THEATER REVIEW: My Vaudeville Man

You can depend on Millbrook Playhouse for providing its audiences with a well balanced season, a summer of beloved musicals, classic mysteries, and brand new shows by up and coming playwrights. MY VAUDEVILLE MAN is a new musical that should be around for future audiences to enjoy,

Based on the life of Jack Donahue,  who had a brief run as a dancer on the vaudeville circuit, the show revolves around Jack and his mother.  Jack started playing small towns at the age of 19 and had some success before dying of alcoholism at 39. His story is told mainly through the letters written between him and his mother as he tries to make it to a top billing spot. Mother Donahue not only is opposed to his career choice, but very worried that he will become a drunk like his old man.

The credit for this rather weak play being as enjoyable as it was belongs to the talents of its stars and its director.

Director Joshua W. Kelley kept the action well paced and never allowed the story to fall into what could have been melodrama. The plot is full of cliches: the religious Irish Catholic mother, the mother/son guilt tripping relationship, the fear of becoming like the absent father, the trials of being “on the road”, etc. Instead, Joshua allows us to see a mother and son interact.

The mother was played by the amazing Shannon Agnew. Shannon is almost a regular at Millbrook and we never know what to expect from her; only her fantastic voice is a constant. She can belt out a song with the best of them, plus she has comic talents to spare. If she is back next year, I hope that Gypsy is on the schedule. If Merman could do it, Agnew can do it.

Matthew Fairlee drew my attention as the butler in Mary Poppins and I was happy to see what all this young actor could really do. As the young Jack Donahue, Matthew had a chance to, literally, strut his stuff. His interaction with the audience was natural and charming; his acting and his dancing were both impressive. The first act left me with a feeling that he was a little weak for the part, but by the end of the show I realized that the director wanted to show Jack’s growth as an entertainer. His “Tap Drunk” number in the second act was worthy of a Kelly or an Astaire. Like Kelly and Astaire his voice has a limited range, but he know how to work with what he has.

I also enjoyed the old fashioned piano playing of musical director Martena Rogers. She, along with drummer Bruce Wallace, provided perfect vaudeville music. I always enjoy the “orchestra” when it does not drown out the singers. Thank you, Martena.

This is basically a two person show, but sets, lights and props made it feel like a much larger cast, thanks to Joshua Gallagher, Denise Lalevee and Ethan Vail. When any of these three get a reaction from the audience, it is a good thing and that happened several times on opening night.

MY VAUDEVILLE MAN closed August 9 and has been replaced by The Marvelous Wonderettes beginning on August 14. It is sure to make you go home with “Leader of the Pack” stuck in your head. Call 570-748-8083 or check www.millbrookplayhouse.org for more information.