“In an old house in Paris that is covered in vines, live 12 little girls in two straight lines.”
So begins the Madeline stories in rhyming couplet by Ludwig Bemelmans, one of which has been made into a
gentle children’s musical called “Madeline and the Gypsies,” currently at the Northwest
Children’s Theater.
The life of tightly organized living in Madeline’s French boarding school comes to a halt when the
gypsy circus rolls into town. Even Miss Clavel (sweetly portrayed by Judy Straalsund), the nun who keeps the
girls in their lines like a benevolent sheepdog, can’t stop red-haired Madeline (the delightful Madison
Wray) from running away with the circus, her naughty Spanish pal Peptio (Mac Larsen) in tow.
Barry Kornhauser’s stage adaptation of the story, combined with appealing music by Michael Koerner,
suits the company, with its lion’s share of little girl roles. In fact, the girls in the boarding school
make a super chorus: Their numbers are the best of all, “Two Straight Lines” and “The
Ferris Wheel Song” among them.
Then there’s the various circus folk that stir up the dust in Paris. These actors sparkle, including
Jon Ellingson as a mute clown who pulled plenty of laughs from little ones in the audience opening night,
Paul Susi as the circus strong man who cries easily, Sean Sele as a confused elephant and beautiful Genevieve
Andersen as the flamboyant gypsy mama, who would happily keep Madeline with her in the circus forever. Andersen
dives heartily into the role, swishing her colorful skirts and showing off her marvelous vocal range in songs
such as “Listen to the Rhythm of the Gypsy Heart.”
There’s a satisfying balance between the two worlds, one of matching uniforms and warm beds under
Miss Clavel’s care, the other of creative pandemonium and quick invention under the circus tent,
particularly when the lion escapes, and Madeline and Pepito have to put on a lion’s suit and fill in for him.
Little girls don’t have to be afraid. They can be feisty, gutsy, curious and brave. That’s a message
derived from Bemelmans’ Madeline books that first came out in 1939. At a time when princesses were popular
in storybook settings, helpless creatures waiting to be rescued, Madeline was a role model for young girls eager
to explore their own individuality and to speak their minds.
This is nothing new in the 21st century, of course, so Madeline is right at home here. Miss Clavel is
never cross, but always relieved and happy to have Madeline home again after her adventures. This spunky
little girl’s got the best of both worlds. C’est formidable.
Interesting notes on Bemelmans, whose Madeline books have spawned toys, games, dolls and even a film: He
always considered himself more of an illustrator than a writer (Jeff Seats’ set designs reflect his
quick-sketch “Madeline” illustrations), but later became a serious painter, with works on display
in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Museé National d’Art of Paris. He was also a screenwriter,
novelist, muralist and non-fiction writer, contributing to The New Yorker, Vogue and other publications.
He was born, not in France, but in Austria, living in New York most of his life.
“Madeline and the Gypsies” runs about an hour-and-a-half, including intermission. It’s
suitable for kids five and up.
See what our audience has to say about Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!!
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Theater review: At Northwest Children’s Theatre, kids emphatically stop Pigeon from driving the bus
March 21, 2010
Holly Johnson, Special to
The Oregonian
Mo Willems’ popular kids’ book “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” so inspired
the folks at Northwest Children’s Theater that they’ve fleshed it out into a zany, sparkling
musical for kids three and up, with Latin-flavored music and lyrics by Ezra Weiss.)
Company artistic director Sarah Jane Hardy and resident actor John Ellingson adapted the picture book to the stage,
making sure there’s plenty of interaction with kids in the audience. In fact, Hardy, a native Brit, took English
pantomime traditions, and liberally mixed them into the show, so children are encouraged to shout out answers, the main
repeated question being from Pigeon (Ellingson), &ldqou;Can I drive the bus?” And the answer, of course, is a
resounding “no.”
A seemingly incongruous mix of Las Vegas style dance numbers and British panto actually work very well together
as the story of Pigeon’s obsession spins out. When Pigeon sees a human bus driver (played by Erik James) with
his vehicle (a wonderful cardboard cut-out), he goes nuts. And even though James tells the audience, “Don’t
let the pigeon drive the bus while I’m gone,” as he leaves for his lunch break, wheeler-dealer Pigeon
doesn’t want to take no for an answer (Sound like some little person that you know?).
The delightful visual world of Pigeon and his friends comes to life on stage in this premiere production through
scenic design by Jeff Seats that includes a series of colorful panels behind which chorus members can exit and enter.
Seats has also created a delightful oversized set piece of a crib for a scene from Pigeon’s point of view as a
baby, with his sensible mom played by Genevieve Anderson. He’s designed a glittering façade for a quiz show
where kids and their parents are invited to come up and participate. During an upbeat song called &ldqou;Best Friends
Forever,” three teeter-totters on stage help demonstrate the balancing act of friendship in pairs, which leaves
poor Pigeon odd bird out.
One of the show’s highlights is a sequence where Ellingson sits in a chair and mimes Pigeon trying all the
levers and buttons on a bus, complete with all the sound effects of doors closing, windshield wipers going, the
horn beeping and more.
The opening number “Hey Can I Drive The Bus?” offers a flurry of Brazilian style bird costumes as
chorus members pop in and out of the panels in feathery headdresses and colorful print and check costumes. This
scene shows off some of the best work of costumer Mary Rochon, who does a marvelous job of creating colorful outfits
that kids can relate to, and since the seven-member chorus, which includes Emily Bryan, Reed Sturtevant and Grover
Hollway, have plenty of quick costume changes, Rochon has made the costumes interchangeable and multi-purpose,
mostly human and partly bird.
The show runs 70 minutes with one intermission. Willems’ book was a New York Times best-seller and winner
of three Caldecott awards.
