scenes of the show.  Dominic DeSalvio’s lights really enhance the show, especially with his use of intimate spotlights to highlight the more emotional moments of the production.  Eliot Curtis’ props helped to flesh out the world of this show while Pete Nasir’s sound work was pluperfect.  Jack A. Smith’s costumes take you back to the late 40s/early 50s with the simple dresses of the women, the suspenders and dress clothes for the men, and, of course, Williams’ trademark white suit and Stetson hat.

A show like this serves to remind me of why I got into theatre and it deserves to be seen and appreciated.  You don’t even have to be a fan of country music or even know anything about Hank Williams to enjoy the show because I’m certainly not and I truly didn’t.  If you love great acting and music, you will love this show.  You’ve still got 2 chances to see this remarkable production, so give it a try.  You won’t regret it.

Hank Williams:  Lost Highway runs at Maples Repertory Theatre through August 7.  Final performances are tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow at 2pm. Tickets cost $33 for the Main Floor and $26 for the balcony and can be obtained at the Box Office or by visiting www.maplesrep.com or calling 660-385-2924. Maples Repertory Theatre is located at 102 N Rubey St in Macon, MO.

Photo by Kelly Lewis

A Legend Opens New OCP Season

Omaha, NE– The Omaha Community Playhouse opens its 22/23 Season on Friday, August 19 with The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew Lopez. The show will run in the Howard Drew Theatre through September 18 with performances Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $36, with prices varying by performance. Tickets may be purchased at the OCP Box Office, 6915 Cass St., Omaha, NE 68132, by phone at (402) 553-0800 or online at OmahaPlayhouse.com.

SHOW SYNOPSIS: A Southern straight boy and out-of-work Elvis impersonator discovers a hidden talent—and a way to pay his mounting bills—after a drag queen convinces him to fill in on stage for one of her shows. Now if he could only find a way to tell his pregnant wife about his new hobby. A laugh-out-loud comedy filled with music, heart and plenty of sass. Disclaimer: Contains adult language.

Directed by: Brady Patsy

Cast

Ryan Figgins as Casey
Ryan Eberhart as Miss Tracy Mills
Brock McCullough as Anorexia Nervosa
Olivia Howard as Jo
Dennis Collins as Eddie
Giovanni Rivera as Jason