"Merrily We Roll Along" & "Jesus Hates Me"
If you're lucky enough to be free this weekend, have we got two
winners for you. Both of them are Chance Theater productions and
both of them are "must-sees" that you can't afford to miss.
The first one, "Merrily We Roll Along," is playing in Anaheim
Hills at the home of the Chance Theater. The second one, "Jesus
Hates Me," is a guest production on stage at South Coast Repertory.
Once again we repeat, you cannot afford to miss them.
"Merrily We Roll Along" is another brilliant musical by Stephen
Sondheim. In it he traces the painful journey of three old friends
from the 1970s when they're adults, back to the 1950s when they were
students. By contrast, "Jesus Hates Me" is a bawdy farce by Wayne
Lemon. It will have you doubled-over with laughter at what you're
watching, while you're cringing inside by what it actually means.
How director Oanh Nguyen gets such spectacular results from such
disparate material is a miracle. No matter how difficult or
demanding, the Chance company somehow manages to put it across and
make it strike home.
So hosannas and bouquets of flowers to everyone connected to
Sondheim's paean to friendship, relationships, yearnings and lost
dreams. And kudos to the crazy cast and crew of Lemon's
gut-wrenching comedy.
First a few words about "Merrily We Roll Along." Under
Nguyen's direction, a superb 9-member ensemble sings Sondheim's
unforgettable lyrics, while his score is conducted by Mike Wilkins.
Every movement is choreographed by Kelly Todd, the creative set
design is by Christopher Scott Murillo, and the stage is enhanced by
KC Wilkerson's lighting.
Looking back on "how did we get here from there" are Jeremy
Fillinger as Franklin Shepard (the big shot who traded his talent
for fame), Ryland Dodge as Charlie (the lyricist who never gave up
on his dreams), and Amie Bjorklund as Mary (the good friend who
self-destructed when she lost Frank to money and celebrity).
Backing them up in a variety of parts are Alex Bueno, Laura
Hathaway, Liz Holt, and Richard Comeau--each and everyone
outstanding.
As for "Jesus Hates Me": Lemon's dramedy takes place in a small
multi-racial town somewhere in Texas where "The Blood of the Lamb"
miniature golf course is the only recreation around.
It's run by Annie, an emotionally disturbed woman (bi-polar
perhaps?) who finds great comfort in Jesus; so she's nailed him to a
cross on the 7th tee. The town-folk know that it's a cheap WalMart
mannikin, but they all overlook it since everyone's crazy one way or
another.
Once again Nguyen directs, and once again a fantastic cast
handles difficult material with consummate skill. Under each
character's outrageous behavior is a lonely soul--one who is lost
and full of fear, or alienated and crying for help.
Karen Webster's portrayal of Annie deserves an award. Also excellent
are Chance Dean as Ethan, her loving frustrated son; Timothy Covington,
as the only Black police officer in the county; Dimas Dias as Boone,
a crazy, out-of-control Mexican; Jennifer Ruckman as Lizzy, Ethan's
high school sweetheart who still carries the torch for him; and Ben
Green as Georgie, her brother who tried to commit suicide and
missed.
Don't waste another minute. Call (714) 777-3033 now, or go on
line and get tickets at www.chancetheater.com