January 30, 2010
Holly Johnson, Special to
The Oregonian
Northwest Children’s Theater has triumphed gleamingly with its new musical adaptation of
“Pinocchio,” the classic tale written in the 19th century by Carlo Collodi, who might recognize and
approve of this version in the steampunk style (think “Mad Max,” “Delicatessen” or
“The City of Lost Children”)
Envision a world of shiny copper and steel that reinvents modern machines using Victorian-age technology,
a place where goggles, sprockets, steam engines, gyroscopes, hot-air balloons and other vintage gizmos abound.
Collodi (1826-1890) would have felt right at home. Still, the play includes a few references to today’s
technology that tech-savvy kids will catch.
Metal is the operative word, with music by long-time NWCT composer Rodolfo Ortega, book by Milo Mowery,
and lyrics by both. Pinocchio (a brilliant performance by Lea Zawada) is not made of wood, but fashioned
of gleaming gold metal, a relative of the Tin Woodman, perhaps.
Our boy toy was lovingly created by Geppetto (Alan H. King), who is not a shoemaker but an inventor,
who also has made Crick (Matt Loehrke), a cricket-like windup toy whose main purpose is to follow Pinocchio
around and keep him out of trouble. It’s no small task, as our toy boy is full of mischief, wide-eyed
at seeing the world for the first time, but ready to dive in, with a minimum of good sense, and a hearty
appetite for living.
The Blue Fairy (Julia Staben), the patron saint of inventors wearing a skirt decorated with lights,
doesn’t bestow human life on Pinocchio: Instead, she gives him the gift of electricity.
Stromboli, the scary, overbearing villain in the 1940 Walt Disney film version,
doesn’t appear here. Instead, the bad dude is Catjack (John Ellingson), a sleazy, smart-alecky
thief (and a really bad magician), who hangs out with his henchman Foxtrot (a hilarious portrayal by Kerry Ryan).
Director Sarah Jane Hardy, who also choreographs, gives Catjack and the chorus a striking Bob Fosse-style
dance number (“He’s a Thief”). The musical style changes dramatically in the second act,
when a buoyant waltz explodes onstage in “The Only Thing a Boy Really Wants.”
Ortega’s use of different musical forms and his occasional touches of dissonance are inventive
yet accessible. The show’s lyrics are delightfully contemporary (“Boring just won't cut it,”
Pinocchio declares).
Zawada’s Pinocchio is giddy, mischievous, slightly off balance, eager for life and fun, fun, fun.
Her face cleaves into a wide grin one moment, and the next it stares blankly at an incomprehensible world.
Kevin Michael Moore in several roles also provides a star-quality performance: He uses his voice like a
wide-scale instrument, his José Jiménez accent is hilarious, and as a nobleman with puffy hair and a pompous
strut, he looks like one of the inmates in “Marat Sade.”
Learning from your mistakes, learning to listen and trusting what’s inside you are among the ideas
the story offers youngsters. Whether you're a kid in the Victorian era or the 21st century, some life lessons
don’t change.
Review: ‘Narnia’ faithfully retells the first book of C.S. Lewis’ series
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Excerpted from the review by Bob Hicks—Special to
The Oregonian
(full review at www.oregonlive.com)
“Narnia,” the latest musical play onstage at Northwest Children’s Theater and School,
is based closely on “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the first book that C.S. Lewis wrote
in his enduringly popular Narnia series of Christian-themed fantasies. With a very few elisions and modifications,
the play—book by Jules Tasca, music by Thomas Tierney, lyrics by Ted Drachman—follows the action
in the book closely. If it’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” you want, it’s
“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” you’ll get in this production, which is directed
and choreographed by Sarah Jane Hardy, Northwest Children’s Theater’s artistic director. No huge
cuts, no authorial or directorial embellishments, no ironic winks, just an honest retelling for the stage
of Lewis’ tale. And that’s no small accomplishment.
(Lucas) Welsh as Aslan…gives the production’s outstanding performance, and shows he know exactly
what musical theater is all about. He’s precise and focused, his enunciation and projection are enviable, and
although he’s not the physical heavyweight you might expect from Aslan, he amplifies his space on stage:
This is not Aslan the terrible and wild, but Aslan the wise and youthful and brave, a young deity only just
coming into his own, and Welsh’s clear tenor singing voice carries the day.
Other standouts in the cast include Patrick Moynihan as elder brother Peter, the picture-perfect English
school lad; Hayley Rousselle as a spitfire Lucy; Kevin S. Martin as an expansive Father Christmas; Grover Hollway
as the shaggy and timorous faun Mr. Tumnus, and Erik James in the dual lovable-crotchety roles of the old Professor
and Mr. Beaver. Athena Patterson’s comically hotsy-totsy performance of the White Witch is a crowd-pleaser and seems
in keeping with the naughty-diva songs the show provides her.
Narnia
Now through January 4
Generally Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm
Visit www.nwcts.org for ticket prices and show times
Northwest Children’s Theater and School
At the Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center
1819 NW Everett Street, Portland, OR 97209
Tickets: (503) 222-4480 or www.nwcts.org
Review: ‘Winnie the Pooh’ is an ideal family outing
Sunday, October 4, 2009
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
Whether or not your kids know the gentle stories and classic characters of A.A. Milne’s
“Winnie the Pooh,” they’re sure to enjoy the stage play of the same title with music
by Allan Jay Friedman and book adaptation by Kristin Sergel. The short piece with occasional songs
is specifically based on the Milne story “Pooh Goes Visiting,” introducing little ones
to the characters of Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, Christopher Robin, Pooh and more.
