Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: San Francisco

Annie Get Your Gun
Spreckels Theatre Company
Review by Patrick Thomas

Also see Patrick's review of The Odd Couple (Female Version); Richard's reviews of Gidion's Knot and Hir, and Jeanie's review of R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe


Denise Elia-Yen surrounded by the Cast
One of the most wonderful things about many classic musicals—e.g., The Music Man, The Sound of Music, The King and I—is how delightfully old-fashioned they are, transporting us to a time when life was very different. This can be especially true in terms of gender roles. On this scale, there is likely no musical more old-fashioned than Annie Get Your Gun, currently playing at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park.

Although one could experience this terrific Irving Berlin tuner as feminist because its lead character—crack shot Annie Oakley (Denise Elia-Yen)—defies gender roles both in how she dresses and behaves, she's only a rebel for her first few scenes. For most of the show she's subsuming "what comes natur'lly" in order to win the love of Frank Butler (Zachary Hasbany), the star of Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. Butler is also a sharpshooter, and his ego is deeply wounded when confronted by a woman who's a better marksman.

Despite its old-fashioned nature, this production of Annie Get Your Gun is worth seeing just to hear the wonderful songs that fill its two acts. The book, by Dorothy and Herbert Fields (even with a 1999 update from Peter Stone), is as creaky as the door to Tut's tomb. But the songs, oh, the songs! "The Girl That I Marry," "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun," "Anything You Can Do," "I Got the Sun in the Morning," "An Old-Fashioned Wedding," "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly"—the show is filled with classics.

And that's not even mentioning the number that opens the show, one of the all-time greats, "There's No Business Like Show Business." Director Sheri Lee Miller deserves kudos for a beautiful staging of this number: as the curtain rises we see Hasbany as Frank Butler standing quietly in a delicate pool of light coming directly from overhead. Then, a capella, he begins the song in a resonant baritone that belies his youth. Though later Hasbany had occasional trouble with his pitch at the performance I attended, his voice for the most part was solid and strong, and he opened the show on a very lovely note.

As Annie, Denise Elia-Yen is delightful. She has a lovely energy and a pretty voice with a sweet tone. Her acting aligns well with the role as written—though I wonder what, as a modern woman, Elia-Yen thinks about the character's constant deference to the desires of the men around her.

The main issue facing Elia-Yen as a musical comedy performer—especially in a role created by the legendary Ethel Merman—is that far too often when she should produce notes from way down in her belly, they only go as deep as her sinuses. Annie Oakley's songs often need a belter, and Elia-Yen spends far too much time in head voice.

The role of Dolly Tate (Frank Butler's jealous assistant) is played by Liz Jahren with a bright comic energy and a real sense of the stage. The show livens up a bit every time she enters.

Kudos also to ensemble member and dance captain Joseph Favalora. His grace and energy set him above the rest of the chorus. Though ensemble dancers are generally advised to fit in rather than stand out, Favalora's moves are a joy to watch, so I don't mind in the slightest that he bucks convention by giving us his best, instead of blending in with the crowd.

The sets, staging and lighting are generally well done. As with their production of Brigadoon, Spreckels Theatre Company is making use of large screens with projected images to supplement the sets. They are used more successfully here than in the previous production, and the sets themselves exhibit an efficient use of their elements. Congratulations to set designers and decorators Eddy Hansen and Elizabeth Bazzano.

If you feel like a trip back in time, this production has the nostalgia locked in—with some terrific songs and performances to boot.

Annie Get Your Gun runs through February 23, 2014, at the Codding Theater in the Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. Shows are Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. There is also a 7:30 p.m. show on Thursday, February 20. Tickets are $22-$26 and are available by calling the box office at 707-588-3400. Box office hours are 12-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The box office is also open one hour before showtime. Additional information is available at www.spreckelsonline.com.


Cheers - and be sure to Check the lineup of great shows this season in the San Francisco area

- Patrick Thomas