Displaying items by tag: Rogers and Hammerstein

South Pacific, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite musical theater pieces. This beautiful, lengthy show features some of the most enduring and heartwarming classic Broadway hits of romance ever written, including “Bali Ha’i,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m in Love With a Wonderful Guy,” “Happy Talk,” “Younger than Springtime,” and the heartbreakingly wistful “This Was Nearly Mine.”

Directed by Pat Henderson with musical direction by Jeremy Ramey, this MadKap production at Skokie Theatre managed to fit a large cast of talented players into a small space, telling a big story with many levels of relevance to today’s events. The musical explores themes of finding a second chance at true love later in life and the challenges of sexual and racial prejudice against women and Polynesians during wartime.

Most theater lovers have seen South Pacific at some point, but if not, the main plot revolves around Navy nurse Nellie Forbush, considered an old maid in the United States, who is sent to the South Pacific during World War II. There, she falls in love with a widower and expat from Paris named Emile De Becque.

Nellie Forbush is portrayed with great depth and emotional range by Willow Schneider. Schneider has a wonderful voice and is a talented actress. I truly appreciated her ability to capture both the responsible, respectable American professional nurse and the love-struck, happy young woman who has found true love later in life. Schneider really shines vocally, expressing the true excitement and joyousness of spirit in the songs “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy” and “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair.”

The character of Emile De Becque is wonderfully played by Tony Calzareta. Calzareta brings mature, compassionate energy to the character and his amazing singing voice to the classic songs “Some Enchanted Evening” and the heartbreaking “This Was Nearly Mine.” Calzareta truly conveyed the depth of love he found in this young woman—and nearly lost—during these songs and in the scene where Army officials try to get him to risk his life on a mission against the Japanese. He declares that nothing is more important to him than having her love now that he’s finally found her - not any war or request to endanger himself from any government.

Islander and trader Bloody Mary, played by Mariel Saavedra, was a delight with her rich, warm voice and motherly take on having to protect and, at the same time, try to marry off her young daughter to any soldier or islander who has enough money to take care of her. Mariel sang a great rendition of “Bali Ha’i,” the ultimate island siren song, and also “Happy Talk,” where she encourages her daughter and soldier boyfriend to chat about happy things they’d like to do together so that their dreams can come true.

Max Perkel as Lieutenant Joe Cable also displayed his vocal prowess in his segment of “Bali Ha’i” and his finely finessed performance of “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught”. 

Luther Billis, the fast-talking, somewhat sleazy purveyor of women and cigarettes who operates a secret laundering side-business, was artfully played by Andrew Buel. Buel managed to get some very funny takes in while also conveying the deep loneliness and hopelessness that a lower-level soldier must have faced while scraping by on an island in the Pacific without much respect for their lives. The entire supporting cast of nurses and soldiers had great voices too, and I thought they worked well together, bringing humor and energy to this wonderful musical classic.

I have to give special acknowledgment to the talents of the live musicians working as the orchestra for the play: Musical Director and keyboardist Jeremy Ramey and Andrew Millikan on the second keyboard. As soon as the overture for the play began, it was clear that the music for this production was going to be outstanding. Despite the small number of musicians on stage, I could’ve sworn there was a full orchestra hiding somewhere behind them at times. Ramey and Milliken are exceptionally talented musicians, and every note they played from the beginning to the end of the show soared with the deep romantic and dramatic emotions that a great production of South Pacific deserves. Their musical accompaniment was so captivating that I could have listened to them play the songbook all evening.

My only note regarding production value is that the stage setting could have been a bit more tropical and elegant, with a little more detail in the backdrops and set pieces. However, the creative team was resourceful in its staging considering the smaller stage area for such a large production, so that the aisles and stairs leading up to the stage were used effectively to expand the space.

All in all, the combined talents of this maturely cast production created a wonderful full night of entertainment with a classic, romantic, and enduring Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

I highly recommend you and your family attend this enlivening production, suitable for audiences of all ages! There is ample free parking across from and next to the theater.

For tickets and more show information, click HERE.

I thoroughly enjoyed this colorful, sumptuous, and romantic production of Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella at The Drury Lane Theatre from beginning to end.