Milne’s wit is very much alive in this Northwest Children’s Theater production about Pooh,
the bear of very little brain and great appetite for honey. The easily distracted Pooh, nicely played by
John Ellingson in plenty of padding, floats into the air with a blue balloon to get closer to a beehive
in a tree, gets stuck in Rabbit’s doorway and joins his pals Eeyore and Owl to await the arrival
of a newcomer, the much-feared Kanga, who has run away with his friend Piglet, and – horrors –
given him a bath. Even Kanga’s offspring, Roo, attempts to get away from her, explore the Hundred
Acre Wood and find some other folks to play with.
The cast is very fine, particularly Shannon Jones as the maternal, bossy Kanga and Natalie Hovee as the
agile, fearless Roo. Annie Leonard is appropriately pompous as know-it-all Owl, who ironically can’t
spell his own name, and Celeste Spangler creates a bouncy Piglet.
Barrett William Kent brings Christopher Robin to life in a brief though bright appearance as he shares the
stage with the narrator, Tracy Ross, who also provides piano accompaniment to the songs (Alas, there is no
Tigger in this story, a figure whom a number of the youngsters in Saturday’s audience were waiting for).
Jeff Seats’ painterly set is a real treasure, echoing the style of line drawings by original illustrator
E.H. Shepard. Mary Rochon’s costumes work on various levels, as always, a mix of fanciful patterned fabric
with soft pajama-like material that kids can relate to. If you’ve got a tiny member of the family who might
be drawn to the stage, this is a great first-time show for him or her. The event has one intermission and runs
about an hour and a half.
Check out what our audience has to say about The Hobbit!
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Theater review: Action-packed ‘Hobbit’ will draw kids in
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
The sweetest part of an adventure is returning home. In "The Hobbit," a children's play by Patricia Gray
adapted from the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, the fantasy journey motif provides the major theme, wherein humble
Hobbit Bilbo Baggins is urged by the wizard Gandalf to leave his cozy shire to journey through wild lands,
deep caves and dense forests with a band of dwarves to help kill a vicious dragon and find the gold he's
been hoarding.
Whether kids know the Tolkien stories or not, the action will draw them into this well-paced production
at the Northwest Children's Theater. Tolkien wrote it to entertain his children, and it was published in
1937 to wide critical acclaim. When his publishers wanted more, "The Lord of the Rings" followed, and the
author later made plot adjustments for it in "The Hobbit." In spite of its general darkness, songs, poetry
and some gentle humor lighten the journey, as Baggins, solidly sketched by Aidan Jung, leaves the cheerful,
light-hearted Hobbit country, and stumbles into a darker, confusing and ever-changing world of witchcraft,
warfare, vicious goblins, disgruntled elves and one angry dragon.
With a cast of 20, the show provides a strong vehicle for lots of young actors in the company's
theater school, and guest director Bruce Hostetler has obviously taken the time to help the kids develop
their characters. Matthew d'Amato as Thorin the dwarf leader decked out in a yarn beard and stomach
stuffing, fashions an intriguing fantasy figure, lively and likable amid the gloomy landscape. With her
strong voice and menacing presence, Genevieve Andersen steals the action momentarily as the lead goblin,
encased in spiky, glittery getup designed by costumer Mary Rochon. R. David Wyllie slips easily into the
gleaming, mottled skin of Gollum, a slithery, nightmarish creature who unwittingly assists Baggins in
his dragon-slaying quest.
The set, props and accompanying mood music by Rodolfo Ortega help create the darkness and uncertainty
of caves, woods and other unknown terrain. Jeff Seats' scenic designs evoking thick otherworldly foliage
are made of fabric swatches hanging artfully from the ceiling, Roger Monroe's lighting designs create
both murky and colorful atmospheres, and a giant dragon puppet with reptilian eyes, a snout emitting
smoke and fire (dry ice and red-hued lighting) and the thundering voice of actor Erik James is the
play's eye-popping highlight. The show is appropriate for children six and up, and it's an adventure
that adults, especially those who grew up with Tolkien's books, can become immersed in as well.
Check out what our audience has to say about Goodnight Moon!
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Theater review: ‘Goodnight Moon’ a treat for kids and adults
Monday, March 23, 2009
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
A lot of children don't go to bed at night at the flick of a light switch. They pop up, just when you think
they're tucked in, inventing numerous, last-minute creative ideas to stall for time. Margaret Wise Brown's classic
1947 book "Goodnight Moon," made into a delightful, slightly updated musical play by Chad Henry currently at the
Northwest Children's Theater, has eased kids into slumber for over 60 years now, relieving parents while satisfying
youngsters. Its popularity prevails.
The story of the bunny who looks around his room at familiar objects and the sparkling stars and moon out the
window, gradually bidding them all goodnight, develops more plot and physical business as a theater piece, but
Henry never relinquishes the peaceful tone and gentle humor of Brown's treasured bed-time story, and Brown's
simple rhyming lines weave through the story in just the right places. Although the 75-minute musical, with one
intermission, is billed for kids four and up, some younger children, especially those who know the book, can
understand and enjoy the performance. And there's plenty of humor and musical variety here to make it a treat
for adults.
The company's small cast, under some smart direction and fun choreography from Sarah Jane Hardy, keep the
transitions smooth and the action upbeat. Aidan Jung plays Bunny, who's tucked into bed, but soon needs all
his stuffed toys around him for sleep to come. Then he needs a glass of water. There's always some reason to
jump up, and forget sleep. But gradually, things start to happen on their own accord. The three bears on
their three chairs come out of the picture over Bunny's bed, and do a sprightly tap dance. The painting of
the cow jumping over the moon by the fireplace comes to life, too, and we meet an ungainly cow (hilariously
portrayed by John Ellingson) who can't quite make the lunar leap. Ellingson is also dapperly delightful as
a rather Elvis-like tooth fairy ("bye, bye, bicuspid," he quips). Later, a trio of stars in the sky come
down to sing the loveliest ballad of the night.
