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Little Lake hopes 'Putnam County' production spells s-u-c-c-e-s-s
And five, for a company not in the same fiscal league as Pittsburgh CLO, is a relatively high number.
"The obvious challenges are, of course, finding a musical that works in the round, without elaborate scenery and a fairly small cast," said Fitchett.
"Perhaps not so apparent is that the fixed costs of producing a musical - the higher royalties, rentals, musicians, etc. - are very difficult when a theater has as small a seating capacity as ours. That's why you don't see the Lake produce many musicals. It's a significant risk for us financially."
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Well, the show was a runaway hit on Broadway in 2005, and it is "a veritable showcase of adolescent awkwardness," or so wrote one delighted New York critic. The charm of the piece, I hear, is that the bookworm contestants in the story's middle school spelling bee are played to the hilt by adult actors not afraid to reveal an essential characteristic. By that, I'm referring to their inner dweebiness. We are talking about a spelling bee, after all. Dweebs rule. Geeks and nerds, too.
"Artistically, selecting this musical was a no-brainer," added Fitchett. "When I saw it in New York, I laughed out loud at every other line. I know what a terrific audience-pleaser it is. It's smart and so funny and witty and familiar and lovable."
Despite her enthusiasm for "Putnam County," Fitchett invited Art DeConciliis to direct the production at Little Lake, and DeConciliis then brought in a cast that includes Julianne Avolio, Nick Bell, Grant Carey, Greg Caridi, Samantha DeConciliis, Rob James, Laura Paterra, Elizabeth Pegg and Stephen Santa. Rehearsals began the day three of the actors finished their work on stage in "Into the Woods," which Santa directed for the Old Schoolhouse Players.
The no-break transition from one to the other wasn't hard for Paterra, who played the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods" and now plays competition newcomer Olive Ostrovsky in "Putnam County.
"I knew that 'Putnam' rehearsals would just mean (I'd have) more time to hang out with some of my closest friends," she said. And, like Fitchett, Paterra fell in love with the material. "The second I heard that Little Lake would do this show, I started counting down the days until the auditions," she added. "Steve can tell you that I was singing 'Putnam' songs during the 'Into the Woods' rehearsals."
And other cast members I heard from?
Santa described the show as "full of spirit and fun"; Bell wants audiences to know that "it provides some very real lessons ... to which everyone can relate"; and Greg Caridi, portraying the school's vice principal, commented that Rachel Sheinkin's script humorously and touchingly introduces characters who are "growing up and growing through life."
So make contact with your inner dweeb and go! "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" runs through July 3 at Little Lake.
Picture perfect
Yasmina Reza's "Art" has been around so long (16 years, in case you wondered) that it's almost as familiar to audiences as "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Driving Miss Daisy." Remember, this is the play about a three-man friendship that comically unravels when one of the men spends 200,000 francs on a painting of questionable merit.
While watching Pittsburgh Public Theater's revival last Sunday afternoon, I had the impression that director Ted Pappas selected Reza's not-really-young, not-really-old chestnut because he wanted to finish the current season with a little helping of "comfort theater." And little "Art" is, running less than 90 minutes without an intermission.
Whatever his intentions were, Pappas made an excellent choice for the Public's audience and found an engaging cast in Darren Eliker as the glib buyer, Rob Breckenridge as the outraged cynic and Harry Bouvy as the goodhearted neurotic trying to cope on middle ground.
Their crackling teamwork reminded me why, after covering four productions in 10 years, I still love "Art." It also makes me anxious to see Reza's "God of Carnage," which opens next May at the Public.
"Art" closes June 27.
Doug Shanaberger covers theater for the Observer-Reporter. He can be reached at ds7f@andrew.cmu.edu
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