REVIEW: Theater
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre owner Tom Prather knew he was taking a risk when he brought a little-known show called "Wonderful Town" to Lancaster, but it was a risk that seems to have paid off.
"Wonderful Town" is a delightfully witty musical comedy that features great singing and dancing.
The story is about two sisters, Eileen and Ruth Sherwood (played by Meghan Garstang and Janette Bruce, respectively), who come to New York City in 1935 to realize their goals. Eileen wants to get into show business, and Ruth wants to be a writer.
Problems arise almost immediately when a quick-talking landlord, Mr. Appopolous (Marc Ciemiewicz), talks them into renting a below-street-level apartment that affords almost no privacy. Plus, the entire place shakes and rolls from workmen blasting tunnels for a new subway being built beneath the house.
The girls go in search of work, and Ruth quickly finds that, because she is a woman, her writing is not taken seriously. She gets some encouragement from Robert Baker (Kip Taisey), an editor at the Manhatter, but work is still not coming her way, and she ends up as a walking billboard for a nightclub called the Village Vortex, owned by a zoot-suited slick operator named Speedy Valenti (Galloway Stevens).
Meanwhile, Eileen also has trouble landing work, but not men. More eye-catching than her plainer sister, she attracts the attention of a number of them, including a sharp-talking reporter named Chick Clark (Scott Moreau), who doesn't let scruples interfere with his pursuit of the things he wants.
In this case, what he wants is Eileen.
Baker, meanwhile, falls in love with Ruth, even though Eileen needs to point this out to him.
Eventually, of course, all ends well.
"Wonderful Town" features some nice acting performances and well-choreographed dance numbers.
Garstang does a good job as Eileen, a young girl whose main hobby is wrapping men around her little finger. Yet, she still possesses a charming naïveté.
Ciemiewicz is in top form as the portly Appopolous, playing his character with just enough animation to make him funny without turning him into a buffoon.
Taisey, who was so good as Cliff in the Dutch Apple's production of "Cabaret," is almost — but not quite — as good here. There was a depth of emotion that Cliff had that Baker never quite attains.
However, it is Bruce who carries the spark that fires up this show.
She is nothing less than wonderful, and when she is onstage, she brings along most of "Wonderful Town's" energy and fun.
Her song-and-dance numbers, "Wrong Note Rag" (with Garstang), "One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man" and "Swing" are among the show's best.
On the subject of songs, however, even though the music for "Wonderful Town" was written by the great Leonard Bernstein, you won't go home humming any of these tunes.
As for Betty Comden and Adolph Green's lyrics, let's just say "Why, oh why, oh why, oh. Did I ever leave Ohio," is working too hard when it comes to making lyrics rhyme.
However, if you are OK with forgettable music, then "Wonderful Town" guarantees a good evening of fun-filled entertainment.
"Wonderful Town" runs through Nov. 1 at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Road.
E-mail: lalexander@lnpnews.com