Desert Foothills Theatre's The Wallace & Ladmo Show at The Cactus Shadows Arts Center
(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 3/11/00
(out of )As a child growing up in New York City during the '70s and '80s, I missed out on what seems to have been a true Arizona phenomena, The Wallace & Ladmo Show. I was not lucky enough to have seen any of the 10,000 broadcasts. I never experienced such oddball characters as snotty Gerald, crotchety Aunt Maude, conservative Captain Super, or the spectacular rise and disappearance of Hub Kapp and the Wheels. I missed by a year the amazing 35 year run that playwright Ben Tyler correctly observes "In television, 5 years is forever, so Wallace and Ladmo had seven forevers." But, last night, Mr. Tyler and Desert Foothills Theatre gave me a small window to look through, experiencing the show that shaped (or warped) two generations of kids growing up in California's also-ran state, and managed to thumb it's nose at Hollywood (and everything else, it seems) in the process. The greatest compliment I can offer to this production is that it made me wish someone had saved the videotapes.
It's probably silly for an outsider like me to tell natives what the Wallace & Ladmo Show was, but Mr. Tyler's loving look wisely concentrates on one specific period of the time, using the meteoric rise of the pseudo rock band Hub Kapp and the Wheels as its framing device. Though the show concentrates on this time in 1964, it still manages to bring across many of the characters and misdeeds that occurred during it's three-and-a-half decade run. The result is what seems like two full episodes of the show, and a filmic look at the backstage causes and events surrounding Pat McMahon's wooing by Hollywood. While this play is ostensibly about the show, it is more about three wildly inventive men who are united by the bond of doing exactly what they love. This is what makes this show more than just a retrospective, and heightens my sadness at missing it while it was happening.
Who to compliment first? The three leads are, according to my companion for the evening, a native Phoenician, eerily perfect for their roles. Bob Sorenson has Pat McMahon down better than Pat does these days. From vocal inflections to mannerisms, Mr. Sorenson brings across both the physical and the attitudinal sides of this local celeb. Just as amazing is Wes Martin as the precocious Wallace. While he looks more like the Wallace of the latter seasons, he perfectly captures both Bill Thompson's meticulous air, and his wicked sense of humor. And while Hamilton Mitchell forgoes the vocal imitation of innocent Ladmo, his physical presentation is nearly flawless, as far as I can tell from the few retrospectives I've seen. When these three are working together, they are a well-oiled machine.
As Mike Condello, the musician behind Hub Kapp and the Wheels, Christian Miller gives an understated performance, working both as narrator to and participant of the lunacy. The three actors who make up the rest of the band, Gavin McLeod, Jim Roher, and Steve Scally, are great both as performers and as musicians. There is a surprising amount of songs in the show, perhaps one too many, but these actors are capable of the double duty. Especially impressive is Mr. Scally, who also portrays the only antagonist of the evening, the agent who tries to break up the trio. Between drummer Tie Klip, Sgt. Harry Florian and the villainous Troy, he brings across all four parts wonderfully. Unfortunately, Susan Morrell is given the unenviable task of being the solitary feminine presence in this production, portraying roles that are probably superfluous, save for adding a female touch to the show.
Director Cathy Dresbach, who, like Mr. Tyler, worked on the original show, has done a wonderful job with her actors, and paced the show well. She has worked in concert with Mr. Tyler to evoke the feel of this trio and their antics, and together, they have done a solid job of presenting what is essentially a first draft of the script. While there are some rough spots to be smoothed out, and there's still some tweaking to be done, this is a great first stab at an evolving script. Kudos especially go to Mr. Tyler for not allowing a tabloid feel to enter into the backstage moments of this show. There's a strange '40s feel to the piece, like the reminiscences of Yankee Doodle Dandy, that treats its subjects reverently, and for an homage to a children's show, it's nice not to fear an Inside Edition attitude.
Impressive work has been done by the design crew. Matt Marich's set blends scenes well, and transports the company from KPHO studios to Baghdad High School locker room and Steve Allen Show seamlessly. Aaron Severtson's Lighting, Sound and Video Design are flawless, as are David Anaya's costumes.
I have one confession that will probably upset many natives. While I never experienced an afternoon with Wallace & Ladmo, I did receive a Ladmo Bag just after I moved here in 1990. There was a celebration of the lanky Ladmo at a Cardinal's game I attended, and he trotted out onto the field to accept the thunderous applause as Ladmo Bags were handed to those in the front section of the stands. I remember being completely confused, so I ate my goodies and used my Bashas coupon, tossing the Ladmo Bag and unwanted contents. Only now do I see the error of my ways.
Production Details:
The Wallace & Ladmo Show
by Ben Tyler. Written in collaboration with Pat McMahon
& Bill Thompson with material from the original Wallace
& Ladmo Show. Music & Lyrics by Michael Condello,
Pat McMahon, and Bill Thompson.
Desert Foothills Theatre
Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, Cave Creek
(480) 488-1981
March 3rd - 19th, 2000