shiny happy people lyrics:Amherst stages one of Broadway's best

shiny happy people lyrics:Amherst stages one of Broadway's best

Stash the cash under the mattress and bolt the door, Harold Hill is headed this way.

Next week Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater opens a production of that quintessential American musical, "The Music Man," at Bowker Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts. And the cranky town of River City, Iowa, circa 1912, comes to life as that rascal Hill bounds from the train with a well-worn suitcase and an equally shabby plan to scam the townspeople out of their hard-earned cash.

But this time, before he makes off with the loot accruing to his load of flim flam about starting a boys' band, Hill astonishes himself by falling in love, managing to transform the town for the better and redeem himself in the bargain.

The show, with book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, story by Willson and Franklin Lacey, opened on Broadway in 1957 and ran to 1,375 performances, garnering several 1958 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Willson also earned the very first Grammy Award for the score.

"[Hill] allows the town to see past his trickery, waking them up to see that music is an important part of life, [helping them] to believe in themselves and have their dreams come true," said director Van Farrier.

Farrier, a longtime director and professional actor, teaches theater arts at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, Conn. and Southwick-Tolland High School in Southwick. He was last seen performing in a live radio play of "It's a Wonderful Life" in December at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, and starts rehearsal soon for a spring production of "The Full Monty" there. This is his debut directorial appearance with Amherst Community Theater.

In addition to the uplifting message, lavish period costumes and memorable music - including the tender "Till There Was You" and the rousing "Seventy-six Trombones" - Farrier says the dancing is going to be one of the highlights of the show. "The choreographer is pushing the actors to their limits," he said, "and they're rising to the occasion."

"They've really raised the bar this year on the choreography," echoed producer Carol Rogers. "The dancing in this particular production is going to be quite extravagant - more complex and challenging than in the past."

Choreographer David Wolgin, a clinical psychologist by day, who has collaborated with Farrier on several shows, said the two have a strong shared vision and high expectations. "We're perfectionistic and detail-oriented theater people," he said. "For example, [in the Marian the Librarian['] production number that takes place in the library], I might spend as much as five minutes just trying to clarify exactly how I want cast members to be holding their books, in order for the piece to look precise and clean."

Several of the show-stopping dance numbers - like "Iowa Stubborn," "Trouble," the high-energy "Shipoopy" and rousing "Seventy-six Trombones" - involve nearly the entire cast of 68, ranging in age from 7 to 70, some with dance training, and some, not so much. "Each [age] group has a different energy, so it's a challenge for me to engage them each at their own level," Wolgin said. But "The cast has been very much like a sponge - wanting to take in as much as they can."

He characterizes the overall style of the numbers as "Americana, sort of Agnes de Mille celebratory," and said he was inspired by the choreography of Susan Stroman in the 2000 Broadway revival of the show. The recipient of five Tony Awards, Stroman went on to choreograph the Broadway productions of "The Producers" and "Young Frankenstein."

The cast is headed by John Healy as Hill and Heather Davies as his unexpected lady love, Marian the librarian. Henry Hirschfeld of Shutesbury, who will celebrate his ninth birthday on the second night of the run, plays Marian's younger brother, the sad and shy Winthrop, who is still grieving the death of his father and struggling with a strong lisp. In the 1962 movie version, the role was played by a 7-year-old Ron Howard.

Winthrop's happy transformation under Hill's tutelage is instrumental in softening Marian's feelings toward the scammer, and ultimately in the town's own transformation. Previously next to mute to hide his painful lisp, Winthrop comes to chatty life when he receives his shiny brass instrument. Hirschfeld says, "The most challenging thing for me is the one [lisped] line, 'Sister, sister, isn't this the most scrumptious solid gold thing you ever saw. I never thought I'd see something so scrumptious as this solid gold thing!"

On the cusp of his ninth birthday, Hirschfeld already has two years of theatrical experience to his credit, having performed with the Hadley-based Starlight Productions in "Newsies" and "Seussical the Musical."

