Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Florida - West Coast

2014-2015, a Season Reminiscence

As I look at my calendar, the page for August has been turned and we are looking toward a late Labor Day, the traditional beginning for school and theatrical seasons, so it seems an appropriate time to look back at all the theatrical events I have been fortunate enough to cover during the 2014-15 season. It is also a great time to thank Talkin' Broadway for the opportunity to write and the many local theaters who welcome me. Also, many thanks to those of you who check out what I have to say, either regularly or from time to time; I am flattered that you do so.

My theater season started early last year, in August, when Sarasota Ballet created a new version of The Secret Garden, choreographed by Will Tuckett. It made a big splash with lots of press coverage and great word of mouth that carried over to planned performances in October. It was a delightful mix of narrative, dancing and vivid puppets to delight children.

September brought my first of three trips Into the Woods, this one at freeFall Theatre, starring Ann Morrison as The Witch. It was a fine production, with interesting use of the space, as is typical of this company. Next, I saw the movie when my husband chose it over another film, and I thought it was beautifully realized; I can not imagine a better version for film. My third trip was via Manatee Players in March, with another fine production, yet very different from freeFall's. Highlights of this version were fine performances by Diane Dawson and Brian Chun as The Baker and his Wife. I had almost no contact with this classic musical since its Broadway production and a few years later when I appeared in it as The Wolf. And then to make the journey three times in one year!

October brought my first experience with Ringling International Arts Festival, which was originally planned as a one-time event with a possibility of a reprise in two years, but which has become a very popular yearly event. It features the kind of events often found in Fringe Festivals. The highlight for me was a piece called The Table by Blind Summit Theatre which featured a bunraku puppet as Moses. It generated a lot of buzz from audiences.

Other memorable musicals this year would include Little Shop of Horrors by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, with wonderful performances by Michael Menendez and Marta McKinnon as Seymour and Audrey; South Pacific by Asolo Rep (thank goodness it was so good, I saw it 2 1/2 times!); back-to-back productions by Players Theatre, Violet starring Kathryn Parks and Catch Me if You Can starring James Hyde and Kenneth Rapczynski who had appeared together in a Manatee Players production of Les Misérables as Marius and Jean Valjean; and the season closer Spamalot by Manatee Players where everyone was wacky.

Dramas and comedies that remain in my memory include Dancing Lessons by Mark St.Germaine at Florida Studio Theatre, featuring one of the finest performances by a leading actor that I have seen in many moons by Jason Cannon; two excellent productions from Asolo Rep's repertory season, The Matchmaker and Both Your Houses, proving that a 60+ year old political drama can still be compelling; Radio Golf, one of the strongest entries in the August Wilson Century Cycle at American Stage; The Cherry Orchard at Asolo Conservatory, which caught all the Russian melancholy; and The Amish Project starring Kathrine Michelle Tanner in multiple roles brought to us by Banyan Theater.

This brings me to two theatrical events that need to be discussed separately. The first is Fly, the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, brought to us by Florida Studio Theatre. This was a production that has played elsewhere and was brought to Sarasota in their Winter Series. In reviewing it I called it "vividly theatrical." Many months later, regular theatergoers are comparing whatever they have just seen to this play. It was quite simply one of the greatest theater pieces I have seen in my whole lifetime of theatergoing. It would have dwarfed everything else this season, except that a new company called Urbanite Theatre made an incredibly auspicious debut with three exciting, edgy plays: The Chicken Shop, Re Borning and Isaac's Eye. They have created a new, nicely appointed theater space in downtown Sarasota, able to be reconfigured when desired. All three plays were stimulating; I was thinking about the issues raised in each days later. The acting and directing were on an extraordinarily high level throughout, with multiple standout performances. That is the good news, the even better news is that this area just had a 24-hour Giving Challenge with lots of matching and other special incentives and Urbanite was the arts organization with the most gifts, raising about $34K. Bravo to them for both the brilliant season and fundraising success.

Still playing at Florida Studio's Cabaret is The Swingaroos, who describe themselves as a New Orleans territory swing band. It doesn't fit into any of the groupings above, but I enjoyed it a lot and it was a highlight of the season for me.

Sarasota Ballet finished their season with a salute to Ballets Russes which included a brilliant performance of one of my favorites, Petrushka. With 40 or more people on the stage in character roles, this was quite an undertaking and our Ballet Company rose to the challenge. There is a reason the company has been attracting national attention, with guest appearances in Washington, D.C., New York, and just recently the Jacob's Pillow dance festival in The Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and that reason was on display in this challenging program.

The last event that I wish to remember was a Pride Season concert by Una Voce, The Florida Men's Chorale of Tampa Bay, featuring the area premiere of Andrew Lippa's cantata I Am Harvey Milk which requires three soloists, a chorus, and small orchestra. They met all the demands and gave a spirited performance which was every bit as good as the premiere performance by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus which I have heard on CD. This concert was so all out wonderful that my husband, who actually knew Harvey Milk, said "I normally wouldn't like this kind of a concert, but I loved this." I did, too, and after the review appeared I had some lovely thank you emails from members of the chorus. I can't wait to attend more of their concerts.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to share my thoughts regarding these performances and others that I attended. I hope that I can induce some of you to see the wonderful entertainment being offered to audiences in my region, covering Tampa and St. Petersburg to Bradenton, Sarasota, and even a bit further south. I can't wait to see what wonderful plays, musicals and other musical events await me during the 2015-16 season.

--William S. Oser