I was only away one night, but one would think it had been longer, given all the "stuff" that piled up while I was gone.
Side by Side by Sondheim was delightful. It was produced by the Rubicon Theatre Company, which is housed in a converted church in the seaside town of Ventura, California. The stage was created not where the altar once was, but in one of the corners, providing a playing space that creates a good deal of intimacy between the actors and the audience. The company just bought the building after leasing it for six years, and their first improvement will be to take out the pew seating and put in real theater seats.
All three SbSbS singers were quite good, individually and collectively; they were equally effective in the dramatic numbers and in the comedy songs.
Miss Tami Tappan Damiano proved herself to be quite the comedienne in several numbers, including "You Gotta Get A Gimmick," "Getting Married Today" and "The Boy From..." Mr. Davis Gaines has a lovely voice and he seemed to be having a great time, especially in some of the schtick he was asked to handle. (For example, he played a silent bartender to Miss Damiano in the "The Boy From.." number and his reactions were priceless.) Miss Teri Ralston brought some solid singing and, in the right spots, an appropriate degree of gravitas to the show.
As narrator, Richard Kline was more actively involved in the proceedings than I remember from the original production of SbSbS. He even sang "Sorry, Grateful," reprising his number from the Reprise! production of Company a few months ago.
As narrator, he was, well, OK. More bland than anything else. Ned Sherrin's original narration was edited, updated and supplemented, and some of the jokes that were dropped in failed miserably.
I should mention that some songs from the original lineup of SbSbS were dropped and others added (though none from any show later than Pacific Overtures.)
On the whole it was a great evening of Sondheim. Whoever says Mr. Sondheim can't write great melodies or that he doesn't have a sense of humor needs to see this show STAT!
