Norwell MA Reviews- April

[jdmag44]

The Company Theatre Norwell MA. Opening Night Mar 18 -Jamie Mann as Billy - Oliver Trejo --as Michael

Norwell Massachusetts is a lovely little town of 10,000 nestled between Boston and Plymouth
Norwell is the home of the award winning Company Theatre. The history of this wonderful theatre is fascinating and well worth reading about - here is the link http://companytheatre.com/about/history/

THE PRODUCTION:
I had the privilege of meeting Zoe Bradford the long time director of the theatre's many productions. This woman has theatre in her bone marrow. She was so excited about the production and bubbling over with joy in being able to bring it to the stage. No stranger to a challenge, having directed Les Mis, she leaped at the chance to bring what we all know as an extremely difficult and demanding show to her stage.
This production was faithful to the original. I did not notice any major departures,even small ones from what the show looked like on the tour. It retained the original rough language in the dialogue and songs and had a great look and feel. Thanks to Henery Beckvoldand and Camoren McEachern the stage was adorned with excellent sets with all its movable parts functioning smoothly and without distraction. Thanks to music director Michael Joseph and a large number of talented local musicians the very difficult and complicated score was served up beautifully as good as any I have heard. The cast made up of mostly local talent was excellent. The company sounded great and danced well. The choreography was simplified from the original but had a beautiful look and worked very well. They kept the original long finale which was as good as I have ever seen.
The sound in this wonderful little theatre was very good. No problem understand a single word.
This opening night audience was very tuned in and responsive not missing and responding to every funny line. They were loving the show and showing it by loud and sustained applause and shouts of excitement.
Over all the Company Theatre can be proud of an exceptionally fine production.

Dad ( Christopher Hagberg) and Tony (Bryan George Rowell) turned in strong performances. They paired well together and Bryan was the first Tony I hve seen who was young enough to really be Billy's older brother. Mrs Willkenson (Noreen MacDonald) was a stand out playing Sandra the stoic teacher who almost never cracks,almost. She does a powerful and emotional final scene saying goodbye to Billy. Noreen is a local talent and also is the Executive Director/Owner at Dance Workshop of Hanover. The ballet girls in the production are her students which made for great chemistry on stage. Dead Mom (Taylor Walker) was one of the best I have ever seen in this role.

MICHAEL (Oliver Trejo) is everything you want a Michael to be- wonderfully expressive and somewhat flamboyant -his energy and winning smile are captivating. His rendition of the "nutcracker" line is classic and brought the longest laugh from the audience who just ate him up.
Unlike other productions they gave Michael a prominent position for his final bow and the audience went wild with applause.

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
Billy Elliot - Jamie Mann

This has been a long and winding road for Jamie. Getting to this night took two years of auditions constant ballet and tap lessons (Tommie Retter's prized pupil) some difficult hurdles to jump over in order to arrive at this juncture.
Jamie,who relatively small of stature is a HUGE presence on stage. I have always been aware of the fact that Billy IS the show. He is a dominating presence for the entire two plus hours. Of the many actors I have seen in this role none have loomed as LARGE on stage. I said in a past review (Jupiter FL) that Jamie had the audience from hello. Well it appears he did it again. He gets the audience attention from the get go looking out at the crowd in a way that makes each person feel like he is looking at them. He has a special ability to draw them in. It's like he reaches out and takes us by the hand and brings us up on stage to be in his story. The result is that the audience becomes invested in Billy right away. Now he has them hanging on every word and often leaning forward so as not to miss anything he says or does. His singing voice is pure and beautiful and his acting is so natural, he is a delight to watch. His standout scene is the letter and he leaves the audience breathless and sobbing. Electricity was somewhat simplified but Jamie danced it beautifully, delighting the audience.
Jamie is truly a force to be reckoned with. I find it hard to believe he had only 5 performances in the role prior to tonight's debut. What a future this young man has. If you love BETM and are coming here to Norwell you will be so glad you got to see Jaime Mann as Billy. What I am trying to say is "The kid is good-really,really good"

[dongringo]

Excellent review. Thank you!

[kport]

So......did you enjoy it, Joe?

I am so happy to read that the first show was such a stunning success. This little theatre is doing big things, and I think it will be right up there with the top New England regional theatres in a few years....BETM may go a long way to reach that target. The video I have seen backs everything Joe has said - the cast sings and dances beautifully, and Mrs W is a knockout. I am really looking forward to seeing more of Dad, Tony and Michael. Jamie's superb talent goes without question and, after traversing a somewhat tortuous journey to get here, I am over the moon that now he has his own production in which he can shine. I cannot wait to get back to God's country (Red Sox Nation) to see this show!!

[jdmag44]

THE COMPANY THATRE- NORWELL MA
Sat Mar 19 & Sun Mar 20 -Jamie Mann - Oliver Trejo

Having seen three shows now I would like to comment some more on the production and the cast.

