EMAV Review: Talent competes with bright lights at SST's "Bring it On" ★★☆☆☆

★★☆☆☆ - Still Hungry

Two squads, one mission: claim the title at the National Cheerleading Championships. Bring It On: The Musical tells the story of the challenges and unexpected bonds formed through the thrill of extreme competition.

One of our most American of pastimes, cheerleading -- and the competition between rival high school cheer squads -- should be expected to take audiences on a high-flying journey filled with plenty of peppy teen-angst. Adolescent convolutions of friendship, jealousy, betrayal, and forgiveness were evident throughout the dialogue, lyrics and attitudes of this talented company of performers. But the production elements often distracted from following the action onstage.

Uniting some of the freshest and funniest creative minds on Broadway, Bring It On features an original story by Tony Award winner Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), music and lyrics by Tony Award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (In The Heights, Hamilton), music by Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next To Normal), lyrics by Broadway lyricist Amanda Green (High Fidelity) and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2013.

Campbell is cheer-royalty at Truman High School and her senior year should prove the most cheertastic -- she's been named captain of the squad! But an unexpected redistricting has forced her to spend her final year of high school at the neighboring, hard knock Jackson High School. Despite having the deck stacked against her, Campbell befriends the dance crew girls and, along with their headstrong and hardworking leader Danielle, manages to form a powerhouse squad for the ultimate competition -- the National Championships.

The acting ensemble successfully embodies the eagerness and excitement of adolescents throughout the entire production – especially those who flawlessly execute those high-energy gymnastics (certainly deserving of special recognition in the program). Vocally, the entire company is strong and the musical harmonies are well-balanced (to the credit of Musical/Choral Director, Dr. Mark Wherry). All of the primary characters give exemplary acting and vocal performances, including: Katie Marie Jones as Campbell; Lynnae Meyers as Skylar; Jenna Szoke as Kylar; Taylor Ann Powers as Bridget; Cody Angelo as Steven; Miranda Lopez as Eva; Jonathan Anders as Twig; Jamar Thompson as Cameron; Gianni Matteo as Randall; Kyara Isis as Nautica; Kenneth Veal as La Cienega, and Dominique Stewart as Danielle.

The understated high school setting (designed by John Saltonstall and Diane Giusti) served as an ever-present backdrop throughout the entire show, allowing other minor set pieces and drops to be easily moved onstage to signify alternate locations and the competing schools. Multi-level, rotating platform units framed the proscenium arch and effectively served as more intimate locations throughout. This scenic design also left the entire mainstage and center apron available for the high-energy, full company dance and gymnastic numbers (co-choreographed most commendably by Alex Ferdinand and Jayme Haines). The costumes (designed by Abby Stroot) were most appropriate to the period and style and accommodated the spirited action.

Regrettably, both the sound and lighting elements often distracted from the action onstage. Sound (designed by Katherine Gonzalez) was not well-balanced to allow for the lyrics and dialog of the soloists to be heard above the background music. Lighting (designed by Elizabeth Kline) – especially during several of the full company dance routines -- was directed specifically on the audience, and blinded them from seeing several of the company dance and gymnastic routines.

Super Summer Theatre & Table 8 Productions

Outdoor theatre at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park

August 10 – 27 / Wednesdays through Saturdays; Gates open at 6pm, Show begins at 8:05 pm

Directed by Troy Heard; Choreography by Alex Ferdinand and Jayme Haines; Musical Direction by Dr. Mark Wherry

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EMAV Review: Take a cruise with The Cat's Meow ★★★★☆

★★★★☆ - Delicious

Looking for something different; in a non-traditional setting? Travel back to November 1924 and take a cruise off the coast of California. “The Cat’s Meow,” by Steven Peros, now in production at The Velveteen Rabbit, does just that.

Under the direction of Troy Heard, the bar is turned into the Oneida, the yacht purchased by William Randolph Hearst in 1922. Heard makes use of the entirety of the establishment, even the bar itself, to dramatize the mystery revolving around the death of Hollywood filmmaker Thomas Harper Ince, one of Hollywood’s earliest scandals.

Hearst (Gary Lunn) and Ince (Tim Cummings) are only two of the real-life people characterized in the two-act play, based on the film of the same name. The plot of the script revolves around the love triangle of Charlie Chaplin (Cory Benway), Marion Davies (Kady Heard), and Hearst.

