By MaryAlice Nelson
Mesa Encore Theatre presents Hello, Dolly! in the Nesbit Elliot Playhouse at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona. This fun steampunk rendition of the classic story is full of laughter, love, and tears. You will be humming right along to some familiar tunes and wishing the best for the lovers. The story follows well known matchmaker Dolly Levi (Kathleen Richards) as she comes to town to stop the old and stern Horace Vandergelder (Darryl Poenish) from mistakenly marrying the young widow Irene Malloy (Lauren Berman). Throughout this endeavor Dolly needs to convince Vandergelder that his niece, Ermengarde (Juli Gore), is a good match for Ambrose Kemper (Payten McLeod), find a match for Irene, and recognize the signs from her late husband that it is all right for her to finally move on with a new love.
K. Richards commands the stage from her arrival and holds the audience at attention with her cool confidence and witty demeanor. Even being a woman, she can hold her own with the men and has them eating out of the palm of her hand. She draws you in as she seeks for a sign of approval from her late husband that she has his blessing to move on after all these years of being on her own. Her performance is solid, her singing is top notch, and even with a few mic glitches she was able to project to still be heard all the way to the back of the theatre, even over the live band, without skipping a beat.
Poenish fell right into his role as Vandergelder, the crotchety old man, who always thinks he is right. He’s rich, arrogant, and dripping with condescending tones, and you get a feel for his lifestyle and ideals as he sings “It Takes A Woman.” Throughout various scenes I was impressed at how well he could hold a pose and not draw attention to himself while sitting on the ‘outside’ not taking away from the action. Vandergelder is a man you want to hate, but by the end you can see him through Dolly’s loving eyes.
Berman as Irene brings you in with her flirtatiously vivacious attitude and longing to be noticed. She makes the audience feel young again when she sings “Ribbons Down My Back.” Her interactions with Cornelius Hackl (Ben Tietz) are sweet and innocent as she leans on his every word, twitter-pated in that young love and longing to live his portrayed life of elegance. Tietz brings that balance of nervous energy that comes with a first love. You can’t help but empathize with him through the terrors of dating, trying to make a good impression.
Barnaby Tucker (One Griffin) is a delight to watch; the innocence and delight for getting out this one day is undeniable. Griffin’s comedic timing is second to none. He is also a remarkable dancer—I found it hard to take my eyes off him. His interactions with Minnie Fay (Jacquelyn Richards) the sweet little chatterbox, are endearing. J. Richards’ cheery air was contagious.
Gore was hysterical, crying through most of her scenes and constantly clinging to McLeod, who does a great job comforting her in his own little way. The pair makes a great team on the dance floor. The choreography is their spotlight.
Ernestina (Brianne Gobeski) perfectly embodies what everyone dreads on a blind date. Her loud, artsy demeanor cannot be ignored. Rudolph Risenweber (Matt Snell) has great energy and projection. His joyful demeanor and welcoming attitude are things that you wish everyone had. Judge (David Tonner) is hysterical, modeling the great features that Dolly points out, and is a great contrast to his previous strict and staunchly attitude just minutes prior. The Clerk (Marcus Bellamy) is a hoot. His pantomime skills are on point and quirky, fun energy is simply a delight to watch.
Director/Choreographer John Staniunas does a great job at collecting a well-rounded cast that bursts with talent. His use of the stage is impeccable through his blocking and choreography. Music Director Michael Snyder is brilliant with the live band. The harmonies he has worked are beautiful and everyone stays in tune.
The set sesign by Robert Andrews is fun and fits the steampunk theme. Though main elements stay the same through simple drops and additions, you are transported to the different locations such as the Vandergelder, the train, Irene’s hat shop, and the fancy restaurant. Each actor is brilliantly dressed by Emily Reeves. Her costume design keeps to the steampunk theme. This adds a different style and flare to the show I had not previously experienced.
Clare Burnett’s lighting helped you follow the action. James Bissenas’s sound designis wonderfully crafted to create a perfect balance of voice to band, so neither party is overpowered. There were a few glitches, all of which were fixed quickly and without too much distraction.
All-in-all Mesa Encore Theatre brings a fun new twist to the classic Hello, Dolly! with their steampunk revival. Grab the family and dance on over to the Mesa Arts Center in the Nesbitt/ Elliott Playhouse. Depending on what events are also happening at the Mesa Arts Center that evening, parking may cost $5. Make sure you come early, as there are four theatres in the same building. Also, the Nesbitt/ Elliott Playhouse gets a little chilly, so you might want to bring a jacket, but if you forget, they do have a few shawls available to keep you warm.
Mesa Encore Theatre presents Hello, Dolly!, Lyrics and Music by Jerry Herman, Book by Michael Stewart
Nesbitt/Elliott Playhouse, Mesa Arts Center, 1 E Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85201
March 1-17, 2019, Thurs-Sun 7:30 PM (Sun matinee 2:30 PM)
Contact: 480-644-6500, www.MesaEncoreTheatre.com, www.MesaArtsCenter.com w
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