FOLIO
by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM
Players by the Sea, for the second year in a row, chose a New Year’s Eve gala to open its first show of the year. Judging by the rousing response to this wonderful way to bring in the New Year, Players may be on the way to establishing a Jacksonville tradition.
This musical re-creation of Thomas “Fats” Waller’s music, titled after one of his most well-know compositions, debuted on Broadway in 1978. Conceived by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby Jr., it won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and played 1,600 performances. Player’s polished version of this musical revue will continue from January 7 to 22 at 106 Sixth Street North in Jacksonville Beach. Call 249-0289 or visit their website at www.playersbythesea.org for information and reservations.
The show opens with six extraordinarily talented and energetic performers singing the title song, and follows with twenty-nine more. Most were written or recorded by “Fats” himself; a couple of numbers were written exclusively for this show by composer Maltby.
This classic has been directed and staged by Lee Hamby with the Player’s usual intensity and intelligence and is performed by expert/exceptional singers who have learned how to work with one another while displaying amazing chemistry. They are a model ensemble!
The cast is a wonderful mix of very talented singers/actors, and all performers go by their own names in the show. Steve Anderson Jr. received a Pelican award from Players for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his work in last summer’s Parade. Anderson has excellent dramatic credits as well, with roles in Julius X, Gee’s Bend, and Crumbs.
Miranda Lawson, who has been in constant demand in musical theater since she graduated from Jacksonville University, both performs with her dynamic voice and has also choreographed this show along with Director Hamby.
Ruth Simpson made her Players’ debut with this season’s The Full Monty, which was well received. Here, she really gets to spread her wings and soar with her vocal talents, especially in Waller’s comic songs.
We had the pleasure of seeing Jacksonville University’s production of Ragtime, with Milton Threadcraft’s excellent performance as the leading character Coalhouse Walker Jr., last year. Threadcraft embodies “Fats” in the show and has a remarkable voice and stage charisma. And he is robust enough to convincingly portray the real Waller, who was hefty (and who died an unexpected and untimely death at the age of 39, from pneumonia).
As critics, we have followed the career of Douglas Anderson junior, J’royce Denard–Walton in musicals at DA and other theatres in Jacksonville. This talented young man really comes into his own in “Ain’t Misbehavin’” in the ensemble numbers and in his show -stopping solo “The Vipers Drag” where he displays his vocal ability combined with amazing dexterity.
The final member of the cast is Kathy Williams, a graduate of Edward Waters College who now lives in Gainesville. She has sung with some of the world’s best gospel recording artists, in addition to appearing in a number of musicals including The Wiz, Momma I Wanna Sing, and Hello Dolly. She has beauty in bountiful proportions and a powerful voice to boot and the appreciative audience adored her comic genius.
You will see a lot of the back of Musical Director “Magic Fingers” Bryant Miano, who is on the upright piano playing and leading his stellar band, that played with so much gusto and enthusiasm that they occasionally overpowered a couple of the fast paced solos. They played to perfection on the slow blues/torch song numbers. The band features Vin Sowders (trumpet), Steve Picataggio (drums), Michael Emmert (clarinet/alto sax) and Jeremiah Hunt. (bass).
The first act had some of Waller’s popular songs, like “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Cash for your Trash,” and “The Joint is Jumpin’.”
The second act seemed to be the audience’s favorite; we know it was ours. The first act had most performers standing in one place, with most of the action taking place in center stage, while the second act was more lively, with the performers using more of the stage from end to end. And It had more songs that were familiar to the crowd, including “Two Sleepy People,” “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie,” “Black and Blue,” and “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” a song that moved the audience to quietly sing along. Here, I would have liked to see Kathy Williams emotional song “Mean to Me” done down front center stage rather than in a chair at the far corner of the stage.
The set design by Lee Hamby was simple, with silver streamers at the back, and four large columns in an art deco design. The night club lighting by Jim Wiggins included interior illumination of the columns in softened changing colors, along with dramatic spotlights for the performers.
The Alhambra Dinner Theatre’s Earyle Rhodes designed the costumes, dressing the men in colorful suits, with vests and bowlers. He gave the ladies bright dresses and added some very interesting hats, all appropriate to the period.
Take a trip back to the Harlem of the 1920’s and 30’s and that fabulous Golden Age of Jazz personified in the classy and sassy music of Thomas “Fats” Waller. Players by the Sea has a cast that will mug and hug and steal their way into your heart, in a musical you can just sit back and enjoy, with no plot to worry about, just music, dance, and laughter for two hours. What a great way to start the year!
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