Lakewood Theatre May 2 - June 8, 2008
Review by Followspot:
An enjoyable evening, but something is missing. Perhaps its the sense of improvisational fun that is hinted at but never quite comes to fruition - this could be so much more fun than it is. Margie Boule and Ryan Duncan are excellent and underused. Tim Smith and Jennifer Miser sing beautifully.
33 comments:
Saw Drood this weekend. What a fun show! Great cast. Sound was a little unbalanced, but you get over it.
I am bummed I don't get to see this production but am impressed with the talent in this cast. Also an amazing director, Ron Daum.
Break a Leg and enjoy the run of the show. Hugs..David :)
Denver, CO
I saw the show opening night and had a smashing time. Bright spots included: Lindsay Michelet as a spot-on Victorian male impersonator, Darren Hurley and Joey Klei as the Sr. and Jr. Durdles, Margie Boule's spectacular cleavage, the butler (whose name unfortunately escapes me - Lakewood, why don't you list the cast on your website?), and the cast's banter with the orchestra and the audience. My face hurt from smiling by the end of the show - well done all!
anonymous 1:36,
if you go to the lakewood website, click on the the show, then click on the bottom where it says "cast," you'll get all the cast members names, plus their biographies.
The quintessential "delightful romp". A real treat. Totally genuine, go-for-it, no hang-ups fun!! Cast sparkles top to bottom. Beautifully designed, expertly directed . . . It's clear that Daum, Lytle, Palomino and Gerth all have a keen and masterful understanding of the style, an artistic awareness of the period, and the tools to paint those elements onto the canvas of the stage in big, gooey, dollops!
See the show!
Saw this show Saturday night and enjoyed the performance. Not the strongest piece of material, but really good casting and great singing. Lindsey Michelet must have the vocal cords of superman. Margie Boule has a belt that makes microphones unnecessary. Don't have my program at hand, but the ingenue has a crystalline high soprano and the exotic mezzo really can sing. The men aren't slouches either. The bad guy has a voice like a radio DJ and can sing, too. Even the drunken gravedigger surprised everyone with a nice tenor in the love song.
Fun show. Best part is the cast coming into the audience to chat. These people are quick, and it didn't seem like they were scripted, although I could be wrong. The voting got a little tedious and parts of the story are hard to follow, but the performances were great.
Ryan Duncan is to die for. Where has he been?!
Well, he's been in Roseburg, for one place. I was in a musical with him there 20 years ago, when he was just a tyke and I was . . . well, younger. I understand he's been out of theater for a while and only just recently plunged back in.
Didn't know what to expect and really enjoyed it. Casting was excellent, peformers were outstanding. It was different, but we really enjoyed. And fun to see Roman in a different role than that of Cha Cha in Grease.
Avid theatre fan here! Kudos to the director for pinning the parts to those who truly fit them! What exciting and dynamic characters. Maybe I'm getting old, but a bit tough to understand some dialogue mixed with the accents. Had to google the novel to get a few things, but it made sense once I did my homework. Fun numbers...Drood was as expected. Loved the dark, low voice of her male opposite lead. The twins were SO fun and funny...the looks and faces were SO hilarious. Great job! Funny Bazzard! Such energy! And Margie...everyone looked like they were having such a good time, it rang through the audience and made a nice show! It would have been nice to hear more characters sing, but my husband and I did get to see Neville, Rosa and Helena. Such talent you have!!! We'll be back. And we're bringing friends!
I saw Drood this evening, It was HILARIOUS. Hours of wonderful entertainment with plenty of improve to keep you on your toes. In his serenade Ryan Duncan reveals his heavenly voice, as does Jennifer Miser in many of her numbers. The Exotic Female twin rules the stage with her exuding personality. This show is wonderful and worth every minute.
The sound flowed smoothly through keeping everything balanced and the audience in a state of suspended disbelief. Under the supervision of "Chairman" Jay Pevney, I felt like i had entered an old show house in Virginia city. Wonderful work!
Ron Daum outdid himself again by casting perfectly every character and directed a very entertaining show. We were entertained from beginning to end. We could name all the things we liked about each performer but feel that the entire cast,directors,orchestra and crew (loved the train)did a top notch performance and all should be applauded for their work. Rarely do you see a community theatre compnay have the debth of talent that Drood had. Outstanding comical / Vocal performances by all. JOB WELL DONE TO ALL - We would highly recommend this strange but entertaing show.