The lush, colorful set designed by Jeff Seats, using predominantly shades of green, yellow and red,
vibrantly duplicates Clement Hurd's memorable book illustrations of the Bunny's green room, with its
paintings, toys, animals and objects that speak, sing and dance. Mary Rochon's amazing costumes offer
a profusion of stripes, plaids, flower prints and out-of-this-world outfits that should win her a
prize or two.
A note on Brown: She was one of the first authors of children's books to look at the world from a
child's point of view, focusing on quiet moments and simple observations, instead of the fairy tales
and adventure stories that were then commonly available for children. She helped change the definition
of the genre. With "Moon," she made going to bed a sweet experience.
Check out what our audience has to say about Alice in Wonderland!
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Theater review: A jazzy ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Monday, January 26, 2009
by Bob Hicks—Special to
The Oregonian
This time, when Alice goes down the rabbit hole, she lands in a jazz club.
That’s an inspired place for Lewis Carroll’s precocious little adventurer to explore. The noted mathematician
and absurdist wrote a tale about twisting time and shifting shape and constant improvisation, and if that's not jazzlike, what is?
Portland composer and pianist Ezra Weiss has put together a full-scale musical version of “Alice and Wonderland,” with
six-piece jazz combo and 18 tunes. His jazz “Alice” premiered Friday night at Northwest Children’s Theater and School
(the book is by theater artistic director Sarah Jane Hardy) as part of Portland’s Fertile Ground festival of new plays…
A pastiche of jazz styles ranging from early New Orleans to Duke Ellington to Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, it drives the action with
light-hearted wit, matching characters to jazz models: The Cheshire Cat, for instance, is Dizzy Gillespie, the Caterpillar is Miles Davis,
the Queen of Hearts is Bessie Smith. Mary Rochon's brightly silly costumes match the music's brassy bounce…
As Alice, young Annabel Cantor takes the show on her shoulders and carries the weight well. …jazz veteran Marilyn Keller’s
star turns as the Dormouse and the Queen of Hearts: With great humor and even greater musical skill, she brings the house of cards down.
Check out what our audience has to say about The Wizard of Oz!
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Theater review: ‘Wizard of Oz’ embraces its dark side
Sunday, December 14, 2008
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
Northwest Children’s Theater has pulled out all the stops for this lavish, ambitious production of
“The Wizard of Oz.” It’s a version of L. Frank Baum's classical story adapted for the musical
stage by John Kane and first performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1988.
What’s special about Kane’s version is the use of music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E. Y. Harbug
from the popular 1939 Metro Goldwyn Mayer movie version starring Judy Garland, including “Over the Rainbow,”
sung with plaintive charm here by Natalie Hovee as Dorothy, “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead,” “We’re
Off to See The Wizard” and “If I Only Had a Heart.” There's even a fast-paced jitterbug number that
was cut from the film, a great opportunity for young chorus members to dance up a storm.
This version is particularly strong because the darkness of Baum’s original story is not glossed over.
We’re reminded that the Tin Woodsman, for example (a solid performance by John Ellingson) became tin-plated
because he accidentally chopped off his human limbs with his axe. Merritt C. Glover is creepily delightful as the
green-faced Wicked Witch of the West, and although she tempers her evil character with a smattering of bad humor,
make no mistake: She’s the arch-villainess of the land, and bad to the bone.
Fine performances come from all the principal actors, including Ryan Stathos as the tottering, straw-stuffed
Scarecrow, Deirdre Atkinson in the dual role of Aunt Em and Glinda, Erik James as the Wizard and particularly
James Wesley Peppers as the Cowardly Lion a la Bert Lahr, a trembling mass of unkempt fur with a tough New York accent.
Costumes by Mary Rochon are imaginative yet true to the original images of Dorothy and her traveling companions.
Hats exploding with flowers, striped stockings and garb in every hue of the rainbow work well for the folks in
Munchkinland. The flying monkeys, performed with menacing flair by Aidan Jung, Matthew d’Amato, Sam Burns and
others, are particularly well-appointed in gleaming helmets and simian ears. Jeff Seats’ eye-catching set, including
the great, green archway of the Emerald City, uses space economically and artfully.
Why do “The Wizard of Oz” during the holiday season? Hardy grew up in England, and said that during her
childhood, every Christmas day the MGM film version would be shown on television. It's a tradition she apparently
can’t leave behind. This stage version run two-and-a-half hours with intermission, and is suitable for children
five and up.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
by Deeda Scroeder—
Willamette Week
Kids will enjoy this super-sweet retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale,
full of deception, wit and cupcakes the size of your head…
Sets and costumes are beautifully embellished and intricate, and the dancing trees make
choreographing teenagers look like a walk in the, well, woods. Performers Roxanne Stathos
(Gretel) and Lea Zawada (Hansel) handle their vulnerable roles with intelligence and ease,
and Melody Bridges (stepmother and witch) keeps the audience laughing with her hot-oven
hijinks. DEEDA SCHROEDER. NW Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett St.,
222-4480. 7 pm Fridays, 2 and 7 pm Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes Nov. 2. $10-$20.
Check out what the audience has to say!
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Kids of all ages will love this colorful, clever and comic production. The live band
and over-the-top costumes set the Technicolor tone of the light-on-words show, a simple
musical adaptation of P.D. Eastman’s classic book about the wacky lives of dogs. Parents
of smaller kids, be prepared to seat your child on your lap for the whole show or bring
your own thick booster seat—while some of the sets are vertical, action that happens on
the stage itself can be difficult for wee ones to see from the pewlike seats. They won’t
want to miss a wink! DEEDA SCHROEDER. NW Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 NW
Everett St., 222-4480. Noon and 3 pm Saturdays-Sundays and March 25-28. Closes April
6. $10-$20. All ages.
