[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of the Group Rep’s THE ORPHANS’ REVENGE (or Abandoned at Cooper’s Crossing) with book by Suzanne Buhrer and Gene Casey, music by Gene Casey, Suzanne Buhrer and Jan Casey, directed by Stan Mazin, music direction by Andy Howe, and produced for The Group Rep by Linda Alznauer.
The Group Rep strikes again! This wonderful musical was originally produced by the Group Rep many years ago and was one of their biggest successes. Set in the US in the 1800s, the story revolves around an orphan, Alice, who has recently come of age and is now running the orphanage she grew up in. She is the only thing keeping it alive in fact, as funds have run far passed low and into nonexistent. She and the few remaining children are forced to beg in the streets for money to buy food and to pay the mortgage. An unscrupulous local businessman is hell bent on buying their banknote and turning this house of shelter into a house of ill repute…but they have a 24-hour reprieve. Is this enough time to find the $50 needed to pay off the mortgage? Or will they be kicked out to freeze and starve on the street?
It’s a melodrama, in case you hadn’t guessed, and a classic one at that. The villains are villainous, the heroes heroic and the songs wildly catchy. It feels like we are watching an old black-and-white silent movie, with every actor delightfully hamming it up for the audience and plenty of hissing and booing all encouraged by the narrator who rather flamboyantly pops in from time to time to keep us up to date.
It’s a rollicking good time and, as usual, the Group Rep pulls out all the stops! I particularly loved the piano man beside the stage artfully banging out all the tunes and giving a brilliant running musical accompaniment, a la silent movie theatres of old.
No one can do these funny heartfelt big shows quite like the Group Rep. They truly have a magical way of entertaining, picking productions with timely perfection. Don’t we desperately need some escapism right now? I know I do and what could be better than to sit in a dark theatre, phone switched off with a group of total strangers and laugh, smile and whoop and holler at the bad guy together?
Thank you, Group Rep, for yet another wonderfully memorable musical extravaganza. Absolutely fabulous!! Bravo!!
Tickets:
https://thegrouprep.com/show/the-orphans-revenge
Where:
10900 Burbank Blvd, NoHo Arts District, CA 91601
When:
October 4 — November 10
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees at 2:00pm.
After the Matinee: Talkback with Cast and Staff 10/6 and 10/13
The Cast
The cast features the talents of Sean Babcock (Jack – Shared Role – Performs 10/25, 10/26, 10/27, 11/1, 11/2, 11/3, 11/8, 11/9 & 11/10), Jackson Bethel (Orphan), George Bufford (Benjamin Cox), Joseph Eastburn (Victor Van Rooper), Lareen Faye (Alma-Shared Role performs 10/5, 10/11, 10/13, 10/25,10/26, 10/27, 11/8, 11/9 & 11/10), Brad Kahn (Uncle Ned), Jessica Kent (Alice – Shared Role – Performs 10/4, 10/5, 10/6, 10/11, 10/12, 10/13, 10/24, 10/25, 10/26, 11/8, 11/9 & 11/10, Hisato Masuyama (Narrator), Casey Murray (Belle, Saloon Girl), Tack Sappington (Jack – Shared Role – Performs 10/4, 10/5, 10/6,10/11,10/12, /10/13, 10/18/, 10/19 & 10/20), Rob Schaumann (Man #1), Kyra Schwartz (Rose – Shared Role – Performs 10/4, 10/5, 10/6, 10/18, 10/19, 10/20, 11/1, 11/2, & 11/3), Arden Shia (Willie), Suzan Solomon (Alma-Shared Role performs 10/4, 10/6, 10/12, 10/18, 10/19, 10/225, 10/27, 10/27, & 11/1,11/2 & 11/13), Abigail Stewart (Alice – Shared Role – Performs 10/18, 10/19 /10/20, 11/1, 11/2, & 11/3), Melissa Strauss (Kitty/Saloon Girl) , Scarlett Strauss (Orphan), Hannah Sun (Frances), Kristin Towers Rowles (Carlotta), and Janet Wood (Rose – Shared Role – Performs 10/11, 10/12, 10/12, 10/25, 10/26, 10/27, 11/8, 11/9, &11/10).
The Team
The Production Team includes Stan Mazin (Director), Andy Howe (Musical Director), Linda Alznauer (Producer), Mareli Mitchel-Shields (Set Design), Shon Le Blanc (Costume Design), Frank McKown (Lighting Design), Nick Foran (Sound Design), Jackie Shearn (Social Media) Doug Engalla (Promotional Video), John Ledley (Assistant to the Director/Stage Manager), Kristin Stancato (Webmaster & Online Marketing), Denise Downer (Marketing), Doug Haverty (Graphic Design) and Nora Feldman (Publicity).