Wetumpka Depot: "The Bachelorette Party"

A skillful acting ensemble carry the farcical intent of the Wetumpka Depot's production of Karen Schaeffer's The Bachelorette Party in a raucous laugh-out-loud evening. Director Beth Butler guides them through two acts of non-stop antics that leave audiences entertained throughout and happy at the outcome.

Even with last minute casting changes, the company [Tammy Arvidson, Seth Bordlee, Brad Cooper, Sydney Burdette Humphrey, Josh Carples, Christina Knuckles, Zac Morris, Brad Sinclair, Leanna Wallace] only occasionally appear tentative in their physical and vocal commitment, so audiences go willingly along for the ride.

Prepare yourself for slamming doors [there are seven entrances], characters literally being caught "with their pants down", several running gags, a few embarrassing moments associated with alcohol and recreational drugs, all in service of a formulaic comic plot in which the assorted couples plan -- in exactly the same way -- to escape a bachelorette party and meet for their private romantic dalliances. Hi-jinks abound.

Anything that can go wrong does go wrong, but as a comedy the end result when all the participants are eventually on-stage together, resolves things in a delightful way that pleases everyone.

Theatre AUM: "Buddies: a Bro-mantic Comedy"

With clever dialogue and engaging performances by Theatre AUM's seven ensemble actors under Neil David Seibel's able direction, Buddies: a Bro-mantic Comedy by Ben Abbott opened its Alabama debut on Thursday after its generation at the "Hollins Playwrights Lab" last Summer.

In a series of episodes, David [Meadow Lokey] and Julia [Sam Crevensten] host concurrent gatherings at their home: a book-club meeting for the women which is more about gossip than literature, and an awkward men's meeting where they watch football and reveal little about themselves or their mates.

Julia's sister Kelsey [Sarah Paterson] and her partner Adam [Michael James Pritchard], married couple Jake [Zameron Boozer] and Erica [Tara Laurel], and friend Billy [Aaron Rudnick] make up the mix of multi-dimensional characters who break the stereotypical male and female expectations.

And their children [never seen but impactfully present via special effects] enter and exit like tornadoes every once in a while.

While the women cajole their men to become more open and reveal to them their "secrets", the men -- uncomfortable and reluctant at first -- eventually discover for themselves and surprisingly for the women how liberated they become during the play's two acts.

It's all lighthearted fare interspersed with more serious investigations of such subjects as friendship, marriage, social discomfort, homophobia, political disagreement, and the possibilities of genuine Platonic love among men...all of which become catalysts for every character's growth.

Design elements are all top-notch in supporting the text and characters, though sound levels are frequently too soft; and actors' voices are sometimes drowned out by audience laughter or for lack of vocal support.

Buddies: a Bro-mantic Comedy is a delightful comedy that leaves audiences smiling and laughing, perhaps in recognizing a lot about themselves.

ASF" Blues in the Night"

It's all about the music on the closing weekend of Sheldon Epps's 1980 musical revue Blues in the Night in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's intimate Octagon Theatre. -- Directed by Ron OJ Parson, audiences are taken back to a run-down Chicago hotel c.1938, where three nameless women stay in their individual shabby rooms [scene design by Shaun Motley; costume design by Celeste Jennings] and share their experiences with the Blues through song.

There is no linear story, very little dialogue, and only a smattering of interaction among them, but lots of contact with the audience. -- And that's about it. So just sit back and enjoy the vocal dexterity of Cynthia F. Carter, Devereaux, Clare Kennedy and the "Man in the Saloon" [Percy V. Nesbary III] who provides the chauvinistic male commentary on the women's Blues, and also solos on guitar. -- There's also a dancer [Donovan McFadden] who unexplainably disappears for most of Act II.

