I am feeling like a bit of a Stackner Cabaret ‘tween at the moment…too young to have appreciated Dean Martin (Dino just closed at the Stackner : see my response here) and too old to have been a fan of Whitney Houston. But I am being a little melodramatic here because I should admit that Beehive was in my wheelhouse (see my response here).
But yes, I didn’t really know what to expect from The Greatest Love for Whitney other than I was about to experience some incredible performers in outstanding performances…the high bar that The Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Stackner Cabaret has set for itself. But everyone else knew why they were there and from the shout outs and sing-a-longs and applause, this show met with their expectations for a Whitney Houston experience!
And obviously Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements is a huge Whitney fan. And he has created an elegant and moving tribute to Whitney. The Stackner stage is just filled with star presence in actors Alina Cherone and Alesia Miller and the Rep’s own Musical Director Dan Kazemi as accompanist.
Alesia Miller and Alina Cherone, photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of The Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
Cherone and Miller have the perfect voices to showcase Whitney’s catalog of songs. And they trade off one after another taking the lead role…or double up when the song calls for extra emphasis…or bring up the harmonies when needed! Not a wrong note here. And in between the songs they present some background from Whitney’s career. And they also provide us with how Whitney provided them with a role model that helped bring them to the Stackner stage.
Alina Miller; photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of The Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
And Kazemi accompanies them on piano and keeps the orchestral backing tracks rolling right along. It was great to see him in the footlights on stage rather than just a photo in the program this time!
And I almost forgot…and how could I? Alesia Miller is a Milwaukee native and brings some local color to the stories she tells about growing up and pursuing the stage and music!
Alesia Miller; photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of The Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
And just an elegant and simple cabaret stage…stools…piano…microphones…drape rear curtain…and a neon Whitney signature sign. A completely supportive environment…nothing to distract from the actors or the music.
The Greatest Love for Whitney continues at the Rep’s Stackner Cabaret through May 28, 2023…additional information here. The link includes access to the trailer and rehearsal videos.
And when you go, you may see Charlotte Odusanya as one of the actors…she wasn’t on stage the night that I attended the play. I imagine that she has her own Whitney story to tell as well!
Charlotte Odusanya; photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of The Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
A very interesting and intriguing email hit my in box this morning…if I still had my rock star skills from the previous century, I’d be applying immediately! And there is a Violent Femmes connection here!
We are looking for local actor/musicians to join the cast of the world premiere musical RUN BAMBI RUN featuring a book by Academy Award-winner Eric Simonson (LOMBARDI) and an all new score by Grammy-nominee Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes! We welcome submissions from all who are interested, regardless of formal theatrical experience.
We are specifically looking for skill in the following instrumentations: Bass, Guitars, Strings, Accordion, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion . Multi-intrumentalists are encouraged!
Please fill out the form (see links below) with all of the requested information, and our Casting team will be in touch to schedule an audition time. Auditions will be held on April 5, with invited callbacks on April 6. Note: NYC Auditions will be posted March 17 via Actor’s Access and will be held in mid-April in New York City.
For the audition, performers will be asked to sing a song of their choosing in the spirit of a rock, power ballad or folk (no musical theater selections) and demonstrate versatility by playing one or more instruments.
Details on the production can be found below. Thank you for your interest!
SYNOPSIS: An outrageous ‘true crime’ saga that took the nation by storm, Lawrencia “Bambi” Bembenek’s fall from Milwaukee Police Department cop to Playboy Bunny lands her in the slammer, convicted of a murder that she didn’t commit. Or did she? This rollicking hometown story about truth and justice is a wild ride that you have to see to believe.
Run Bambi Run Book by Eric Simonson Music & Lyrics by Gordon Gano Directed by Mark Clements (LORT B) 1st Rehearsal – August 4, 2023; 1st Preview – September 13; Opening – September 22; Closing October 22.
Milwaukee’s foremost theater for young people, First Stage, is currently performing The SpongeBob Musical For Young Audiences at the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. And there is no way that the young (or even older) audiences aren’t going to have fun. And yes, there is some turmoil and some danger but we all know that SpongeBob SquarePants to solve the problem and the delight is watching him come up with a solution.
