By Joel Applegate
From the first visual of Spanish Fork Community Theatre’s Tarzan – a beautiful projection of a fully-rigged ship tossed toward Africa on the waves – the audience knows they are in for a sumptuous journey of sight and sound.
A beautifully crafted and mounted production, Disney’s animated film blossoms on the stage under the direction of Cami and Ken Jensen at Spanish Fork High School. With set by Ken Jensen, costumes by Larisa Hicken and Mareen Robinson, and makeup design by Fawn and David Christopher, this is an ambitious undertaking that hits all the marks.
The cast is a great ensemble of characters, from the perfect pairing of soprano Shannon Eden as Jane to Richie Trimble’s muscular Tarzan, to David Henry’s lumbering alpha male, Kerchak, and Vanessa Leazenby’s motherly Kala, everything works.
This is a family affair about love and connections. In fact, whole families from the community are cast in this production, adding atmosphere and interest to every moment on stage. Half the cast does double-duty in performance and crew, making costumes, building the gorgeous set and contributing to hair and make-up.
Ginger Christopher’s choreography is sharp and makes sense uniting a large troop of gorillas in well thought-out movements. And that’s to say nothing of the aerial work! Thrilling to watch, the stagecraft is well executed whether it’s Tarzan or Jane swinging in on their entrances or the hold-your-breath acrobatics of Natalie Jackman’s silks. The musical direction under Brooklyn Gabbitas uses the orchestral track in a great balance with the live vocals. Although I wondered why the whole chorus didn’t chime in on the opening number, nevertheless, the solo voice during the opening was very well performed by Jason Gabbitas.
When in the jungle, expect to hear jungle sounds; expect to see the jungle move. The ensemble cast makes the crouch position seem natural. The credit for natural movement – without being distracting or cartoonish – goes to the Ms. Christopher. I must commend the young apes and even the toddler apes, too, on the discipline it took to stay focused and in character throughout the two-act production. Chelsea Kennedy’s leopard is lithe and lethal, slinking around in a beautiful costume. I think this animal world could have been a little more vocal during key scene moments, but their roles are clear.
The lead characters had it all going on. Although we don’t see Jane until later in the first act, Shannon Eden’s entrance is jaw-dropping. What a beautiful voice! It was matched by a lush set she explored festooned with flora and fauna, a rainbow display of set decoration and costume. When she meets Richie Trimble’s grown-up Tarzan, romance is on the ground and in the air. Trimble’s take on Tarzan is both bold and exploratory, containing as much thought as muscle. He’s the whole package. Eden’s and Trimble’s voices blend very well – the best songs of the night.
David Henry’s first entrance on a swinging vine as Kerchak, the gorilla troop’s leader, takes him all the way across the stage giving the audience its first gasp of the night. Henry’s baritone is both smooth and emotional, giving Kerchak a palpable gravitas. As his mate, Kala, Vanessa Leazenby’s mellifluous alto is very pleasant for the ears, though her mic should have been bumped up a little louder.
Deven Skaggs as Terk is Tarzan’s childhood friend. Skagg’s off-the-cuff performance is a great balance to Tarzan. His character struck me as a hip anachronism, but it still played well. He is an important touchstone in this play, because next to Kala, Terk is Tarzan’s tie to family and tribe.
Rounding out the named characters, Bryan Cardoza as Mr. Porter proved an endearing Daddy to Jane. Their duet was a compliment to each. Jacob Keele as our villain, the smarmy Clayton, brought treachery to his work. Though I found him more officious than threatening, he had a business-like focus on his payday.
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Finally, high fives to the younger members of the cast that had solos: Connor Phillps as Young Tarzan and Elise Claire Jones as Young Terk.
This play is about finding family. Tarzan finds his. I hope you find time to take your family to this not-to-be-missed, beautiful production. Adults will recognize the message and the kids will be wowed. It’s a great tribute to Pioneer Day and appropriate for your family, too.
Spanish Fork Community Theater
July 16 – 18, 20, 23, 25 and 27 at 7:00 pm; Matinee Only on July 24 at 4:00 pm
www.sfctonline.org ~ davidhenry79@gmail.com or purchase at the Box Office
$10 Adults; $8 Students and Seniors; $6 for Children under 12.
At Spanish Fork High School Auditorium, 99 North 300 West (& Center), Spanish Fork, Utah
Photography by Kara Hicken, Kerry Keith Murdock, and Ring Lite Photography.
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