If, in 1926 or so, you came across an empty (for the winter) mansion on Long Island, why not create a musical theater piece about a bunch of bootleggers who need a short-term warehouse?
Well, the Gershwin brothers did just that, with the great Gertrude Lawrence in mind as the Kay in the title Oh, Kay! Add in a wandering duke and his even more footloose sister, a batch of revenue officers and the owner of said mansion who escorts his new almost-bride to their honeymoon destination.
The Ohio Light Opera production of Oh Kay! is directed Ted Christopher, who described it as “a madcap romp – a drawing room comedy, with a Busby Berkeley dance routine in the middle of it.”
There are ravishing songs such as “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Do, Do, Do,” plus the joyful “Clap Yo’ Hands” and a more-than-ample supply of hilarious one-liners to keep the audience enthralled, not to mention a spectacular tap dance to “Fidgety Feet” in the second act. This was performed by marvelous dancer Spencer Reese as Larry Potter and Sarah Best as Phil, one of a set of twins. Although dressed alike, the two are one of the standing jokes throughout — are they really two people or only one?
The wonderful Nathan Brian is mansion owner Jimmy, and Jessamyn Anderson is Constance, his not-quite bride, considering that his first wife refused to sign the annulment papers. Boyd Mackus is the judge and Constance’s father, and he is determined to see his little girl married to Jimmy. While all this is happening around him, Jimmy recalls the fabulous “mermaid” who had saved his life the previous summer when he nearly drowned. In all the excitement, he’d neglected to discover her name or any other information about her.
Lady Kay ( the luminous Emily Hagen) turns out to be the Duke of Durham’s sister. The duke himself (Kyle Yampiro) is the actual bootlegger, in cahoots with a pair of assistants: Reese’s Larry Potter and Samus Haddad as ‘Shorty” McGee, who also occasionally doubles as Jimmy’s butler. As you might expect, there is a usually befuddled revenue officer Jansen, portrayed by Benjamin Krumreig. Mayhem ensues, with mistaken identities, disappearing characters and multiple misunderstandings.
In and around all of this action is a chorus line of twelve leggy young ladies dressed in maid’s costumes wafting their feather dusters over the living room of the Long Island mansion. The choreography by Carol Hageman is splendid, as are the fabulous period-appropriate costumes by Stefanie Genda. The versatile set was designed by Cassie King with lighting by Erich Keil. J. Lynn Thompson conducted the terrific Ohio Light Opera Orchestra.
After some of the funniest lines ever heard, the full audience didn’t know whether to laugh or sing along with the wonderful tunes as they left the theatre after this entirely satisfying performance.
There are four performances of Oh, Kay! remaining: 7/24 & 31, and 8/4 & 7. For ticket information, visit the Ohio Light Opera website or call the box office at 330.263.2345.
For an additional treat, to read more about and hear clips of some of the music for each of the above mentioned shows, go here.
[Written by Kelly Ferjutz]Wooster, OH 44691