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diversions
'Closer
Than Ever' to a perfect end
By Cynthia Tom
On-line Forty-Niner
"Closer Than
Ever" could not be closer to a perfect finale to the
University Players season.
Actually a collection of 20 individual vignettes all performed
through song, "Closer Than Ever" is not without
a sense of humor or sensitivity to human emotion. Each song
is absolutely impressive in its own right, at times entertaining
and at others heartbreakingly honest and hilarious.
Under the direction of Joanne Gordon, a cast of 11 vocalists
and three musicians perform beautifully, both individually
and collectively, in this revue that highlights the strength,
vulnerability and beauty in human relationships.
"What draws audiences into 'Closer Than Ever' is the
spectrum of emotional content it covers," said Chrissy
Finley, a junior theater major who acts as stage manager on
the production.
The musical opens with a Company performance of "Doors."
Lively and an appropriate self-introduction to the audience,
"Doors" sets the stage for the delightful variety
in the performances to come.
"She Loves Me Not" is not your cookie-cutter story
of unrequited love. It is the audience's first glimpse into
the mischievous spirit that underlies "Closer Than Ever"
and its ability to laugh at itself and convention.
Velear Chaves, Nicholas D. Job and Jonathan Hansard all give
great performances and though their respective characters
never interact with each other, their collective performances
tie together these individual stories of woe into comic irony.
While "She Loves Me Not," is a tough act to follow,
"What Am I Doin'" definitely holds its own ground.
This solo by Eric Graham is one of the highlights of the show.
Graham's voice and emotive delivery of his lyrics clearly
paint the picture of a man who has been scorned by love and
finds himself stalking his lost love. The comic absurdity
of his situation is hilarious as Graham asks himself what
he's doing but still revels in his antics.
This, like its predecessor, is not a conventional tale. It
is not an overdone story of "the one that got away,"
but a satire on the hold love can have on the human heart
-- and the obsessed.
And the show rolls on with none of the songs coming up the
least bit short.
"The Bear, The Tiger, The Hamster, and The Mole,"
is a girl-power anthem by Ellen D. Williams. It accounts and
envies animal mating rituals in a fashion that is as hilarious
as it is informative -- much like an episode of the Discovery
Channel narrated by the Spice Girls.
Williams' strong voice and comic flair are perfect for this
song, rendering it ridiculously amusing.
The tone of "Closer Than Ever" shifts with "Like
A Baby," a solo by Jonathan Nelson with the help of the
Company. Slow and soothing, this piece acts as an interlude
to the action and it is beautifully performed.
The Company performance of "There's Nothing Like It"
is clearly an audience favorite as it mocks America's obsession
with fitness and exercise. The truth that underlies the comic
façade is clearly what makes this number so funny,
as well as the excellent performances by all the actors and
musicians.
"Life Story" recounts one mother's struggles and
sacrifices to provide for her children, and is expressed beautifully
by Crystal Barron. Barron assumes the role of a mother seemingly
effortlessly and draws the audience into her character, holding
the attention of everyone in the theater and keeping all eyes
glued to her.
"Next Time / I Wouldn't Go Back" marks the end of
act one and addresses human regret. Hansard returns for his
third role and upholds the musical's history of greatness
with the Company complementing his performance.
The play kicks off Act 2 with a bang.
"Three Friends" is a catty re-enactment of the love-hate
relationship between girlfriends and the ultimate triumph
of friendship. Williams, Redmon, and Saenz collaborate on
this number and are absolutely hilarious in their roles as
the song tracks their friendship through the years.
"Back on Base" is a slow, playfully seductive number
by Redmon, featuring Andy Zacharias on bass as the object
of her affection. This song is unlike any other in "Closer
Than Ever," and holds a charm all its own.
The show closes with the Company performance of "Closer
Than Ever," a heart-warming number that serves as an
appropriate closing through its universal theme of relationships
and community.
With all the varying moods of the individual numbers, Matt
Vinson on piano, Zacharias on bass and Ian Gromm on percussion
must have had some of the hardest roles of all. They
are consistent in providing the tone of each performance and
it is thanks in large part to their dead-on talent that "Closer
Than Ever" is afforded its success.
Another key component to the credit of the musical is the
simple versatility of the set and costuming. The choreography,
also, is excellent under Holly Harbinger.
"'Closer Than Ever' is a unique opportunity to see a
beautiful combination of theater and music," Finley said.
"It's a chance to view a collaboration that's both entertaining
and uplifting."
Cast member Graham, a senior music major, agreed.
"The collaboration between the music and theater is fantastic,"
Graham said. "We also had a fantastic audience that responded
to every joke and as a cast we feed off of that. If that audience
is that good, they make us work that much harder for them."
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