"Jack the Ripper" Promo

As part of the effort to promote the musical Jack the Ripper, a couple of promotional videos were created and posted online. Here's the first one, created by Rudy Panucci, the host of Radio Free Charleston.

The show runs next weekend at the Capitol Center Theater in Charleston. Check it out:

Shows to Look for in October

As promised, the floodgates have opened and we have a plethora of community theatre shows in our area this month - ten of them (and that doesn't include the just-wrapped Robin Hood)!

Here’s the list:

- Jack the Ripper is being presented by the Contemporary Youth Arts Company at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater, with shows Oct. 9 - 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $9.50 and $7.50.

- Bright Ideas will be presented by the Kanawha Players at the Kanawha Players Theater Oct. 10, 11, 17 and 18. Tickets are $16 and $10.

- George M! will be presented by the Marshall University Department of Theatre at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center Oct. 15 - 18 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $14, $12, $7 and $5.

- Shakespeare’s Measure by Measure will be presented by the Charleston Stage Company at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater Oct. 16 - 18, 23 - 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and $10.

- And Then There Were None will be presented by the 5th Avenue Theatre Company at the Huntington City Hall Auditorium Oct. 17 - 19 and 24 - 26.

- Nunsense will be presented by the Marshall Artists Series Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Keith Albee Theater.

- Dracula will be presented by Capital High School at the school’s theater Oct. 23, 24, 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 and $5.

- Clue: The Musical will be presented by ARTS at the Renaissance Theater Oct. 24, 25, Nov. 1, 2 at 8 p.m., Oct. 25 and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m., and Oct. 31 at 10 p.m.

- Peter Pan will be presented by First Stage Theatre Company at Huntington High School’s auditorium Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 7, 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 2, 9 at 2:30 p.m.

- The Producers will be presented by The Charleston Light Opera Guild at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20.

Whew! As always, if I’ve missed any, let me know and I’ll add them to the list!

Jack the Ripper - A Review

The story of Jack the Ripper is one that has fascinated people for more than a century. To summarize: at least five women were brutally murdered in London between August and November 1888. The murders were never solved, and the murderer never caught or exposed, so the case has led to much speculation.

That may seem an odd choice for a subject for a musical, but that’s the challenge writer Dan Kehde and composer Mark Scarpelli faced in creating the original show being presented at the Capital Center Theater in Charleston.

And I’m happy to report that their experiment is a success! They take the story, approach it from an original angle, add some excellent songs and a great cast, and produce a story that’s thrilling and entertaining.

Most authors approach the story as a “whodunit” - solving the mystery of Jack’s true identity. Instead, this production is a “whydunit” - it tells you right up front that Jack is really a disturbed painter named Frederick, whose rapid descent into madness is spurred on by the actions of his equally-demented mother. But there are several other mysteries that unfold as the musical follows Jack’s career.

Any good show depends on having a talented cast of actors on stage, and that’s another reason for the show’s success. Cast in the title role is Ryan Hardiman, an outstanding actor who manages the wide range of emotions required, from timidity and tenderness to the sheer rage of a madman. He also gets to show off his tremendous voice, and the songs allow him to demonstrate his range and power.

Playing the part of his Mother is Tanya Dillon Page, another excellent singer who does a great job playing a mysterious and troubled figure. Her voice is an excellent match for Ryan's, and their songs together are spot-on.

Jack’s opposite number is Inspector Abberline, as played by Kevin Pauley. Another excellent singer, his character is always one step behind Jack. (That's him in the photo above with Ryan.)

The cast does a terrific job, including: Donnie Smith, Greg Garner, Nick Tidquist, Liz McCormick, Nick Curnutte, Melanie Larch, Marranda Major, Sam Oxley, Jennifer Davis, Mara Regling, Penny Fioravante, Alicia Lewis, Cabrina Pierson, Jessica Rogers, Kirill Gura, and my pal Paul McNeely.

Mark Scarpelli’s music is as intricate as the Dan Kehda’s story, and blends together different voices and songs, sometimes working together and sometimes playing off each other. It’s an impressive piece of work, and I look forward to the team’s next project.

