Martin Millerchip
THEATRE REVIEW

West Side Story. Book by Arthur
Laurents, music by Leonard
Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen
Sondheim. A Theatre Under The
Stars production at Malkin Bowl
in Stanley Park. In repertory to
Aug. 12. Reservations: 687-0174.

HE EXOTIC call of pea-
cocks echoed up from
the zoo as | read presi-
dent Ron Kassell’s message
of uncertainty in the Theatre
Under The Stars (TUTS) pro-
gram. -

- Unusually bad weather last
year reduced season attendance

‘for TUTS by more than 50%,
leaving the organization that has

an _ been programming al fresco

musicals since 1940 with a sub-

stantial deficit.

- _ +§So sunny skies and successful
“productions were of paramount

importance, if there were to be-~

» any more seasons in Stanley Park

after 1994.
_- Well, even the weeds in my
lawn are brown and whether it’s
’ because of comet activity, holes
in the ozone or just because we
deserve it, the weather has been
great.
And the shows?,
{na word: solid.
If that seems like faint praise,
‘remember that almost all the
actors, musicians, technicians
. and support staff are community
volunteers with a huge mixture of
training and talent.
This usually means that some
aspects of the show will shine
while others suffer in compari-

son.

But TUTS shows of recent
years have risen above that stan-
dard and Thursday night the
company once again proved
what hard work and dedication
can overcome in a performance
of West Side Story that is spritely,
colorful and musically well-bal-
anced.

Leonard Bernstein’s innovative
but extremely challenging score
is a constant delight in the hands
of musical director Douglas
Macaulay and a small but tight
orchestra.

{f not all of the soloists have
goad voices none is less than
competent and Macaulay’s con-
trol is again evident in strict
adherence to tempo. The quintet
Tonight is the acid test of any
West Side’s ensemble work and
the company passed with flying
colors.

Valerie Easton’s choreography
is basic but also beautifully con-
trolled. Nobody attempts more
than they can handle with the
result that nobody puts a foot
wrong.

Combined with the color of
Mitchell Mackay’s costumes,
numbers like the colorful
America and the delightfully
staged Gee, Officer Krupke are
solid crowd pleasers.

Julie Barber and Eric James
complement each other perfectly
as the innocent Puerto Rican
Maria and Tony, her anglo lover
from the wrong end of the street.

Wednesday, July 27, 1994 - North Shore News - 23

skies, solid shows at TUTS

Other good performances
come from Patrick Patterson and
Carlos Ferreira as Riff and
Bernardo, the respective leaders
of the Jets and the Sharks, Jennifer
Bishop as Anybodys, Courtenay |.
Stevens as Baby John andl Derek
Wilczak as Action.

But the standout in the compa-
ny is Karin Konoval’s Anita. Put
quite simply, she dominates
every scene she is in.

It is less the fact that she looks
the part (others look just as
Puerto Rican) or that she has a
voice capable of peeling paint
from the urban wasteland of New
York, (others in the company
have strong voices); ‘ather, it is
her experience as an actor added

to the complete focus on every
aspect of her character.

if | have any serious reserva-
tions about this show they are to
do with an uneasy mixture of col-
orful fairytale and attempted real-
ism, Many of the design elements
support the former with rnost of
the Jets looking like clean-cut
delivery boys, yet the violence in
the story has to escalate for
tragedy to happen.

The paradox is perfectly illus-
trated in director Bill Elliot's
approach to the sexual assault on
Anita. The build-up to a pack
mentality that will permit rape is
almost established by the Jets,
when musical convention takes
over and the scene finishes

With Salvador’s, all you have to do
is add the ice and garnish for the
perfect Margarita every time.
Enjoy Salvador's Original (lime)

or Strawberry—now available

at your Government Liquor Store.

It's so easy...so delicious!

before reality becomes too terri-
dle.

The choice to keep the dirt out
of the playground ultimately
makes it impossible to feel for the
tragedy of unnecessary death and
gives the ending of the show a
hurried and somewhat meaning-
less end.

That said, there is much enjoy-
ment to be taken from an evening
in the park with TUTS this year.

1 have yet to see Little Shop Of
Horrors but any musical that
stars the delightful Lynda Boyd is
recommendable sight unseen.
Trust me on this one and remem-
ber your bug spray.

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