Review: 'Tarzan' Offers An Enjoyable, Family-Friendly Show
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
They’re everywhere non-stop in all sorts of positions.
And that will keep audiences engaged even when the storyline is a little weak.
Opening night Wednesday was the regional premiere of the show. According to Artistic Director Scott Michaels, this particular version of the show has never been done before. He received the final script of the musical about two weeks ago.
But the show’s company managed to put it all together to come up with an enjoyable production for the whole family.
And that’s what the show is about – family, what makes up a family and loving family no matter how different a member of the family may be.
Even before the show starts, the scenic design by David Lepor, highlighted by Greg Griffin’s lighting design, will take you to an African jungle. They really set the mood for “Tarzan”.
On the stage, there’s ropes hanging as vines, and poles serving as trees. On two sides are perches, one with a ladder. Tree “stumps” on the stage add to the forest feeling. Smoke filtering in provides for a jungle haze. Very green, it’s an amazing stage for such a small stage and theater in the round. The Disney® people should be very excited to see it when they check out the show in a week or so.
The show starts off the Coast of Africa in 1880. The production had some computer glitches as it began, setting up the background story of how Tarzan’s “human” family crashed on the coast, but this technical problem should be eliminated in future presentations.
But this wasn’t the only thing that hampered the beginning of the musical Wednesday, at least where my seat was and for a few people around me. During the scene establishing the death of Tarzan’s parents and the death of Kala and Kerchak’s baby by The Leopard, some of the “apes” were sitting so low on the “trees” that they blocked our view. I knew from watching the 1999 animated film Tuesday night what was happening, but I couldn’t see it on stage. If you’re sitting in section 1 around row D, seat 19, you might want to be prepared to crane your neck.
As for the ape costumes themselves by Stephen R. Hollenbeck, if I didn’t know going into the show that they were suppose to be apes, you couldn’t tell by looking at them. The Leopard (Valton Jackson) was obviously a leopard, but the apes didn’t resemble any primate I’ve been fortunate to see at a zoo. Instead of fur, the apes were made of spandex covered by long streams of multi-colored material. The face makeup helped establish the apes’ identities, but the ape costumes weren’t particularly stellar. Imaginative? Perhaps, but I still wasn’t feeling them.
Luckily, with the very talented actors on stage, they brought out their inner apes and made you forget about the lackluster ape costumes. The man-eating plant costumes, however, were very imaginative, and for that the costume designer gets props. I could see those plant costumes in “Little Shop of Horrors”. (The wigs, especially Tarzan’s dreadlocks, by Jennifer Dow, were great and should not be confused with the costumes.)
Tarzan is played by Brian O’Donnell as a boy and Brian Martin when he’s older. Both guys are fun and athletic and bring their role to life. Martin really provides some comedic moments after Tarzan discovers the “humans” and imitates them. O’Donnell, whose voice hasn’t changed yet, is endearing, especially when he sings “I Need to Know”.
Both of them do really well walking as a man on his knuckles. They bounce and flip and jump around like one would expect Tarzan to do.
Playing Tarzan’s best friend Terk is Noah James Ricketts, who is a scene stealer. In the movie, Terk is voiced by Rosie O’Donnell, but Ricketts makes you forget that the gender has been switched and there’s no elephant in the room. Ricketts also is one of the many singers in the show with a great voice. He really breaks loose at the beginning of Act II with the number “Trashin’ the Camp”, but also does well with “Who Better Than Me”.
Playing Tarzan’s ape mother Kala is Britney Coleman. She is really a diamond with that spectacular voice of hers. Audiences will clamor to hear more of her, I know I wanted to. She also puts a lot of heart into her role and it beats loud and clear.
Whether Coleman is singing “You’ll Be in My Heart” alone or with Martin, or any other song for that matter, her voice is stunning.
Kerchak is the bull of the ape family clan, Kala’s mate and Tarzan’s “father”, though he doesn’t call Tarzan son until near the end. Playing him is Ben Maters. Wagon Wheel devotees should remember Maters from his exceptional performances in 2010 in “The Music Man” and as Jesus in “Godspell”. So it’s a treat that he’s returned this season with his fine acting and singing skills.
