Singing Out the Memories

By Jerry Stein



Upon entering a theater, the sight of five forlorn stools siting on a stage can send a deadly message–another revue.

But relax “25 the Musical,” which opened Wednesday, May 4, at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, is a revue celebrating, you guessed it, 25 years of productions at the Over-the-Rhine theater.

This delightful show has been compiled by Cincinnati-born but nationally respected pianist-arranger and occasional actor Scot Woolley. He is an extraordinary musician, who for this show, sits on stage accompanying singers Deb G. Girdler, Dennis Parlato, Sara Mackie, Brooke Rucidlo and Nick Cearley in this songbook tour of ETC’s musicals.

Although D. Lynn Meyers, who has spent 14 years of the ETC’s 25 as its producing artistic director, has included musicals in her seasons that are not without artistic merit and audience support. The productions include “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and, just last season, the highly entertaining “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” the ‘50s and ‘60s romp.

Still, the ETC is not a mainline musical presenter the way its sister Cincinnati theaters, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, are. The theater makes its more significant marks with social dramas and some often wacky off-beat comedies.

Meyers’ theater neither has the budget nor the size to tackle multi-set shows or an orchestra pit full of strings and brass. Nevertheless, Meyers is creative about her musicals.

The only major, well-known musical presented at ETC from which Woolley has drawn songs is Jerry Herman’s “Mack and Mabel,”a musical bio of Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand. And ETC presented that show in a scaled down concert-revue form.

As a result, it is to Woolley’s great credit and musical taste that he could put together material from the ETC’s musical past that gives such showcases to the singers. A major source for this revue comes from the successful annual fairy tale musicals ETC presents during the holidays from David Kisor.

Girdler is wonderfully wicked as the Queen of Hearts in “Don’t Mess with the Queen” from Kisor’s “Alice in Wonderland” and, again, dramatic most of the time in “Time Heals Everything” from “Mack & Mabel”.

Brooke Rucidlo’s “Old Black Magic” is given an up tempo take. There’s a clever assist during this number when Nick Cearley plays a series of percussive instruments handed him in rapid-fire exchanges from Girdler and Mackie.

In his musical moments, Cearley, displays a powerful range from tenor-bass to near falsetto housed in his petit body. He is especially exciting in songs from “Hedwig & the Angry Inch.”

The one musical fault in an otherwise splendid undertaking is Director Meyers’ tendency to allow all the performers occasionally to over-sing the house. These bursts of vocalizations on steroids jeopardize the mood of the songs such as Girdler’s “Time Heals Everything” and Parlato’s “I Won’t Send Roses.”

Brian c. Mehring, has provided a stylized representation of the columned exterior of the Ensemble Theatre on Vine St. for background. It’s all framed, including footlights, with dazzling row lighting.

At a time when audiences should be sending the Ensemble Theatre gifts of appreciation, this company has beaten us to the punch by sending us, once again, a gift of entertainment.

Happy silver anniversary, ETC.

25 The Musical, Thursday night at the Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, 1127 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine. Play dates: May 4-22, 2011. Tickets: $34-$42, some discounts available. Disclosure: the reviewer received a complimentary ticket to this production. Reservations: 513 421 3555.


Photo: Clockwise from left: Sara Mackie, Dennis Parlato, Deb G. Girdler, Nick Cearley and Brooke Rucidlo. Photographer: Sandy Underwood.