The only complaints I have are small ones: there were a few minor microphone problems the night I saw the show (it’s one of the biggest problems any community theatre groups faces); and the show was a bit constrained by the small size of the stage. They did their best to overcome the problem by devising a clever three-level set, but the show would definitely benefit from more elbow room.

But those are minor problems, and what the creators, performers and crew have been able to accomplish is nothing short of amazing. The show is moody and dark, and even though there’s no graphic violence, there are more than a few startling scenes, so I really don’t recommend this show for little ones. But for everyone else, the show is a real treat (which seems appropriate as Halloween gets closer).

It’s not often you get to see an original musical, and audiences should make a point of doing what the police weren’t able to do 120 years ago: catch Jack the Ripper!

"Hairspray" Shutting Down in 2009

According to a story at Broadway.com, the popular musical Hairspray is near the end of its long run - but there is some good news, as an original star returns to give it a strong send-off:

The Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray will close on January 18 at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre. Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, who originated the role of Edna Turnblad, will return to the production on November 11.

Hairspray centers on Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, who has only one passion — to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, The Corny Collins Show and overnight is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. She then tries to vanquish the program’s reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin and integrate a television show—all without denting her ‘do.

The musical opened on Broadway on August 15, 2002. No doubt it'll continue touring the country for years to come - and according to rumors, a film sequel is in the works. Still, it's surprising to see it reaching the end of its run - it seems to be happening a lot lately.

On Stage Tonight - "Jack" and "Robin"

There are two shows running tonight in Charleston:

- The new musical Jack the Ripper is being presented by the Contemporary Youth Arts Company at 8 p.m. tonight at the Capitol Theater at 1234 Summers Street in downtown Charleston. Tickets are $9.50 and $5.50 for students and seniors.

- The play Robin Hood is being presented by the Children's Theatre of Charleston at 7 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater. Tickets are $10 and $8.

So don't say there's nothing to do tonight!

Happy Anniversary!

Things are really starting to percolate on the local theatre scene! There are over a dozen shows taking the stage this month, which I'll be listing soon (I'm running a bit late - sorry about that), and I have to post my review of the excellent Jack the Ripper musical I saw last night - but first, let me note that today is the second anniversary of our humble efforts here.

It's been a lot of fun writing the Tri-State Theatre blog, and many thanks to all of you who've made us part of your Internet family! Feel free to keep sending in suggestions, comments and corrections - that's what makes it all possible! You can reach me at TheMinskers@aol.com, or send a comment to the link at the bottom of each post. I love hearing from you!

Just for fun, here's the first post I wrote on October 4, 2006 (with a smidge of editing for timeliness):

Local theatre in an interesting phenomenon, wherein a group of people gather together to “Put On A Show.”

Huntington has a rich history of theatre, both at Marshall University and its outstanding Department of Theatre, and through community efforts, including groups like the Musical Arts Guild, the First Stage Theatre Company, Huntington Outdoor Theatre, Fifth Avenue Theatre and ARTS, to name the ones that leap immediately to mind.

You’ll also find active theatre groups at almost every local high school, and several groups just a short drive away in Charleston and Ashland.

And thanks to the Marshall Artists Series, we even get to see professional theatre groups perform locally.

So if you like live theatre (and we assume you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t), there’s a lot to choose from. In addition to its rich history, Huntington has a bright future ahead, with some impressive shows on the way in the months and years ahead.

That’s why, under the kind auspices of The Herald-Dispatch, we’re launching this theatre blog -- to focus on those local shows, and talk about the shows that are coming up, shows from years past (the ones you loved and the ones you hated), and to take you behind the scenes to see how shows are made.

If you have a topic you want to offer up, drop me an e-mail and we’ll get the discussion going. I’ll be offering my own comments, reviews and previews as we go along. Comments are always welcome, as long as they’re civil.

So thanks for stopping by -- we hope you’ll add us to your “Favorites List” (hint, hint)!

On Stage Tonight - "Jack the Ripper" and "Robin Hood"

There are two shows running tonight (and this weekend) in the capital city:

- The new musical Jack the Ripper is being presented by the Contemporary Youth Arts Company at 8 p.m. tonight at the Capitol Theater at 1234 Summers Street in downtown Charleston. Tickets are $9.50 and $5.50 for students and seniors.