BRAVO to this outstanding group of performers and others.
I wish we could hear Darren H. and cutie Roman M. sing more. Such buttery tenor sounds. Very nice!
All numbers scream HOT choreography! Thanks for the entertainment!!! ...Charles Dicken's would be proud!!
A different type of musical that's for sure, but purely entertained. Margie was funny, entertaining and we enjoyed the use of her her MANY strong talents. Her acting was the strongest we've ever seen. Roman was a very funny incorporating the use of and his facial expressions, just very comical and it fit this show, not to mention he can sing! Seems that Klei and his wonderful energy fit perfectly into his character as did Hurley. Partial to those we've worked with over the years but we can't let the rest of the cast go unnoticed. Anyone out there doing Victor/Victoria? Michelet would be perfect for you. Stephanie and her random quirkiness made for some good laughter. The entire cast did an outstanding job together. Don't feel any one person stood out and took the spotlight, it was a good unity of work. Daum/Anderson put together a strong talented group of performers and obviously gave some good direction. Palamino once again did an excellent job with choreography. As for the orchestra, this is the first time in a long time I forgot their was an orchestra as you managed to allow your actors to be heard, good job. -
It looks like there are only 2 more weekend left for this show. My advice is… don’t miss it! I truly enjoyed this delightfully entertaining production.
It would be unfair for me to flatter specific actors when the entire cast deserves kudos. This is an all star cast of terrific performers who own the stage with their beautiful singing voices and acting talent. They really understand the feel for the show and conveyed it consistently with their hilarious mugging and connection with the audience.
Congratulations to Director Ron Daum, for putting together such a stellar cast and giving them what must have been crystal clear direction!
what a hoot.
not much of a script but the cast has so much fun, it ends of being delightful, mindless chicanery.
An energetic cast and some wonderful vocals!
THIS is the best show (in my humble opinion) that I've seen at Lakewood to date. What a delight! Vocal perfection! A big kudo to Ron Daum on the direction.
The show, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" was so much fun. I have seen it twice now and each time it has had a different ending. The audience gets so involved and the cast is perfect! Jay Pevney is one talented guy and his comic abilities are something Portland should show case constantly! The play within the play takes a moment to get caught up with but then you realize this is a "melodrama". Ron Daum, Alan Anderson and the rest of the team can be proud of this little romp.
This show is so much fun! The entire cast is funny and engaging. A true ensemble. They are clearly having a great time, and the audience gets to join in on the fun. It’s not exactly your traditional musical, in style or concept. Be prepared to pay attention – and to participate! I’d actually like to see it again so I might get to see one of the many different possible endings!
Kudos to Ron Daum for assembling such a well matched and entertaining group of performers, including newcomer Bobby McGee as Edie – what a scene stealer!
Get your tickets before it’s too late.
sounds like Ron Daum is out promoting himself for a pamda.....
If you knew Ron Daum at all you would know that he could care less about winning awards.
What he does care about is that his delightful show has not received a single review from any local newspaper during it's entire run and his excellent cast deserves to play their final weekend to full houses.
Edwin Drood was fabulous entertainment. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The cast was amazing and Kudos to Ron! We especially enjoyed the audience participation. Everyone in the theater was clearly having a ball!
What a delightful show! Such an enthusiastic talented cast under the direction of such a skillful director SHOULD NOT BE MISSED! Cast interaction with the audience preshow and intermission is a plus; audience participation throughout is great fun!
Ron Daum have everyone convinced that he has talent...not so much people, not so much...what a joke.
Regarding the Ron Daum - Talent Comment - You must be one that has not had the opprotunity to work with Ron that or your ego is in the way. I have seen many of Ron's works both as a performer and as a director and he DOES have talent.
you are obviously disgrunteled with Ron or Jealous. I have been in one of his shows and had a great time with him and he did an amazing job directing it. One of the most giving directors I have had the pleasure of working with.
