THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9604300112
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Theater Review
SOURCE: Montague Gammon III
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
The old theatrical saying that ``the show must go on'' leads to an unvoiced determination that some show, almost any show, must be staged if a show has been promised.
When the Little Theatre of Norfolk found that it could not cast the planned ``Call Me Madam'' from the community players who auditioned, the group chose to present a concert of tunes from 21 musicals that it has staged.
The cast members of this ``70th Anniversary Concert'' are familiar to regular patrons of the Little Theatre. Director David Burton and fellow performer Leslie Draper compiled the material as they have done for several revues at the Little Theatre.
Co Harrison's tap dancing has been a crowd-pleasing feature of every revue this group has done recently. Elizabeth Ory has appeared in both musicals and straight shows, and Shauna Kelln was memorable in LTN's ``Sugar Babies'' three years ago.
The title for this piece was chosen deliberately and accurately. There is no pretense about this being a play, or even a revue. The small cast sings, moves about a little bit, does a couple of dance numbers, and for the most part that is that. It's a concert, pure and simple.
The presence on the stage of musical director Shelly Cady and the grand piano, along with one drummer, one bassist and two brass players limits the room given to the singers. Solos and duets are usually delivered from front and center or from a stool near the piano. Group numbers line up the four or five vocalists facing the audience. A couple of pieces feature some staged interaction, and the comment that these are the most interesting parts of the show should be sufficient.
Each of the performers gets to reveal his or her particular strengths in the 60-some numbers they breeze through.
Burton shows an almost sinuous grace in dance numbers with Harrison, and can be an appealing crooner. He always projects an air of affable class and easy elegance.
Draper sings quite pleasantly, while demonstrating a particular flair for comedy. ``Soon It's Gonna Rain'' is his best straight solo.
When Draper and Burton team up, their voices reinforce one another, and their acting talents come to the fore. Their duets of ``How You Gonna Keep Them Down on the Farm?'' and ``There is Nothing Like a Dame'' are high points of the concert's second half.
The two men should not be shy about using their hand-held microphones. More than one famous professional would be lost without such amplification.
Ory delivers a rendition of ``Smoke Gets in Your Eyes'' that is especially compelling, and does quite well with the great and demanding ``Some Enchanted Evening.'' She is especially clear and delightfully unaffected, when she sings ``People.''
For all the work that the other three put into the show, it is Shauna Kelln who makes the most lasting impression.
Kelln has the vocal and acting range for everything from belting a song to being a comedienne. She can step from the upbeat ``Open a New Window'' to the contemplative ``If He Walked Into My Life'' in seconds. She can do the haunting ``Bali Hai'' as well as the broadly funny ``Little Girls, Little Girls,'' can upstage seasoned troopers like Draper and Burton on ``Belly Up to the Bar, Boys,'' and can vow that ``I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair'' with all the verve one could want.
There was a small but appreciative audience at last Saturday night's performance. A concert may not be what one usually expects at a Little Theater, but in the hands of this group, it's a great deal better than no show. by CNB