REVIEW: MUSIC MAN at Cockpit in Court

There is good news at Cockpit in Court at CCBC-Essex.  Its microphone issues from earlier in the summer have been fixed and the overall sound is pretty decent.  And musical director Michael Tan, who did some terrific group vocal work with the challenging Sunday in the Park with George earlier this season at FPCT, has again done some terrific work with a cast of 37 and in particular the famous Music Man Quartet (a barbershop quartet of men who wander the streets of River City singing lovely tunes).  The best news is for fans of the film Waiting for Guffman - a mockumentary about producing community theatre - Cockpit's The Music Man offers a live version of the community theatre portrayed in that hilarious film.  The bad news?  The Music Man at Cockpit in Court is almost a parody of itself.

Every community theatre convention (my apologies to true community theatre-level artists) is a direct hit on target.  There is an unnecessarily huge cast, full of people who seem to fall into three very distinct groups - those who seem to care about the art form they are appearing in (the good), those who have no clue what they are doing (the bad), and those who look at performing as a chance merely to see and be seen (the ugly).  Those in the first group have extensive credits at several local theatres, which would seem to indicate a passion for theater.  They include Ken Kemp as the titular music man, Harold Hill.  Seems he has played the role before.  Oddly, the members of the second group include a voice teacher, a former Disney World performer, and an NYU Master's Degree recipient.  The last group, though, is the most pitiable, for they feel it is completely legitimate to scan the audience and make small gestures of recognition to them during the performance.  This lethal combination is magnified by the sheer numbers on the stage, and is oh so noticeable during the many ensemble numbers, where the stage is so crowded and disorganized ("direction" by Roy Hammond, choreography by Richelle "Rikki" Howe) that you can't see anything going on - in "Ya Got Trouble," for example, there are some attempts made at bits that go with the lyrics, and are dutifully completed by various cast members, except literally every single time a bit was done, another group of awkward folks would amble in the way, and always with a look of "isn't this the verse where I moved five paces stage right"?  It is even more noticeable at the very climax (and I use that term liberally here) when the town is ready to tar and feather Hill, and the band (all 7 of them) shows up in uniform to play instruments.  But the band is standing right in front of the cast members who go from angry mob to adoring parents, immediately giving Hill a pardon, and us a happy ending.  I realize you'd have to be a cave man not to know how it ends, but you'd still like to see it, right?  And the ending is so quick and anti-climatic (in a cast of 37, they could only outfit 7 people in band uniforms?)  I suspect there were more than a few patrons who were surprised when the curtain call began.

Partly because of the size of the cast, I am sure, the choreography in general is just what you'd expect for community theatre - box steps, box steps, box steps, and EVERY number ending in a "cast photo tableau" with arms extended like the "Y" in "YMCA".   To be fair, the choreographer did make the most of one considerable talent, a young man was featured down front center in two numbers, who clearly has had some training and can spin like a pro (sorry, buddy, I asked about 12 people at the show who you were, and not one could name you.  But you were awesome.  When Cockpit does Cats, make sure you try out for Mr. Mistoffelees).  "Shipoopi" and "76 Trombones", two numbers that scream for big dancing and production values barely register they are so bland and uninspired.  The costumes (designed by Karen Murphy/>/>/>/>) should have been a budget buster for the sheer number, but they appear to be a conglomeration of newly made, thrift shop finds, and stuff brought from home - normally a responsible way to do things, but rarely at the expense of approximate authenticity, at least to the extent on stage here.  True, many of the gentleman's costumes in loud, large plaid are dead on, but the ladies range from close to the period to 80's prom fashions, and a couple of particularly glaring 70's sun hats.

But the play's the thing.  And at just short of 3 hours, you get a lot of play here (note to the house manager - you might want to instruct your ushers not to make negative comments about the length of act one before it starts).  The virtually indestructible plot comes perilously close to collapse here, due mainly to the miscasting of the leads.  Mr. Kemp as Hill has the lines down pat and sings too decently (odd for a part expressly written for the non-singer) both at the expense of character.  In true community theatre fashion, he only approximates shady deals and slick talk, but there is not even a hint that his Hill is even a tinge slimy - he comes across more like a best friend than a salesman.  One suspects Kimberly Hart was cast as a too young Marian the librarian because she can hit the high soprano notes in "My White Knight" and "Till There Was You".  Otherwise, she postures and mugs as she stomps across the stage, gets wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the wonder of Harold Hill and holds onto the porch post for dear life as she swoons in love.  Strange, she looks wholly uncomfortable in the library scene.  Of the supporting roles, Larry Ellinghaus plays Mayor Shinn with one-note (and LOUD) predictability, and Susan Liberati as Eulalie, his wife, looks like she's having fun with this fun character.  As Mrs. Paroo,

Anita Lane

/>has a brogue so thick it is mostly unintelligible.  As it is against policy to review non-professional children, I will simply say both Justin Allison and Julia Unitas as Winthrop and Amarylis are the least "community theater" members of the cast, and have reaffirmed my faith that not all child performers are obnoxious.  Way to go, kids!

Finally, as nice as the vocals sound, Mr. Tan has his work cut out for him with the shockingly off key, unable to maintain tempo orchestra he is saddled with.  When you can't play "76 Trombones" - a signature song if ever there was one - perhaps you shouldn't be in an orchestra required to play it.  And PLEASE, Cockpit, train your follow spot person or put up an epilepsy warning that wiggly lights are being used.  (Why do we still cling to that ancient device of dimming the stage lights and flicking on an over bright spotlight when someone starts singing, anyway?).  A good ten minutes could be shaved off each act with some faster scene changes, speeding up the overtures, and an attempt at pacing.  Had the director, Roy Hammond, put as much time and effort into his production as he did his director's note - a veritable research paper on The Music Man (who knew or cares that Laurence Olivier was up for the part or that Danny Kaye's wife hated the show?) - he might have a decent show on his hands.  Then again, it might be downright un-American of me to be so harsh.  The Music Man and community theatre are as American as apple pie and firecrackers on the 4^th of July.  If Guffman shows up at Cockpit, be kind.

PHOTOS by Amy Jones: Top: (l to r) Byron Fenstermaker, Tom Kowalski, Rick Arnold and Lawrence/>/> R. Daniels   Bottom: (l to r) Ken Kemp and Kimberly Hart as Harold Hill and Marian

 

 

 

 

 

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