Barbara Clippinger thought she had drawn her final curtain two years ago after directing “Chicago” at Lakeside Little Theater (LLT) and announcing her retirement.
However, when the theater called her last year and asked if she could do one more show, her love of the stage inclined her to agree under one condition. “It should be a musical,” she insisted.
As she is an adoring fan of Bob Fosse, “Sweet Charity” sprang to mind and Clippinger spent the next several months working on the script. It was to be her 15th musical at LLT. She had actually choreographed the first ever full-scale musical at the theater 20 years ago and now here she was, directing and choreographing the final one to be performed on this particular stage before its upcoming makeover.
A musical requires an enormous amount of preparation and work, so all the actors were warned at the audition that it would be a heavy commitment, with full-week rehearsals that lasted from six to eight hours a day. Each of the them, including the 11 cast members new to this theater, proved to be up to this level of dedication and gave it their all. In addition to the cast of 26, there is even a canine appearance by a scene-stealing Cocker spaniel called Chenso.
Rehearsals began in January and the performers spent each day warming up their vocals, stretching their legs and memorizing their lines for the opening night on March 22. Clippinger commented that it is hard to find folk who can both sing and dance, so the dancers really had to step up their game when it came to singing and vice versa. Fortunately, the lead actress, Kristine Moily, can do both and proved so when she played Roxie in LLT’s “Chicago.” Being the protagonist, she had the challenging role of being in the spotlight for most of “Sweet Charity.” She delivered a highly entertaining performance and certainly knew how to exude the sweetness her character is famous for. Each of the dance hall girls exhibited their individual comedic personalities and even threw in their own twist. Charity’s friends Nickie and Bambi, played by Leigh Christiansen and Heather Hunter, showed off their skills not only through their dance moves but also in their physical comedy and comic timing. Douglas Voet effortlessly showed off his character’s charm as the debonair Italian superstar and paired well with Florette Schnelle, who knew just how to act like his stroppy girlfriend. Cortlandt Jones put his extensive dance experience to good use as Daddy Brubeck and did a great job at choreographing the Rhythm of Life Church scene. Barry Michael Neal had never acted before and braved the stage, convincingly conveying the kindness and anxiousness of his character Oscar.
A particularly impressive part of the production was the numerous set changes. With at least seven locations it was surprising to see them quickly pop up one after the other. Thanks to meticulous planning by Sandy Topazio, as well as the bustling work of the cast and crew, the dance hall was able to seamlessly change into the Pompeii club and so on and so forth. The attention to detail by set designers Ruth Kear and Ann Swiston was reflected in the elaborate décor and selection of props which varied from vintage telephones and canes to even a bed and an elevator!
Even though Clippinger noted that having so many set changes was one of the “hardest challenges,” seeing them emerge so often and so well assembled made it worthwhile.
A Bob Fosse production comes with high expectations in terms of the dancing. When asked about how they managed such expectations, the four choreographers of the show replied in unison: “Sleepless nights and medication ... and a lot of work!” It’s certainly a tough undertaking but they divided the dance sequences among themselves, throwing in their own touches here and there and adapting them for the cast in order to produce such entertaining results. Anyone who has watched the movie will remember the scintillating choreography of the Pompeii club scene and choreographer Alexis Hoff and the actors did a splendid job with their own memorable version. There is also plenty of physical comedy throughout that prompted giggles and even guffaws.
Anyone with a craving for some lighthearted entertainment with humorous perfomances, dedicated dancing and cheerful singing need not look any further. Be aware that it is a lengthy show and it dips a little in the second act but the hard work of the cast and crew and the amusement of this classic piece merit the trip to the theater to watch this sweet spectacle.
The following are the people who made it all possible. Cast: Kristine Moily, Jeff Kingsbury, Ann Elizabeth Grab, Chet Beeswanger, Heather Hunter, Pamela Johnson, Russ Huber, Graham Miller, James Viers, Barry Michael Neal, Russell Mack, Francis Farmer, Leigh Christiansen, Patteye Simpson, Patricia Reason, Maritza Freyslinger, Val Jones, Allyson DeJong, Kate Hartup, Ninine Testa, Peter Luciano, Florette Schnelle, Douglas Voet, Sharon Lowry, Cortlandt Jones, Ricardo Reyes. Crew: Stage manager Sandy Topazio; Producer Michael McGrath,; Assistant stage manager Jeff Kingsbury; Set Designers Ruth Kear and Ann Swiston; Set constructors Earl Schenck, Richard Bansbach, Bryan Selesky, Guy Fontaine, Rob Rederburg, Bob Manning, Rick Bleier Dance Coaches Flemming Halby, Helen Gallagher; Set Painters Ruth Kear, Corrine Kelly, Roberta Hilleman; Props manager Sharon Lowry; “Best girl” Sandra Murr; Stage crew Tom Nussbaum and Karen Hughes; Lighting Ricardo Perez and Garry Peerless; Sound J.E Jack; Wardobe Heidi Lane & Maryanne Gibbard; Dresser Leslie Kingsbury; Special masks Rob Stupple; Makeup artists Donald Stordahl, Lauri Wagner and the makeup team.