Theater Works' Blame It On The Movies
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 8/7/99
(out of )There are musical revues of every type available for production. Musical collections of great composers, lyricists, genres and themes fill the pages of Tams-Whitmark and Music Theatre International catalogues. It was only a matter of time before some enterprising theatre folk hit upon the idea of making a musical revue about popular film songs and scores. It doesn't take a Sondheim to figure out that putting seven movie theatre ushers and usherettes onstage, having them confess to their love of great film songs, and then presenting a pastiche of all the memorable ones, with a few comedic and dance numbers thrown in to break up the monotony, would constitute another packaged musical revue to sell. Thus, Blame It On The Movies is created.
Director Gregory Jaye and Theater Works continue their courageous trend of attempting the little known (Lucky Stiff) or rarely produced (She Loves Me and Chess) that has done well by them thusfar, in producing the little known AND rarely produced Blame It On The Movies. Unfortunately, where their gambles have paid off in the past, they were bound to discover sometime why some pieces are obscure and anonymous, and this is that time, as the surprisingly under-filled opening weekend house came to realize.
If Blame is the name of the game, then the burden of it unfortunately rests on the shoulders of Mr. Jaye. It's a pity, as so many of his gambles have produced such wonderful results in the past. Here, though, he has collected an underwhelming cast, created a pleasant looking, but barely functional set, and paced this show with all of the energy and excitement of a funeral dirge. Even talented risk-takers sometimes throw snake eyes, it seems.
Leading the pack of the problematic is the sweet-voiced narrator, Sharon Hill. Ms. Hill probably has a wonderful voice, but is barely decipherable, despite her intermittent mic-ing. Unfortunately, this is true of half the cast, though which half switches from scene to scene. Even more odd is the fact that during group numbers, one of the men is consistently flat, while one of the women is sharp, although this isn't the case during solos. As a gentleman (a barbershop quartet member) seated next to me during the first act succinctly pointed out in summing up the show, "Too much harmony, not enough melody." To make things even worse, the energy from these performers ebbs and flows at the strangest of times, being as somnambulistic as narcoleptics at some times, and beaming like demented cheerleaders at others. Even the ordinarily impressive Cris Wo suffers from bouts of "hurry-up-ism" and awkward hesitation.
There are some bright spots to this listless production, though. While Jacque M. Collins' band often overwhelms the performers, it is at least a live orchestra. Beth Reynolds choreography is generally muddled by the performers, although the two dance duets by the angelic-voiced Shawna Quain and Denny McNamara are well done. There are some breakout solos, such as Ms. Quain's performance of the funny Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancin' In A Hurry, and enjoyable group numbers, such as the beautiful Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.
Unfortunately, these exceptions serve to make the rule, which is echoed by the designers. Mr. Jaye's moving movie theatre seats keep making frightening cracking sounds when being moved on and off, and the rollers used for the individual seats often drowns out the already barely audible performers. The ingenious lighting effect for the film projector, in James Clotfelter & Tim Monson's design, simply does not work as intended, with the helping fog often missing its intended target. Even worse is Mr. Wo's sound design, which offers the audience feedback several times during each act. The only consistent technical offering came from Margret Emerson's costumes, which pegs periods perfectly.
After years of this reviewers' complaining about the safe choices made by their management, Theater Works has become a company of risk-takers. Their track record since making these daring moves has been considerably better. It was only destiny that one gamble among the many recent ones should not work. Hopefully, with the next production of the non-musical Sondheim/Furth Getting Away With Murder, another risky proposition, they will get back on track as successful theatrical daredevils.
Production Details:
Blame It On The Movies by Ron
Abel, Billy Barnes and David Galligan from an
original idea by Franklin R. Levy
Theater Works, Peoria
(623) 815-7930
September 17th - October 17th, 1999