Directed and choreographed with lively and complex numbers by Amber Mak, with musical direction by Carolyn Brady, I felt that the spirit and female empowering themes of the original Cinderella were kept intact. Cinderella is the unlikely and supernatural story of a girl who is treated like a house servant once her stepmother takes charge after her well-to-do father passes away. No longer protected by her father, Cinderella is at the mercy of her resentful stepmother and her two stepsisters. But much to the chagrin of the stepmother, Cinderella’s inner beauty and strong character does not go unnoticed by the kingdom’s prince, who is seeking a bride.

Lissa deGuzman as Cinderella is a genuine delight as the sensitive and "unique" Cinderella. deGuzman has a beautiful voice and really captures the innocence and ingenuity that Cinderella is supposed to exude. The chemistry between her and Prince Topher, played by Jeffrey Kringer, was palpable and they have several romantic embraces and kisses that might have fallen flat if not for their genuine chemistry onstage. Jeffrey Kringer is a multifaceted Prince with a strong masculine yet sensitive presence as the handsome but confused Prince who is forced by his Viceroy to choose a Queen to marry. Viceroy Sebastian is played with good humor by Jeff Parker.

What I liked about this version of the classic tale is that it included the extended storyline wherein Cinderella is not just a victim of her greedy stepmother and a discovery of the Prince, she actually helps the entire village and the prince resolve a longstanding situation regarding the growing starvation and taxation of his subjects and the Royal families reluctance to address these issues fairly until Cinderella asserts herself and is able to open the prince’s eyes. The prince then deems the kingdom as a village of the people and uses their voice to make decisions regarding its management. 

Cinderella's stepsisters, Gabrielle (Christine Mayland Perkins) and Charlotte (Alanna Lovely) were at first ugly on the inside though some people can change as seen by Gabrielle’s lovely extended storyline where she and her secret boyfriend, Jean-Michel (Christopher Llewyn Ramirez) a villager who cries for fairness among the people, end up helping Cinderella to escape the grasp of the abusive gold digger, Madame/Stepmother, masterfully played by Gisela Adisa. Gabrielle, spoiled and bratty at first, turns out to be very sweet and her evolving character is played with glowing depth by Christine Mayland Perkins, who also lands several funny lines to perfection. 

I also have to acknowledge the superb performance by veteran actress McKinley Carter as the Fairy Godmother named Marie. It isn't until Carter's appearance as the wise and beautiful Fairy Godmother who leaves her beggar woman rags behind and sings the song "Impossible" that the young cast seemingly melts into cohesion and radiates collectively.  At the same time, we as an audience then get our first glimpse of the magical power of falling into true love thanks to Carter’s majestic voice and sparkling smile, conveyed as only a mature award-winning actress can pull off. 

I really enjoyed the flowing and heartfelt group dance numbers by the talented ensemble cast including Emily Ann Brooks, Leah Casey, Sophie Liu David, Margot Frank, Dani Johns, Kevin Kuska, Austin Nelson Jr., Justin Payton Nelson, Nolan Robinson, Elizabeth Romero, David Sajewich, Brian Selcik, Andew Tufano, Shelbi Voss, Amanda Walker.

My favorite songs next to "Impossible" include the adoring duets between Prince Topher and Cinderella "Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful”, “Now Is the Time” and (I Held You) "10 Minutes Ago," which had a great sense of youthful, loving urgency and graceful romance. I only wish they had included the Disney film song "So this Is Love,” as it is recognizable to audiences of any age and to me represents the ultimate love song between the Prince and new Princess that marks their first dance together as a newly smitten couple falling in love for the very first time. 

Riw Rakkulcon’s scenic design is a tiny bit dark but very large in its scope and complex changes. It is luxurious and grand when it needs to be so you really feel that the castle is a castle. I also enjoyed the way the carriage and horse men portrayed the journey to the castle as even Cinderella needs a ride to attend the ball. 

I loved the costumes by multi–Jeff Award-Winning Theresa Ham for everyone in the cast except perhaps for Cinderella. The unique classic style and colorful well-fitting gowns and tuxedos etc. for the ensemble were very well done and varied. The only problem I had with Cinderella's costume changes was with the big reveal when the Fairy Godmother tells her it is not impossible for her to attend the ball and gifts her with a ticket and gown. The effect to do this this was impressive, Cinderella spinning her way from rags to ball dress, though the dress could have been more fairytale-esque. However, to Ham’s defense, in order to make this "magical" change onstage in full view of the audience, Cinderellas magnificent ball gown needed to be hidden under her day dress and as such lacked the largesse and sparkling, puffy wedding gown feeling that little girls have come to expect from that scene. 

