![]() Cook, and Paul Flanagan, who have astound me in the many shows I've seen them in, whether in lead, supporting or ensemble roles. The ensemble cast members all play multiple roles and are irrepressible and irreplaceable, with a special nod to Nick DeSantis, Greg McCormick-Allen, Mallory King, Sarah Russell, Richard Peacock, Kate. The team of Kooman and Diamond cleverly spoof the words and music of many Broadway legends, but their most memorable is a sweet, tender charm song "Can't Keep It In," which would probably become a standard if anybody recorded such throwbacks to the golden age of musicals anymore. Tancioco, and especially choreographer Al Blackstone, who has the cast dancing every style from de Mille to Robbins to Bennett, have delivered the goods and then some. the show is stopped cold by an unsatisfying plot twist that requires the full cast jump into high octane mode plus reel the audience back in with razzle dazzle.ĭirector Brandon Ivie, musical director R.J. The latter, played with relish, ketchup, mustard and everything including the sink by inimitable veteran farceur Jeff Steitzer, is the key to Howard's happily ever after. Maggie determines to help Howard discover what's happened to him, which leads them to a recurring phantom figure who is revealed as the daunting theater god Von Schwartzenheim. Then, poof! Everyone knocking at his door, at his office, at the stadium, and in the pub are coming at him with a song in their heart and on their lips. Howard Barnes, played with everyman charm and a lilting voice by Seattle stalwart Joshua Carter, works a dead-end office job, pals around with a lame office buddy/sports fan (a deliciously doltish John Michael Scott), and somehow manages to ignore Maggie (the triple-threat Taryn Darr), the new hire in the cube next door, as he mopes over his ex, Grace (a sassy saucy belter named Jasmine Jean Sim), whom he seems to hold accountable for all his woes. But it hit a road bump when the show's "big reveal" stopped the show, and that road bump still exists, despite a tried and true happy ending and a big finish. Having seen the work through all three incarnations I can honestly say this tale of an average Joe who wakes to find himself trapped in a sort of "Twilight Zone" musical comedy existence that I loved when I first saw it, and frankly didn't feel it needed so much development. Their debut album, OUT OF OUR HEADS, featuring an all-star lineup of Broadway performers, is now available on iTunes.Composer Michael Kooman and librettist/lyricist Christopher Dimond's original musical The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes is an amiable, jovial, clever piece that Village Theatre has nurtured for about seven years, starting with a barebones reading in the company's summer festival, followed by a developmental production about two years ago, and now in a world premiere full production launching. ![]() ![]() In addition, they founded the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theater Songwriting Project, a program dedicated to training young songwriters. They were Dramatists Guild Fellows, received a fellowship at the O’Neill National Music Theater Conference, and attended the Johnny Mercer Songwriting workshop. ![]() Michael and Chris are members of the Dramatists Guild and ASCAP, and are proud alumni of Carnegie Mellon University. Their other projects include THE NOTEWORTHY LIFE OF HOWARD BARNES (developed at the O’Neill Music Theater Conference and the Village Theater), ORPHIE & THE BOOK OF HEROES (The Kennedy Center), THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF PERCIVAL VON SCHMOOTZ (commissioned by the Canadian Music Theatre Project), JUDGE JACKIE JUSTICE (Pittsburgh CLO, licensed by Samuel French), DANI GIRL (Exit, Pursued by a Bear licensed by Samuel French), GOLDEN GATE (Williamstown Theatre Festival), HOMEMADE FUSION (London’s Ambassadors Theater, Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and JUNIOR CLAUS (Orlando Repertory Theatre licensed by Dramatic Publishing). They also currently serve as songwriters for VAMPIRINA, an animated musical TV series airing on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior which has reached over 49 million viewers in 115 countries. Kooman & Dimond’s most recent musical, ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, debuted to rave reviews at Shakespeare's Globe this fall. Additionally, Chris has won the Harold Adamson Award, the KC/ACTF Musical Theatre Award, and a NYFA Fellowship. The duo were also the first recipients of the Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award and the Samuel French Next Step Award. Playwright and lyricist Christopher Dimond is best known for his work with composer Michael Kooman, with whom he received the 2013 Fred Ebb Award and a 2010 Jonathan Larson Grant.
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