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Show THIS is the Place': a play with a great future : - ': ' .' ..... I : ir.tcV; 4 lr, '' 4 ' ' """ " , V v i ;J. 'j hJ-I "r" rr !-fl - mi i itrr in r iivr and freeways into the tiny Park City area; and a tour guide who puts the best face on any bizarre aspect of local life. The authors have a funny, perceptive eye for the quirks of Park City types and everybody's desires to cut a slice out of the big-money pie. This is best expressed in a well written and -performed song, "We've Got to Make a Dollar or Two." I think audiences will also respond heartily to the plight of the tourists (Bob Toy, Val Thurnell) seeking to find a drink but hampered by the liquor laws. This is good material which can be pushed push-ed to even crazier dimensions. dimen-sions. One of the best things in the script is its willingness to string out several running gags through the show. (One, mysteriously, has no payoff. After Sam Raddon's presides over the stage, and occasionally joins in the action. Stevens is a nice, folksy choice for the role, but seems quite stiff at the beginning (The stark set would be tough for any actor in this position). He might need some props or accoutrements accoutre-ments of clothing (like suspenders) to play with to feel more at ease in the part. The stiffness never quite leaves him, but in later moments of the play, he is believably relaxed or intent, as the mood demands. Parley Lamar is sympathetic sympath-etic in the hands of two different actors. As portrayed portray-ed by Moe Mandrell, he's like Beaver Cleaver grown up scared, easily flustered and always capable of being shocked. Wesley Rippeon, as Parley II, plays him as a bemused, hapless soul and is a little suggestive of a dazed rabbit game-show host. Dave Sturges punches up the action with a wild-eyed politician who wants to bring LA. with him to the Rockies. And Madeline Smith is a good hard-bitten lady cop. The script doesn't give any memorable bits, to Connie. Jean Boyle (as upperclass' Park City) or Kathleen Johnson (the waitress) but both carry their roles off well. Another highlight is Bob Toy's woozy incredulity as a tourist fighting his way through the undergrowth of local liquor laws. Val Thurnell, Thur-nell, as his wife, is tart, impatient and looks as if she is enduring the Main Street tour at gunpoint. Colleen Wimmer provides a good example of an actor given a wacko part and running with it. As Valley Girl Chrissy, she's a familiar stereotype but still steals the show. (One general acting perking up his boorish lectures to Parley and being likable in spite of his role. The direction and choreography choreo-graphy here is assured, done through the guidance of director Richard Jewkes and choreographer assistants Jim Stoddard and Tal Kuhre. The nimble instrumental piano playing and orchestration is by Michael Johnson. The most impressive achievements in the play are the consistently witty parody songs written by the authors and Ren Anderton, although the lyrics are sometimes tricky, and on occasion you can't hear the words. One song deserves praise for being good even by professional standards Parley's Par-ley's plaintive "Send Me to Spain," done to the tune of "Send in the Clowns." Like the best show tunes, it has a simple framework but still has humor, pathos, a nicely controlled mood, and even an allusion to the song it i by Rick Brough "THIS is the Place," Park City Performances' centennial centen-nial musical, had two openings open-ings on Thursday night at the Egyptian. (There were two caste for the central roles.) And I was glad I stuck around , for, both shows, since was struck by two different feelings. The first showing was fun, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of raw edges, of incompletion. There were running gags that didn't quite reach a destination, situations that led you to wait for further developments develop-ments and eccentric characters charac-ters in the first or second stages of their wackiness. If I was conscious the first show of what could be, during the second show I enjoyed more what is now in the show. The premise is good, and the characters have a goofy appeal. It is most important to rernember that, from nothing, noth-ing, the authors have brought forth a full-fledged musical. (As the man said when his foot fell asleep, it's hardest to take that first step. ) The show not only has good potential, but in the here-and-now it has humor, proficient singing and dancing, danc-ing, and