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Carousel
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstain II
Based on Ferenc Molnar’s play “Liliom”
Directed by Charles Newell, SSDC
Musical Direction by Doug Peck
Choreographed by Randy Duncan
Co-produced with Long Wharf Theatre
New Hacen, CT
At Court Theatre
5535 S. Ellis Ave
Chicago, IL
Call 773-753-4472, tickets $32 - $54
Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 3 & 8 pm
Sundays at 2:30 & 7:30 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission
Through April 13, 2008
Reinvented Carousel soars with seamless integration of song, story and dance
Director Charles Newell and Court Theatre, know for taking chances and reinvigorating classics, have produced a gem with Carousel. Featuring a seamless transition from dialogue to song and back, Carousel reaches new depths of emotion that heightens the show. Rodgers & Hammerstain’s 1945 adaptation of Ferenc Molnar’s dark play, “Lilion,” was a landmark musical as it contained a tragic plot showing the social classes, domestic violence and suicide. Placing Carousel in a fishing village in Maine in the 1870’s allowed Rodgers & Hammerstein to bring home the above themes to an American audience. They added redemption for the tragic anti-hero Billy to leave audiences hope for a better life that was much need in war torn America in 1945.
One of the many reinventions in Court’s Carousel is the stark racked wooden set with a small carousel horse hanging from the rafters with a wharf like set (designed by John Culbert). Next, music director Doug Peck (one of the strongest assets in this production) has placed his string quartet strategically on stage splitting his eight pieces—four on each side of the stage. That and the natural sounds (no microphones on the singers) produced pure music and vocals that was a lesson in projection and articulation. Two violins, viola, cello, bass, piano with two woodwinds playing flutes, clarinets and bass clarinets achieved magic with Rodgers’ lush haunting score. Peck’s reductions underscore the smooth transitions in and out of Hammerstein’s lyrics. This purity needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.
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Carousel’s opening, “The Carousel Waltz,” aptly depicts the women working in the mills and the men struggling to catch fish. This movement (choreographed by Randy Duncan) sets the dark tone of the piece. We meet the two women, Carrie (the sparkling golden voiced Jessie Mueller) and Julie (Johanna McKenzie Miller) as they lament on their hard life as Carrie announces she has met “Mister Snow,” her true love. Julie is infatuated with the low-life carnival drifter, the sexy Billy Bigelow (the excellent actor and fine singer, Nicholas Belton) and they sing what would happen “If I Loved You.”
The sprawling “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” is an ensemble number led by Nettie (the sincere Ernestine Jackson) and features the entire cast producing fine harmonies. Enoch Snow (the terrific Rob Lindley) and Carrie (Jessie Mueller) sing a cute tune “When The Children Are Asleep” outlining their future family life.
The men do a fine work song with “Blow High, Blow Low.” When Billy discovers that his wife Julie is pregnant, he panics and sings his fears for the future in “Soliloquy.” Nicholas Belton’s presents the defining song with all the angst need as he emotionally sings his thoughts. While Belton doesn’t have the vocal range of other Bigelows, he has the acting chops necessary to deliver the Soliloquy.
Act two finds Billy killing himself and Julie wondering what she’ll do. Nettie and Julie sing the anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” with heighten emotions. The heaven scenes allow Billy to see that he needs to redeem himself by guiding his daughter Louise (Laura Scheinbaum) out of danger from the Carnival Boy (Tommy Rapley)—the two do the fiercely sensual “Ballet” deftly. We celebrate Billy’s redemption in the hopeful ending ultimo with the rousing “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
This natural sounding Carousel sings wonderfully, is acted as strong as any musical can be. The seamless flow of the show heightens the impact of the material. This is a musical to be experienced. Rather than a commercial Carousel, Charles Newell and Doug Peck have raised Carousel to new heights of art. Kudos to them! Their Carousel is a major achievement.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2008
Jeff Recommended
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