Also performing are Lynn Omasta as Mrs. Paroo, the mother of Marian and Winthrop; Jason Healy as Marcellus, Hill's erstwhile conspirator gone straight; Matt Haas as Mayor Shinn; and Ann Steinhauser in a reprise of her 1999 role as the mayor's wife, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn.

Susanne Anderson is the musical director and orchestra conductor, and Hugh Hall, an interior designer of the Yankee Candle stores worldwide, returns as set and lighting designer.

"His designs are always eye-popping and jaw-dropping," said Rogers. "There's a magical touch to his work."

Hall's magic sets the stage for the message of "The Music Man" to shine through. "Essentially, it's a message of a community coming together to make something wonderful happen," said Farrier, which is not so different from the process of creating the show itself, Rogers says.

"There's nothing like putting on a show to create that community connection," she said, "and not just among the cast and crew, but with the audience as well."

Bottom line?

"It's an uplifting, stand-up-and-cheer kind of show," she said.

source: http://www.amherstbulletin.com/

‘Control’ gives new life to the biopic

‘Control’ gives new life to the biopic
Ian Curtis, iconic lead singer of 1970s post-punk band Joy Division, is almost as well known for his music as he is for his untimely death. Suffering from epilepsy, which led to depression, Curtis committed suicide at age 23 on the eve of Joy Division’s first U.S. tour on May 18, 1980. Since his death, Curtis has become one of rock history’s darkest, most mysterious figures. Director Anton Corbijn’s new biopic, Control, humanizes his cult legend in a powerful account of Curtis’s life and death.

Control covers the life of Curtis, from his experimental adolescence and his obsession with punk culture icons to his rushed marriage to the origins of Joy Division. The film is loosely based off the memoirs of Curtis’s widow, Hannah, and details their relationship and the events in his life that led up to his suicide.

This is not the first film to feature Curtis. The 2002 film 24 Hour Party People directed by Michael Winterbottom provided some background on Joy Division, but Control gives a more comprehensive account of Curtis’s story. The film is the first feature from the Corbijn, an already well-established photographer and music video director. Corbijn has worked with artists including Nirvana, Depeche Mode and Joy Division in the past. His personal connection with the band is evident in his attention to detail with Control.

As Curtis, heartthrob Sam Riley does an excellent job at capturing an innocent, brooding romantic as well as bearing an uncanny physical resemblance to the star. Samantha Morton is also wonderful as Curtis’ warm but painfully naïve wife, Hannah.

The film’s real excitement and energy, however, comes from the live music performances. Because the actors actually learned how to play the songs for the making of the film, these scenes are injected with a raw, surreal power.

Rather than succumb to hero-worship, the film portrays Curtis as fully human. When not on the stage, the rock star was a lonely guy who worked a menial job at an unemployment office and had a baby at the age of 22.

Although the soundtrack features musicians such as The Buzzcocks and The Velvet Underground from the proto-punk Manchester music scene, the power of the film comes through whether you are familiar with the music or not. Every shot is beautifully filmed in a crisp and stark black-and-white monochrome.

After sitting through Ray and Walk the Line, I wasn’t thrilled to see yet another derivative biopic. While Control doesn’t stray from the traditional biopic narrative, it avoids the formula’s clichés. The film’s refusal to make assumptions about Curtis’s hidden emotional nature is more appropriate, albeit unsatisfying.

I had always thought Ian Curtis was plagued by inner demons, but the movie suggests that much of his depression was not due to any nihilistic tendencies, but rather associated with his epileptic fits, his over-medication and his deteriorating relationship with his wife. Control reminds us that there are no definitive answers when it comes to suicide.

Many people, including his band members, ignored the meaning behind Curtis’s lyrics during his career, but after his death they received more scrutiny. After seeing Control, I was similarly motivated to explore his lyrics and what led Curtis to take his own life.
source: http://www.williamsrecord.com