I do think Maters needs to be a little bit more fierce and loud in his role as the dominant male, but that should come with each performance he does. Maters does bring some intensity when he sings “No Other Way”.
As a couple in the musical, Maters and Coleman have chemistry. They should definitely work together again, whether it’s a musical or not.
Toward the end of Act I and the beginning of Act II is when the humans come into the show. There’s Jane (Alex Finke), her father Porter (Michael Yocum), the villain Clayton (David Schlumpf) and the ship crew to an extent.
Finke’s voice is unbelievable. I really would have loved to hear Finke and Coleman sing a song together as their voices would have been out of this universe. But Finke does get a couple of numbers with Martin, and they make their songs soar. And playing an untypical British woman, Finke nails it. It’s her first year at Wagon Wheel, but she’s sure to be a favorite this season.
Yocum can play a role like Porter without much effort. He’s got that type of character down, and there’s no question that he was perfectly cast as Jane’s father.
As Clayton, Schlumpf plays it like a cross between Crocodile Dundee and a typical Disney® animated villain. Schlumpf adds dimension to the otherwise flat character, making him more of an exciting bad guy. He also manages to keep the slight Australian accent throughout the entire performance. It’ll be interesting this season to see what other roles he can conquer.
Overall, I wasn’t too excited by all of Act I, but by the end of Act II, I was feeling it a bit more. There were no unnecessary dance numbers in the second half and characters had been established so the actual plot of the story could advance. The ending seemed wrapped up too quickly, but it was nearing two hours by the last two songs.
My rating of “Tarzan” (out of four): 3.[[In-content Ad]]Adult tickets are $30 for all shows; tickets for students 13 years old through college are $16; and children 12 and under are $12. Special rates are available for groups of 15 or more.
To order tickets or for more information, call the box office at 574-267-8041 or visit the Wagon Wheel website at wagonwheeltheatre.com
They’re everywhere non-stop in all sorts of positions.
And that will keep audiences engaged even when the storyline is a little weak.
Opening night Wednesday was the regional premiere of the show. According to Artistic Director Scott Michaels, this particular version of the show has never been done before. He received the final script of the musical about two weeks ago.
But the show’s company managed to put it all together to come up with an enjoyable production for the whole family.
And that’s what the show is about – family, what makes up a family and loving family no matter how different a member of the family may be.
Even before the show starts, the scenic design by David Lepor, highlighted by Greg Griffin’s lighting design, will take you to an African jungle. They really set the mood for “Tarzan”.
On the stage, there’s ropes hanging as vines, and poles serving as trees. On two sides are perches, one with a ladder. Tree “stumps” on the stage add to the forest feeling. Smoke filtering in provides for a jungle haze. Very green, it’s an amazing stage for such a small stage and theater in the round. The Disney® people should be very excited to see it when they check out the show in a week or so.
The show starts off the Coast of Africa in 1880. The production had some computer glitches as it began, setting up the background story of how Tarzan’s “human” family crashed on the coast, but this technical problem should be eliminated in future presentations.
But this wasn’t the only thing that hampered the beginning of the musical Wednesday, at least where my seat was and for a few people around me. During the scene establishing the death of Tarzan’s parents and the death of Kala and Kerchak’s baby by The Leopard, some of the “apes” were sitting so low on the “trees” that they blocked our view. I knew from watching the 1999 animated film Tuesday night what was happening, but I couldn’t see it on stage. If you’re sitting in section 1 around row D, seat 19, you might want to be prepared to crane your neck.
As for the ape costumes themselves by Stephen R. Hollenbeck, if I didn’t know going into the show that they were suppose to be apes, you couldn’t tell by looking at them. The Leopard (Valton Jackson) was obviously a leopard, but the apes didn’t resemble any primate I’ve been fortunate to see at a zoo. Instead of fur, the apes were made of spandex covered by long streams of multi-colored material. The face makeup helped establish the apes’ identities, but the ape costumes weren’t particularly stellar. Imaginative? Perhaps, but I still wasn’t feeling them.