I must say I am very impressed with this production. Sunday's performance was solid -everything was working and the hard work of preparing (with not a lot of time) paid off big time. I am amazed that this wonderful local theatre company comes so close to the quality of any of the shows on the North American Tour.

For Forum members who like details,differences,and unique creative touches, I can share a few with you. The theatre is small (350 seats) modern,very comfortable, with an incline that allows for an unobstructed view - there is not a bad seat in the house. It is a perfect setting for an intimate story like Billy's. The sound system is superb, all music,and spoken words are crystal clear, The stage is smaller than in the bigger venues so choreography needed to adjust to that especially in Solidarity. Billy does fly but space in limited- it looks good but does not have the room to circle and soar. Dream ballet begins differently. Billy starts with twirling the chair alone and leaves it to dance by himself for a few minutes. Older Billy enter from the side. The choreography here is quite different not all the moves are synchronized which allow the dancer playing older Billy (sorry I don't know his name) to do some incredibly beautiful leaps and other spectacular ballet moves. Just before the flying he raises Billy all the way up above his head,arms fully extended upward with Billy in a flying pose and moves across the stage - so impressive and so beautiful to watch. Angry Dance was choreographed to feature Billy dancing. There were only a few others moving on and off the stage,and fewer police with shields. Jamie is a very good tapper (Thommie Ritter trained) and I thoroughly enjoyed watching him. The only problem was I could not hear the tapping sounds which I think is essential.

ORCHESTRA / MUSIC
Under the direction of Michael V. Joseph the 13 piece orchestra was extraordinary. Unlike some regional productions there were no squeaky clarinets only perfect beautiful music. Elton would be proud. Michael and his group of local musicians did something that in my many experiences with BETM I never heard before. It is perhaps a first. The score was played "live" for both Angry Dance and Electricity. Nothing canned here. Kudos Michael! One feature of the theatre I did not like was that the orchestra pit,located in front of the stage was not very deep and the full orchestra was visible throughout the entire show. They did not block the view but it is distracting.

Noreen MacDonald (Mrs Wilkinson)
Noreen does an excellent Job in this role In my opinion she stand out for doing something no other woman has ever done as well. Her final scene,saying goodbye to Billy is so beautifully done,so powerful far better than any of the other shows I have seen. In my opinion, she plays it out perfectly -creating incredible tension in the audience as she desperately tries not to lose her stoic facade,digging her heals in "well goodbye then". Holding on so hard she trembles and then she cracks ever so slightly "you are very very special" breaking a bit more. Notice the F word is gone here. When she turns toward the audience still trying not to lose emotional control she first speak with your facial expressions and then with her tears and then finally her shaky trembling words - simply brilliant.

Christopher Hagberg (Dad)
Christopher's transition from Bastard to supportive dad was done very well and it is clear he is a seasoned actor. He plays a Dad who is lost and grieving and out of touch with Bill,angry but not too angry some times even kindly. He has wonderful chemistry with Jamie on stage
He is a joy to watch in this role.

Oliver Massey (Small Boy)
I could not keep my eyes off this little dynamo. Oliver is absolutely delightful. Full of energy and smiling constantly, So young yet very professional ,he clearly was so happy to be on stage and part of this show- His "religious" press-up were great and he was a very cute Grim Reaper.

[porschesrule]

Here's a review by Guy Giampapa, from the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE), with emphasis on Jamie Mann's performance:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-comp ... 2456555758

[porschesrule]

examiner.com chimes in with this very positive review of the Norwell show:

http://www.examiner.com/review/theatre- ... -to-behold

[jdmag44]

GREAT REVIEW by Tony Annicone, Theatre Mirror

https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-comp ... 9825647948

[kport]

There was a question, back when Billy Elliot was first licensed to regional theatres after years on professional Broadway, West End and international stages, and several Equity tours, whether or not they could pull off a musical that demands so much of a theatre, a cast, and most of all a 'triple threat' lead actor, hardly into his teen years. To date, every regional has passed this test, and I would place this production, by The Company Theatre, right at the top of the class.

The common key is to find a Billy. At first, there were several from the tours and the West End stage that were brought in. This 'pool' dried up with the conclusion of the Gateway production, and now the regionals have to find or create new Billys. The Company Theatre is fortunate to have found Jamie Mann as its Billy, fresh from a pre-Christmas inauguration into the role at The Maltz Theatre, Jupiter, Florida. I saw his five shows there, and watched him emerge as a confident and talented triple threat. That production simply ended too soon to see just how far Jamie could go in that development period. Happily, the continued growth in his amazing talent is in evidence on the stage at this theatre, where he is the only Billy; where not only could he be a star, but is! This is a show that is lucky to have found Jamie, and Jamie is fortunate to have found this show.