Chaplin is played with perfect panache by Cory Benway. There’s no posing; this is not an imitation of the silent era comedian, this is the man brought to life. When Benway professes his love for Marion Davies, and makes an impassioned plea for her to return it, it comes from the gut. He plays each scene with absolute honesty, and uses his entire instrument.

The list of guests on the yacht is part verified and part speculation as the rumors swirled around Ince’s death. One such luminary on this particular manifest is Elinor Glyn, a romance novelist, played deliciously coy by Kellie Wright. Wright knows how to deliver a line full of unspoken intent as she begins the play as the narrator of the story. Her sashay as she wanders the length of the room, addressing the audience, is both easy and deliberate.

Gary Lunn makes a wonderful Hearst, the man who was sometimes called Chief in real life. Lunn breathes true conflict into the character, and therefore into the play. He’s at once gentle and gentlemanly, and in the next instant as frank and bullish, as protective of his empire as a viper. In short, Lunn plays a bastard with ease, but he’s just as at home being the friend.

The role of Ince is not an easy one to play. There’s a need to balance the overly-confident studio executive with the man. Tim Cummings easily pulls it off. When he lays down to law to Marion Davies, he’s firm in his resolve, but Cummings retains a tone of kindness to ensure she knows he’s the friend he’s always been.

An unrecognizable Kady Heard brings a stalwart bravado to Marion Davies as she continues to fend off the advances of Chaplin and remain faithful to Hearst. Heard balances Davies’ love of life and fun with knowing practicality. The ease with which she slips from dancing the Charleston and transitions to self-preservation is stunning. You see it all happening before you, yet it slips into place without being obvious.

The greatest thing about Heard’s astute direction, is that–for the most part–we aren’t given caricatures. The cast delivers the essence of the people, without devolving into imitation.

The exceptions are April Sauline as Louella Parsons. Parsons was a notorious Hollywood gossip columnist, as famous for her behind the scenes gathering, and then spilling, of secrets as she was for championing those who paid her homage. Sauline fills the room with a booming voice, but she has a tendency to deliver dialogue with emphasis on too many words in the same sentence, leaving the intent garbled.

Nicole Unger and Rebecca Reyes as starlets, Celia Moore and Didi Dawson, have a tendency to draw focus when they shouldn’t. It’s important for an actor to remain in the scene even when there are no lines; even when they aren’t privy to what’s happening on the other end of the stage (in this case, bar). But they must remain in character without pulling the focus.

Eric Amblad, Stephen Sisson, Natalie Senecal, Bob Gatrix, and Joy Demain round out the guests and crew of the fateful trip.

Production values are good even without the lights one would find with a traditionally staged play in one of the various venues in town. The décor and resulting atmosphere of The Velveteen Rabbit lend to the play quite well. Even the drinks offered by the establishment are true to the period.

The production is, as one would’ve said during the Roaring Twenties, “the bee’s knees.” In today’s parlance, that means ‘hella good.’

What: The Cat’s Meow

When: 7 p.m. Sundays for an open-ended run

Where: The Velveteen Rabbit, 1218 South Main St.

Tickets: $25-30 (702-423-6366; www.table8lv.com)

Grade: **** (Delicious)

Producer: Table 8 Productions; Director: Troy Heard; Costume Design: not available at press time; Stage Manager: Corey Covell

Photo by: Richard Brusky

#Table8 #Review #Atreides

The Cat's Meow @ Table 8 Productions

In November 1924, a mysterious Hollywood death occurred aboard media mogul William Randolph Hearst's yacht. Included among the famous guests that weekend were Charlie Chaplin; Hearst's mistress, starlet Marion Davies; the studio system creator, producer Thomas Ince; and feared gossip columnist, Louella Parsons... Table 8 Productions will sweep you back to the Jazz Age and aboard that very exclusive yacht in THE CAT'S MEOW, a new immersive staging of Steven Peros's play during a limited run at Velveteen Rabbit, Las Vegas's most popular Arts District nightspot. Directed by Troy Heard PERFORMANCES Monday, May 16 & 23 at 7 p.m. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. TICKETS: Bar seating - $25 Lounge seating - $30 All tickets include a cocktail specially concocted for the event.

Get Tickets LOCATION: Velveteen Rabbit 1218 S. Main St. Las Vegas, NV 89104 THE CAT'S MEOW is for ages 21+ only

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