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Show 2C THE GREEN Thursday, Dec. SHEET 8, 1988 ONSTAGE OL. 1UC OllOW ( T't, Dttucs r m 1 J tlb j in luyicuiu r i. nb uicai a ! Leapin Lizards As The Mood The City Rep Crew Creates embellishes the action. dance, always a favorite with little girls, is well done and movement throughout the show is precise and well balanced. The doll by Olga Milius Green Sheet Theater Critic SALT LAKE. For an evening of sheer fun grab a child (or several) and head for City Reps Babes In ToylaruL Victor Herberts storybook operetta, packed full of nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters, is a treat for young and old. Colorful sets and costumes add to the charm and an enthusiastic, talented cast the plays melodramatic, "punny" comedy for all its worth. The magic begins when you enter the theater to find the Toy Soldier Brigade standing smartly at attention along the foyer. Every few minutes they perform a quick drill, and what is more they keep their faces as immobile as the palace guard - you can speak to them but you wont get a flicker of an eye in return; they know what wooden soldier means. Costumed characters take your tickets and help you find your seats, so that by the time you are settled you feel almost a part of the show. There is a huge cast. In addition to the leads, a host of youngsters play the roles of Widow Peeps children, (13 - count em -nursery rhyme characters) and fairy tale people, all fully costumed so that kids can easily recognize them. And all manage to stay in character throughout the show. Especially endearing are Bo Peeps lambs, six white and one little black sheep and the three little pigs, Elmer, Petunia and -- Horace. Talented Jennifer OHaley steals the show as Bo Peep. Her voice soars through the lovely songs and she gets the most out of every line. J. Alan Brodine handles the role of Tom-Towell and the two play well together. James Horrocks gives a good as the terrible-yet-funn- y performance Bamaby with Steve Nichol in great form as his sidekick, Rumple. Both beloved of little boys in the audience. Rosalie Richards is in her element as Widow Peep as is Jeff Taylor as the kindly Toy Maker. Dennis Walker and Nels Holmgren, respectively Deedle and Dum, are bom clowns and were great favorites with the Saturday night audience. Dale Cope plays well as Santa, but perhaps his best performance is after the show when he meets with children in the foyer. He The large production crew obviously worked well together. The Boogeyman scene, with strobe lights, is well coordinated and not too scaiy for the little ones, some of whom scrambled onto nearby laps but seemed nevertheless to enjoy it. The set is attractive and colorful, and also functional. Colorful costumes add appeal and make recognition of the many characters cinch. a My grandchildren instantly recognized their favorites and followed them throughout the show. Accompaniment by City Reps orchestra directed by Richard Chatelain is lively and on Saturday night the orchestra seemed to be enjoying the show as much as the audience. A new twist: a menu of items available at the snack bar included in the program, along with a list of items to be offered from carts brought into the auditorium during intermission. Many in the audience seemed to appreciate the opportunity to indulge in lemonade, ice cream or without leaving the candy auditorium, and from what I hear there was still a goodly crowd at the snack bar. Friends of City Rep also hosted a book and toy shop in the foyer for anyone interested and books (mostly childrens classics) were also listed in a program insert. Instead of repeated curtain calls, the entire cast came down through the audience and were ready to greet patrons in the foyer as they left. The opportunity to talk to Bo Peep, Mother Goose and the rest of the cast offered a real bonus for kids, and the visit with Santa (as mentioned) was also fun. Because of the large cast, there was little waiting in line to visit. Someone was always available to smile, shake hands, sign autographs or chat with a small admirer. All in all, if you want a fun evening with the kids, this is just the ticket. Babes in Toyland will run through Dec. 24. For ticket information call 532-600- 3 1 Its A Good One H good in a rousing shanty town scene. Kim R. Buminghams direction is sure and b works well with Marilyn Montgomerys lively g SALT LAKE. Leapin lizards, its a good show. choreography. The staging and movement are p The Promised Valley Playhouse production of well done throughout, and a talented castj Annie is a treat from beginning to end - and a responds well creating a very smooth production. '2 Ken Johnson did yeoman work as music wonderful ending it is, but more of that later. Young Adrienne Gunn is a fantastic Annie, director, arranger and conductor. The effect of a p lively and very vocal without being brassy. And full orchestra was striking; his use of the her interaction with Daddy Warbucks, (a standout Kurzweil to create that effect had some of the p