Written and directed by Barbara Clippinger, Lakeside Little Theatre’s current production, “Hooray for Hollywood” is more than just another review. It has a storyline and a very interesting one at that. Clippinger’s plot cleverly focuses on the large number of popular and well-known songs that were never even nominated for an Academy Award.
Aspiring screenwriter Billie Baxter (Kat Tetraut) meets old friend, Viteo Correlli, (Chet Beeswanger) who works for Hollywood Studio mogul, Mr. Goldman (Peter Luciano). Desperate to pitch her movie script, “Hooray for Hollywood,” she begs him for an introduction. Covering the “Golden Age of Hollywood” between 1926-1965, her script features many all-time favorites that achieved no official recognition and it’s a surprising collection.
Goldman gives her six months to pull the project together for his decision, lending her an experienced assistant in the form of Danny (Graham Miller).
Miller is spot-on as audition organizer, reacting with acute distaste when contenders aren’t good enough. One such is Zelda Fisher (Catherine Huff), a desperate wannabe. Rejected as a singer in “Summertime,” and later as a dancer caterwauling to “Ain’t She Sweet,” Huff’s astute portrayal is very amusing.With the whole ensemble onstage, casting continues. Tyro actor Norm Whelpdale plays the only male dancer to make the cut, while “Keep ‘em Down on the Farm” by Val Jones, Heather Hunter and Wendy Petersen ensures they’re literally hooked off the stage. Irma Henson’s “Isn’t it Romantic” and Helena Feldstein’s “Days of Wine and Roses” are well received, while multi-talented Musical Director Judy Hendrick plays audition piano, sings and dances.
Act Two’s 37 songs are accompanied by relevant film clips on a giant rear-projection screen at the back of the stage. It’s an inspired idea and works well.
Dancers: Choreographer Alexis Hoff, Helena Feldstein, Judy Hendrick, Jones, Petersen and Hunter opened the show. The entire cast really put their hearts into it, but it’s impossible to list all the songs and dance routines here.
Patrick DuMouchel excels himself, singing “Let’s Fall in Love” with Hendrick, “A Fine Romance” with Feldstein and “I Won’t Dance” with Hoff. In “Make ‘Em Laugh!” Hoff & DuMouchel do just that – as clowns in bright ginger wigs, multi-colored costumes and red noses. Their performance is very slick and extremely well done.
The constant reminders, at every opportunity and by many different means, that the current song was never nominated, are very amusing.
Video content keeps pace with the passing years. Monochrome sheet music defers to clips of Astaire and Rogers, before Disney in color and a cleverly timed segue from “Cinderella” with a bird on her finger, to Wendy dressed as Snow White also with a bird, beautifully singing “A Dream is a Wish,” before she’s joined by the Seven Dwarves.
Mac Morison’s wonderful voice croons, wartime’s, “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “Bye, Bye Blackbird.” This theme continues as Hoff, Jones and Hunter dance to “Sing, Sing, Sing,” choreographed by Courtland Jones, in front of a black and white clip of Benny Goodman’s band, then Judy and Bob Hendrick perform the Vera Lynn classic, “We’ll Meet Again.”
Exercising artistic licence, Don DeCarl traverses the stage in a Venetian gondola in front of Rome’s Colosseum, while bidding a delightful “Arrivederci Roma.” Peggy Lord Chilton, extremely elegant in a red dress, then boards a “Slow Boat to China.”
Finally, it’s James Bond’s turn but sadly Judy Hendrick’s “Goldfinger” was drowned out by the music on opening night.
Somehow remaining in character for over an hour, the glamorous Tetraut has a tough second act, remaining on stage, “watching her artistes rehearse” throughout.
At the final curtain Luciano, accompanied by Beeswanger, returns to ask the audience whether he should make the “movie.” The answer is a resounding, “Yes.”
Despite several crises during rehearsals, Clippinger and her cast somehow managed to produce this light-hearted, well-dressed and fast paced show, which runs until March 4. Kudos to everyone.
Stage Manager: Leslie DeCarl. Assistant Stage Manager and Production Assistant, Ginger Thacker. Guest Choreographer: Cortlandt Jones. Set Design - Barbara Clippinger. Set Décor: Beth Cathcart, Dana Douin and the team. Set Construction Chief was Alex Pinkerton. Construction: Ian White and Niels Petersen. Lighting Setup: Pierre Huot, Alan Bowers and Dave Hutchinson. Lighting Operation: Pierre Huot and Garry Peerless. Spotlight Operation: Richard Roche and Flemming Halby. Sound & Film: Karen Lee and Jim Jack. Costume Design – Paulette Coburn. Costumes: Karin Eichler and Paulette Coburn who created the Snow White costume and 42nd Street outfits. Sherolyn Gregory helped Paulette, made head-pieces, and co-ordinated costumes and dressers with her team. Makeup – Season 49 Makeup Team.