Luckily, with the very talented actors on stage, they brought out their inner apes and made you forget about the lackluster ape costumes. The man-eating plant costumes, however, were very imaginative, and for that the costume designer gets props. I could see those plant costumes in “Little Shop of Horrors”. (The wigs, especially Tarzan’s dreadlocks, by Jennifer Dow, were great and should not be confused with the costumes.)
Tarzan is played by Brian O’Donnell as a boy and Brian Martin when he’s older. Both guys are fun and athletic and bring their role to life. Martin really provides some comedic moments after Tarzan discovers the “humans” and imitates them. O’Donnell, whose voice hasn’t changed yet, is endearing, especially when he sings “I Need to Know”.
Both of them do really well walking as a man on his knuckles. They bounce and flip and jump around like one would expect Tarzan to do.
Playing Tarzan’s best friend Terk is Noah James Ricketts, who is a scene stealer. In the movie, Terk is voiced by Rosie O’Donnell, but Ricketts makes you forget that the gender has been switched and there’s no elephant in the room. Ricketts also is one of the many singers in the show with a great voice. He really breaks loose at the beginning of Act II with the number “Trashin’ the Camp”, but also does well with “Who Better Than Me”.
Playing Tarzan’s ape mother Kala is Britney Coleman. She is really a diamond with that spectacular voice of hers. Audiences will clamor to hear more of her, I know I wanted to. She also puts a lot of heart into her role and it beats loud and clear.
Whether Coleman is singing “You’ll Be in My Heart” alone or with Martin, or any other song for that matter, her voice is stunning.
Kerchak is the bull of the ape family clan, Kala’s mate and Tarzan’s “father”, though he doesn’t call Tarzan son until near the end. Playing him is Ben Maters. Wagon Wheel devotees should remember Maters from his exceptional performances in 2010 in “The Music Man” and as Jesus in “Godspell”. So it’s a treat that he’s returned this season with his fine acting and singing skills.
I do think Maters needs to be a little bit more fierce and loud in his role as the dominant male, but that should come with each performance he does. Maters does bring some intensity when he sings “No Other Way”.
As a couple in the musical, Maters and Coleman have chemistry. They should definitely work together again, whether it’s a musical or not.
Toward the end of Act I and the beginning of Act II is when the humans come into the show. There’s Jane (Alex Finke), her father Porter (Michael Yocum), the villain Clayton (David Schlumpf) and the ship crew to an extent.
Finke’s voice is unbelievable. I really would have loved to hear Finke and Coleman sing a song together as their voices would have been out of this universe. But Finke does get a couple of numbers with Martin, and they make their songs soar. And playing an untypical British woman, Finke nails it. It’s her first year at Wagon Wheel, but she’s sure to be a favorite this season.
Yocum can play a role like Porter without much effort. He’s got that type of character down, and there’s no question that he was perfectly cast as Jane’s father.
As Clayton, Schlumpf plays it like a cross between Crocodile Dundee and a typical Disney® animated villain. Schlumpf adds dimension to the otherwise flat character, making him more of an exciting bad guy. He also manages to keep the slight Australian accent throughout the entire performance. It’ll be interesting this season to see what other roles he can conquer.
Overall, I wasn’t too excited by all of Act I, but by the end of Act II, I was feeling it a bit more. There were no unnecessary dance numbers in the second half and characters had been established so the actual plot of the story could advance. The ending seemed wrapped up too quickly, but it was nearing two hours by the last two songs.
My rating of “Tarzan” (out of four): 3.[[In-content Ad]]Adult tickets are $30 for all shows; tickets for students 13 years old through college are $16; and children 12 and under are $12. Special rates are available for groups of 15 or more.
To order tickets or for more information, call the box office at 574-267-8041 or visit the Wagon Wheel website at wagonwheeltheatre.com
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