Cape Cod Performing Arts

Everybody, cut "Footloose" at the Cape Playhouse

Take a trip back to the 80s a la Kevin Bacon and Kenny Loggins in Dennis

   John Jeffrey Martin as Ren; George Dvorsky as Reverend Shaw Moore and Chelsea Morgan Stock as Ariel. Photo credit: Kathleen A. Fahle.

By Maggie Kulbokas

So far this season, the Cape Playhouse has transported us to the 60s in "The Graduate", the 70s in "No Way to Treat a Lady" and now the 80s in the loud and rowdy modern classic, "Footloose".  "Footloose" opened Monday night to a very receptive crowd that was much more diverse than the folks who typically take in this Mid Cape theatrical treat. People of all ages-including children-clapped and boogied in their seats during this two act, high energy musical.

Most often, a stage play is made into a movie, but it was the opposite in this case. The original film "Footloose" hit the big screen in 1984 and turned out to be a very successful movie boasting a cast of destined-to-be big stars including Kevin Bacon as the lead character Ren, John Lithgow as the Reverend  Moore and Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, Christopher Penn and Sarah Jessica Parker. The movie's soundtrack was equally impressive holding the number one spot on the Billboard Pop Chart for several months with hits by Kenny Loggins, Deniece Williams, Bonnie Tyler and Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart.

John Jeffrey Martin as Ren, preaching to the gym. Photo credit: Kathleen A. Fahle.

The stage version is very faithful to the original film and contains all the hits you know by heart, plus a few new ones by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford to round out the musical.

"Footloose" is the story of Ren, a smart, can't-sit-still kind of kid who is uprooted from Chicago when his father abandons his mother and him, forcing them to move in with her sister and brother-in-law in Bomont, Texas-smack-dab in the middle of the Bible Belt.  It's not that Ren is a bad guy, he just has a lot of energy, a quick wit and the need to dance. And dancing is not allowed in Bomont where Reverend Moore controls the entire town's morality and spirituality with an iron fist.

"Footloose" is a story of the little guy vs. the big guy, the lone wolf vs. the establishment.  Closed-minded people being challenged and what happens when they realize change is good and that not everybody has to dress the same way, think the same way, act the same way and worship the same way.  Although the screenplay was written in the early 80s and the stage version was developed in 1998, the David vs. Goliath-like tale still resonates today and really, always will.

The large cast was probably one of the youngest to jitter and gyrate across the historic Playhouse stage, but their acting credits are impressive and include many popular on and off Broadway shows including "Grease", Disney's "High School Musical", "Mama Mia!" and "Avenue Q".

From the rise of the curtain to its final fall, the stage is alive with bright colors, catchy tunes and lots and lots of high energy dancing.  How they get that many people moving that fast, in time on a stage that size, without the benefit of months and months of rehearsal, is truly a mystery.  And there was a lot to choreograph-a large cast, with several group numbers and sixteen scenes-kudos to director Mark Martino and choreographer Vince Pesce. 

The stage design by Michael Schweikardt was striking-just the big endless sky over Texas dotted with telephone poles that eerily resemble crucifixes-a constant reminder that you are always under the Reverend's watchful eye.  The color of the changing sky and some heavy duty props and stage scenery transformed the stage into a chapel, a gas station lot and a train bridge among other spots in Bomont.

The core cast of John Jeffrey Martin as Ren, Marci Reid as his mother, George Dvorsky as the Reverend Shaw Moore, Maureen Brennan as the preacher's wife and Chelsea Morgan Stock as the preacher's daughter, Ariel, were all wonderful dancers and singers and fun to watch.  The supporting cast including Gwen Hollander as Rusty, Matthew Dorsey as Willard and Marissa Rosen as the clear audience favorite, Wendy Jo, rounded out the quirky and likeable cast. 

Part "Grease", part "West Side Story" and all "Footloose"-the show is non-stop fun and something you won't want to miss this summer!

"Footloose" runs now through August 6, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911. Coming up next: "Crazy for You".

Mrs. Robinson has her way with the crowd at the Cape Playhouse

The Graduate entertains an eager audience in Dennis

By Maggie Kulbokas

The Cape Playhouse has another hit on their hands this week with their third show of the 2011 season, The Graduate.  Unless you were born in the 90s or know very little of American pop culture, you are familiar with the story of The Graduate.  The 1967 award-winning comedy/drama was based on the novel of the same name penned three years earlier by Charles Webb, shortly after he graduated from college. The Graduate is the story of Benjamin Braddock, a thoroughly disillusioned college grad, who is seduced by the wife of one of his father's friends. As if matters weren't complicated enough, he finds himself falling for his lover's daughter while still in the midst of a torrid affair.

The play, adapted for the stage by Terry Johnson in 2000, and based on Webb's novel and the screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry,  enjoyed a successful run on both the British and American stage. Since its opening, the likes of Kathleen Turner, Lorraine Bracco, Anne Archer and Morgan Fairchild have taken on the role of the iconic Mrs. Robinson.

The story opens in Benjamin's bedroom. Although the guest of honor at his graduation party, he refuses to make an appearance and mingle with his parents' friends.  Benjamin has just graduated from college and he has a career in teaching and his whole life ahead of him.  But like many young people, he is disillusioned and can only look at his parents and their friends with hostility and loathing.

Enter Mrs. Robinson, drink in hand, searching for a place to lie down.  In probably one of the most famous scenes in American cinematography, Mrs. Robinson, the wife of Benjamin's father's best friend, seduces Benjamin who is half her age.  The two begin a torrid summer affair under the noses of Benjamin's unsuspecting parents and Mr. Robinson.

On opening night, the actors had the Dennis audience roaring.  Although four decades old, the story of The Graduate remains relevant today.  On the surface, The Graduate is about the seduction of a young man by an older woman-the self-professed cougars of today--but the real focus of the story is about growing older.  The Graduate is about the disillusionment of youth--about the difference between learning about life and actually living it.  It's about the big ideals and dreams of youth and the fear of becoming trapped in the quicksand of life.  In other words, whether or not you've bedded your father's best friend's wife, you can relate to the dreams and fears of all humans--young and old alike.

Anne Bancroft, Mrs. Robinson in the original motion picture, set the bar high for any other actress who takes on the role of the alcoholic and bored, yet fiendishly titillating housewife.  Patricia Richardson's portrayal of Mrs. Robinson was like an expertly mixed martini--just the right amount of sultry with a dash of boozy.  The audience ate up Ms. Richardson gravelly-voiced one liners and quips.

Jonathan Schwartz shined as Benjamin.  His Jason Schwartzman meets Holden Caulfield persona captured the angst of youth. Joel Higgins as Mr. Robinson, Emily Walton as Elaine Robinson and Mark Zimmerman as Benjamin's father were all very good, but Bethe B. Austin was clearly an audience favorite as Benjamin's quirky and clueless mother.

The show is fast paced and held the audience's attention from start to finish. The set design by James Morgan is simple, consisting of two interior doors and a closet against a bright California sky.  A dimming of the lights and mobile props including many (many) beds, made for quick scene changes. 

The piped in soundtrack courtesy of Simon and Garfunkel helped maintain that 60s feel and tie the stage performance to the film.  The Graduate may not be the most riveting or cutting edge tale, but it sure makes for a night of fun and entertainment.

The Graduate runs now through July 23, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911. Coming up next: Footloose: The Musical.