Reviewed 9/11/04
Book and Lyrics by Peter Stone Music by Maury Yeston
Directed by Jack Pauly
Scottsdale Community Players
Stagebrush Theatre, Scottsdale
(480) 990-7405
September 10th - 26th, 2004
$18.00 - $20.00
I’ve got to hand it to Jack Pauly: this successful actor has faced a potential disaster as his first attempt at Directing, Peter Stone and Maury Yeston’s pleasant, virtually inactive musical with a cast of dozens, Titanic. No one could blame him if this treacherous undertaking became as big a failure as it’s titled ship. With such hazards as a cast of 42, a set requirement that includes “list to starboard,” his insistence on playing the featured role of Titanic’s Captain Smith, and a book in which the entire conflict is one man insisting on more speed and a vague intimation of the unfairness of classes, there are enough icebergs in his way to sink a fleet of Titanics. Combine these with the flux of Scottsdale Community Players’ recent inconsistencies in musical offerings that I’ve seen and the usual reports making their way around the community about the travails of this production, and you find me hoping for the best and expecting the worst. I’ve got some great news: not only have Pauly and his Titanic not foundered on the problems, he’s managed to mount a production that transcends even it’s mediocre material and successfully steam home.
Part
of the success comes from Pauly’s strong cast.
Though there are a few of the 42 with weak voices and others with middling
acting skills, there is no performance that significantly undercuts the show
and several worthy of highlighting. A cast this large often becomes more
about traffic control than staging and dancing, but Pauly and choreographer
Hillary Hirsch manage to create enough interesting stage
pictures and dance numbers while still finding ways to keep those moments
where everyone needs
to be there reasonably uncluttered. The choices by Pauly and Pat
Nagle for
set are wise, knowing that hydraulics are rather expensive, and letting the
implication support rather than a realistic set dominate is the best choice
made here. Finally, though I chafe at the use of a virtual orchestra in most
circumstances, here I feel it is a brilliant move versus the use of a piano,
percussion and a synthesizer. The collected orchestra gathered by Mickey
Bryce sounds so much better despite their digitizing than other alternatives.
Performers
such as Kevin Glenn as ship designer Thomas Andrews and Joe
Kremer as owner
Bruce Ismay (above left, with Pauly) make for some nice entertaining moments,
Glenn’s
tortured consideration of design flaws and his fight with Kremer and Pauly
during
the second act are as close to plot as you’ll find. Jeremie
McCubbin’s performance as the First Class Steward is strong
in acting and singing, as is 
Michael
Tully’s offering
as a ship’s stoker. From the passenger
manifest, First Class is highlighted by the touching performances of Walt
Partlow and Roxane Nelson as
the Strauses, holding together in love after 40 years. Lisa Robbins
Ellis (above right) as a
flighty, star-struck social climber with a killer high soprano voice best
represents Second Class. Joy Currie, Angie
Mitchell, and Shannon Pauly (picture left, from
left to right) are
a funny trio as the three Kates of Third
Class.
Costuming for a show this enormous is always a chore, and kudos go to Sandy Bishop, Dawn Chin, and Pauly for their efforts. Save for a stray flapper dress divined from the future, the choices are all quite impressive. Bob Nelson’s lighting is solid, though Brian Tucker’s sound design is understandably overwhelmed.
I’d never seen this show before, and subsequently had never listened to the score, as is my self-imposed rule. I hate acknowledging when I’m a softy, but I must admit that there were a few moments that brought tears to my eye, especially the quite effective finale. As a first encounter with this fairly fluffy musical, I have no complaints. Pauly and his charges should feel proud to have accomplished so much with so little in the face of such great odds. “Sail on!”
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