Theater Review: "Go, Dog. Go!" barks up the right, bright tree
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
Those kids and parents who know P.D. Eastman's slightly surreal book "Go, Dog. Go!"
will understand the loopy anarchy that explodes on the stage in this colorful, vigorous
theater adaptation by playwrights Allison Gregory and Steven Dietz ("God's Country,"
"Private Eyes"). The show at the Northwest Children's Theater, suitable for youngsters
years four and up, is not about dogs as you know them. It's a specific echo of the rather
human dogs that inhabit Eastman's book: cartwheeling, rollerskating, car-driving,
acrobatic, hat-wearing, Crayola-colored canines ever on the move, panting, yipping,
and grinning as they reflect the energy of the young and perhaps also the frenetic
lives of parents.
Gregory and Dietz have wisely added no extra dialogue from the minimalist storybook,
and as directed by Sarah Jane Hardy, the highly physical action, Mary Rochon's bright
goofy costumes and a nicely understated score by Michael Koerner (borrowing from
circus music, vintage rock and roll, bebop and vaudeville), are enough to sweep us along.
John Ellingson, who played the Cat in the Hat in the company's "Seussical, the Musical"
last season, comes onstage as a human and is transformed into a dog as hound ears pop
out of his hat and a tail materializes. He's the adult figure in the play, sternly
turning out the light when all dogs should be asleep at night, and he's the wily
circus master who pushes the scenes into action. He's got most of the lines,
and -- in keeping with the book -- there aren't many.
Other lively performances come from Alina Ziak-Briones as the poodle with
the odd hats, Grover Hollway as a looming red dog and Lea Zawada as a scrappy
yellow pooch.
Of course, you don't have to know the book to have a barking good time. The
sound of toddlers laughing uproariously at Ellingson's foibles and other highly
physical scenes involving the large cast proved that "Go, Dog. Go!" passes the kid test.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
by Deeda Schroeder for
Willamette Week
Charming and sweet, while at the same time wickedly funny, this show weaves together a
tale of youthfully innocent love and guilty desperation. A lighthearted contemporary adaptation
of a 19th-century tale, the story loses a bit of its momentum in the second half when the
devil and Sen. Daniel Webster argue for a farmer’s soul, especially for younger audience members.
Sets are inspired, the young actors are energetic, and the older ones casually confident. Come
early and, from a cushioned wooden pew, soak up the sight of the lovely and lofty cross-barrel
vaulted ceiling in this beautiful old auditorium. DEEDA SCHROEDER. NW Neighborhood Cultural
Center, 1819 NW Everett St., 503-222-4480. 7 pm Fridays, 2 and 7 pm Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays.
Closes Feb. 24. $16-$20.
Theater review Well-crafted play is fun bit of history
Monday, February 04, 2008
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
Based on Stephen Vincent Benet's 1937 classic American short story, "The Devil and
Daniel Webster" at Northwest Children's Theater follows Benet's New England fantasy
for the most part without dumbing it down for kids.
But in keeping the piece to a family friendly 90 minutes, playwright Robert Schenkkan
has diminished much of the suspense, particularly in the crucial courtroom scene.
Other than that, it's a well-crafted show. The celebrated American abolitionist
Webster was renowned as a silver-tongued orator who could out-debate anybody.
"When he rose to speak, stars and stripes fell out of the sky, and once he spoke
against a river and made it sink into the ground," Benet tells us.
So when 1849 New Hampshire farmer Jabez Stone accidentally calls forth the
Devil (also known as Scratch) and sells his soul for a quick fix on his
disastrous life, who but the lawyer Webster should be summoned to get him out
of trouble, tell the truth (well, maybe twist it a little) and shame the Devil
during a courtroom debate. The jury is peopled by famous villains plucked from
the nether regions.
Eric James, in his 36th show with the company, makes Webster a big, strong,
confident gent with a booming voice: He's a guy that you wouldn't want to wrestle,
even if you were the supernatural. Richard Garfield nicely underplays Scratch as
a debonair senior bank president, who only reveals his true nature as the Prince
of Darkness during bouts of vicious anger.
Andi Sturtevant as Spark, the story's pixy-like narrator and ironic commentator
(and who, we learn later, is employed by Scratch), deftly adds violin accompaniment
to enhance the action. Nick Sherbo and Maya Malan-Gonzalez shape sturdy characters as
Jabez and his loving wife. And a handful of young people who play multiple roles
have particular fun as ax-murderer Lizzie Borden, Blackbeard, Al Capone and other
infamous creeps as members of Scratch's jury.
Set against the backdrop of the oncoming Civil War, just learning about Daniel
Webster provides a great history lesson for kids, even though "Devil" is a
fire-and-brimstone myth, with a few bold strokes of satire. Impressive stage effects
abound, including thunder and lightning, the steam of Hades spewing forth, streaked
clouds on the New Hampshire firmament reminiscent of escaping spirits and a glowing
red backdrop.
The show is appropriate for kids 10 and older. Pertinent to the election year? You bet.
Monday, December 3, 2007
by Michael McGregor—Special to The Oregonian
For children and many adults, this is the season for enchantment and dreams…
At the Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center, Northwest Children's Theater is reprising
its popular holiday production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." …
Few things could be more festive than the sumptuous costumes of satin and silk in
NWCT's "Beauty," or more imposing and atmospheric than a castle set that expands beyond
the stage, with huge vaulted rooms that seem to recede into the wings.
The Disney story, of course, is well-liked and well-tested, taken from the popular
animated film: A book-reading beauty named Belle spurns the hometown hunk, Gaston,
before being imprisoned by a Beast she transforms, through her love, into the prince
he was before he was cursed.
