Active GF Theatre Season Continues

Next Tuesday, the UND Theatre Department opens its production of the classic comedy-drama, “Bus Stop” in the Burtness Theatre. It runs at 7:30 nightly April 15-19. The cast includes both UND students and community members. I hope to have a review for next week’s High Plains Reader.

The 20-year tradition of summer musical and theatrical training in the Grand Forks school system pays off in stronger school theatre productions during the regular academic year. A perfect example is Red River High School’s production of “The Mikado” last weekend.

The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta may be a light comedy in the guise of silly satiric melodrama, but its catchy songs pose a true challenge for the most seasoned of singers and musicians. Besides a whole-hearted embracing by the cast of its sense of fun, the score demands trained operatic voices with precise enunciation of the words as well as the proper notes. The Red River students, under the direction of Brad, Connie, and Ken Sherwood, and Rich McFarlane, put on an admirable and entertaining show.

The student orchestra sounded like a professional pit orchestra, and the young singers sounded much older than their years. Many of the leading cast members had starred in Neil Simon’s “Rumors” last winter, and proved with “The Mikado” that they can maintain their comic timing while singing from the diaphragm. Although everyone was wearing wireless microphones, many did not need them. In fact, at times the audio balance was actually too loud on the singers in comparison to the live orchestra.

Jace Beehler handled the tenor romantic lead of Nanki-Poo earnestly. Zach Spicer often stole the show as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, especially during his performance of the traditionally updated “little list” of people “who never will be missed,” which he was allowed to write himself and change nightly. Daniel Wiebusch had both the melodramatic flair and the requisite strong bass voice for Pooh-Bah, and Luke Snustad was fine as Pish Tush.

Alyssa Graham was an effective ingénue as Yum-Yum, supported well by Teran Ferguson and Brenna Everson as Pitti-Sing and Peep-Bo to round out the “three little maids from school.” While the entire cast had good voices and energetic performances, the show suddenly jumped to a new level at the end of act I with the entrance of Kayli Davis as Katisha and Cody Gerszewski as the Mikado. Their powerful voices and stage presence played the audience like a musical instrument. As if in response, the whole cast fine-tuned their performances to make the second act even stronger than the first.

The large chorus added immensely to the atmosphere with their colorful costumes and well-rehearsed choreographed singing. Anyone in Grand Forks who appreciates musical theatre can be proud of locally produced shows, and need not wait for sporadic touring companies to play the Chester Fritz Auditorium.