performance by Bruce A. Bredeson) is completely audience searching (in vain) for the musicians.?! And the balance of sound between vocal and believable. G. Christian is an audience favorite as accompaniment was close to perfect. Jerrilyn Miss Hannigan, getting the most from every scene Costuming design by Jannette Lusk adds color and her "Little Girls" is a knockout. Bryon Finch and style to the show and the technical staff know fe as Rooster and Jayceen Marie Craven as Lily also their business. & give quality performances and together the three Which to sets. the us ff brings do a great "Easy Street." Seven Nielsen pulled out all the stops and every p set is a visual treat. The New York skyline is impressive. The shanty town under the 59th f; street bridge is remarkably detailed, even to real smoke coming from a chimney. The orphanage has made-u- p beds painted on the backdrop so the real beds can be removed for daytime scenes, k adding to the space without losing the setting, p And the Warbuck mansion features a wonderful p by Olga Milius Green Sheet Theater Critic -- f Green Sheet Review ' Seven cute "orphans" sing and dance their way right into your heart as they join Annie in "Hard Knock Life" and "Maybe" and earn their applause in the reprise of "Fully Dressed." And dont overlook the dog, Sandy played by "Bandit," hes a wonderful addition to the cast. Grace Urry Henderson is a warm and charming Grace Farrell with a lovely voice and Bryan Gardners FDR is right on. The entire cast works well together and deserve commendation for a production. The members of the ensemble are delightful as the servants in the Warbuck mansion and equally well-blend- staircase and landing. 'f The ending is a show stopper. A reproduction of the Annie cartoon, with the drawn characters in p the top three frames, the cast members filling the bottom three, directly beneath their speech "balloons." Even the dog joined in the outstanding' freeze. The audience response was tremendous, J ' and deservedly so. ... t All in all, Annie offers a wonderful opportunity for the entire family to enjoy a show together. All ' d involved, on or off stage, can take a ! bow for this one. Annie will run through DeJT 23. Call the 6 for ticket information. Playhouse, f; well-earne- 364-569- TnIO m few 111 TEkii knows just how to approach a youngster who is shy and also how to jest with the bolder ones, and all without getting parents into trouble by making rash promises. There are plenty of worthwhile performances among the huge cast. Mother Goose, played by Peggy Davis; Ilene Wood as the Queen of Hearts; Russ Wood and David Tucker alternating as Old King Cole. And of course all those cute kids, each a favorite with someone in the audience. Highlights include Barnaby and Rumple, "He Wont Be Happy Till He Gets It," Bo Peep and the children, "I Cant Do The Sum," Deedle and Dums audience pleaser, "Go To Sleep" and the fight scene to the "March of the Wooden Soldiers," (which number is never long enough for me.) Joanne Parker directed the fantasy with her usual skill, she has a deft touch with children and in this show it is very evident. Choreography by Julie Orlob Photos On Display SALT LAKE. "Photographic Images" by Jack McLellan will be featured in Pioneer Memorial Theatres Loge Gallery through Dec. 17. The gallery is located on the mezzanine level of the theatre. McLellan and his wife, Eva are owners of images Unlimited in Ogden. He has been active in photography and publications for many years and has taught photography and group communications at Westminster College and Weber College. As a writerphotographer he has published in several magazines, books and newspapers and has served as a photography judge at the Utah State Fair. Included in the Loge Gallery exhibit are a number of both framed and unframed photographs from Images Unlimited correspondence and holiday cards titled "Wild Country Cards" which are available locally. The galleiy is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nonday through Saturday. The display is also available to theatre patrons before and after performances of Theatre Pioneer Companys current production, Room Service and during intermission. or For information call 581-711- 581-673- 8 Good for you folks who are purchasing the things you need here at home. What youre doing is smart because buying locally helps our economy...makes a difference. Dollars spent with this town's merchants stay here. They dont drift to Maine or Oregon. And when's the last time people in those places showed up to help put out a local fire or kicked in to send the band to a festival? Give this town the business. Pester its retailers for your shoes, shirts, groceries, home furnishings everything you need or want. Let your neighbor deliver, not the postal service or some stranger in a brown truck. Get what you need today without waiting for weeks. And about saving fivecents on bananas at that big store twenty miles away, that'sjust...well, a bunch of bananas. 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