There's No Business Like Show Business...

As an In the Heights superfan, my opinion may be a bit biased.  I first became enamored with this new musical after seeing the original Broadway cast’s performance on the 2008 Tony Awards broadcast (where it ended up winning four awards, including best musical).  Afterward, I googled and researched anything and everything about the show, I ordered the cast recording (which I listened to non-stop), and watched the PBS Documentary (“In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams”) multiple times.  I was at the front of the line for tickets when the show hit the road and caught the first national tour three times in San Francisco and twice in Sacramento.  When Broadway San Jose announced the show would be returning to the bay area as part of its 2011/2012 season I knew I had to go back for more.  I was extremely impressed and am happy to report that  the Second National Tour continues to embody every bit of the energy and spirit that creator Lin-Manuel Miranda imagined and brought to life on the Great White Way. 

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So for those of you who still read this blog, I apologize for lack of updates! 

When we started this blog, Mandy and I were just two twenty-somethings looking for something to occupy ourselves with.  We started heading out to see touring and local shows and though some people should read what we thought about theatre.  We had a steady run for a bit, but life has its own way of throwing curveballs.

In September of 2011, I was convinced by friends that after being a fan of musical theatre for so long, that I should actually audition for a show.  My first audition was for a little show called Hairspray and I was somehow cast as the Male Authority Figure (aka Mr. Pinky, Mr. Spritzer, etc).  Nights I would usually have free to go and watch shows after my normal 9-5 day job was suddenly filled with rehearsals and performances, and then I was even cast in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as William Morris Barfée which took all my free time through January.  I’ve taken a bit of a respite since that show ended, but I just signed away my life to be in Sweeney Todd which will probably eat up most of my free time through the summer.  It’s been a whirlwind, but I consider myself lucky to have met some of my new best friends through the process. 

Mandy went back to school full time last fall for her Masters Degree so our time together is also far and few in between.  We will try our best to keep this and our twitter updated as much as possible.  Thanks for sticking around.  Head out and see some shows! 

-Sergio

What would happen if you combined a traditional game of Bingo with a musical?  To find out, step inside the Cosmopolian Cabaret where you’ll see the theater has been transformed into the basement of St. Luke’s Church and a big night of gaming is about to begin. 

From left: Eydie Alyson as Patsy, Nikki D’Amico as Honey, Lisa Raggio as Vern and Jessica Crouch as Alison in “Bingo, the Winning Musical” at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Photo by Charr Crail.

A terrible storm is about to descend on Hammerin County and the mayor has advised citizens to stay indoors.  A group of three friends: Vern (Lisa Raggio), Patsy (Eydie Alyson) and Honey (Nikki D’Amico) won’t let anything get in their way of winning the big prize tonight.  Once in the basement-turned-bingo-hall, festivities begin with our host Minnie (Bonnie Bailey-Reed) and her sidekick/handyman/number-puller Sam (Michal Stevenson).  Later in the evening, a mysterious newcomer by the name of Allison (Jessica Crouch) appears and gets a crash course in a game that appears simple but is deceptively complicated.

Bonnie Bailey-Reed as Minnie and Michael Stevenson as Sam in “Bingo, the Winning Musical” at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Photo by Charr Crail.

The music is bright and peppy and will get drilled into your brain.  We left wanting to belt “Girls Night Out” and make up our own umbrella choreography.  Each leading lady gets her own moment to shine. One of our favorite moments in the show was Jessica Crouch’s re-enactment of a new Broadway musical, Cuckoo (based on the play “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), where she plays Nurse Ratched and the girls back her up wearing bedazzled straight-jackets.  In “I Still Believe In You” Eydie Alyson details Patsy’s neurotic superstitions and Nikki D’Amico’s belts her siren song “Gentleman Caller” to the bumbling Sam who doesn’t even notice that she is longing for him.  Lisa Raggio gets a Mama Rose moment with her 11 o’clock number “Swell” as she threatens to leave all her friends behind for the love of Bingo. 

Lisa Raggio as Vern and Jessica Crouch as Alison in “Bingo, the Winning Musical” at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Photo by Charr Crail.

This production is one part scripted show, one part improvised comedy as the characters interact with the crowd during the public Bingo rounds.  The audience actually participates by playing three games throughout the course of the evening.  Actual prizes are awarded to the winners and it’s exciting to play along waiting to find out if your card is the lucky winner.  We didn’t think it could be possible to enjoy the favorite pastime of the geriatric crowd, but once we got those daubers in our hands we got the Bingo bug.  This show has a lot of heart, a fantastic cast and a chance to win money.  Where else can you find that?   Do yourself a favor and rush on down to the Cosmopolitan Cabaret.  You won’t want to miss the Earlybird! 

Bingo plays now through January 8, 2012. 

“There’s no business like show business” has been our blog’s tagline since its inception.  We’ve been waiting for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show to make its way to Northern California and Music Circus’ production definitely delivers.  

Beth Malone in Annie Get Your Gun at Music Circus August 9-14. Photo by Charr Crail. 

This new version of Annie Get Your Gun was updated for the 1999 Broadway revival with Bernadette Peters.  The format of the original 1946 show has changed from a traditional musical into a presentation by a troupe of actors retelling the story of Annie Oakley.  The alterations to the book lend themselves perfectly to a staging in-the-round at Music Circus.  Director Gary John La Rosa weaves the action through the aisles and around the stage.  It feels like a traveling exposition from long ago that has stopped in Sacramento for the night to entertain the awaiting crowd.  The choreography by John Macinnis ranges from country two-stepping to ballroom waltzes as performers fill the stage during the big show-stoppers.

Edward Watts and Beth Malone in Annie Get Your Gun at Music Circus August 9-14. Photo by Charr Crail.

There aren’t enough good things we can say about Beth Malone who stars in the show as Annie Oakley.  She literally starts off with a bang and keeps the audience laughing throughout.  Malone maintains the perfect balance of naivety and hardiness of a woman defying the norms of womanhood.  Edward Watts is an excellent leading man as Frank Butler.  His charismatic portrayal and the dulcet tones of his voice make him the exceptional heartthrob.  Comic relief is brought to the stage in droves with Heather Lee as the scheming Dolly Tate, Paul Ainsley as the stalwart Chief Sitting Bull and the return of Ron Wisniski to Sacramento for the second time this summer, this time as the leader of the pack Buffalo Bill Cody.  We’d be remiss not to mention the performances by Annie’s siblings: Haley and Rachel Finerman (Jesse and Nellie) and the adorable Zac Ballard (Little Jake). Seen previously this summer in Oliver!, these kids are professional performers who take any role they are given in stride.

Ron Wisniski (center) and the cast of in Annie Get Your Gun at Music Circus August 9-14. Photo by Charr Crail.

Annie Get Your Gun is perfect for all ages.  It provides lots of humor, a love story and the timeless music of Irving Berlin.  You won’t leave without humming “There’s No Business Like Show Business” or “Anything You Can Do.”  Music Circus has shown again that they do “what comes natur’lly” by hitting another bullseye on great entertainment.