With plenty of humor, impressive special effects, brilliant set and costume design and led by sensational performances from Gisela Adisa, Lissa deGuzman, Jeffrey Kringer, McKinley Carter, Alanna Lovely, Christine Maryland Perkins and Jeff Parker, I highly recommend this lush and well-acted and beautifully danced and sung production of Cinderella for audiences of all ages. Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella at Drury Lane is a show that will lift your heart for the holidays and make you believe that finding true love and making it work is most definitely possible! 

Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is being performed at Drury Lane in Oakbrook through January 7^th. For tickets and/or more show information, please click here.

From the moment the sisters along with Mother Abbess sang “Maria” in one of the show’s earliest numbers, I knew I was in for a special performance. Their voices soared through the theater with a magnificence beyond what I had hoped. And when Mother Abbess (so richly performed by Susan Moniz) sang the final line in the song, “How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand”, it nearly brought tears to my eyes – just the beauty in her voice and the compassion within her words.

Paramount Theatre is currently taking on one of the most timeless musicals ever created in stage history in Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music”. And though many excellent renderings of this musical have come through Chicago over the past several decades, I can only imagine that this production would join the others among the best produced, casted and performed. From its majestic sets that seamlessly change from scene to scene to its large catalog of masterpiece musical theater numbers, this production wows the audience one scene after another.

The Sound of Music is based on the 1949 memoir penned by Maria von Trapp The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. The story was first staged on November 16^th, 1959 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre before being released as a film in March of 1965 where it won just about every award imaginable, taking off internationally thanks in part to memorable performances by Julie Andrew and the late, great Christopher Plummer. Taking place in 1938 Salzburg, Austria, its story revolves around Maria, a wannabe nun that might not be quite ready for life in The Abbey. Wanting her explore life again on the outside before committing to sisterhood, the Mother Abbess sends free-spirited Maria to serve as a governess for the widowed Captain Georg von Trapp, a retired naval officer, where she would care for his seven children. Georg is strict and has distanced himself from his children since his wife’s passing. His children now answer to whistles and march as though they were in the military. Maria becomes intent on not only breaking through to the children (who are now on their seventh governess) but also connecting them once again with their father whom they once knew much more closely. While doing so, unexpected feelings emerge between Maria and Georg. At the same time, Nazi Germany is spreading throughout Europe, Austria being no exception. The beloved country was being annexed by Hitler’s dark empire. But Georg is a devout Austrian and refuses to serve under the Third Reich. So, then the story also becomes one of escape.

For a Sound of Music production to work well, Maria must be cast well. And in Paramount’s production, they have done just that. Alicia Kaori is extraordinary. She gives us a Maria who is playful, warm, understanding, loyal, devoted, brave and adventurous. She brims with confidence when needed yet occasionally wrestles with her doubts. Kaori’s vocals are also impressive - her range is remarkable.

The remainder of the cast is superb.  As mentioned prior, Susan Moziz excels as Mother Abbess though excellence is also found in Christopher Kale Jones’ portrayal of Captain Georg von Trapp. He does a great vocally but also in capturing the captain’s exacting behavior while showing his vulnerability and his need for love again. With a cast so large, the standouts are plentiful. Included in that group would be Julia Aragon as the eldest von Trapp sibling, Liesl – one of the show’s highlights being her and Rolf’s (Michael Harp) rendition of “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”. Stephen Schellhardt as Max Detweiler and Nellie Shuford as Baroness Elberfeld are both quality additions and take on their roles with much aplomb. The children are fun to watch as their talent should not be overlooked, as well as the production’s ensemble roles.

Every aspect seems to have been taken in consideration while creating this production. The sets, massive and detailed, take us inside the von Trapp home so much that we, the audience, almost feel we are invited guests during the party scene and concert goers during the Sazburg Music Festival. The costumes are rich and painstakingly precise, giving the production an element of authenticity at every turn.

If you are already familiar with the story and are looking forward to hearing to hearing such classics as “Do-Re-Mi”, “Edelweiss”, “So Long Farewell”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” or its exhilarating title track, “The Sound of Music”, you will not be disappointed. If you’ve never seen the film or staged production before, you will undoubtedly become a fan.

Adeptly directed and choreographed by Amber Mak, this incredible production of The Sound of Music is being performed at the Paramount Theatre through January 14^th. For tickets and/or more show information click here.

