Which gets me to the part of the show I didn't like--the end. After working very hard for over an hour to show us how many dramatic possibilities exist in a collection of smooth pop anthems that time forgot, suddenly Ms. White appears for one final time, and launches into a wonderful soul-filled rendition of the Isley Brothers's "Shout!," the title song of the show. The rest of the cast soon swarm the stage and have the audience clapping and singing along. And I realized--this song doesn't belong in this show! And yet, it's the title, so I think they're stuck with it. Don't get me wrong--it's a great, great song, and fun and lively, and the opening night audience had a blast. Only, it doesn't fit. None of the other songs have any soul, any sass, any call and response. No matter who sings it, this song from some other oeuvre, some other worthy place, but not this one. If more songs like this were in the show it wouldn't have stuck out as much. But, unified artistic vision aside, it's a great number!
After "Shout!," we only had the curtain call to go, which (in "Joseph Megamix" fashion) was a medley of sorts, which is fine. Only now, the five singers appeared holding hand mics, again undercutting the drama of the show. It's as if they've come on to say, "Ah, but it's all basically just pop music, so this was really a concert, not a musical." Again, the audience loved it. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. I liked so much of the rest of the production, I felt let down.
The dancers in the show are used quite well throughout. The men are frequently the boyfriend or love object that the singers sing about, which gives them more to do than the female dancers. However, each dancer "couple" has a searingly sexy dance duet to do during a solo by each of the singers, cleverly dramatizing the song's subject matter that way. Usually, the dancing was more interesting than the singing, which was superb to start with! I wish I could have figured out which female dancer was which, but they all seemed to have brown hair in a ponytail, and I was in the back row (of eight, but still). For the record, they are Lauren Nicole Blane, Jaclyn Burch, Trisha Kelly and Melissa Zaremba. The male dancers were different enough that I could distinguish them, and they each have technique like you wouldn't believe. (They are Giovanni Bonaventura, Jarret Ditch, Craig Kaufman and Sam Rogers.)
If you like "Dancing With The Stars" or other such TV shows, you will definitely enjoy "Shout!" just for the dancing, and maybe even learn a thing of two. Several of the dancers are so exceptional as to be world-class, and soon they will appear on much bigger stages than this one. Catch them now.
The Marriott's house designers do a great job this time. Thomas M. Ryan's set is platformy, and the dangling thingies from the ceiling catch the fancy lighting of Diane Ferry Williams in fun but unobtrusive ways. And Robert E. Gilmartin's sound design is pretty spectacular. But it is Nancy Missimi's costumes that really stand out. Early on, everything is bright neon colors and fun silhouettes. Later, the palette changes to black and white, reflecting (I think) maturity, sophistication and post-marital considerations. Every performer is sexy and used their costumes to have personality to spare. The fun parts of the 60s--no grit, remember--are evident everywhere you look. Oh, and Patti Garwood and her eight-piece Marriott Theatre Orchestra have never sounded better--never.
If you don't mind a show with no plot, and if you like the idea of songs you mostly know coming to life in refreshing and revealing ways, and especially if your mind is over fifty, you will probably like this show very much. I think that theaters around the country will be checking out this production, and they will be much more favorable toward "Shout!" than they were at this time last year. I had a good time, and saw some terrifically talented performers, up close and working their tight body parts off. And I'm still humming the songs, not the scenery. I just think it would be more appropriate if the show were named after its first song, "Downtown," and not its last.
"Shout!" is onstage at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, now through August 14, 2011. The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 8:00pm, Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00pm and 5:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $41 to $49, plus tax and handling fees. Seniors and Students receive $5.00 off a full price theatre ticket on Wednesday 1:00pm, Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1:00pm and 5:00pm. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings a limited number of Dinner and Theatre tickets are available for only $55.00 per person plus handling fees. Dinner is at King's Wharf Restaurant or the Fairfield Inn (based on dining availability). Free parking is available at all performances. To reserve tickets with a major credit card, call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or www.Ticketmaster.com. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for more information.
Photo credit: Peter Coombs and the Marriott Theatre
Photos: Carey Anderson and Ensemble; the ensemble; Tammy Mader, Raena White and Jessie Mueller; Jessie Mueller, Brooke Jacob, Tammy Mader, Raena White and Carey Anderson
