DORSET – Ninety-seven seasons is the stuff of legend, whether in the world of theater or any other public interaction endeavor. That’s the campaign the Dorset Players are looking to wrap this coming week with a giant cast taking on the song and dance modern classic “Company.”
The 1970 six-time Tony-award winning show’s music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim, with book by George Furth and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Directing for the Players are Tom Ferguson and Paul Michael Brinker, musical direction is by Michael Gallagher, and choreography by Susi Thomas.
The story is set in New York City in 1970. There, Robert (Michael Nicholas-Pate), a confirmed bachelor, is on the eve of his 35th birthday, and contemplates his unmarried state.
Throughout a series of dinners, drinks—and even a wedding—his friends Sarah (Joey Blane), Harry (Josh Bond), Susan (Danielle Houston), Peter (Todd Houston), Jenny (Renee Wymer), David (Matthew Steckler), Amy (Dana Haley), Paul (Joseph R. Mozer), Joanne (Kasey Franzoni), Larry (Michael Wymer), Marta (Megan Demarest), Kathy (Jaqueline Holloway) and April (K. Morgan Prikazsky), who altogether are five couple and three single women, explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse.
In this flurry of vignettes which are not so much linear as they are topical, Robert is forced to question his bachelorhood during a hilarious array of interactions – and dazzling song and dance numbers. Directors Ferguson and Brinker were tasked with examining how the 1970s launched a generation of young women and men looking for love, sometimes in all the wrong places.
Not only was their large cast primed and ready, but they and choreographer Thomas had the additional responsibility of integrating three first-timers into the company in one show: Holloway, Nichols-Pate, and Prikazsky.
This was no small feat, and audience guffaws, constant applause and a final standing ovation was indicative of the talent, preparation, and passion that each actor delivered. That said, a nod must go to Nichols-Pate, who as the lead showcased a pensiveness that very delicately did not detract from the show’s humor, and which was not easy to pull off – let alone as adroitly as we witnessed.
And nothing against the rest of the men, who were terrific, but another nod must go to every woman in the cast: Blane, Demarest, Franzoni, Haley, Holloway, Houston and Prikazsky, all took the female roles, and injected them with bursts (both large and small) of nurturing, caring, and expressions of love in ways that even Sondheim would have welcomed.
In this very same vein, choreographer Thomas was able to offer up a visual feast of movement, style and grace in her dancers that would be the envy of professionals. And, a big treat for audience throughout is the 5-piece orchestra of director Michael Gallagher, Gabe Gallagher, Lily, Darrell Holovach, and Rick LaPlant.
The show ran two and a half hours which included a 15 minute intermission, and benefited from the Dorset Players now expected excellent production details.
The folks behind the scenes must be recognized for peerless production under the aegis of producer Angie Merwin: Patty Greene-Pawelczyk (stage manager), Jane LoBrutto (assistant), Renee Wymer (dance captain), Todd Hjelt (fight coordinator), Brinker and Ferguson (costumes), Brian Miksis with Evan Miksis (sound), and David V Groupe (lights) with Drew Hill and his skillful army (set).
There are others, too, and my space doesn’t allow me to name them all, but … you know who you are.
With the Players 97th season all but in the books, I wanted to close out this review by mentioning that at the beginning of this year, the Dorset Players were voted as Favorite Regional Theater for 2024 by Broadway World, for the Vermont Region. Also, Tom Ferguson was voted as Best Director for “Rabbit Hole.” On top of all that, “Rabbit Hole” also won Best Show for 2024, Best Ensemble, and Natalie Philpot was honored with Best Lead Actor.
It’s worth mentioning that these awards brought home by the Dorset Players were earned with professional stages as their principal competition.
Let that sink in for a moment.
As the Players march toward their centennial season in the fall of 2027 – a feat accomplished by only a handful of continuously running American theaters – they continue as amateurs to provide professional grade entertainment in drama, and that alone should be a beacon of pride for anyone in Vermont who works year-round to champion the arts.
“Company” will run through May 25 with both matinee and evening shows, at the Dorset Playhouse, 104 Cheney Rd. in Dorset. Tickets: call the box office at 802-867-5777 or visit dorsetplayers.org.