Date: Fri 01-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-10

Quick Words:

Gateway's-Shenandoah-theatre

Full Text:

Theatre Review-

Shenandoah: A Good Show, Not A Great One

(with dropquote, no photo)

By Carol Fenn

NEW FAIRFIELD - Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse has chosen an old-fashioned

musical in Shenandoah for its last show of the season. This makes a change

from the more flamboyant musical previously seen at Candlewood, La Cage Aux

Folles . Although the performers are good and the orchestra excellent, the

show just does not inspire. This is a good musical, not a great one.

In a twist of the usual, Shenandoah was a movie first, starring Jimmy Stewart,

and later turned into a musical by Gary Geld and Peter Udell. When it

premiered in 1975, the co-authors felt the Civil War story echoed the

then-current times.

The story is about a peace-loving Virginian farmer's efforts to keep his

family from being involved in the Civil War. This outlook echoed much of the

feelings of the Vietnam War, as the memory of the country's struggle between

the pros and cons of our involvement were still fresh. When audiences went to

see Shenandoah in the Seventies, the show played on those feelings, and it

played well. Without that particular political climate today, we have to look

at Shenandoah differently, on its merits as a musical.

And this is where Shenandoah doesn't play quite as well. The music is not

particularly memorable; it tries to imitate some of the greater musicals,

unsuccessfully. It is calculated to make you cry, and it does, but evoking

tears does not create a dramatic urgency that good musicals do. The end of the

first act is so overly dramatic and such a swift change from the

happy-go-lucky attitude the show begins with, it's almost unfair. The second

act is just continued misery without inspiration.

The main character, Charlie Anderson, a prosperous farmer and widower with six

children, is stubborn but caring. He tries to keep the war out of his family's

life, but eventually it comes crashing in on his life, just as it crashes in

on the audience. And now Charlie and his family must struggle through a

hellish war, and in the end, find some courage and inspiration to go on.

Gateway's production does its best to perform this musical, with emphasis on

homey settings and family values. And it partly succeeds. Most of the actors

are well cast in their parts. Peak Kwinarian as the leading character of

Charlie, although he stands tall, looks and sings well, is too stiff and

brings each solo number he sings to a literal standstill as he rivets himself

to the stage. Since Charlie is the only well-formed character, this hurts the

production since we need Charlie to carry the show.

Notable performances are that of the two women in the cast, Jennifer Rae Beck

and Laurie McDermott. Both women play their characters with as much feeling

and truth as they can. Two young boys in the cast - Justin Flagg and George R.

Eleazer III - also do a good job.

Gateway's has had some trouble with its orchestra in the past. Usually the

brass section needs tuning. But this orchestra, with music direction by

Phyllis Gessler, was excellent.

The basic story of Shenandoah is a good one. It has all the right elements to

make a good musical. Unfortunately for Candlewood, the authors of this show

did not make one. I cannot fault the director or performers; they do an

adequate job. The fault is in the writing.