Highly Recommended!

I am constantly amazed as the way directors use the intimate, theater in the round, at The Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre and this exuberant production of “Oklahoma!” celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the classic Rogers and Hammerstein musical is no exception. 

As soon as the dancing begins, this production shows that indeed the entire show of “Oklahoma!” with magnificent, definitive songs like "Oh what a Beautiful Morning" and "People Will say We're in Love,” was meant to be a ballet. This especially rings true during the memorable ballet sequence at the end of Act I which featured tow amazing dancers Benita Bünger (Dream Laurey), Lucas Segovia (Dream Curly) and Alejandro Fonseca (Dream Jud).

It’s farmers against cowboys in this late 19th century musical adventure that follows two love stories. Curly McClain, a cowboy, wants desperately for Laurey Williams to love him, but her stubbornness has her taking her family’s farmhand, Jud Fry, to the big dance instead – and Jud has some serious issues. Laurey’s Aunt Eller can’t understand why her niece is so reluctant to give Curly a chance and has big reservations when Jud gets involved. At the same time, cowboy Will Parker is in love with Ado Annie Carnes and will do whatever it takes to win her over. However, Ado Annie also has eyes for a Persian peddler, Ali Hakim.

The classic western takes a few turns and includes some bumps in the road for the main characters while unfolding into the direction of what becomes a most memorable ending. “Oklahoma!” is an entertaining story that has a bit of everything – jealousy, love, romance, humor and heroes. But in this stage adaptation, it’s the fantastic dance numbers that impress the most.

The dance sequences so beautifully choreographed by Alex Sanchez (and there are many by the entire cast) are some of the best and most exciting dance numbers I've seen in recent musicals. Each number make use of every aisle and every inch of the stage from opening number to rousing finale.

Brandon Springman is mesmerizing in the lead role as Curly while Jennie Sophia plays his romantic interest, Laurey, with great intelligence and romance. Both have really wonderful voices that are accompanied by thoughtful, realistic acting choices that make you fall in love with this couple and understand why they both let their headstrong pride get in the way of what is obvious to everyone else in town as a love affair that is meant to be. Shea Coffman is very strong as Jud Fry and can be flat out frightening at times while Michelle Lauto really gets to show off her gifted voice as Ado Annie. The talent goes on and on as Evan Tyrone Martin is very funny and likeable as Ali Hakim and Aaron Umsted steals several scenes with his electrifying dancing prowess as Will Parker.

There is also a modern-day relevance that pops out at the audience when Laurey complains to her Aunt Eller (played with great wry humor by Susan Moniz) that Jud, the moody, porn-obsessed, farmhand is staring her down at breakfast every day and generally scaring her when her aunt replies that she is being too sensitive and should ignore him. But Judd's behavior is pure sexual harassment by a man with mental health issues who is not only capable of violence and in the cathartic last scene, acts out with both sexual violence against Laurie and a murder attempt towards her beau Curly.

The entire cast is full of rich singing voices and the sing-along at the end of the show to the title song "Oklahoma!" really sums up the lively spirit of this beautifully sung, acted, and danced production of a classic. 

I highly recommend this fast paced but satisfying and exciting production for all members of your family to experience the magic and wonder of one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s great American works. 

“Oklahoma!” runs through June 10th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Tickets are available at marriotttheatre.com or 847-634-0200.

Oriental Theatre is currently housing one of the finest productions of The King and I that you will ever see. From its colorful set to its superb cast including Jose Llana who has mastered the role of the Siamese King, this particular creation if The King and I is simply wondrous.

The scrumptiously definitive Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about a spirited, brainy educator, Anna Leonowens, who the King of Siam brings in from England to teach his seventy-seven children and many wives both the English language along with Western culture. She is strong-willed, which throws off the stubborn and egotistical king, the two struggling, at times, to see eye to eye, especially when Anna states that women are every bit as important than men.

Laura Michelle Kelly has a large Broadway resume and shines as the show’s star in Anna offering genuineness to the role while providing a strong singing voice for the part. Kelly suffuses the character with wit, strength, empathy and a suffragette fervor which climaxes in the comical and still contemporary number, “Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?”

“All to remind you of your royalty,
I find a most disgusting exhibition.
I wouldn't ask a Siamese cat
to demonstrate his loyalty
by taking this ridiculous position
how would you like it if you were a man
playing the part of a toad.
Crawling around on your elbows and knees.
Eating the dust of the road!”