Music Director Joel Jones and his on-stage quartet give expert attention to the nuances of some 25 memorable songs from the Blues and Jazz catalogue [Bessie Smith, Billy Strayhorn, Benny Goodman, Alberta Hunter, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, and others]; from the upbeat "Stomping' at the Savoy", to the heartbreaking "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", to the raunchy grit of "Rough and Ready Man" and "Take Me for a Buggy Ride", to the sad weariness of "Lush Life"; and the Band is featured by itself in what's credited as a Jam Session version of "Wild Women Don't Have the Blues" --Wow!

They accompany, support, and drive the songs forward, and all of the three women have numerous opportunities to showcase their talents. It's all an accomplished undertaking, and individual audience members will have their favorites. -- But it is Ms. Carter's charismatic characterization that is the emotional and visceral center of the show; she commands attention throughout with her powerful voice, confident character personality, and witty engagement with the audience.

Blues in the Night provides a good evening out in Montgomery; and if you weren't a fan of the Blues or Jazz beforehand, you probably will become one after this production.

Wetumpka Depot: "Monty Python's Spamalot"

For those lucky enough to have tickets for the final weekend of Monty Python's Spamalot [2004] at the Wetumpka Depot, you're in for a treat as director Kristy Meanor's energetic ensemble acting company and collaborative design and creative team continue their raucously irreverent musical journey following the excellent double-act of King Arthur [Scott Page] and his loyal horse Patsy [David Rowland] in their quest for the Holy Grail.

"Lovingly ripped off from the motion picture 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'" [1975], fans of the film gleefully anticipate the rogues-gallery of Pythonesque characters and situations that have entertained for decades, starting from 1969-1974 with "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on BBC-TV. -- The uninitiated will have to keep up as best they can and enjoy the ride.

Here you will find the rag-tag squabbling Knights of the Round Table [Tim Griggs, Gage Leifried, Seth Maggard, Jay Russell], The Lady of the Lake [Adrian Bush in various guises], ferocious rabbits, taunting French soldiers, the Knights that say "Ni", Not Dead Yet Fred, the Black Knight who gets dismembered before our eyes, and [of course] God. -- It's quite a workout for the supporting ensemble who play multiple characters and accomplish countless quick costume changes, sing and dance in production numbers, and carry forward the ever-changing plot.

Ms. Meanor is ably abetted particularly through disciplined musical direction by Randy Foster, clever choreography by Daniel Grant Harms, and brilliantly conceived costumes by Suzanne Booth in telling a satirical story that has something in it to offend just about everyone [sexual innuendo, scatological language, cross-dressing, and all manner of things]; but it is all done with such good-natured self-mocking foolery by the cast, that all can be forgiven quickly.

There are also a number of theatrical "in-jokes" with such songs as "The Song That Goes Like This", "You Won't Succeed on Broadway", and "The Diva's Lament"; but perhaps the signature song that encapsulates the entirety of Monty Python's Spamalot is the ever-optimistic "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" in fueling everyone's search to find their own Grail.

Pike Road: "Irving Berlin's White Christmas: the Musical"

Yet again, the Pike Road Theatre Company, under James Keith Posey's astute direction, has delivered a dazzling production that entertains and inspires: Irving Berlin's White Christmas: the Musical. 

In its two-year history, the PRTC's five show main season, as well as many successful ventures into Theatre for Youth, the largely sold-out runs have involved and entertained countless Pike Road residents and citizens from across the River Region. What an accomplishment! -- But this could be the last production at the Pike Road Intermediate School. Check the PRTC website for updates.

This time, the Christmas Spirit thoroughly engages audiences who leave the theatre with smiles on their faces, and ready to spread the joy that Mr. Posey's talented company brought them from the stage.

Based on the film of the same name, and showcasing many of Irving Berlin's most popular songs ["The Best Things Happen When You're Dancing", "Count Your Blessings", "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", and "White Christmas" among them], the story is a familiar one in which two couples are thrown together, make mistakes, fall in and out of love, and come to the aid of a retired Army General with a company of show business folks, and all in the idyllic setting of a snowless Vermont country inn.

