Review: VIOLET at Dare 2 Defy Productions

If you are looking for a way to support local artists in our community, two opportunities remain this weekend to see the Tony nominated musical at the PNC Arts Annex Downtown.

VIOLET, music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics/book by Brian Crawley, opened on Broadway in 2014. It is the story of Violet, a young woman with a disfigured face, on a quest for a miracle to heal her scars and therefore, solve all of her problems. On the way, she learns that outward appearances are not always what they seem and to find true happiness, you have to look beyond what you see.

Music Director Judy Mansky once again assembled a fantastic orchestra and led some strong vocals from the cast, most notably from Norman Moxley II (Flick), Garrett Young (Monty), Rachel Hertenstein (Violet), and the ensemble, particularly Abigail Land (Music Hall Singer) and Samantha Wright (Lula Buffington). Joshua Stucky threw himself fully into the part of the Preacher and he was a joy to watch. Samantha Seeberg tackled a few different ensemble parts, with each one distinct and equally funny, especially the Old Lady.

First time director Philip Drennen shows definite promise but stumbled here somewhat with not making the best use of the blocking on the thrust stage. From my point of view in the audience, there were entire scenes where I was looking at the back of the actor's heads and the action remained quite static. Even when most of the action takes place on a bus, more could be done to open the actors up so that the audience can see more of the interactions between the characters.

Unfortunately, the lighting for this production, at least on opening night, was just terrible. For almost the entire show, the actor's faces were in deep shadow and even in the small space, it made it difficult to read any emotion on the actor's faces. There is no one credited in the program for lighting so I am not sure if this was a production choice or just an afterthought but it was not at all effective. One particular moment, Violet's chest was the only thing on her body that was lit. Add that to other moments where all I saw was her back and it made it very difficult to connect emotionally with this character and others, something that is vital to the success of this show. Great shows are not just a reflection of the talent that you put on the stage but behind the scenes as well. Details like poor lighting, wrinkled costumes and misuse of the performance space matter. When all of those elements are at their best, that is when a show can truly shine.

You have two more chances to catch VIOLET at the PNC Arts Annex this weekend - Friday at 8 PM and Saturday at 2 PM. The Saturday 8 PM performance is sold out. Tickets are $33.00 with discounts available for Seniors, Military and Students. You can purchase tickets online at www.ticketcenterstage.com, by phone at 937-228-3630 or in person at the box office in the wintergarden of the Schuster Center. VIOLET performances are in the PNC Arts Annex at the corner of Second and Ludlow Downtown.

Photo Credit: Ginnie Ann Photography

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