All Shook Up at Woodland Opera House

The verdict: Sit back, fix yourself a peanut butter and banana sandwich, and enjoy a frivolous night of theatre

A musical like All Shook Up really has no good reason to exist. It's not like the songs of Elvis Presley were crying out to be re-imagined as harmony-heavy ensemble numbers in a Broadway show. And let's face it, rock classics like "Jailhouse Rock," "Blue Suede Shoes" and, yes, "All Shook Up" are not improved when given the Broadway show-tune treatment.

The plot is silly; the dialogue, on paper anyway, is ridiculous. Try this line, spoken by one character to another in the show, on for size:

"I dig hot art. And I dig hot women. And when I find a hot woman who digs hot art I say 'Hot Diggity!'"

Ouch.

And yet...

Somehow, when presented by an enthusiastic cast of performers, the show works – and by “works” I mean it delivers a fun time with a lot of laughs. Even the line I quoted above gets a good laugh when presented by Chad, the Elvis-like roustabout who has descended on a cloistered town with a talent for getting a rise out of repressed women and broken jukeboxes alike.

Although it features the music of Elvis Presley, All Shook Up is neither a biography nor a tribute to the King. Rather, the songs are used to tie together a thin plot that is part Twelfth Night, part Footloose and part Grease. It centers on the aforementioned Chad (Lafras le Rax), who rides into town on a deteriorating motorcycle and meets Natalie, the pretty mechanic played by Amber Jean Moore. Natalie is immediately smitten with the newcomer, but her feelings are unrequited. So pretty Natalie dons a hunting cap, creates a beard with a smear of engine grease, and reinvents herself as man’s man Ed. Her plan is for Ed to get to know Chad as one of the “guys”, and convince him that Natalie is the girl for him.

Natalie/Ed’s plan is complicated by Chad’s subsequent infatuation with the town’s new museum director, Miss Sandra (Whitney Roeder), who of course rejects him for Ed (really Natalie), who in turn is loved by Dennis (Elio Gutierrez), the town’s nerdy would-be dentist. If this all sounds complicated, it gets worse. We are asked to follow and care about no fewer than ten main characters, most of whom are either secretly, foolishly or confidently in love with another character. The plot twists are predictable and, of course, all is resolved happily in the end. Other key denizens of this befuddled town are Mayor Matilda (Nancy Agee) who is determined to stamp out all sin and degradation in town; Sherrif Earl (Steve Mackay), the Mayor's mostly wordless enforcer; The mayor's military-school attending son Dean (Eric Alley); Natalie's widowed father Jim (Jeff Nauer); the feisty bar owner Sylvia (Priscilla Harris) and her rebellious daughter Lorraine (Megan Sandoval). Wooey!

As Chad, Mr. le Rax is almost right. Tall, with a airy confidence and a goofy manner, he doesn’t bring quite the level of sexual power the role obviously calls for, but he is entertaining. His singing voice is good, but not powerful enough to override the fairly loud rock music emanating from the strong orchestra, so that his performances are sometimes over-matched by the music.

That is not a problem for the gifted Ms. Moore, who is plucky and engaging in the role of Natalie/Ed. One of the negatives of having so many leads is that we get to hear too little from those, like Ms. Moore, who ought to be offered more of a chance to shine. Her Act II performance of the heartfelt “Fools Fall in Love” is one of the show's highlights, and it would have been nice if she'd been given a few more moments in the spotlight.

Another standout performer is Megan Sandoval. Every time she appears, Ms. Sandoval simply lights up the stage (note to self: next year’s New Year’s Resolution is to stop using clichés like “lights up the stage”). Whether leading a vigorous tap-dance to "That's All Right Mama" (and where, but in a Broadway musical, could one even remotely fathom the idea of tap-dancing to "That's All Right Mama?"), belting out "It's Now or Never," or enthusiastically shouting out "It's the Roustabout!" every time Chad makes an appearance, Ms. Sandoval is endearing and fun to watch.

