Review: CHARLIE HU$TLE at The Smith Theatre

Charlie Hustle is a show about baseball legend Pete Rose. Pete Rose's story is a complex exploration of the mind and ambition of a top athlete. The story begins with Pete's childhood, and we look into his relationship with his father. We then dive into the start of his career and the start of some of his most controversial moments. Pete Rose has a reputation for being either loved or hated. This musical helps give you more in-depth insight into who he was and why he did what he did. Will you leave the show rooting for Pete or hating him?

I got to speak with the writer and composer for Charlie Hustle, Ryan Noggle, and Neil Berg a few months ago. We talked about the plot of the show, who he was, and how his character was developed for this show. That interview excited me for the show, but seeing it was even better than expected. I took my parents to the show, and they were both lifelong Tigers baseball fans. My father is a huge baseball fan, growing up playing the sport and watching MLB games. I was interested in their perspective on the show since they had lived through the period when Pete was at the height of his career. They agreed that the show encapsulated that time in baseball and all the media attention he received. Pete had become so famous for his controversies and what he brought to baseball as a player and a manager for the Cincinnati Reds. I enjoyed seeing his rise and fall story played out through songs.

I have to commend Ryan Noggle for bringing the story to life in such a unique way. I would also like to point out Neil Berg's score and the songs written for the show. I especially enjoyed the performance of the star of this show, Nick Balfour, who portrayed Pete Rose. I felt. He brought a lot of emotional depth to the character and an incredible musicality to the songs. I loved seeing the perspective of Pete Rose's wife, played by Tessa Gibson. Pete Rose's wife, Carol Rose, had to deal with the backlash of everything he had done. Her song was one of my favorites in the show. I enjoyed the pace of the show. I loved how the show was written, with the narration coming from two sports fans on two opposing sides of the same topic. The show begins inside a bar where two fans (played by Cooper Miller and Krystiana Baker) share a beer. One fiercely defends Pete Rose's character and baseball career, and the other says he was justified to be kicked out of the league. We see the story played out as the Pete Rose fan explains why he is so much in favor of what Pete Rose did for the sport of baseball.

Another character I would like to highlight is Carol Rose's female interpreter, played by Hayley Martin. My favorite thing about seeing shows at Oakland Community College is that they always have ASL performers performing simultaneously with the singers and actors. The Interpreters add such a fun extra layer to the show. Sometimes, the ASL interpreter will also be a side character, either consoling Carol Rose or high-fiving a character after they tell a joke. It adds this kind of kinship and family dynamic, like another friend on stage. Alexandria Cessna is the other interpreter I would like to call attention to, and she interpreted several characters. Her primary role was the interpreter for the female sports fan in the bar who was very anti-Pete Rose. She always stands out as somebody who emotes and tells the story through ASL, physical acting, and appropriate facial expressions. A live audience had never seen this show, and the power in the room was palpable. Jenn Little, director and faculty member at OCC, did a fantastic job bringing this show to life on stage.

Oakland Community College features many plays and musicals every year at The Smith Theatre on its Farmington Hills Campus, located at 27055 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334. To hear about any future shows or learn more about the theatre program, please visit their website here.

To post a comment, you must register and login.