Director's choice: Shenandoah takes on 'Curtains' for first time

View larger image Abbey Austin and Carl Danielsen rehearse a number in the Shenandoah University presentation of "Curtains". Dennis Grundman/Daily 'Curtains' at Shenandoah "Curtains" will run from June 22 to July 3 as part of the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre at the Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre at Shenandoah University in Winchester. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Matinees are at 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and on June 29. Tickets are $28 for Friday and Saturday performances; $27 for matinees, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and $25 for matinees for seniors and children. For tickets and information, call 665-4569 or go online to shenandoahsummermusictheatre.com. Recommend This Print This Get E-mail News Alerts Buy Photos/Page Reprints * Breaking News If local news is breaking and you know about it: * Call Us: 800-296-5137 * E-mail Us * Upload Your Photos View larger image The cast of “Curtains” rehearses a scene with, from left, Nate Golden, Abbey Austin, Lauren Monteleone and Jonny Baird in the front row. Dennis Grundman/Daily View larger image The cast dances in rehearsal for "Curtains", a Shenandoah University production. Dennis Grundman/Daily View larger image Nate Golden, wearing the white hat, leads a high-stepping number in a rehearsal of Shenandoah University’s production of “Curtains.” Dennis Grundman/Daily

By Josette Keelor -- jkeelor@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- The second musical in the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre's lineup was not what the program originally intended, but it should be a treat for audiences young and old. A first for the summer program that takes place at Shenandoah University, "Curtains," by Fred Ebb and John Kander, has a little something for everyone, said director Hal Herman.

"It's a musical comedy murder mystery, a real whodunit," he said.

Set in 1959 at the Colonial Theatre in Boston, the musical revolves around a murder that occurs during the first-night tryout of a Broadway-bound show, "Robbin' Hood of the Old West."

"[We] thought it was a great show for the summer theater. I consider it a director's choice," Herman said.

"In planning our season ... the couple of shows that we had planned on, hoped on, that the audience had picked, the rights were pulled," he said.

The theater will perform "Curtains" and "Oliver" instead of "Peter Pan" and "Legally Blonde," which Herman said are still with touring companies. The fourth show this summer is "Aida."

"Curtains," a two-act play written by Rupert Holmes, offers more lead characters than is typical for a musical, and everything that happens is important, the actors said. Solving this mystery will not be for amateur gumshoes.

"It's really fun," said Robin Higginbotham, who plays Georgia Hendricks. The mystery is very smart, she said, and a challenge for sleuths. "I couldn't figure it out when I saw it."
"You have to really pay attention to the book, because all the clues are laid out, or false clues," said Carl Danielsen, who plays Boston police Lt. Frank Cioffi, who comes out to investigate the murder. "There's a lot of red herrings, which is the fun of the whole thing."
The show offers equal parts song and dance with cloak and dagger. It's a lighthearted, family-friendly musical, but it's also a murder mystery with plenty of heartache and suspicion.

Producers Carmen and Sidney Burnstein, a married couple who don't get along well, must find a way for the show to go on despite the murder. Carmen and her daughter Elaine, who prefers to be called Bambi, also harbor a lot of tension.

"Georgia is one half of the writing team for the show within a show," Higginbotham said. Georgia is a lyricist, and her ex-husband Aaron Fox, played by Jake Emmerling, is the composer.

"Drama. Drama abounds," said Dolly Stevens, who plays Carmen.

While Cioffi investigates the murder, he quarantines the cast and crew inside the theater so the killer can't escape, Danielsen said. But, not all business, even the lieutenant has another side to him.

"He's in love with the show," Danielsen said. A big musical theater fan, Cioffi is excited to be part of the theater atmosphere. He even has the chance to take part in some musical numbers.

Danielsen, who played Phil Davis in last year's performance of "Irving Berlin's White Christmas," calls the part of Cioffi his dream role. Originally played by David Hyde Pierce when the show premiered on Broadway in 2007, the role so far has been a lot of fun for him.

"It's a great show. I saw it on Broadway and drooled over the role," he said.
The cast at Shenandoah, he said, is phenomenal.

"I can't get over the voices and the dancing," he said. "And they're all age appropriate. ... It's really perfect for SSMT."

The play offers a parody of other works and parallels the style, mood and plot of many musical productions during and after the '50s, Danielsen said. The cast and crew believe the audience will recognize a lot of the references.

"There's a lot that they'll connect with," said choreographer Matt Gose. After all, season ticket-holders will have seen many of these productions already, he says.

"This audience will definitely get the 'Kiss Me Kate' reference," Danielsen said. The Kansas musical number is a parody of "Oklahoma!" too.

The production offers a peek into the backstage world of musical productions and how they're edited for Broadway, he said, which he believes will appeal to audiences as well.
"This was the premiere of the show, and it's all quite accurate too," he said.

"The sense of humor is very modern," Danielsen said. "It ain't any corny jokes. ... It's very spicy, the script."

Also modern are the special effects.

"They used all the technical resources," he says -- including flying, "which does make it an extra challenge for Matt. He's got his hands full. ... There's a lot of special effects, which the audience will love and will drive us insane."

Gose says audience members tend to be fearful of a new show because they might not like it, but he discourages that kind of thinking, at least in the case of "Curtains."

"People really need to come out and give it a shot, because it's really a fascinating show," he said. "No reluctance. It will please everyone, I think."