Sound off on Sondheim

It’s been said of Stephen Sondheim that he is the greatest and perhaps best-known artist in American musical theatre.

He’s been praised and honoured, lauded with awards, for creating some of the finest works for the stage and screen in a career that’s lasted longer than 50 years.

Now we want to know what you think. Twelve productions will be presented Jan. 17 to Feb. 2, part of Sondheimfest, the 2013 installment of Winnipeg’s Master Playwright series.

Review one of the plays during Sondheimfest – no more than 500 words please -- and submit it via the form here for fame, glory and a chance to win one of 21 pairs of theatre tickets.

Submit your Sondheim Review

Assassins

Dark side of the American Dream

Ronald Robinson - Date seen: January 19

Sondheim's pursuit of the American Dream via presidential assassinations is what Francis Ford Coppola did to starting your own business in the Godfather.

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Sondheim's pursuit of the American Dream via presidential assassinations is what Francis Ford Coppola did to starting your own business in the Godfather.

Aside from a hard-to-hear opening, the cast does justice to Sondheim's black humour and ear for the shrill excesses that seem to plague our neighbours.

A carnival barker offers each historical figure a way to answer their doubts and anger -- and it's always to suggest that happiness is a warm gun.

It's age-related perhaps, plus the film footage, but the President Kennedy assassination scene still has power to disturb.

Blame the creator if it triggers soul searching.

Dear Mama

Whatever happened to...Baby June

Ronald Robinson - Date seen: January 18

A brave effort from solo performer, Kendra Jones.

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A brave effort from solo performer, Kendra Jones.

She wrote and appears as an aging female performer who clings to her childhood success and the adulation that went with it.

Added to that is the heightened sexuality forced on her as a child star. Uncomfortable for the audience, but then deliberately so according to Jones who conducts a 30-minute Q&A with the audience following her 30-minute performance.

Too long in the opening scene with its overused pre-taped laugh track, she does manage to avoid a tired politically correct harangue by implicating the audience as voyeur.

And she can tap dance!

Impromptu Splendor

Improv Done Right

Patricia Vineberg - Date seen: January 23

Looking for a good reason to get out of the house?

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Looking for a good reason to get out of the house?

You won't go wrong with attending Impromptu Splendor, starring the very sharp improv group National Theatre of the World, currently appearing at Sondheimfest at the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre.

This talented troupe of two guys, two gals and a delightful background pianist put on a terrific improv musical with their opening show.

The theme will be decided by the audience. The format of Splendor is to solicit the audience (yes, you can help decide what they will act out) for ideas. The audience offered suggestions for something that upset us (the cold weather), something we are excited about (hockey is back) and something personal (the lady with the broken arm.)

With virtually no preparation, the cast gave us a musical done in the Sondheim style, called Serious Wind Chill Factor.

Even if you have never seen a Sondheim show, you will be laughing as hard as the opening night audience did.

Improv is a very difficult medium but when done right, you marvel at how the performers can compose songs and situations on the spot, based on the audience's ideas.

It is totally worth the drive to Winnipeg Jewish Theatre to catch one of the performances.

- Patricia Vineberg

Into the Woods

Music to my ears

Dan Sylvestre - Date seen: February 2

Being more of a chicken wings, beer and football kind of guy, I never thought I would find myself among the sophisticated folks sitting down to see a play at the theatre -- especially since the word “musical” usually makes me want to smash my head through a thick window pane leaving me in a bloody mess just to avoid the lyrical melodic agony but here I found myself, with an open mind.

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Being more of a chicken wings, beer and football kind of guy, I never thought I would find myself among the sophisticated folks sitting down to see a play at the theatre -- especially since the word “musical” usually makes me want to smash my head through a thick window pane leaving me in a bloody mess just to avoid the lyrical melodic agony but here I found myself, with an open mind.

The sold out Gas Station Theatre, @ 445 River Ave, buzzed with a cacophony of chatter and excitement in anticipation of the Stephen Sondheim based play, “Into the Woods”. As the lights were dimmed and the room quickly calmed a young boy of approximately 10 lit his face with an upward shining flashlight as to tell a campfire story. The lad spoke a few introductory words and waved his beam of light across the stage to reveal the cast tightly bunched center stage. The stage lights erupted and in harmonic dance the crew sang the intro tune.

My first reaction was surprise at how well each character could sing as they took turns introducing their scenarios which would set the stage for the reasons of their wants and needs that would lead them all "Into the Woods." The stories of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and the Baker (based on Thumbelina) each began in their traditional fashion although as each of the fairy tales unfolded and led the characters into the woods the stories ended up intertwining.

