'Carousel' Showers Stars on Ithaca Stage

By Suzanne M. Connelly - The Post Standard

The Hangar Theater production of "Carousel" reaches for the stars - and succeeds in bringing a whole galaxy to the Ithaca troupe's stage.

This classic musical shines with beautiful voices, exquisite staging, fanciful choreography and excellent acting.

Artistic Director Robert Moss attributes much of the success of this show to Andrew Grose's fine direction. Against a backdrop of utmost simplicity (Craig Clipper's austere yet evocative set), Hangar's "Carousel" is remarkable for its intricacy.

The actors provide carefully crafted characterizations and crisp performances of the memorable Rodgers and Hammerstein score. The lyrics are delineated by powerful voices and a clarity of meaning created by an empathetic reading of the words.

Grose's complex choreography is showcased against the stark set, which magnifies the importance of movement as a part of the effective production design.

Kenneth Posner's dramatic lighting design enhances the many moods of the evening: Jonathan Green's exciting costumes add luster to its visual images, especially in the carousel scenes.

The cast delights the audience with their interpretations of the familiar characters. Brian J. Hurst has all the swagger and bravado for Billy Begelow. He also has a rich tender voice with nuances in tone. Hurst caresses his rendition of "If I Loved You" and offers a strong reading of "Solioquy", the wonderful tribute to fatherhood.

Christine Toy is a study in contrast as Julie Jordan. Her counterpart "If I Loved You" is soft and tender, with particular attention to the tension in the lyrics. Toy seems alternately vulnerable and headstrong, and her emotions are always convincing.

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A Compelling Carousel

By Ross Haarstad - The Grapevine

The Hangar Theater has rendered a stark and beautiful Carousel. The starkness brings out the more compelling and touching elements of this Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration: the incessant tide of yearning and hope and the presentiments of tragedy and, the complex arias of Billy bigelow and Julie Jordan. It rarifies the already sketchy plot development to a fairy-tale "simplicity", displacing some of the corniness that protrudes from around the edges.

Much of the stark beauty is in the stage movement created by choreographer and co-director Andrew Grose. Grose accentuates simple elements, particularly combining mime and an open, nearly rough, balletic style. His work is enhanced by the dancing of the chorus, particularly Larry Sousa, Susan Harvey and Mathew Rego in the second act ballet.

Abetting the movement is Craig Clipper's simple set of a blue background sloping into the floor, highlighted by a projected moon and hanging bulbstars, Jonathan Green's sculpted and colorful turn-of-the-century costuming, and the delicate lighting of Kenneth N. Posner. Robert Moss has co-directed.

Most of Carousel's drama has been written into the songs, in a particularly haunting and lyrical Rodgers score. This Hangar musical has been particularly successful in finding strong singeres. Crucial to their success is a small orchestra under the talented direction of Helen Gregory; Lois Darlington, Joan Hutton, Lois R. Kompass, Aliki Nicholson, Heidi Oros, Cheryl Primmer and Jim Wolfe.

Christine Toy is an impetuous and daring Julie Jordan, forthright in her pursuit of the sexy Billy Bigelow. Toy manages to redeem much of the standard woman-in-love-with-a-no-good-man by her insistence on the erotic attraction and the deep conviction and soaring voice she brigs to "If I Loved You" and "What's the Use of Wond'rin." Unfortunately the play casts Julie aside too often, giving the dramatic focus to the emotional dilemmas of Billy.

Brian Jefferey Hurst is a striking Billy, tall and lion-maned with a vibrant baritone. He attacks the role with fervor, sometimes throwing in too much braggadocio when he could relax and let events come towards him. He's particularly strong in the stirring "Soliloquy" and in events just before and after his death, when he begins to allow some vulnerability in his acting.

As a pair, Hurst and Toy sparkle; their opening duet of "If I Loved You" is definitely one of the highlights of this production.

Their parallel characters are the down-to-earth comic couple of Carrie Piperidge and Mr. Snow. Cara Talty is a dashing and energetic Carrie with a fine, clarion voice. Talty is especially good with bold comic facial gestures made believable by her absolute relish in the role, singing of rapturous domesticity in "Mr. Snow." William White brings an endearing high-pitched giggle to the rotund businessman Enoch Snow, and their duet "When the Children Are Asleep," is a delightful game of lover's tag.

Diane Ouckama makes a fabulous return to the stage with the zestful Nettie Fowler. She adorns the cast with a sense of family and caring, hardships mixed with good fun. She pulls all stops out for the show's anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone." This is a rare moment when a performer and a song are so intertwined that all else vanishes as we listen. We are compelled to honor the message of survival and hope, and a much abused song is made anew.

Ron Wilson deftly spins out the crafty Jigger Craigin. Susan Harvey is a convincing and wild-hearted Louise, Sasha Chock, Jeffrey Lachow and the inimitable Sidney Green bring graceful touches to other supporting roles. And Karen Anderson is a hilarious juggernaut of aggrieved yet practical sensuality as the carousel proprietress, Mrs. Mullin.

This lyrically staged Carousel cannot escape the many problems of its script which include an over reliance on standard musical bits, too many Americana chorus numbers and a vaudevillian turn. These pull away from the haunting core of the work. But worse is the gender politics. It is insulting that the climax of the play valorizes battering as love, when Billy's wife and daughter claim that it is possible to be hit hard but not have it hurt. If only it were Julie Jordan's play and not Billy Bigelow's.