HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING
Front Row Centre Players
Directed by Blair Gallant
Starring Seth Drabinsky, Dave Gagnier, Shawna McGill and Chantal Perron
Runs until November 23
Pumphouse Theatres
It’s a universally acknowledged truth that a community theatre company in search of a play should steer clear of musicals.
To be done properly, musicals require copious amounts of money, actors who can sing, singers who can act, actor-singers who can dance and a happy marriage of director, choreographer and musical director. If a company throws millions of dollars at such a show, bribes the artistic triumvirate to get along with one another, and hires talent that can pull off singing, dancing and acting, musicals can be brilliant. But community theatre – by its very nature – cannot afford to produce good musicals.
Yet somehow, Front Row Centre, under the direction of Blair Gallant, the choreography of Michelle Woodward and Nicholas Cook and the musical direction of Angela Cavar, has managed make How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying a community theatre musical that is worth seeing.
Despite a poorly conceived set (not including the surprisingly effective elevators), some desperately amateur supporting acting, poorly prepared musicians and some of the shabbiest lighting ever to flood the Victor Mitchell Theatre, the production rises above its obvious shortcomings to generate some genuine laughs.
Gallant and his team have chosen strong actors to fill How to Succeed's most important roles. Seth Drabinsky, playing J. Pierpont Finch, is well matched by his nemesis, Dave Gagnier’s nepotistically talented Bud Frump. Shawna McGill’s Rosemary (also played by Colleen Renne) and Chantal Perron’s Smitty exude innocent and dirty sexuality, respectively, while Greg Spielman’s J.B. Biggley and Angela Woodard’s Hedy LaRue actually discover characters in the caricatures they play. And the best part is that every one of them can sing.
Front Row Centre's is as good a musical as any community theatre could ever hope to mount. It's got some problems – serious problems – but they don't detract from the audience’s enjoyment of the show. Gallant and his crew have done as well as they could – and for community theatre, "well" is as good as a musical gets. |