The mix of each person’s individual pursuits brought about many interesting twists and turns of events. All seemed to be working out fine for each character until a giant fell from the sky, killing him and bringing into the land his angry giant wife looking for retribution. This was just after the intermission.

Before the play had started I found out that it was to last almost three hours. The first half went by and I found myself in a peculiar state of mind. Instead of running for the door and hunting down a bottle of whisky to drown my memory, I actually found myself caught up in the story and curiously interested as to what the second half might bring.

The play was poetically written in terms of flow and lyrical content. The punchlines and witty remarks of musical comedy kept the audience on their toes. The scenes were of conservative length, switching story lines often enough so that even the hard-core ADDs in the room were kept at bay.

So for you guys out there who are way more interested in how the Baltimore Ravens defense would be able to stop San Fran’s shotgun draw offense, if you have just a slight sense of adventure and a nice girl to impress, this could be the place for you. For a reasonable price you can take her to a place she will really enjoy and she will be impressed with how much of a well-rounded, interesting individual you are.

Whether your goal is to meet a prince, have a child, break a spell, visit your grandmother, find your true love or sell your cow for grocery money, we all go through this life in search of happiness. We are also reaffirmed that life is nothing more than moments we should be happy to enjoy, the world leaves no one untouched by its everyday struggles, and we find out that all will work out just as it should because after all, as one character said: “The woods are just trees and the trees are just wood.”

-- Dan Sylvestre

My Town

An absolute delight

Bonnie Scott - Date seen: January 20

I had the pleasure of attending Thom Allison’s show, My Town, Jan. 20. What an absolute delight!

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I had the pleasure of attending Thom Allison’s show, My Town, Jan. 20. What an absolute delight!

Thom not only told the story of his entry into the entertainment field with plenty of humour and genuineness, he also used songs from Sondheim’s repertoire to capture the essence of not only Thom’s unique experiences along the way, but intertwined the songs most fitting to do this.

His voice range and dramatic presence so aptly captured the mood he was trying to create. At one point, he told of being in a production of Into the Woods, and set the mood and character of both the Prince and the Wolf, which he explained, were usually performed by the same person. He certainly did that.

I have tickets to take my 14-year-old granddaughter to this production on Feb. 2 and appreciated the intro by Thom to this play, which I’ve never seen before. All in all, a very worthwhile event.

As an aside, I particularly wanted to see this show as Thom was a student in my grade 1-2 classroom. I always look forward to attending events where Thom is involved. His range of voice and beautiful true quality, plus his genuine and warm personality and, of course, his flair for the dramatic made the show a real gem.

Thank you for the opportunity to enter this contest and perhaps win tickets.

- Bonnie Scott

Sunday in the Park with George

Excellence by design

Ronald Robinson - Date seen: January 20

Wonderful. The painter George Seurat's famous A Sunday Afternoon on the Island La Grande Jatte comes to life on stage... and the figures, seemingly captured, are hot and sticky. Something any Winnipeg audience at this time of year wants to hear.

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Wonderful. The painter George Seurat's famous A Sunday Afternoon on the Island La Grande Jatte comes to life on stage... and the figures, seemingly captured, are hot and sticky. Something any Winnipeg audience at this time of year wants to hear.

And indeed even though it is performed in the challenging venue of the Urban Shaman Art gallery, the power of the work and performances produce that magic that is theatre at its best.

This is the first act only, but it is what won Sondheim the Pulitzer Prize, and it stands alone.

It touches on questions of making art while while dealing with demands that pull in different directions as well as the difficulty of offering anything new to an established art scene.

Plus ca change. Questioning and informing was never so entertaining. Costumes, singing, acting from the large cast deserve the highest Winnipeg accolade: value for money.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Sondheim Sisterhood

Ronald Robinson - Date seen: January 22

Squeaky Fromme is ready to shoot President Gerald Ford. Why? because Charly says...

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Squeaky Fromme is ready to shoot President Gerald Ford. Why? because Charly says...

This is Muriel Hogue's take on some of the sirens of Sondheim. In a staged reading (at the King's Head not Aqua Books I should add -- but then a beer while waiting for a possible bier is a better way to keep our minds off the cold) Squeaky is joined by five figures from other Sondheim creations. Each has her own view of men, what's wrong with Squeaky, as well as critically analyzing each other.

Each performer has a chance to shine, with a special nod to the ageless Doreen Brownstone as Domina from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Although Maggie Nagle as Mrs. Lovett from Sweeny Todd was the best prepared, her speed and acccent made the odd line a challenge -- and this from a man who cherishes Coronation Street.

The silver goes to Patricia Hunter as Joanne from Company. She plays a blowsy drinker... as if she were born for the part.

The more you know about each character's own show, the more the entertainment value, but the reading is worth attending even for a Sondheim newbie.