good comic performances. perfor-mances. A couple of notes on the difficulty of writing an original play:, David Fleisher, Katherine Reynolds and Mike Phillips wrote the musical while they were absorbed in other occupations. occupa-tions. As one of the play's recurring lines puts it: "It's expensive to live in Park The authors have a funny, perceptive eye for the quirks of Park City types and everybody's every-body's desires to cut a slice out of the big-money big-money pie. spoofs! Last but not least, we should praise the play's sets the small model buildings build-ings that have a playful way of changing into benches, hospital beds and even a hot tub. The set changes are well-integrated into the action ac-tion and Stevens in particular deserves kudos for getting through his long speeches folding or unfolding pieces of stage equipment. The Egyptian's centennial musical is young, just starting start-ing its "Wonder Years," and has a bright future in Utah theater. "THIS is the Place" plays Thursday-Saturday through March. looking at the headlights of an oncoming car. Both men are good singers, but Rip-peon Rip-peon startles you a little in his solo, with his broodingly deep voice. Jennifer, the heroine who befriends Parley, is well-played well-played by Debby Rapp as a solicitous, peaches-and- rule for this kind of show is to go as crazy as you want. ) Mark LaJoie as Old Bill is on too briefly to get momentum. But he's still amusing as a scratchy, senile mountain goat. Rai French as Rulon Pratt huffs and puffs nicely, girlfriend tries to get his ear through one entire scene, you never find out what the hell she wanted!) The two scenes with the least life to them are Parley's discussions with his local mentor, Rulon Pratt. Unlike the Salt Lake Acting Company's Com-pany's "Saturday's Voyeur" cream character. She's like a oasis of calm amid the other crazy Park City characters who beset Parley. Leslie Luyken plays Jennifer Jenni-fer with impishness and an inviting air. She seems to be constantly beckoning you to a party, especially in her Miners' Hospital number. In her few lines with the stuffy Rulon Pratt, she uses him as a foil better than anyone else in the show. But maybe the most fun comes from the supporting performances, helped in many cases by good dialogue. dia-logue. As tour-guide hostess Irma Chambers, Jackie Craigle and Maggie Reno give fine, dry comic performances. perfor-mances. Craigle's hostess uses a glitzed-out toothiness to get her through any problem. Reno has a well-coiffed well-coiffed briskness (and a memorable bump and grind in her song number). Curt Graf capitalizes wonderfully on his brief appearances as time-share wizard Biff Johnson. He's got the breezy insincerity of a City. Everyone has one, two or three jobs." And a personal note: While PCP was kicking around the idea of an original musical, the project was passed to yours truly, who couldn't summon up the creative juices to contribute. This proves the wisdom of the old saying I just made up which says, "Those who can, do. Those who can't do, review." But on to the play, which begins when a bicycle-riding missionary, Parley Lamar, collides with a group of Park City tourists. Parley wou'd rather be sent overseas anywhere overseas! rather than preach in Park City, but as his mission president explains, "In religious terms, Park City is overseas." over-seas." Parley's worst fears are soon borne out, as he meets the different citizens of Park City: a slick time-share salesman with the air of a riverboat gambler; a pushy politician who is prepared to shoehorn airports, reservoirs (the obvious inspiration for this play), the authors here don' t seem to really know the Mormon Church. The jokes done with Brother Pratt could apply to any brand of get-up-and-go fundamentalism fundamenta-lism in the U.S. (There are some good laughs, however, directed at Parley's suit and bike, and a funny song called "If Ever You Should Lose Faith.") There's another important difference with "Voyeur," which is aimed at the claustrophobic frustrations of Utah Gentiles and liberals. The Mormon jokes aren't so necessary to "THIS is ..." In particular, a few comments about the sexual hypocrisy of frontier Mormon elders are more polemical than funny. As the play develops, it can afford to phase out some . of the Mormon jokes and also the expository history lessons, too. Lioyd Stevens leads the cast as Sam Raddon, a character (like the Stage Manager in "Our Town") who narrates the story, |