The songs of All Shook Up range from the familiar to the obscure. Any show associated with Elvis would almost have to feature "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Jailhouse Rock." But some of the more effective performances were of songs that were less well known. The plaintive "It Hurts Me," sung by a distraught Dennis, and the lovely "There's Always Me," sung by the heartsick Sylvia, are good examples of lesser-known songs that are movingly delivered. "Can't Help Falling in Love" is one of the more familiar songs that does receive a very impressive treatment, closing act I with the entire ensemble blending from positions surrounding the audience - it's powerfully performed.

So would I recommend All Shook Up? Sure. I mean, if you're looking for a mindless but entertaining romp, look no further (and I'm not one of those who thinks mindless entertaining fun is a bad thing). It won't leave a lasting memory or change the way you think about theatre (or about Elvis), but you'll laugh a lot and I bet you'll have a good time.

Reefer Madness at Artistic Differences, April 2 - May 2, 2010

The verdict: See it; enjoy it; don't think too much about it!

Artistic Differences, the young Sacramento theater company, promises to be the home of "the best musicals you've never seen." Certainly Reefer Madness, the latest Artistic Differences offering, which opened last week, lives up to the second part of that slogan. I'm guessing not many people have ever seen this particular musical - and probably not many have seen the schlocky cult film upon which it is based. Whether it is one of the "best" musicals you've never seen? Well, that can be the topic of some spirited discussion. There is no question, though, that the audience thought it was one of the best and funniest things it had ever seen, judging from their rather over-the-top reaction to virtually everything that happened on stage.

Reefer Madness is a campy and entertaining spoof of what was a campy and entertaining film. The talented cast gets as much out of its one-joke premise as possible, but it does wear a little thin at times. Of course, any musical about marijuana starring an actor named Brad Bong obviously can't take itself too seriously, and there's no danger of that here.

The show takes the form of one of those 40s-era public service movies about the dangers of marijuana. It starts with a stern-voiced authoritarian lecturer (Jes Gonzales, who then plays several other roles throughout the performance) admonishing the audience about the dangers of marijuana. One of the humorous angles of the show is that Mr. Gonzales, in character, also presents the usual 'turn-off-your-cell-phones' speech before the action properly begins, but in language that reflects his early 20th century knowledge of technology.

The aforementioned Mr. Bong is very good in the lead role of Jimmy Harper, all-American boy turned murderous drug fiend. But it is Kelly Daniells who really shines as his fresh-faced girlfriend Mary Lane (couldn't they have just named her Mary Jane and been done with it?!). Ms. Daniells is a remarkably talented young lady, and her own brief, drug-induced transformation from innocent school girl to sex-crazed dominatrix is probably the show's humorous highlight. Reefer Madness' energy and entertainment level picks up whenever Ms. Daniells is onstage, and lags a bit when she's not.

The rest of the cast is also strong - but these are not roles that call for subtle character development. If you like to see actors who chew the scenery, spit it out and then chew it up again, this is the show for you. The leading scenery-chewers are Tony Wichowski as Jack, Joshua Glenn Robertson as Ralph, and Bevin Bell-Hall as Sally - three denizens of the town's cannabis-scented den of iniquity. Wichowski, who was so good in Runaway Stage's recent production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, shows his range as the domineering and soulless owner of the marijuana den, who recruits high school kids as his customers and delights in turning them into drug-crazed junkies. Robertson is a giggling, scene-stealing ham and Bell-Hall his slutty co-conspirator. Jessica Goldman is the junkie-with-a-heart Mae, whose attempts to show compassion for the addled Jimmy only earn her beatings and humiliation.

And if that's not enough, Ian Cullity shows up (unbilled, curiously) midway through the first act as Jesus, if Jesus were a 50s-era Vegas performer. His "Listen to Jesus, Jimmy" is a highlight of the first act, as is Mr. Bong's performance of "The Brownie Song" in the second.

Ultimately, the show is a kick, I'll give it that. There are questions that I think we're supposed to care about - will Jimmy find release from the insidious hold of demon marijuana? Will he continue to sink into the depths of sin and degradation? Will sweet innocent Mary Lane succumb to the tempting weed's siren song? Will Mae break free of her twin aditctions - her boyfriend Jack and his easy access to marijuana? But that's all sort of just window dressing for the antics going on on-stage.