Former Army buddies and show-biz hooffers Bob Wallace [Jason Isbell] and Phil Davis [Jonathan Wilson] meet and fall in love with the Haynes Sisters, Betty [Stephanie Coppock] and Judy [Micki Head], a struggling singing duo; a few scheduling errors get them to an Inn run by retired General Henry Waverly [Eric Arvidson], whose business venture is falling apart, but kept alive by the hotel's feisty concierge, Martha Watson [Jan Roeton] and the innocent support of the General's granddaughter Susan [Kate Bradley].

With a large supporting cast in the Ensemble, minimal but effective set pieces, colorful costumes, production numbers' impressively managed choreography by Kim Isbell, and uniformly excellent singing in both the principal roles and the entire troupe, Mr. Posey sets a lively pace that never falters in the play's two-and-a-half-hours.

High quality acting accompanies the musical accomplishments, so we care about the individuals, their confusions, their connections with one another, and the final outcome.

It might be getting cold outside, but a trip to Pike Road to see this version of White Christmas will leave you feeling the warmth of the Season.

Wetumpka Depot: "Once Upon a Christmas"

The Wetumpka Depot is currently showcasing a new play for children by Jean Webb, inspired by the Kenneth Grahame novel The Wind in the Willows. 

Ms. Webb's Once Upon a Christmas has all the familiar characters -- Rat, Badger, Mole, Toad, Otters, Weasels -- who join forces at Christmas to help some of them in distress. It seems that Mrs. Otter is missing, Mr. Otter is injured, the three Little Otters are thrust upon four bachelors to help them through the holidays, and the suspicious Weasels are on the loose.

Director Kristy Meanor has two separate casts of actors at her disposal [I saw Cast A] in an ensemble hour-long production with plenty off music and delightful costumes and sets. -- Plus, the script contains several lessons for children and adults alike, both at the holidays or any time of the year.

Individual and ensemble acting is spot on, and presented at a level to engage the youngsters with brightly exaggerated movement and heightened vocal dexterity.

Numerous new and traditional songs [some with new lyrics] advance the plot and encourage us to sing along at times.

The lessons mentioned above are introduced gently, reminding us not to judge a book by its cover [the Weasels are the unexpected heroes of the story], that discipline for children can be done effectively by accentuating the positive, that everyone can afford to be generous to friends and strangers who need our help, that collaborating by utilizing the strengths of each individual gets results, and that Christmas is about more than just the presents.

Ms. Webb's script is well-focused, tells a clear story, and could benefit from a few minor edits [the scene in which the Little Otters play pranks goes on a bit too long]. 

All in all, Once Upon a Christmas adds another welcome dimension to River Region Holiday fare.

Millbrook: "A Good Old-Fashioned Big Family Christmas"

Michael Snead's directing debut of Pat Cook's A Good Old-Fashioned Big Family Christmas got off to a good start at the Millbrook Community Theatre on Thursday night, entertaining its audience with a good-hearted, family-friendly Holiday-themed comedy.

Played on a charming "living room" set enhanced by a new L.E.D. lighting system, the 1-hour and 40-minutes production is told in a series of short scenes that could flow better with fewer blackouts and the addition of music between them; and, as Mr. Snead develops his directing skills, he'll get a stronger sense of pace and staging dynamics.

A 14-member ensemble of veteran and neophyte actors show us a multi-generational family [three sisters, their spouses and children, both sets of grandparents/inlaws, and a well-intentioned neighbor] -- all good people at heart, but with assorted quirks that get on each others' nerves -- as they gather for Christmas and try with varying degrees of success to be on their good behavior: familiar territory, and ample room for comic possibilities. -- And, they deliver.

It's silly and predictable, full of character types and stereotypical takes on gender roles, and with sufficient plot twists and surprises that sustain audience interest and engagement -- we recognize ourselves in the characters on-stage who show concern for one another, who bicker and cajole and blame and forgive, and ultimately demonstrate the love and understanding that keep a family together at Christmas, or at any time of the year.