- The play Robin Hood is being presented by the Children's Theatre of Charleston at 7 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater. Tickets are $10 and $8.

Check 'em out!

The Music of "Jack the Ripper"

Yesterday we brought you an e-interview with the writer of the new musical, Jack the Ripper, which premieres tonight in Charleston.

Here's the second part of our discussion, as the show's composer, Mark Scarpelli, tells us about the show.

Q: Tell us about your theatre background, and past projects...

Mark: My theater background is primarily the role of composer/musical director. I have directed a number of productions the past ten years for (CTOC) Children's Theatre Of Charleston, Kanawha Players, and (CYAC) Contemporary Youth Arts Company. When working with CYAC I am collaborating with playwright Dan Kehde. We have worked together writing and re-writing and composing and re-composing numerous musicals, operas, ballets and collections for the past eleven years.

Q: You have a new show taking the stage this week - tell us about Jack the Ripper.

Mark: Jack is a story from the folds of Dan's brain. There is fact and fiction in this production that translates into a character who I think you develop feelings for. There is a sympathetic side to this guy (Jack/Frederick) who displays much emotion as well as the ever expected rage.

Q: Jack seems like an odd subject for a musical - it's not exactly an upbeat, feel-good story. Did that present a challenge to you in composing the music?

Mark: The music for Jack The Ripper is probably the darkest stuff I've ever written yet, it is some of the most melodic and romantically dramatic. The challenge was that I had to write music for three seperate stage settings... a tavern/streets of Whitechappel, the inspector's station and Jack's studio. There is focus on particular settings at different times but the real challenge was writing for the musical events happening in all settings simultaneously. I initially scored the piece for two pianos and then developed it into a piece for piano, string quartet, electric bass and drums/percussion. In this performance we are using piano and string quartet.

One interesting thing about writing the music for "Jack" is that I had the advantage of writing to a show that was already cast. We cast this thing back in January '08 but shelved it for a number of reasons. Probably the main reason was because we were still writing this thing. The original principals agreed to stay with the project and committed themselves to a production run in October '08. Now that I knew the voices, I had the advantage of writing to their strengths. I had some incredible talent to work with (Ryan Hardiman, Kevin Pauley, Tanya Dillon-Page, Mel Larch, Elizabeth McCormick). Having these incredible voices in mind to write for made the process a little smoother.

I did not have a very "social" summer in '08 because writing Jack the Ripper was all-consuming.

Q: Which comes first - the script or the music? How do you and Dan work together?

Mark: Dan Kehde and I work best when he hands me the script and/or the libretto. From that I typically write the music and sometimes reset dialogue and or phrases to fit musical ideas. Through the creative process 99 percent of our contact is done through emails and downloads (a real timesaver).

Q: It must be a major challenge to bring a new musical to the stage - what have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced?

Mark: The biggest challenge in getting Jack The Ripper together has been "timing." Since it is almost 100 percent music there are a number of areas where the music is underscored to highlight dialogue and then out of the blue a character might sing a phrase. Working to get the correct timing and phrasing and mixing in this dialogue with music has been a tremendous effort on everyone's part. Rehearsals were organized around characters and not much around scenes. The interaction of characters and the musical counterpoint they vocally create was the main focus in setting up a rehearsal schedule. If there was more time, I would love to have spent it on full cast/street people scenes. For example, there is a "whore rhapsody" that was cut, mainly because there was not enough time to work up the scene with choreography.

Q: How has the cast managed, learning a brand new show?

Mark: The cast has been extremely focused for learning this production. There are many tricky musical sections with odd time signatures and multiple key changes and dissonance. Getting a cast to accept this and to successfully function out of the norm of a standard 4/4 time reflects mature qualities and patience. I am very pleased and proud of our talented cast and look forward to this world premiere in Charleston at the WVSU Capitol Plaza Theatre.


Thanks, Mark! That premiere is tonight, and Jack the Ripper will run this weekend and next - don't miss it!

Writing the Musical "Jack the Ripper"

Thursday is the premiere the new musical, Jack the Ripper. The writer of the show is Dan Kehde, who created the show with composer Mark Scarpelli.

