Reviews - Venice, FL

[kport]

The first review:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/articl ... he-musical

[andrewcraig]

http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20161 ... nting-more

[ALLMIXEDUP]

I LOVE REGIONAL THEATER!

The productions at Media, PA and Lancaster, PA were fantastic. And now, Venice, FL. Joins the list. The special enthusiasm gives the regionals a flavor that excites the end of each show. The audience can feel the pride and relief of the performers when the show is completed successfully.

It is evident at the start of each regional production that the performers, especially the children, question whether they can be a success. The limited time and resources puts doubt into everyone's mind. You can sense it at the first shows; and you can sense the relief and pride at the completion.

Carson Maschmeier did a fine job in his portrayal of Billy right from the start. But now that he has a few performances under his belt, he exudes confidence. Judah Woomert takes over the stage as Michael. Bridget Marsh as Debbie acts like an actor with years more experience than she has. All the other ballet girls play to the audience like seasoned pros. This acquired confidence will last these kids through their lives.

Matthew Ryder plays a great Dad, Patrick Tancey is perfect as Brother, Peg Harvey entertains as Grandma, and Brian Finnerty provides the much needed comic relief as Mr. Braithwaite. Laura Bissell shows the qualities of a professional actor. And the ensemble is striking in their songs and dance.

So everyone does a great job showing major improvement over just a few shows. This venue is personal and small. If you are anywhere near Venice, Florida before December 4th, find time to enjoy the Venice Theatre and Billy Elliot the Musical.

[madashell]

I agree with my best friend, ALLMIXEDUP. It seems that the closer you get to the end of the night, the more the actors seem pleased and relieved that they managed to pull it off. Here is a link to the talkback with Dewayne Barrett, Carson Maschmeier, and Trent Kowalik. Carson explains the increase in confidence.

https://youtu.be/Ylo90QYU79Q

[accessmenj]

My friends saw BETM on Friday night and I wish to add my thoughts after viewing Patrick as Billy on Saturday night. He was strong at everything. Like all the other children in the show, he was enjoying it and entertaining us at the same time. It is a tribute to all the creatives at the Venice Theatre, especially Dewayne Barrett, Director/Choreographer, that the Ballet Girls and all the boys were so well trained in such a short time without stressing the kids out. They only had a fraction of the prep time of the Australian, British, Broadway and Broadway tour shows. And they created a production that should not be missed.

I hate to single out some performers since all deserve great credit. But Patrick as Billy and Bridget as Debbie were just great fun to watch. Also, Judah as Michael stole the stage whenever he was on, as did Brian as Mr. Braithwait. These are two of the best anywhere, and I have seen many.


Behind the scenes is a large group of volunteers. Also the Stage Manager, Lisa Million,
and the Music Director, Rebecca Heinz, and their helpers, do not get all the credit that they deserve. Their work makes this one of the best regionals anywhere.

This production lasts through December 4th. It's well worth your support if you are visiting over the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond.

[accessmenj]

No review of the Venice, Florida production would be complete without a review of the Venice Theatre itself. Formerly known as The Little Venice Theatre, it only seats around 400 people. This gives all seats an intimate view of the stage. There is no orchestra pit between row one and the stage, since the excellent orchestra is elevated off stage left. And the balcony seats start only around ten rows back from the stage. Everyone, in any seat in the house, can read the facial expressions and eye movements of the cast. This is perfect for a presentation like Billy Elliot the Musical where intimate contact between the actors and the audience is so important at times like Angry Dance, The Letter, Electricity and others. And the small, sold-out theatre allows everyone to hear and appreciate the humorous scenes that seemed to be missed at some of the cavernous regional venues. The laughter and yes, the crying, was more intense than other cities.

The generous benefactors and huge number of volunteers allow the theatre to function with low prices even though there are only a small number of seats. They even offer a generous discount to students and children.

Finally, the stage crew must consist of large numbers of highly skilled carpenters and technicians since the artistry is just slightly below the level of a Broadway production. Everyone deserves an award at this venue.

If you have to change your plans, or drive a long distance to Venice in the next few weeks, do so. This is all worth any effort.

[accessmenj]

And the Venice Theatre gets the use of the Geordi accent correct, or rather the use of the Geordi-light. At too many venues across the USA, the productions have tried to imitate the Geordi accent of northeast England which is so difficult for Americans to understand. The result is that many of the powerful lines and all of the verbal humor is lost to the American ear. I have heard many people around the country complain that they missed much of what was said. The irony is that, in the non-English speaking countries around the world, the dialogue is translated into the local language and these people can appreciate and understand better than Americans can.

The Venice Theatre production in Florida uses a light version of a British accent most of the show. It does not even try to imitate the strong Geordi, and as a result, there is more laughter and reaction from the audience than the Broadway, the Broadway tour and other productions.

On two occasions, the humor of the inability to understand Geordi is used during the Ballet audition scene of the Venice Production. First, Billy tells the London woman at the ballet school that "Here is me tee-app". In a London accent she says "Your what?" He repeats and she says "Oh, your tape!" The audience laughs, because they too did not understand what Billy was saying. Later, Billy's dad could not make himself understood to Posh Dad who speaks affected London English. Again, the audience laughed when they gave up trying to understand each other. This is funny on those two occasions, but it would be a terrible distraction if it lasted throughout the show.

I believe that the Geordi accent in American productions is destructive of the themes and humor of Billy Elliot. It probably was a factor in the closing of the Broadway and First Tour productions. Authenticity is desirable, but understanding is mandatory.

[ERinVA]

I believe that the Geordi accent in American productions is destructive of the themes and humor of Billy Elliot. It probably was a factor in the closing of the Broadway and First Tour productions. Authenticity is desirable, but understanding is mandatory.

I disagree. The actual Geordie accent itself as used on Broadway and the tour was not that difficult to understand. I think it was more an objection to the swearing.

[kport]

I agree with Ellen. The accent is a necessary part of telling this story. I would cringe if professional American productions ignore any attempt at performing BETM in Geordie, and replace it with the local American accent.

That said, the regionals I have attended have seen a wide variety of British accents. Listening can be like a whirlwind tour of the British Isle - a bit of Scottish here, a bit of Northern Irish there, a snippet of Scouse and the occasional burst of Received Pronunciation (RP).

The secret to the delivery of lines is not the accent, but the timing. The Venice production is one of the better at ensuring that lines are not rushed, not covered by audience reaction, nor spoken over each other. Many of the little jokes succeed at Venice that fail elsewhere, for this reason.

Regarding profanity, I think Venice has the edge on the number of F bombs dropped. Tony, in particular, ads a number I have never heard before. The audience (mostly retirees, I would guess) seemed amused by them. I have heard that one or two have walked out in past shows. C'est la vie!

Isn't it true that miners in Easington Colliery would have been more likely to speak in a dialect known as Pitmatic (vern: Yakka) than Geordie, which was more common in the Newcastle area?

[kport]

I am well behind writing a detailed review of this production. I will do so after I have seen the second Billy's performance next Tuesday. Here are a couple of general observations:

-if this is the standard of community theatre, then BETM has found a perfect vessel to tell the story. It is a production worth making a special effort to see, even for seasoned BETM fans.

-the theatre is intimate. No seat is more than 60 feet from the stage (they are all the same price: $31 without concessions - a real bargain).

-Every show has been nearly, or completely, sold out.

-the set - OMG - it is the most fantastic set for BETM I have seen anywhere. The set alone is worth the journey!

-the show lasts a full three hours. Nothing is omitted or severely cut. You certainly get your money's worth.