The strength of the symbiotic relationship between Billy and Mrs Wilkinson (Noreen MacDonald) is palpable from their first exchange. It is a fitting partnership, as Noreen not only plays Mrs Wilkinson, but in real life is Mrs W at a local dance academy she runs (a number of the Ballet Girls are her pupils; they are absolutely wonderful as they sing and dance with real passion). Debbie (Morgan Benard) is perfectly cast, clearly several years younger than Billy. She receives the biggest audience response from her 'f**ny' (yes, the English term is used) joke than any Debbie I have seen. Another priceless moment is when Mrs W is speaking with Jackie about Billy's audition, and instead of shrieking 'Mum' from offstage, Mrs W bring Debbie on stage and sits her in a chair, so we can see her frustration and her mother's impatience with her. Another moment comes as Mrs W says her final goodbye to Billy - instead of flouncing out in a huff after Mum tells her to go, Debbie stops, looks back at Billy, and softly says 'Goodbye, Billy' before turning away, about to break down into tears. By the way, the 'authentic language' is preserved, with one omission: at the end, Mrs W's final words to Billy are 'You are a very - very - special person'. And why shouldn't her last words show how she has come to love him like a son?

Michael (Oliver Trejo) is wonderfully flamboyant in his role - I have to think back to David Bologna to recall one as funny in that sense. The 'Dresses' reappear in this production. Oliver has added some wonderful moments that deserve to be mentioned for future productions: one in particular should be added to all: in the final scene, when Billy kisses him, Michael grabs his arm and holds on as it slips through his fingers, while Billy departs, leaving Michael's open hand willing him to return. Break out the tissues for that moment!

Dad (Christopher Hagberg) is outstanding - he plays Dad as a man deeply wounded by his wife's death, and a man watching his world taken away, bit by bit, until he realizes that Billy is his future and his purpose for living. He does not shout, thank goodness, but his anger and frustration are in abundance. Christopher has one of the finest singing voices, and Deep into the Ground is singularly moving. Tony (Bryan George Rowell) is one of the new crop of younger Tonys that regionals are producing; his is 21 who, on stage, would pass for an 18 year old, but he plays Tony as someone who is worldly-wise beyond his years, due to the hardscrabble existence of a miner and loss of his mother. Again, he does not shout his part, but presents an angst that is believable and realistic. This young actor will go far, I predict.

Grandma (Karen Wadlund) plays the role in a slightly new manner; she looks a little less 'dotty' than some in that role, and is able to add a little more of her own interpretation, which succeeds admirably. Dead Mum (Taylor Walker) is as accomplished as any I have seen, and her duet with Mum in The Letter is wonderfully poignant. Tall Boy (Wyatt LaPenski) and Small Boy (Oliver Massey) play their roles with great enthusiasm, and provide many moments of humor and interest; Wyatt is about to take part in the ACT Theatre's regional premiere of School of Rock; Oliver (6) is a wonderful Small Boy who brings the laughter from the audience on a number of occasions. He looks as though he was born to be on stage!

The Ensemble do a fine job, executing the many numbers with precision and skill. The ensemble singing is first rate, well mic'd by the sound crew, and the dancing (some quite new choreography) is spot on. Several of the Ensemble are still in high school! George (Mark Estano) is hilarious. Big Davey (Francis Sheehan) is suitably stentorian. Mr Braithwaite (Ryan Barrow) is side-splitting as he executes splits in Born to Boogie.

Older Billy (Ben Kuefler) is just 17; but he is an amazing dancer, and the new and inspiring choreography for Dream Ballet is made more stunning by the fact that he looks like Billy at the end of his RBS days, just as Liam Mower did in the dvd version from London. Apparently, Ben was a late addition to the cast, and a very happy addition. There is a link below to him dancing Sleeping Beauty.

This show presents changes that are new, but it is evident to me that the directors, Zoe Bradford and Jordie Saucerman, the choreographer Sally Ashton Forrest, and the Musical Director Michael V Joseph, have done extensive homework and background study, so that where changes are presented, they fit like a glove the intent of the musical and its historical sense. The lighting and sound are excellent; only voices and recorded sounds (police sirens etc) and sent through the few speakers well placed around the theatre, while the orchestra, which is open to audience view throughout, is heard unamplified. The effect is stunning. The orchestra is large, so the colliery brass band effect is preeminent throughout. This is a show where the MD is actually the conductor, standing and leading musicians and cast, so that every orchestral sound matches the words or dance on stage. You do not get that when the MD is also Keyboard 1. These observations lead me to make a statement I normally try to avoid: the musical production here is one of the finest I have heard in many Billy Elliot productions - and I have heard a few! Kudos to Mr Joseph and his outstanding orchestra!

Finally, this show is unique in it venue: a fairly smallish modern theatre, with seats raked at an angle so that every one has an excellent view of the stage. No seat can be more than 100 feet from the stage. In that regard, this is an outstanding production within a 'studio theatre' atmosphere, which immediately draws the audience into the story. Judging by its enthusiastic laughter, applause and cheers, I would have to say this is the case. This show is a triumph!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2JH2MVaSlg