Both of them took the time to talk about the show in an e-interview, and we'll start with comments from Dan.

Q: Tell our readers a little bit about your theatre background...

Dan: It's a long and checkered past indeed. Actually I graduated from college in 1973 with a commission to write the libretto for a rock opera for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC., and it's been downhill ever since. So, except for the years when my son was growing up, I've been at this for 35 years. I've been fortunate enough to have nine plays of mine published, plus a few books of monologues and short scenes; wrote songs with Bob Whitmore and his production company up in New York back in the '70s; won a bunch of awards for the videos of some of my shorter works, including a Telly and screenwriting award from the New York Film Festival back in 2000. I've been collaborating with Mark Scarpelli for the past 12 years, writing the librettos for an insanely eclectic portfolio ranging from a fantasy opera Griswold and the Goblin King to Lincoln an opera on the last day in the Lincoln's life. We've also set Romeo and Juliet and the Blob to music, and have run our first piece Mary, a rock opera based on days and months before the birth of Christ every Christmas for the past eleven years. I've lost the actual count of the number of musicals and operas we've written so far, off the top of my head I count eleven or twelve.

Q: Your latest project is hitting the stage this week - tell us about Jack the Ripper.

Dan: This is a pretty wild piece. We've always written for multiple voices - lots of duets and trios - over the years. This seemed to lend itself to going even further. The libretto was actually written in three, sometimes four columns, so we could work in voices from multiple settings, in this case Jack's studio, the tavern in Whitechapel where the whores congregated, and Inspector Abberline's station several blocks away. It's a very challenging piece, dark at times, funny at others. Very weird.

Q: Jack has been a source of fascination for a long time, and there's an incredible number of books out there about him. Was this a difficult show to research?

Dan: Impossible. Everybody has a pet theory. I liked the character that Patricia Cornwell theorized was the ripper - the artist Walter Sickert - but the facts don't really prove her or anybody else's case. Still, I thought the Ripper as an artist was intriguing. The Ripper Encyclopedia was invaluable, and the websites are truly obsessive, if not absolutely accurate. If I had a theory, I'd say an awful lot of the
characteristics of the ripper killings were used to sell newspapers - maybe too much so.

Q: Jack seems an odd subject for a musical - it's not exactly the usual upbeat feel-good topic. What made you choose this as a topic?

Dan: We wanted to call it High School Musical 4: The Ripper Goes East, but we thought Disney might have a problem with it. Actually, that's all my fault. I have a tendency to write dark pieces and this seemed challenging to me, though Mark never disagreed. It gave us a chance to explore a whole new range of techniques.

Q: It must be a difficult undertaking, to create a new show and bring it to the stage for the first time. What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced? Also, which comes first - the story or the songs?

Dan: The idea comes first: sometimes from me, sometimes from Mark, but that's how it all starts. Then I'll write a scenario and run it by Mark. He'll either agree or make changes, or we'll hash it out for a while until it sounds right. After that I'll begin the libretto and e-mail him portions as they get finished. We rarely see each other while we're creating a piece - maybe once in a while he'll play me what he's working on, but that's usually when we're not sure how a particular moment in the libretto is going to work musically. Creating a new show is a real bear. Especially one as difficult as this one. Who knows if the thing is actually going to work - what the real moments are - and whether an audience is going to tolerate our experimentation.

Q: Tell us a little bit about the cast and how they've managed, working on a new show.

Dan: We got lucky on this show - for reasons far beyond all understanding, we've ended up a group of true artists as castmembers. Principals Ryan Hardiman, Kevin Pauley, Melanie Larch, Tanya Dillon Page, Nick Curnutte, Donnie Smith, Niklaus Tidquist all know the trials of living as an artist and so are personally dedicated to this project. Our chorus is amazingly tolerant of the monumental amount of work staging an original piece entails. Between shortages of scores and inaccurate librettos, they've had to claw their way through some of these scenes by their fingernails. I really can't say enough about our cast. We're proud of this piece and the folks who are in it.

Thanks, Dan! Tomorrow we'll hear from composer Mark Scarpelli!