Company Theatre's current production is the 1994 Harold Prince version of
"Showboat" which combined the talents of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein. The
original version opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre on December 27, 1927 and ran
for 572 performances. Kern and Hammerstein felt that Broadway musical
theatre was suffering from a lack of depth and wanted to steer away from the fluffy
musical comedies and melodramatic operettas it was accustomed to. They chose
Edna Ferber's sprawling novel of life on the Mississippi which dealt with
unhappy marriages, miscegenation and racial prejudice. The story begins in
1887 and spans 50 years dealing with the fortunes of an impressionable young
woman named Magnolia Hawks, her father who owns a showboat named Cotton Blossom
and a troubled riverboat gambler/actor named Gaylord Ravenal. Magnolia and
Gaylord fall in love while acting on the showboat and eventually marry and move
to Chicago. There are several subplots in the show including the repression
and nobility of the black characters and their exclusion from the turn of the
century society and racial prejudice against Magnolia's mulatto friend, the
tragic Julie La Verne. Directors Zoe Bradford and Jordie Saucerman cast
topnotch performers who can sing, act and dance splendidly while musical
director, Michael Joseph conducts an 18 piece orchestra, having taught this huge cast
the multitude of songs with their intricate harmonies which soar up to the
rafters. Company Theatre always does a fantastic job on huge epic musicals and
this show is another feather in their cap with the comic and poignant
moments handled perfectly, giving the audience a chance to laugh as well as move
them to tears. It demonstrates what a well performed musical should be.

Zoe and Jordie block this enormous cast beautifully, creating picture post
card moments throughout the show. The entire first act takes place on, at or
near the gigantic two story showboat constructed by Bob Grazioso and his crew
while backdrops and easily moved on set pieces are used in most of the second
act. Michael does a fantastic job, making his orchestra and cast members
sound like a New York show. His keen eye for harmonic balance in the singing of
the musical numbers and the high quality of his musicians shines through.
Sally Ashton Forrest choreographs so many different dances during the show
including the cake walk, polka, charleston jitter bug and acrobatic ballet. ( The
latter is performed by two young performers, Trevor Efinger and Scott
Medwatz with incredible energy as they bound around the stage effortlessly.) She
also has the entire chorus dancing in unison in numerous numbers, leaving the
audience breathlessly at their prowess. Sally also runs the sound effects
while Brittany White runs the light board, creating the mood for a riverboat in
the levee at Natchez. The massive number of costumes which run from the 1880's
to the flapper costumes of the 1920's are by Louise Christman, Mark Ewart
and Ginny Raynor. Bravo to everyone who make this show into a musical
masterpiece of Americana.

Kate deLima captures the innocence of Magnolia at the start of the show and
makes the transition to the older more mature woman by the close of it. She
is a pretty brunette who plays well with the other performers and gets to show
her comic side in the melodrama scene where she is wooed by her beau then
threatened by the villain who gets shot at by two crazy hillbillies.)Mark Ewart
and Mark McClelland) Kate has wonderful chemistry with her leading man,
Christian T. Potts. He makes a dashing, handsome rogue who captures the heart of
this young woman by wooing her with "Make Believe" and later on in their
relationship with the soaring "You Are Love" and "Why Do I Love You". His tenor
voice is strong in these numbers but he moves the crowd to tears in the
reprise of "Make Believe" when he realizes he must leave his young daughter, Kim
played wonderfully by Zoara Christman. Christian and Katie move the crowd again
at the close of the show when Gaylord and Magnolia finally reunite after
their long separation.

Kate deLima as Magnolia and Christian T. Potts as Gaylord

(Young Kim is played by two little girls at alternating
performances, Mabel White and Maggie Rowe.) Grown up Kim is handled by Melanie
Bernier, a recent graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She
doesn't appear until the last scene of Act 2 but gets to strut her stuff in
a huge dancing number called " Kim's Charleston".

The show stopping song, "Old Man River" is performed by Karl Hudson. His
magnificent bass voice sends chills up your spine with its power and the applause
he so richly deserves stops the show in its tracks. Karl's captivating
delivery is astounding as is his portrayal of Joe. He and Dee Crawford as Queenie,
his wife also capture the dignity and dedication to the showboat of these
characters. Dee uses her powerful voice in several numbers including "Queenie's
Ballyhoo" which becomes another energetic dance segment. Another chilling
and powerful number cut from the original show and from the movie versions is
called "Mis'ry's Comin' Around". It begins as a stunning solo by Tracy Silva
who has one of the best voices around and escalates into a haunting gospel
melody foretelling trouble coming the riverboat, It salutes the dignity and the
pure talent of the black workers from 1887. Samantha brior Jones is fantastic
as the tragic Julie. She gets a chance to show her acting chops in this role
with her excellent Southern accent as well as her lovely voice. Samantha
delivers the goods with the soulful "Can't Help Lovin That Man" and the torch
number "Bill". Julie is betrayed by Pete (Mark McClelland) an evil cad who
tells the sheriff, Julie is a mulatto married to a white man which was a crime in
Mississippi. Emact award winning actor, Bill Stambaugh plays Steve Baker,
Julie's husband who heroically stands by her and leaves town by defending her
against the charge of miscegenation. (Bill usually plays the villain of the
show but this time gets to play a good guy for a change.)

The massive role of Captain Andy is played by Dan Moore. He makes this
loveable curmudgeon come to life with his strong acting abilities. Dan handles the
comedy throughout most the show but has a tender scene with Magnolia in the
"After the Ball" scene. His shrewish wife, Parthy Ann is played by Miki
Joseph. She excels in this role of harridan who never stops complaining until 1927
when she finally lets her hair down when she dances the Charleston with Kim
who is now a Broadway star as is Magnolia. The other two comic performers are
John King and Kim Lynn Drake as Frank and Ellie Schultz. They do topnotch
work in their roles, playing the dance team who always squabble with each other
but end up married. Kim sings "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" with the girls
and she and John sing "Goodbye My Lady Love", a song and dance number.( John
gets to do a rubber legged dance in the second act that is a hoot.) Kudos to
the sensational and exuberant dancing and singing chorus members, too. So for
an excellent rendition of a classic musical, be sure to catch "Showboat"
before it sails away. Tell them Tony sent you.

SHOWBOAT ( 29 July - 21 August, 2005)
Company Theatre, 30 Accord Park Drive, Norwell, MA
1 (781) 871-2787