Legs! Legs! Legs! All shapes and sizes, all high stepping and well-practiced, and all triple threats. They dance, they sing, and they act...for they are all in Coronado Playhouse's production of the perennially popular Bob Fosse hit, Sweet Charity. This non-stop dancing-and-singing show, which turns 41 on January 29, 2008, is a vital middle-ager under Chrissy Burns's excellent direction.
Choreographer Trevor Peringer's dance designs are wild and, at times, zany. Director Burns' final touches give the numbers just the right edge. Musical director Brian Hammond adds much to the mix. The director's design includes keeping the show at full-throttle during scene changes. At times, the scene shifts while action progressed in front of the stagehands. Other times, the drawn show curtain hides the change while the action plays on the forestage.
The songs explode across the stage, from Andria Elam's "You Should See Yourself" and Jeri Harms and Katie Belcher's (Nickie and Helene) and the company's "Big Spender" to Brett Daniel's (Vittorio Vadal) rendition of "Too Many Tomorrows" and Rob Poisner's (Herman) "Good Impression." The cast is charged. It is a pleasure to watch their enthusiasm and talent. Of course, it is Elam's ditzy, put-upon, never totally understood Charity that steals the show. She is there almost every minute wowing us. The opening scene in Central Park has Charity meeting her boyfriend, chatting, being ignored, and finally being shoved into the lake by him. He then runs off with her money. Elam has a couple of bouts with the lake, each time properly wet and hair askew. She is singing and dancing much of the time. Elam is a powerhouse of talent.
For pure power and pizzazz, Mitchell Wayne Hills, s Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck with his All-Girl Rhythm Choir, and, finally, the whole company really rock. He commands the stage even as it is filled with almost every cast member. Carolyn Stevenson as Ursala March is excellent. The supporting cast of eleven all play multiple roles, making Sweet Charity a true ensemble production. They contribute to the story of Ms. Valentine as her friends and benefactors. They are also nemeses from time to time.
Alas, a couple of complaints. The first is that the venue, especially with a live band, cries out for everybody to project or risk getting lost. The lovely lead, Andria Elman, doesn't belt it out in the first act, though later her lovely voice was heard throughout the hall. However, my major objection is not to those on stage but those off: the audience. Except for some of the younger members and theater folk in the audience, I felt that, especially in the first act, many were comatose. All that talent, all those beautiful ladies and handsome men giving us a really good show wake up, ye of sleepy eyes! This sweet and sad story is just plain fun.
