BWW Reviews: THE END OF THE RAINBOW at THE KAVINOKY THEATRE

GARLAND'S REAL LIFE ACT OF DESPERATION

Real life is often more dramatic than stage drama, and in the case of Judy Garland, everyday life was a scary venture for the drug and alcohol addicted child star turned adult superstar. Peter Quilter's THE END OF THE RAINBOW is The Kavinoky Theatre's first presentation in 2016 and the drama flies high throughout the evening giving us a behind the scenes account of Garland's many demons.

Quilter takes us inside the final months of Garland's career in 1969 as she prepares for a series of concerts in London. By this time she has been married four times and is now engaged to her young producer, Mickey Deans. On the brink of becoming penniless, Garland and Deans engage one of her old pianists to rehearse and accompany her show. Judy Garland's life story is the stuff of which great theatre is made, and her many trials and tribulations are the dark subject matter that made this evening of theatre thoroughly engaging.

Kavinoky has brought is Natasha Drena to play Garland. Ms. Drena has played the part twice before and shone in her vocals, where her uncanny Garland sound was spot on. She knows how to sell a number and has adopted many of the stereotypical mannerisms we have come to know. Her powerhouse voice would be a pleasure to listen to in any setting, and having Garland actually sing many of her hits throughout the evening makes for a much more authentic account of her life. Despite an often over accentuated and mannered speech affectation, Drena takes us through the gamut of emotions that can only be described as a roller coaster. By 1969 Garland was an iconic figure beloved for her many movies and concert work, and had developed stature as a gay icon. As an audience, we are empathetic to her life which was formed by abuse of uppers and downers, given to her by studio heads as well as her own mother. Ms. Drena had adrenaline to spare in this all-encompassing role that requires intensity and physicality, and she transitioned well from extreme highs to rock bottom lows. An actress may be tempted to simply attempt an impersonation of Garland, but Drena applies her own spin on the troubled singer's life, shading her character with vulnerability and a desire to find true love.

Chris Hatch, as Deans, embodied the role with genuine love and concern for Garland, but who is often beaten down by her histrionics. His rock steady calmness and composure nicely contrasted the ferocity of Garland. By ACT II we see how their tempestuous relationship is as poison as all of Garand's earlier marriages. Hatch has the difficult task of having his own mental breakdown trying to cope with Garland's antics, as he infuses the character with appropriate exasperation.

Gregory Gjurich plays Anthony, the gay pianist who has a significant past with Garland, that is only briefly alluded to. Gjurich's piano skills were commendable, but he shone his poignant ACT II scene attempting to calm the nervous Garland down from one of her highs, leading to a plot twist showing his expression of unconditional love and his own desperation for happiness.

Fluidly directed by stage veteran Lisa Ludwig, this 2 act play built to its peak when we witness one of Garland's alcohol and drug filled nights. Often uncomfortable to watch, Ms. Drena became the possessed woman whose insatiable cravings for drugs was scary and pathetic. Watching Hatch's nuanced portrayal trying to cope with her lunacy helps the audience understand why he would ultimately become another one of her enablers, instead of her protector.

Production values were high, especially in Garland's outfits by Benjamin Street Clothing Design. The set by David King was opulent, while effective lighting by Brian Cavanagh lent some lovely transitions from the hotel suite to the nightclub stage. The four piece band provided firm accompaniment to the concert numbers.

END OF THE RAINBOW runs from January 8 - January 31, 2016

Performance Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

The Kavinoky Theatre

320 Porter Avenue

Buffalo, NY 14201

Box office: 716-829-7668

Website: kavinokytheatre.com

Ticket Price: $42, discounts available to seniors, students, military, and groups

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