Review: ONE MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY at Starlight Theatre

The final of four January production experiments at Starlight Theatre is underway on the huge Cohen Community Stage. The airplane hangar doors that normally separate the actors from the audience are rung down against the winter elements. This is the second year that an indoor event has been tried and the experiment must be graded a success.

The "One Man Star Wars Trilogy" is a high energy piece. The audience will certainly recognize Yoda, Luke, Princess Leia, C3PO, R2D2 and of course the father of the feast, Darth Vader (also father to Luke and Leia. Canadian Actor Charles Ross has been performing a One Man version of the Star Wars Trilogy for some 15 years. It is frenetic if nothing else. An audience member cannot help but wonder how this guy can keep up the action for 70 minutes without a break. Absolutely, he does.

"The One Man Star Wars Trilogy" will mean more to those people who are really into the Star Wars franchise big time. And there were more than our share of audience members who came to the show dressed in costume complete with light sabres (full sized and miniature). There was a storm trooper, a couple of wookies, a Jedi knight, and at least several Princess Leias (thankfully not dressed in the gold bikini).

Charles Ross is especially good when dealing directly with the audience. His stories back and forth were among the high points of the evening. The guy is an excellent standup comedian with huge reserves of on-stage energy.

The Cohen Community Stage is humungous measuring 68 feet across the proscenium arch, generous wings, and 110 feet to the fly grid. With the door down, it converts into a comfortable 500 seat theater that is truly state of the art.

The Berger Studio Theater is a twin to the Cohen for workable area. It was intended as a rehearsal hall for mainstage productions. As a Studio Theater, it can seat upwards of 200 for performances on a raised platform.

All the shows this winter season have been comedies or parodies with one or two person casts and all have been well acted and well received by enthusiastic audiences. Starlight President and CEO Rich Baker booked these indoor shows as a kind of proof of concept to Starlight Directors. He believes the concept works and has proposed purchase of the risers that make the indoor shows practical. The current riser rental situation is probably unsustainable down the road.

Baker's philosophy is to attempt new kinds of offerings to Kansas City audiences. Who knows what Baker has in store to better utilize this embarrassment of riches in the nationally recognized Starlight Theatre complex.

Charles Ross' "One Man Star Wars" continues through Sunday at Starlight. Tickets are available on the Starlight Website, at the box office, or by telephone at (816) 363-7827

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