Now, before we get too far into the musical, performance, or cast, let me mention the stage set. First Stage always amazes with how much they get our of their sets and how they repurpose common objects in props that we easily accept as the correct time or place or environment. And they have done that time and time again all season…but in SpongeBob they have completely outdone themselves. Waiting for the play to start, you sense that we are underwater as the flickering stage lighting gives us that feeling of light shimmering on water but we are under the surface. Pool noodles become sea weed, kelp, and the stem of the world’s most famous pineapple. And if you look carefully you’ll see the huge abandoned Wisconsin license plate (first three letters: FST), a surfboard with a huge bite out of it, and other bits of flotsam and jetsam that indicate we are in fact, looking into Bikini Bottom! Scenic Designer, KRISTIN ELLERT and Lighting Designer, JASON FASSL have done some amazing work here and it all frees the director and choreographer to pull off this fast paced and entrancing musical. This set is simply enchanting!
Gracie Halverson (center) with Bree Beelow (left), Raven Dockery (far left, rear), Zach Thomas Woods and Jesse Bhamrah (rear, center), Doug Clemons, Lachrisa Grandberry (far right, rear) and cast in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
Now on to the story! It’s a great day in Bikini Bottom and we get to meet all of the residents as they come to spend their day on our stage. But something isn’t right as a few tremors shake our landscape and scare a few residents. It turns out the nearby active volcano Mt. Humongous is going to erupt and threatens the existence of Bikini Bottom…and there is just over 24 hours to do something about it! Well, only Director Tommy Novak and Choreographer Katelin Zelon know whats going to happen but they let us know how all of the residents feel and what they all are going to do as they keep the music, action, and dancing moving at break neck speed.
And although the story is aimed at families with young people 6 and older, the story and characters present us with a lot of personal and social dynamics. Different characters have different roles…different solutions…and different rationales for what actions they decide to take. And of course we have a delightful villain in Sheldon Plankton who wants to take advantage of the situation to the advantage of his restaurant the Chum Bucket…and his enabling assistant Karen. Meanies for sure but so cute you can’t quite bring yourself to boo them! All of the other characters are here as well. Squidward wants to finally put on a show and gain some recognition. SpongBob’s best friend forever, Patrick, gets distracted easily but comes through when he needs to. And Sandy Cheeks, the diving suit dwelling squirrel, is initially overlooked but brings her science to save the day…with help.
esse Bhamra and Bree Beelow in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
And what finally wins out? Friendship, teamwork, and co-operation as Sandy, Patrick, and SpongeBob manage the climb up unclimbable Mt. Humongous and save the day to everyone’s delight…well…except for maybe Sheldon!
Gavin Miller, Gracie Halverson, and Natalie Ortega in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
AND! Oh my goodness, I almost forgot. There is another character who isn’t ‘on’ stage…and that’s the Foley Artist who provides any number of sounds and sound effects as required during the performance. The Foley Artist is hiding in plain sight on an elevated platform to the audience’s right…behind a railing and string of colored plastic soda bottles. I wanted to watch but the stage action was too fast and too engrossing to allow that. There are two artists manning the platform, Paul Helm and Jonathon Gideon ( the understudy who was on duty when I attended).
Thatcher Jacobs (center) with Lachrisa Grandberry (far left), Doug Clemons, and cast in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
And as always First Stage employs two casts of young actors who alternate performances…so check the program and links below for cast members. The photos here will show members of both casts. And the casts always have clever names relevant to the play so in this case we have the Sponge and Starfish casts! But we mustn’t overlook the adult actors who provided the anchor (no pun intended but it works, right) for our story and younger cast members. What fun and what a wild ride from Doug Clemons as Squidward, Jesse Bhamrah as Plankton, Zach Thomas Woods as Krabs, Bree Beelow as Karen, Lachrisa Grandberry as Mrs. Mayor, and Raven Dockery as Puff!
Oh, and did I mention that there are bubbles? There ARE bubbles!
Zach Thomas Woods and Thatcher Jacobs (front, center) with Bree Beelow, Doug Clemons, and cast in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
The SpongeBob Musical For Young Audiences runs through April 2, 2023 and what a perfect way to get us ready for spring! And there is always a 5 minute talk back after the performance for young audience members to ask a question about what they have just experienced! What fun…
Thatcher Jacobs and Naima Gaines (front) with Terrance Ilion, Isabella Schmitz, and Evie Patrick in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