Many actors return from NWCT's successful production last year, including the wonderfully
manic James Wesley Peppers as Cogsworth, a servant slowly becoming a clock, and Isaac Lamb,
last year's Gaston, switches roles, this time playing a convincingly ominous and then
vulnerable Beast. Newcomer Alina Ziak-Briones exudes the right cheerful grit as Belle, and
Patricia Price-Yates gives a deliciously ludicrous turn as Madame de la Grande Bouche, an
opera singer becoming a wardrobe.
…
…"Beauty" has all the fantastic elements and extremes we expect in fairy tales…
Theater review 'Honk!' if you think this show is funny
Kids musical—A fine and feathery cast has audiences quacking at this ugly duckling tale
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
by Holly Johnson—Special to
The Oregonian
Hatched by composer George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe, the two-hour musical is a charming,
updated version of Hans Christian Andersen's ugly duckling tale. Now it's in Portland, in an appealing
production at Northwest Children's Theatre that's directed with panache by Stephen Alexander and
features a fine feathery cast, dressed in human clothing that hints at various animals, but never
imitates them completely.
Kristi L. Foster is engaging and vocally pleasing as Ida, a portly mama duck clumping about
in orange Crocs, who gives birth to a rather large egg that finally reveals Ugly (Connor Weil),
an ungainly bespectacled young one. Ugly is shunned by the other hatchlings and preyed upon by a
hungry, sneaky cat (a very funny Larry Taylor), who in a moment of distracted passion shares a
sexy rumba with Queenie (Signe Larsen), a stately feline.
James Wesley Peppers, with his malleable face and expressive eyebrows, offers a strong yet
goofy presence as Ugly's wayward dad, Drake; Peppers is even more interesting as Greylag, a
goose in leather bomber jacket and vintage officer's hat who's an admiral in a flying squad.
Other fine young actors in multiple roles are Lea Zawanda, Justin Moyer, Steve Rathje and
Claire Martin.
What's also impressive about the show is the variety of music, much better tunes than
those of some of contemporary musical theater's schmaltzy blockbusters. Elizabeth Esch Brown
deserves applause for her choreography. The charming set and imaginative costumes are by
Roger Monroe and Ashley Wase, respectively. The show, accompanied by a live onstage band,
suits kids ages 4 and up.
Continues 7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays through Oct. 28.
Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 N.W. Everett St. $20 adults, $16 youths
14 and younger. 503-222-4480 or www.nwcts.org.
Honk! The Ugly Duckling Musical
Wednesday, October 21, 2007
by Stephen Marc Beaudoin—
Willamette Week
[NEW REVIEW] Surely there is a great musical comedy that some Portland company can mount to showcase the
shining vocal and comic talents of our very own James Wesley Peppers. Honk!, which he handily walks
away with at Northwest Children's Theater, is not that show. Winningly committed to every winking line of
dialogue and each sappy song in the duo role of Duckling daddy Drake and chief goose Greylag, Peppers adds
needed heat to an otherwise lukewarm new English musical adaptation by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe—
stretched here to two and a half kiddie attention-span-testing hours—of the Hans Christian Andersen fable
(Stephen Alexander, stage and music director). Promising work from young Connor Weil as Ugly, stage vet
Kristi L. Foster as a warm-voiced Ida, and pint-sized Lea Zawada in several small roles.
STEPHEN MARC BEAUDOIN. Northwest Children's Theater and School, 1819 NW Everett St., 222-4480. 7 pm Fridays,
2 and 7 pm Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes Oct. 28. $16-$20.
Theater review: We're shipwrecked, Daddy; how very jolly!
Child's play—Swiss Family Robinson is an amusing romp, despite the scary premise
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
by Richard Wattenberg—The Oregonian
A dreadful storm, a shipwreck, a family stranded on a deserted Pacific Island.
Sounds like Johann Wyss' 1812 novel Swiss Family Robinson. But Northwest Children's
Theater's fun-filled new version of the Robinson family's adventures, liberally adapted from the
original by Milo Mowery and Jeff Sanders, gives the tale a thoroughly modern spin.
The marooned family in this new telling is motherless: It consists of a widower father
(played with persuasive earnestness by Harold Phillips) and his four sons. Making themselves
at home while waiting to be rescued from this forsaken tropical isle, these resourceful males
build themselves a multileveled, surprisingly intricate treehouse (cleverly conceived and
engineered by set designer and technical director Paul Brown).
All is well until a boatload of pirates arrives. Unlike the threatening marauders who appeared
in the 1960 Walt Disney movie version of the novel, this crew is female, except for one boy and the
humorously two-faced Maybelle (John Ellingson). Led by the seemingly incorrigible Captain Payne
(portrayed with cheerful panache by Buffie Rogers), this merry band of ne'er-do-wells is made up
of bloodthirsty cutthroats—but only in the most playful cartoonish fashion.
After an amusingly choreographed battle—a high point of the production, filled with swashbuckling
and farcical antics—the boisterous female plunderers overcome the Robinsons and take over what Captain
Payne scoffingly refers to as the boys' "clubhouse."
These lady buccaneers may be as rough and ready as any guys, holding their own in this comically
staged war between the sexes. Nevertheless, they join forces with their male prisoners when all are
threatened by the new tempests. Constantly dodging narrow gender assumptions, this version of the
Swiss Family Robinson saga ultimately communicates a spirit of inclusion and cooperation.
Director Sarah Jane Hardy skillfully paces the action, moving it at a clip that will captivate even
the most restless youngsters. Her crew of hale and hardy actors, including a couple of NWCT student interns,
never flags in its enthusiasm. The colorful onstage excitement is wonderfully supported by Rodolfo Ortega's
rig-roaring musical score.
The play is intended for audiences ages 6 and older.