To 6/2 1:50 pm anon (who probably also wrote the 6/3 12:39 anon comment). Please try and show some class. Using FollowSpot to voice your personal problems with someone, or make inferences about their intentions, is completely inappropriate and juvenile.
To Ron and Cast,
I am sorry I didn't get the chance to see the show but I have many friends who loved it. Congrats on a great run. I am sorry that someone has decided to make this about their personal feelings toward one person rather than an honest conversation about the craft we all practice with a great amount of love for one reason or another. You and your your show deserve better.
To whomever posted the talent comment,
I have friends who like Ron and some who don't but they all have enough class not to attack someone in a way and place that is so inappropriate.
Like him or not he has a great deal of talent. I have worked with him as an actor and director and have always been impressed with his work. If you have a different view, well that is fine but this thread is about Drood isn't it.
Again great job to the cast and crew.
James Peppers
sounds like anon 12:39 is bitter because they didn't get cast. Deal with it and move on, don't rain on someone elses parade because you have a personal issue with the director of the show.
I have seen this show, and the cast is wonderfull, the book not so much. Ron Daum, Alan Lytle, Amy Palomino (sp?) as well as everyone involved should be proud of the work that they are doing.
Don't let people whose tempers cause them not to get cast in town spoil your show. KUDOS to all involved
Regarding the rebuttal to the stupid, childish, envious comment about Ron; that was better said than what I was about to write. What a sad, sad person to have posted their own shortcomings for everyone to see.....
That being said, "Drood" is an incredible experience. What fun I had when I took my mother and my in-laws to see it. We all had a ball. The cast was beyond belief. First off, the Chairman/Mayor Sapsea was so inviting, witty, warm, and hilarious. What a command of the audience he had. Margie as Princess Puffer was unabashadly brash and simply delightful! Her song in the second act melted my heart. Drood (Lindsey) is absolutely refined and lovely! The sexy, playful, and yet boyish Neville (Roman, a GOD sounding name if I ever heard one), was a scene stealer with those intoxicating eyebrows, not to mention his vocal talents (would have liked to have heard more). The Deputy, (Joey Klei) could not have been MORE suited for this role. His comic timing, energy and boyish charm was exhilarating, what a treat! What a gorgeous voice Durdles (Darren Hurley) has. He was the lover the night I saw "Drood". What a talent! Jasper (Tim Smith) was undeniably the most flexible (literally and figurtively) of all cast members with his constant juggle of his two sided character, not to mention beautiful vocals! Rosabud's (Jen Miser) beautiful lilting vocals were a treat, as was her manic confession! And Bazzard (Ryan Duncan), with his infectious energy was quite entertaining with his rendition of "Never the Luck". Lastly, (cast wise) the hysterically enchanting, Helena Landless (Stephanie Heuston), with her smoldering eyes and inviting use of her body was intoxicating! Absolute and deserving Kudos go to Alan Lytle and his orchestra, Ron Daum and Alan Anderson for their directing, and Amy Palomino for her choreography. What a night! Thank you ALL so much!
We saw this show closing weekend and found it to be totally enchanting, most entertaining and very well done. Honestly, I was not sure what to expect, having seen the old film version of Drood and read the book and not being familiar with this musical version, I supposed it would be darker. We were delighted with the "Music Hall style" piece that was presented. We were welcomed and ushered to our seats by the actual characters we were to soon see on stage who immediately familiarized us with what was going to happen. Jay Pevney, as the MC, let us know that we would be voting on Mr Dicken's unfinished ending. The orchestra sounded very full and rich the choreography was refreshing and the production values all top-notch (there was even a train on stage). Lindsay Michelet swaggered as the title character we couldn't imagine Betty Buckley being better, Tim Smith was amazing as the drugged out villian Jasper, as Rosa Budd petite Jennifer Miser's glorious rendition of Moonfall was worth the ticket price for us, Stephanie Hueston hysterical as Helena Landless is one of those exceptionally rare birds a beautiful commedienne with a leading lady's singing voice and Margie Boule was a cut up as the Diva who is dubbed.
Oh yes and we LOVED the dog!
Kudo's to the entire cast,the directors and the crew for an absolutely enjoyable romp of an evening at Lakewood. And BRAVO Lakewood for beautifully producing this charming little gem of a show!
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