Broadway is miles away from Lansing, but luckily for theater fans, BoarsHead Theatre has brought a show to stage that could quench even the thirstiest mouth for quality musicals.
"Side by Side by Sondheim," a show that brings together top Broadway hits, is a pure delight for musical theater fans.
The music revue brought to the Lansing area by BoarsHead Theatre is different than any other show I've seen in years, combining more than 30 songs in a tribute to lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim.
The featured pieces are grouped by themes such as marriage, vice and lust. The songs come from well-known musicals such as "Gypsy" and "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum," as well as more elusive venues such as "The 7 % Solution" and "Evening Primrose."
In a challenging and vocal Olympics-type show, singers Jeff Applegate, Shannon Locke and Sarah Elizabeth Wallace rise to the task.
Each artist brings their own style and flair to the show, blending together seamlessly, while shining in their single acts.
Applegate is the first to take the stage and literally sent chills up my spine with the first notes out of his mouth, and each song he sings is like a personal serenade.
Locke brings comedy to the stage in a melodic form of Lucille Ball - her expressions throughout the revue are invaluable, and her character's voice is enticing. She shines in songs such as "Getting Married Today" and "Ah, Paris!"
A completely different style is lent to the show by Wallace, whose operatic voice fills the room. While Wallace's technique and talent are not questionable, the use of her style does sometimes seem out of place. Certain songs did fit Wallace's voice with the high notes and background setting, yet in others it sounded out of place.
Most often, Wallace's style was questionable in duets and trios throughout the show. Although she is wonderfully adept at blending with the other singers, her operatic flair was at times too much for the songs.
Wallace did, however, show an amazing vocal aptitude both in style and range, especially with songs such as "A Boy Like That" and "You Gotta Get a Gimmick," where she showed an entire new side of her abilities as she belted like the best of the Broadway leading ladies.
The various songs are strung together by a narrator who informs the audience with the background information necessary to understand the pieces and tidbits about Sondheim and the theatrical process.
This role of narrator is played by local media "stars" from Lansing TV news and radio shows. The narrator's script is sophisticated and humorous and meshes well with the songs.
The entire performance was wonderful. All aspects of theater come together in "Side by Side by Sondheim." The set design was simple and classic - perfect for a show without a designated location. The lighting was also not extravagant but fit the mood for each song.
Costuming was dressy, yet effective, the one flaw being that Wallace's dress was not as flattering as it should have been.
To liven the show up and avoid the trap of singers standing in the middle of the stage, simple choreography was added to the musical. This improved the revue immensely and was at times a form of comedic relief in itself.
"Side by Side by Sondheim" is one of the best shows of the year - with catchy tunes, sparkling talent and comedy intertwined. Musical theater buffs would be amiss to forgo the extravaganza.
"Side by Side by Sondheim" will play through Sunday. Tickets are $12 for students. For more information, call the box office at (517) 484-7805.