Jose Llana is about as good as it gets as the King of Siam (sorry, Yul Brynner). Llana is no stranger to the role having starred in two Tony-Award winning in Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of The King and I. As I suggested previously, he is made for the role. Delightful, attractive and able to charm the house one moment while displaying great frustration the next, Llana delivers a layered performance as the King, never falling into predictable distortion. Llana’s comic timing, humorous expressions and line delivery are spot on. He is convincing so that it makes perfect sense that his character is both gaining respect for the sophisticated and mature teacher while also being confused by his rising sense of incomprehension at her grasp of political awareness that progresses the destiny of his own family and finally, his entire Kingdom.

The chemistry between Llana and Kelly is explosive.

There is a very funny, yet revealing scene where the King is insisting that Anna’s head never be higher than his own. The King asks Anna to take dictation for an important letter to a visiting dignitary and sits down on the floor. When Anna finally sits down on the floor, the King moves to recline on one elbow and so forth till they are both completely reclining on the floor. Although, it is really a nonsensical demonstration of his manly power, Llana and Kelly manage to make it a funny exchange between two people who are each unaware they are gaining a true admiration for each other.

Other stories unfold throughout the production, that of a young couple whose love is forbidden as the King’s unwilling young captive, Tuptim (Manna Nichols), who is in love with Lun Tha (Kavin Panmeechao), her secret lover. At the same time, we see a young king in the making who is clearly influenced by Anna’s Western ways.

Marcus Shane steps in as Prince Chulalongkorn, the young boy who is next in line to be king, and does a solid job conveying his character’s gradually absorption of Anna’s wisdom and life lessons most notably at the show’s end when he pronounces that “excessive bowing to the King like a toad” is now forbidden. The young prince has clearly learned a lesson in humanity from his now adored teacher and friend, Anna.

Joan Almedilla is fantastic as Lady Thiang. Her stunning rendition of “Something Wonderful” is nothing less than breathtaking. Like the other cast members in main roles, Almedilla’s voice is yet another a true treat for the ears. It’s easy to get spoiled when seeing a well-performed Rodgers and Hammerstein musical because the words for every song are so unforgettable. “We Kiss in a Shadow” is also gorgeously sung by Nichols, as the love stricken Tuptim.

“To kiss in the sunlight
and say to the sky:
"Behold and believe what you see!
Behold how my lover loves me!"
And Panmeechao, Tuptim’s lover, performs the classic “I Have Dreamed” impeccably.
“I have dreamed that your arms are lovely
I have dreamed what a joy you'll be
I have dreamed every word you whisper
When you're close, close to me
how you look in the glow of evening
I have dreamed and enjoyed the view
In these dreams, I've loved you so
That by now I think, I know
what it's like to be loved by you
I will love being loved by you”

The costumes in this piece are true to the period while the dance numbers pleasingly choreographed and a radiant set worthy of its royalty is the finishing touch.
I highly recommend this dreamy, moving and humorous evening of unadulterated theatrical joy.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I is being performed at the Oriental Theatre through July 2nd For more show information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Chicago is alive with the sound of music, thanks to the return of Rogers and Hammerstein’s classic musical now playing at Cadillac Palace that comes with a delightfully vibrant cast and an orchestra that is able to capture the uttermost essence of the original score. Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien, The Sound of Music is in town for just a limited engagement so if you’d like to take in one of the most enduring musicals of all time, you had better act quickly.

Most know the story that takes place in World War II Austria where a “rebellious” nun-to-be, Maria, is sent by the Abbey to the home of the widowed Captain von Trapp, a wealthy and successful Naval officer, to act as the governess for his seven children. She enters a strict household where there is no longer a place for music but rather is closer to the environment found on one of the Captain’s sea vessels. This is a tightly run ship, where orders are barked and children answer to whistle tones. No one dares oppose the way the Captain runs his household, that is, of course, until Maria enters the picture. As the story progresses, Maria kind-heartedness slowly breaks through to the Captain and a whirlwind of love story takes place as the two realize they have eyes for each other.    

With the Third Reich threatening to take over Austria and enlist the Captain’s services, the story takes another turn when the head of the Von Trapp household refuses to support the Nazi ideal. The Sound of Music is a classic love story adventure that has won the hearts of millions not just by its compelling story but by its sensational soundtrack. 

