Through Sun 10/16
Ruthless! is an irreverent romp through music theater land and the dangers of encouraging your super-talented little darling to aim for stardom. Now playing in the Mackey Theater at the Beck Center, this comic cautionary tale spins a wicked web of parody (Gypsy fans will feel right at home), but it’s not necessary to know the musical allusions to share in the fun that Joel Paley (book and lyrics) and Marvin Laird (music) created in this Best Off-Broadway Musical winner.
Our ambitious young star, third-grade student Miss Tina Denmark can do it all: act, sing, dance. But it turns out Tina (the brilliantly self-possessed Calista Zajac) has a dark side; we learn what it means to “stop at nothing to be a star.” I remember Zajac as poor little Cosette in Les Miserables. She still looks just as appealingly sweet and innocent as she did then, so it’s delightfully jarring to see what her character carries off in Ruthless!
Tina’s stereotypical 1950s mother Judy Denmark (Lindsey Mitchell in a perfect flurry of pertness) lives for her daughter’s success. But even mom has a few surprises, as Judy blooms into the glamourous Ginger DelMarco (the versatile Mitchell again, doing a comic character shift). We know nothing about Tina’s father until the last scene when he makes an appearance. Mr. Denmark is played by a different local celebrity every performance. We saw Michael Stanley, whose sudden entrance got big applause.
Tina Denmark’s mentor, faded actress Sylvia St. Croix (the statuesque and commanding Matthew Wright), channels Auntie Mame and to some degree, our favorite drag queens from Kinky Boots. (Personally though, I think the “real” Sylvia St. Croix would have sprung for a better eyebrow job and a more expensive wig.)
Miss Thorn, director of the school play, was brought to exasperated-true-to-life teacher’s life reality by the marvelous Kate Leigh Michalski. Michalski shakes every bit of goodness out of her role as she proves the show must go on. Other members of the energetic ensemble include Brittni Shambaugh Addison playing both a childish Louise and (more convincingly) an ambitious assistant named Eve. Carla Petroski plays theater critic Lita Encore (a woman who hates musicals).
Director William Roudebush succeeded in showing how much fun dangerous children can be (onstage at least). Musical director Larry Goodpaster led a small ensemble as they accompanied some funny songs, most notably “Teaching Third Grade” and the title song.
Bottom Line: Sure, it’s safe for the kiddies, nothing here they don’t already know.
For tickets and information call the Beck Center at 216-521-2540 or go to beckcenter.org.
[Written by Laura Kennelly]
Lakewood, OH 44107