Theater Reviews

Mar 5, 2007 - The Nevada Rep's charming presentation of the musical revue "A… My Name is Alice"

By By Jack Neal

The charming musical revue, "A… My Name is Alice," opened Friday night (3/2/07) at the Redfield Studio Theatre as part of the current Nevada Repertory Company season.

This delightful off-Broadway show opened in New York 23 years ago. All these years later what was charming and disarming then, is still charming and disarming today. Under the Nevada Repertory Company banner "My Name is Alice" remains a marvelous musical offering in great shape.

The revue contains some 20 songs and sketches written in collaboration with a host of talents. The concept for this glued-together mildly feminist show – it's all about women, played out by a seven-member all female cast – is by Joan Micklin Silver and Julianne Boyd. What they have glued together is a store house of life's lessons and memories.

With panache and zest Sue Klemp has directed what could be a dangerous show to bring off. Dangerous because of its sophistication with song, lyrics and patter. Seasoned Broadway stars find this kind of material a challenge.

Happily, Klemp's cast of seven – Casey Ann Bruington, Katy Erwin, Susan Lingelbach, Kimberlee A. Pechnik, Many Ralls, Charlotte Smith, Michelle Snyder – turn out to be well enough seasoned to make all that work's well to end well – and triumphantly. Judging from their finely honed and modulated performances, these young actors know what the world has in store.

Music director Damon Stevens has done his part sensibly and with sensitivity. The singing is first-rate, as is the show's excellent three-piece band.

A song called "Friends" tells the entire history of a friendship between two women from high school through old age. Another, titled "Sisters," is about a lifelong sibling rivalry that reaches a bittersweet conclusion in a lonely apartment in Queens. "Honeypot" pits a blues singer against a sex therapist in a parody of both such therapy and old-time blues lyrics marinated with eroticism.

With sets by the gifted Larry Walters, lighting designs by lighting wizard Michael Fernbach, solid choreography by Diane Rugg and Mandy Ralls, and costume designs by the talented Ben Onyx Dowdy, "A… My Name is Alice" hits on all cylinders for a poignant and lots-of-fun outing with classy theater.

"A… My Name is Alice" can be seen at the Redfield Studio Theatre on the University of Nevada, Reno campus, 900 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV, March 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 (2007) at 7:30 p.m., and March 11 (2007) at 1:30 p.m. For information call 775-784-4ART.