Usually, it is the role of Maria that runs away with the story and is relished and admired so much by its audience. However, in this case, Ben Davis as Captain Georg von Trapp is so dynamic, both vocally and in his acting performance, that so say he stole the show would be a heavy understatement. Displaying a vocal range from a seasoned baritone to a gifted soprano, while so well capturing the essence of a hardened man softened then transfixed by the love, forgiveness and admiration of a young woman, Davis makes one wonder if it is possible to play the role of Captain von Trapp any better. 

But you do need a strong Maria or the play cannot work - period. Kerstin Anderson as Maria is strong indeed. Probably taking the role a bit on the nerdy side in a bit of a twist, Anderson still has the warmth and charm, and is frankly…likeable. Able to harness the much-needed free-spirited persona into her character with seemingly natural ease, she certainly flows gracefully in her role, and she, like Davis, can also belt. 

The supporting roles are also well cast from the Melody Betts as the Mother Abbess to Merwin Foard as the wheeling and dealing Max Detweiler. Talented too are the child actors who make up The Family von Trapp, particularly Paige Sylvester who plays Liesl and also Dan Tracy as Rolf Gruber, her love interest. Sylvester and Tracy especially light up the stage during their inspiring number “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”. 

With such amazing songs as “Do-Re-Mi”, “Climb Every Mountain”, “The Sound of Music” and “Edelweiss”, we are literally treated to one great after another. The Sound of Music is without question both vocally and visually entertaining. The set beautifully depicts the von Trapp mansion, helping to bring this wonderful story to life.

To put it simply, you won’t want to miss this one. 

The Sound of Music is being performed at Cadillac Palace through just June 19th. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 

Roger and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” is always a treat, and that holds true especially with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s current production at the Civic Opera House. A true spectacle of colorful sets, scenic backdrops and larger than life dancing choreography envelope brilliant vocal performances in the fun classic. Of course, the carousel itself is eye candy in itself.

Set in 1873 Maine, the story begins when two young females, Carrie and Julie, visit the carousel where they meet barker, Billy Bigelow. As a “barker”, Billy’s job is to convince crowd members to take a ride on the carousel and does so by shouting out catchy sell phrases and flirting with nearby girls. After Billy puts his arm around Julie for the duration of a ride, Mrs. Mullin, the widowed owner of the carousel ride, lets him go and tells him never to return. Out of work, Billy runs into Julie where a romance blooms and a relationship develops. As sweet and simple as Julie is, Billy’s exterior is tough and carefree. It’s not long after the two are married that Julie surprises Billy with the news that she is pregnant. Billy, already struggling with raising money for he and his wife, is approached by his ex-con, ne'er-do-well whaler friend, Jigger, who presents the idea of robbing Julie’s former boss- and killing him. Billy refuses but has to rethink the idea as he becomes more and more desperate.

There is an overabundance of musical talent in this fifty-plus member cast that provides one beautiful performance after another. In supporting roles, Jenn Gamatese is simply terrific as “Carrie Pepperidge” as is Matthew Hydzik as her love interest “Enoch Snow”. The two are particularly enjoyable when performing together in the numbers “Mr. Snow” and “When the Children Are Asleep”. Charlotte D’Amboise is sensational as “Mrs. Mullin” and gets to really show off her dancing chops in the show’s later afterlife scene – a surreal display put together just dazzlingly by the production team. Also contributing to the show’s beauty and elegance is Denyce Graves whose stunning vocals can be appreciated in “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over”. Laura Osnes plays “Julie Jordan” and delivers several breathtaking singing performances, most notably in her solo number “What’s the Use of Wondrin’”.

Taking the lead is Steven Pasquale as our conflicted, good hearted but troubled “Billy Bigelow”. Pasquale’s performance is just magnificent. From the show’s early duet that has Billy and Julie singing “If I Loved You” to each other, it was apparent this would be one special production. Pasquale leads this gifted cast with his amazing vocal prowess, heartfelt passion and just the right amount of bravado. Pasquale melts the audience with his finessed vocals, “The Highest Judge of All” being the perfect example.

Directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford and conducted by David Chase, Carousel is a classic that should be seen by everyone young, old and in between.

Carousel is being performed at the Civic Opera House through May 3^rd. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.lyricopera.org/carousel or call 312-827-5600.