Review: CAROUSEL at Music Theater Works At The North Shore Center For The Performing Arts

If I loved you…

Classic, immortal lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The newest production at Music Theater Works at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie is the second musical written by Rogers and Hammerstein. It is a short run. It closes on August 18.  Carousel premiered on Broadway in 1945, 2 years after Oklahoma! premiered. When Carousel opened, there were 2 R & H musicals playing on Broadway. Carousel was one of the first musicals to contain a tragic plotline about an antihero. It does not have an overture. As the curtain rises, the Carousel Waltz is being played with the cast gathered at a carnival. No dialogue. Stage business and dancing. Some of the actors create a moving carousel designed by scenic designer Shane Cinal. It is remarkable and gets the applause it justly deserves. The story revolves around carnival barker Billy Bigelow (another fine performance from Conor Jordan), Julie Jordan (Maliha Sayed in her MTW debut), her friend Carrie Pipperidge (Ella Gatlin) and Mr. Snow, Carrie’s betrothed (Will Koski). The woman who runs the carnival, Mrs. Mullin (Erika Rose making her MTW debut) cares about Billy more than she is willing to admit. Billy and Julie meet at the carnival. They talk about what it would be like if they loved each other. In true R & H fashion, they fall in love very fast and marry. Julie’s friend Carrie is betrothed to Mr. Snow. Mr. Snow tells Carrie his thoughts about their life after marriage. Carrie is hovering between acceptance and unhappiness. Ultimately, they marry as well. Billy has lost his job at the carnival and Julie lost her job at the mill. Julie tells Carrie that Billy hit her and now she has found out she’s going to have a baby. Billy is elated but there is no money. He and Julie are living with her cousin, Nettie Fowler (Alicia Berneche’s MTW debut). Billy’s best friend, Jigger (Will Leonard) has come up with a plan to rob the mill owner, Mr. Bascombe (Cliff Gabor). He is Julie’s former employer. Billy does not want to do the robbery because there is a chance Mr. Bascombe may be killed. Mrs. Mullin tries to lure Billy back to the carousel but Billy would have to leave Julie and their baby. After he refuses Mrs. Mullin’s offer, he contemplates on being a father. When he realizes the baby could be a girl, he decides he needs to help Jigger with the robbery. Jigger tries to seduce Carrie. Mr. Snow sees it happening and breaks his engagement with Carrie. Julie is comforting Carrie but she also knows that Billy is carrying a knife. She tries to convince Billy not to do the robbery. He does not listen and goes with Jigger. Unbeknown to them, Mr. Bascombe has already deposited the money and the robbery fails. Bascombe pulls out his gun and points it at Billy but Billy stabs himself. Julie cradles him as he dies. Carrie and Mr. Snow are reunited by this tragedy. As Billy is waiting to enter Heaven, he is informed he can spend one day on Earth to do good for someone and that would get him into Heaven. He finds out that 15 years have actually gone by. His unhappy daughter Louise (Susannah Harvey’s bravura dancing) is 15 and about to graduate. Billy sees her with a carnival barker very much like himself (Alex Iacobucci’s flawless dancing). They dance the famous Ballet. Billy is able to help Louise to become happy. He also realizes how much Julie loved him despite how he treated her. Billy can now enter Heaven having helped the people he loved.

Carousel is not a happy story but it does have redemption. The two tragic circumstances which are a huge part of the story were not something that was discussed in 1945. Hammerstein wrote the book and he did a remarkable job of incorporating these issues into the story. The cast, under the direction of Sasha Gerritson, brings Carousel to life with soaring vocals (including an adorable children's ensemble), high-spirited dancing created by choreographer Andrew Waters with nods to original choreographer Agnes) DeMille, and colorful, vibrant costumes by Rachel M. Sypniewski. The orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Michael McBride, filled the theatre with the beautiful songs by Dick and Oscar. Carousel has the stylings of opera, musical theater and ballet. It is a wonderful visual combination. Some experts have said Carousel was the best musical theatre of the 20th Century. It is pure Rogers and Hammerstein. Go take a ride on the Carousel. You will feel like you grabbed the brass ring.