ent001648-028

MAY IS?╟÷19,1982 REVIEWS Seven Brides for Seven Brothers REVIEWED BY JACK HOLLAND Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music B AnZ*ie*?╟╓ MBS Opened May 4; plays lues.-Sat., 8.SO, Wed. & Sat. matinees, 2; through June 19. Hold on to your hats, folks, here comes the gol dumdest, knee slappin?╟╓ rousm roann , rip-snortin' musical to hit town in some time. You'll feel so dumed good watchm?╟╓ it! ^Seven Bndes for Seven Brothers is a tailor-made choice for Civic Light Opera audiences as antiseptically clean and as unsophisticated as you can da3IS jPj a MMW a sug^^ion of erotic giddiness, just plam old cyclonic fun It s the kind of show where you sit back and just enjoy yourself. It has enough explosive energy, enough superb dancing, to make ?·leVem?? I ZIPP>; exPenence. It may not be as expansive as was the MGM I?║ ~ W^Ch 111 base?i but ,n Its 0wn ^ht fli be a happy relief from shows that engulf one m problem, messages and sexual misencounters. It?╟╓s com, virtues^ schm^t1' 1s old-fashioned, but maybe this is the time for old time Debby Boone is the star, but while she is good as Milly and sines well she isn t much of an actress or dancer, and it is the brothers who take this show and weep the^ stage with it. They are a perfect ensemble They are ^oni?hing m^ by Jerry JackSS, and thev elec': sjagjwnHlK^ir p^cSI^T^nd raw ^n^T^aded hv David-la Carroll as Adam m a thoroughly ingratiating performance and with a fine singing voice, the brothers rise to one occasion after another. Each and every one is exceptional, with Craig Peralta, as Gideon, the standout; he sings well Pc*?╟úna% ?╜* "> a?╜??r. However, Jeffrey Reynolds IliH Jeff Calhoun (Darnel), Michael Ragan (Frank), D. Scot Davidge *nt sM Teetfr (Caleb) all create small marvels of explosion. Also good are thebndes, Linda Hoxit (Sarah), Sha Newman (Ruth), Laurel vim der Unde (Martha), Jan Mussetter (Liza) and Nancy Fox, particularly good as Alice; they are all expert dancers too. The six town swains are Kevin Ml (?ec'-)',.Gar?IMJfi <?╟ú*?╟ú>?╟≤ RusseU Giesenschlaf (Jeb), Don Steffy (Carl) ,Clark Stirling (Joel) and David Pavlosky (temporarily subbing for James Horvath) as Luke; they are in essence an ensemble within an ensemble Others who are good in the cast are Gino Gaudio as Mr. Perkins. Jeanne Bates as Mrs. McClane and the Preacher s Wife and Manette LaChance as Dorcas. , * As good as the total is, there are some scenes that don't play too well, one being the confrontation scene between Gideon and Adam at the cabin. Most of the lines here were lost and those that could be understood were not very illuminating. Also the overly saccharine "Glad That You Were Bom?╟Ñ sequence with Milly is a bit hard to take. But these are minor flaws in a show sentimentality40 t??Ul enjoyment for aU' even the cynics who veer away from David-James Carroll and Debby Boone having a wonderful day in ?╟úSeven Brides*' _ - Since the dances are the highlight of the show, two stand out the ?╟úSocial Jjance and tne "Wedding Uance. SpecucularflMusic by Gene de PiSTiT tuneful if not memorable, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer nimbly move out of dialogue and nght back into dialogue. The best songs are ?╟úLove Never Goes *?Σ≤ay\,Sung by Craig Peralta, David-James Carroll, and Debby Boone Bless Your Beautiful Hide?╟Ñ robustly sung by Carroll and ?╟úCoin' Courting?╟Ñ another impressive number. New songs by A1 Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn have been added. The light and improbable book is by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay. Lawrence Kasha directed with abandon and never lets things sag for more than a brief moment or two. His pacing is excellent. The settings by Robert Randolph consist mainly of backdrops with suggested frame buildings, and they show the results of touring. Costumes by Robert Fletcher are colorful without being ostentatious, and Thomas Skelton?╟╓s lighting is subtle and tastefully done. Let?╟╓s hope that New York will be given a chance to get on the hay wagon with this rather nostalgic show. It has the ingredients that used to make musicals smash hits. So, have we outgrown them? Let us hope not.