First half of theater season was a memorable one

We’ve hit the midseason lull in the community theater season, and it got me wondering if the second half will be able to live up to the first, which was exceptionally strong.

Maybe one of the strongest in years.

I think the rise in quality reflects the level of maturity and experience that the area’s theater personnel have reached. The stability shows.

The season started with the Youngstown Playhouse’s unbelievable production of “Cats” in September. There was near-unanimity in selecting this musical as the favorite, because the ensemble cast was so fluid, so agile, so ... catlike. The plot is thin, but the glory was in the execution of the choreography – not to mention the wow factor of Brandy Johanntges’ vocals.

Running simultaneously was Rust Belt Theater Company’s “My Big Fat Gay Wedding,” which was very timely because of the Supreme Court’s ruling on gay marriage. The musical was written by Robert Dennick Joki, director of the theater company.

I didn’t get a chance to see it, but Vindicator reviewer Lorraine Wardle said it was some of the talented playwright’s best stuff yet – a little bit of snark, but also really heartfelt. The duo of Joki and David Cirelli convincingly played the lead roles and also demonstrated their beautiful voices.

Then there was Salem Community Theater’s “Sweeney Todd.” To fully realize this Sondheim masterpiece, the production has to be technically flawless. That isn’t easy, but SCT pulled it off from the opening screech. Christopher Hager and Bernadette Hisey were naturals as Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett, and the set was also a marvel – a monument with a lot of moving parts.

It’s long been clear that SCT, with its charming downtown theater, does not like to play second fiddle.

YSU Theater was thinking outside the box with “It’s A Wonderful Life – A Radio Play.” I can still envision the great work done by the young cast in playing the roles of 1940s radio play stars. The way they inhabited that bygone era again proved that YSU’s theater program is a wellspring of talent.

The Youngstown Playhouse has raised expectations among theatergoers in recent years and seems to thrive on the pressure. “The Colored Museum,” an offbeat and incisive dramatic revue staged in the intimate Moyer Room, had an excellent cast, according to Vindicator reviewer Eric McCrea.

And so did the theater’s holiday production of “Mary Poppins,” which captured the magic of the Broadway show (which is more compact, and just plain better than the movie). Kayla Boye made a cool little Mary with a smile that was whimsical and smug, and the rest of the cast, especially the two children, were a joy to watch. Donnie Wolford entered the ranks of the area’s best with his portrayal of Bert the chimney sweep, a difficult role that requires a triple-threat actor with a British accent.

Fall highlights also were apparent at other theaters, including Top Hat’s interactive “Dinner With the Addams Family”; Crown Theater Productions’ traditional “White Christmas”; Victorian Players’ slapstick comedy “Charley’s Aunt”; and Stage Left’s lighthearted original production “Just Jingle.” These shows represent the best of the signature style of the companies that presented them.

Opera Western Reserve isn’t doing community theater – it’s full-blown opera, of course – but I am going to mention them, too, because their November production of “The Elixir of Love” hit a new comfort level.

I mean comfort for the audience. “Elixir” isn’t one of the heavyweights of the opera repertoire. It’s a lighthearted comedy, and not as big of a draw as a “Madama Butterfly” or a “Carmen.”

But that’s why it worked. It subtly took the pressure off those sitting in the seats. It was easy to follow – a sitcom with great music.

Audience members whose only point of reference for opera is OWR productions got a breather. The simplicity and fun of the story allowed the audience to get past the great voices and see the characters.