Theater review: Star-crossed in a forthright production
Teen actors lend the Northwest Children's Theater's "Romeo and Juliet" fresh perspective
Monday, April 02, 2007
by Holly Johnson - The Oregonian
Warring families, teen lovers caught in crossfire, hot-blooded youths, kindly robust nurses,
helpful friars, hooded apothecaries.
All the regular suspects in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" are more or less familiar to us,
as is the tragic story of star-crossed lovers who seem to know from the beginning that things
aren't going to work out too well with their relationship: After all, their tribes have been
enemies for ages.
Yet even though we know the outcome by heart, the tale never seems to wear thin. It refreshes
itself with each version, because the Bard's language buoys the ideas and feelings so effortlessly.
The Northwest Children's Theater has taken a chance in producing this complex story and yet, who
better? The kids enrolled in the company's school are the perfect age for the central roles, and there
are enough seasoned adult actors who have been working with the company for years to handle the older parts.
It's a good mix, and director Sarah Jane Hardy has kept the production simple and straightforward. Her
Verona is a dapple-lit series of fragmented, curvy Italianate structures fashioned by set designer
Roger Monroe, and they are reminiscent of the actual ruins in central Verona.
Costumes by Mary Rochon are more than standard-issue Shakespeare -- elegant yet simple, with the
sparkle of an odd jewel here and there. The Medici's lush Italy is suggested with minimal touches.
And while everything moves quickly, all the details are in place.
The haunting vulnerability in this piece lies in the fact that falling truly, instantly in love
is not a joyful thing. It's a jolt, a thunderbolt, a glorious burden rife with the promise of pain.
Maya Malan-Gonzalez as Juliet understands this, as does Ryan Stathos, who creates a fully believable Romeo.
Both have the appearance of children, barely developed yet suddenly wise to love and its depth. Malan-Gonzalez
sometimes runs her words together a bit too rapidly, but she is a likable Juliet, obedient child one minute
and ardent lover the next. Her transformation is palpable.
The rest of the cast is uneven. Melody Bridges provides fine comic relief as the nurse, and Deirdre Atkinson
is a beautiful, iron-willed Lady Capulet, looking a bit like Annette Benning in her sumptuous attire. Paul Susi
creates an edgy, intelligent Tybalt, and Darius Pierce's Mercutio, who's in love with language, is a bright
swath of energy. On opening night, Dan Ruiz Salvatura was often hard to hear as Friar Lawrence, particularly i
n his final speech. Nick Sherbo's Benvolio was a strong presence, as was Marc Friedman as Escalus, prince of
Verona, who gets the last word.
Music does much to enhance the play's emotions. Sound designer Rodolfo Ortega has composed some of his
best work, creating grand Renaissance-style marches at the opening and gradually adding more modern filmic
segments to augment the action. It's subdued underscoring, neatly integral to the whole package.
Theater review 'Junie B. Jones' has fun monkeying around
Musical - Metaphors that are misunderstood by kids meld with a message of sharing
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
by Holly Johnson - The Oregonian
Welcome to the confused and colorful world of Junie B. Jones, a kindergartner with attitude
and agenda galore
In "Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business," a charming musical for kids 4 and up based
on the popular book by Barbara Park, the precocious loudmouth Junie B. hears her grandmother
call her new baby brother "the cutest little monkey I've ever seen."
Junie takes the phrase literally and ends up accepting all kinds of bribes from schoolmates
who want to be the first to take a peek at her simian sibling.
While the main message is that kids who don't understand metaphors and adult expressions
tend to take things literally, we also learn that working together and sharing make life more fun.
Northwest Children's Theater's production is marred by sound problems -- it's hard to know what
the young actors are singing or saying now and again -- but the cast delves into the script and songs
with gusto. Eight-year-old Caroline Haroldson, her strawberry blond hair neatly bobbed, is a loud,
irascible Junie B., who gets into everybody's business while trying to solve her own problems.
She's often helped by Grandpa Miller (Don Stewart Burns), who takes it for granted when Junie gets
excited about fixing the toilet with him on a Saturday afternoon.
Junie's best friends are Princess Lucille (Hannah Copelan), a young gold digger who has one of
the cleverest numbers in the show, and That Grace (played on Saturday night by Qian Wyndham), who sings
about the joys of her high-top athletic shoes with verve and conviction. The songs are clever, nonsappy
and sprightly.
The show reveals the work of some kids who have been studied acting at the theater's school for a
while, and it's first-class. The show was adapted by Joan Cushing, with orchestrations by Deborah Wicks
La Puma. Diane Englert directs. The play runs about 90 minutes, not counting a 15-minute intermission.
The sprawling, colorful set is by John Anderberg.
Continues 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 25.
Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 N.W. Everett St.; $16-$20 adults, 503-222-4480 or www.nwcts.org.
Theater review: Songs make kids' show more 'Beauty' than 'Beast'
Some wonderful musical performances more than make up for slow pacing and a bedraggled Beast
Monday, December 04, 2006
by Holly Johnson - The Oregonian
"Disney's Beauty and the Beast," the stage musical based on the Academy Award-winning film, offers
kids 4 and up something special: a chance to delve into a magical French fable about love and redemption.
The story's themes of hope and transformation are never buried: What we see isn't always what we get,
and appearances don't always reveal what's inside. It's a great lesson for youngsters and a gentle
reminder for adults.
The pacing's a little slow at Northwest Children's Theater, where "Beauty" opened Friday, and the
show leans a little too heavily on some sugary Broadway-style ballads by composer Alan Menken and
lyricists Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.
But consistently fine musical performances from the leading actors buoy this production nicely.
Beauty, named Belle in this version, is an antisocial oddity in her French village, reading books
and supporting her inventor father (Rhodd Caldwell), whom everyone else calls eccentric. Marissa Ryder
is a svelte, sparkling Belle, and her duet, "No Matter What," with Caldwell exudes charm. He disappears
too soon into the woods, where he comes upon the Beast's castle and sets the story in motion.