I found myself wavering as the show progressed. I was really into it at first, then it got a little too convinced of its own cuteness, but then the rollicking musical numbers drew me back in again. Finally, the performances - particularly of Ms. Daniells, but also Mr. Bong, Mr. Wichowski and Ms. Goldman - won me over. I really enjoyed Reefer Madness - and I applaud Artistic Differences for staging it. While it may not be one of the "best" musicals you've never seen, I'm pretty certain it will be one of the most bizarre, memorable and enjoyable musicals you have seen.

Alter Boyz at Runaway Stage - March 2010

The verdict: Fun cast doing its best with the material at hand

So they tell me Altar Boyz is a gas; a rollicking send-up of the boy band phenomenon mixed with a good-natured but humorous take on religious sensibilities. Or something like that.

I guess I just don't get it. Maybe I'm not in the target audience. I was already out of college in the era of 'N Sync and Boyz II Men, and the appeal of such sappiness always eluded me. So maybe what Altar Boyz is best at at eludes me as well, since I don't get the premise they are sending up. I can and do appreciate the harmonies of the songs, and the skill on display is impressive. But interest me? Keep me involved in the "plot" or the story? Not so much.

Alter Boyz was one of this past summer's selections at Sacramento's Music Circus, which was the first time I saw it. I didn't enjoy it. Not for any religious objections - the night we went several seasoned theatre-goers walked out during one of the early numbers (a rap number about Jesus' various miracles) muttering under their breath about sacrilege and abomination and eternal damnation (or so it seemed). Not being particularly religious myself, I found nothing objectionable in the content. But by the end of the relatively short production (it is presented as a single act without intermission) I found myself envying the early departures.

When it turned out that Runaway Stage was doing the show as part of its 2010 season, I didn't plan to attend, but relented at the last minute, deciding to give the show a second chance. Maybe it would grow on me. My experiences with RSP's shows has been largely positive (see my recent review of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), so maybe I'd have an awakening and see the light (please forgive all the religious imagery - it seems somehow appropriate in the present context).

I will say this - I enjoyed the show a lot more at RSP than I did at Music Circus. The energetic and talented cast infused the show with such good will and fun that it made it much more, um, bearable to sit through. I still can't say that I enjoyed Altar Boyz very much, and I can't imagine being talked into seeing it a third time, but RSP did a pretty good job of bringing it to life.

The show takes place in real time, as the five members of the Altar Boyz (Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham - the latter an incongruous Jewish member) close out their national tour attempting to save souls and harmonize to the word of God. Each of the members has a distinct personality, which comes into clearer focus as the concert wears on. The conceit of the show is that the group has a technologically miraculous "Soul Sensor DX-12" that scans the audience and determines how many souls are in need of saving. It's a somewhat forced gimmick, in my opinion,and one which, try as they do, doesn't really generate the emotional heft it is supposed to.

Doing their best with this iffy material are five very talented performers. Scott Woodard, as Matthew, the group's leader and driving force, is typically strong and shines in various featured songs. Joseph Boyette, as Mark (who I recently praised in my review of The Producers at Davis Musical Theatre Company) stands out again as the sexually conflicted Mark. His performance on the ballad "Epiphany" is one of the really funny moments in the show. He draws out the words "I... am..." and the entire audience knows the next word is going to be "gay," but of course it isn't.

RSP regular Benjamin Herrera plays Luke, the group's tough guy with the checkered past, and he manages to generate sympathy for his crotch-grabbing bad boy, particularly with his comic discussion of his past, stressing his "EX-AUS-TION." Peter Giovanni play Juan, an orphan hoping to find, as he tours as an Altar Boy, his lost birth parents. This story line results in what could have been a touching moment, but is undone by Mr. Giovanni's tendency to overplay his emotional reaction to some personal news.

Finally, Tyler Robinson plays Abraham, the lyrically gifted Jewish member of the group, whose motivations for joining and touring with the Altar Boyz is never really made all that clear. Mr. Robinson is very gifted, however, and is a standout performer in the show.

The pacing is, typical for RSP, fast and frenetic, which is a good thing. The onstage band is tight and impressive. The cast is talented and energetic. But, somehow, the whole is much less than the sum of the parts.