Isaac Lamb struts and brags shamelessly as the muscle man Gaston, who's set on marrying Belle. He's
the main comic relief, but there's an undertone of self-centeredness and bigotry that makes him dangerous
even as he's kicking up his heels in such numbers as "Gaston," in which he sings his own praises. The dance
numbers featuring Lamb as the town's self-appointed leader nearly cause sparks to fly on stage.
The Beast, as portrayed by Ben Van Diepen, looks more like a bedraggled, bad-tempered hippie with bad
makeup than a stormy, scary mythical creature. But Van Diepen has a strong voice that overrides the externals.
Corey Brunish steals the show as Lumiere, a talking candlestick who is one of the Beast's household
creatures, hovering uncomfortably between the human world and a subservient state as a household object.
He and his comrades know they'll be set free from the spell when the Beast can love and be loved,
so they give him speed lessons in charm.
Sherilyn Lawson is wonderful as Babette, the hip-swirling feather duster. Kristi Foster, who does a
bang-up job of delivering the title song, is an amiable Mrs. Potts, and James Pepper is a walking sight
gag as Cogsworth the clock. And as Madame de la Grande Bouche, a chest of drawers who was once an opera
star, Katrina Froelich embodies comic grandeur ("I'll wear lipstick and rouge, and I won't be so huge,"
she warbles, looking forward to her release from life as a bureau).
Sharon V. Miller neatly choreographs the rousing show tune "Be My Guest." Kirk Mouser directs.
Continues: 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 31,
plus holiday-week matinees 2 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, Dec. 19-28
Northwest Children’s Theatre and School,
1819 N.W. Everett St., 503-222-4480, www.nwcts.org, $18 youth, $22 adult; recommended for ages 4 and up
Friday, February 17, 2006
by Suzie Ridgway (from the Portland Tribune)
The musical entertains children and adults, while the characters and music communicate the message
of Frog and Toad: Honor true friendship despite individual personality differences.
Children sit with rapt attention as the lights go down and the red velvet curtain goes up. The
story follows Frog and Toad as they journey through four seasons of friendship and discovery. The
play, written by Willie Reale, is based on characters from books written and illustrated by Arnold
Lobel.
Larger-than-life daisies and grass set the stage while four musicians sit high above, playing
lively, upbeat tunes with a drum kit, two keyboards, an upright bass and an occasional guitar.
The play begins in spring, as the animals awake from their winter hibernation. Frog (Leif Norby)
is an early riser with a sunny disposition. Toad (John Monteverde) doesn’t want to get out of bed.
The two, dressed mostly in vintage suits, begin the year by planting a garden, swimming and baking
cookies together. They get support throughout their story from birds, a mouse, a lizard, a turtle,
a snail and some fuzzy moles, all wearing inventive, 1940s-inspired costumes.
The Lizard (Bryan Hunt), as well as the two boys that are part of the gaggle of twittering birds
(Justin Moyer, Thomas S. Matthews), wear zoot suits and fedoras, while the girl birds (Molly Blodgett,
Mary Lucarelli) are all dolled up in blue, tailored dress suits and hats with giant plumes. Mouse
(Cameron Peart) flits about in a ruffled, frilly dress, Turtle (Lucas Welch) wears old-time safari
gear, and Snail (Ben Wynant) chugs along in a mauve bandleader jacket, with matching cap and argyle
socks.
Hilarious songs, including “Getta Loada Toad” and “Cookies” keep the audience roaring with laughter
and hungry for cookies (which are available two for $1 at the concession stand during intermission).
Post-intermission, the play moves into summer. The effects that accompany Frog and Toad’s kite-flying
adventure marvel the audience.
Fall brings leaf raking and Frog’s dark tale of his not-too-scary encounter with the Large and Terrible Frog.
Finally, winter sets in, bringing silly sledding adventures with helpful moles. Christmastime, with “Merry
Almost Christmas,” signals the end of the show and sets the stage for the company finale: “A Year With
Frog and Toad,” seeing the two friends coming full circle, settling in for their long winter’s nap.
7 p.m. FRIDAY, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. SATURDAY, 2 p.m. SUNDAY, through Feb. 26, Northwest Children’s Theatre and School,
1819 N.W. Everett St., 503-222-4480, www.nwcts.org, $14 ages 14 and under, $18 adult; recommended for ages 4 and up
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
HOLLY JOHNSON - The Oregonian
Northwest Children’s Theater pulls Peter Pan onto the boards periodically, and its glowing version of
J. M. Barrie's masterpiece is a colorful, well-costumed cavalcade of pirates, mermaids, fairies and children.
This version, intelligently adapted for the stage by Royal Shakespeare Company luminaries John Caird and Trevor Nunn,
is more complex and truer to Barrie’s original play than the simplistic, self-important musical version. But there
are songs and atmospheric music aplenty at the children’s theater, with an appealing original score by Portland
composer Mike Van Liew.
Brendan Robinson, 15, is part faun and part Jim Carrey as an ungainly, cheeky and delightful Peter. Company newcomer
Paul Angelo embodies mincing, preening Captain Hook with great success, and the entire 30-member cast is in fine form.
The show is greatly enhanced by David Delamare’s visual designs, including illustrated nursery panels evocative of
an early 20th-century England and Neverland sets that pique the imagination. Jeff Forbes’ lighting, which washes across
all of this, makes everything look even richer. Superb costumes are by DeeDee Remington. John Monteverde directs.
Continues 7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays through Dec. 31, with added 2 p.m. holiday matinees
Dec. 20-23 and Dec. 27-30. Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 N.W. Everett St.; $16-$20, 503-222-4480 or
www.nwcts.org.
