Let’s get a few things straight before I go any further. Number one, if you want to see this show, call now to reserve tickets. No, seriously-right now. Opening night was sold out and then some. If you do not heed this advice, you will miss this show. And that’s a shame.
Number two. Dress in layers. With the air on, Know Theatre’s performance space is an icebox. The woman next to me had on a parka. But when the A/C kicks off, you will want to remove something (but keep it clean, people). Moving on.
Let’s get a few things straight before I go any further. Number one, if you want to see this show, call now to reserve tickets. No, seriously-right now. Opening night was sold out and then some. If you do not heed this advice, you will miss this show. And that’s a shame.
Number two. Dress in layers. With the air on, Know Theatre’s performance space is an icebox. The woman next to me had on a parka. But when the A/C kicks off, you will want to remove something (but keep it clean, people). Moving on.
The program for “Don’t Make Me Pull This Show Over: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Parenting” reads like a Who’s Who of Cincinnati theatre artists. With Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor in charge of music and lyrics, Terry LaBolt at the piano and acting as music director, and Richard E. Hess directing, you don’t even need to see the cast list to know you’re in for a treat.
But then you do read the cast list, and you’re sold. More on that later.
There’s not a lot of musical theatre offered during Fringe, comparatively speaking. “Don’t Make Me” is a completely musical journey through the years of parenthood, from the moment the stick turns blue to the beautifully tragic time when the roles of child and parent reverse. It will have parents longing to hug their children, and those who are contemplating becoming parents reconsidering…in a good way.
The real strength of this show lies in its ensemble numbers. The cast is tight and well-tuned, playing off of each other in both upbeat and somber moments. Each performer does get his or her chance to shine alone, though, and shine they do. Kate Wilford grabs the audience by the collar and doesn’t let go until she’s damn good and ready in “This Is Still My Country.” And Jessica Hendy takes even the most twinset-wearing, minivan driving soccer mom back to her youthful transgressions in “I Don’t Have The Right.”
The onstage chemistry between Charlie Clark and Michael Shawn Starks is nothing short of fantastic in their duet, “I Had A Freakin’ Box,” leaving the entire audience in stitches. And Gina Valentine has a couple of standout moments, including a turn as a mother whose child comes out of the proverbial closet in “What Took You So Long.”
While the comic moments keep the evening fun, the show is not without poignancy. “Don’t Make Me” examines parenting anxieties and fears of inadequacy, the illness of a child, as well as issues of divorce and the ramifications that can have on the life of a child. The performers do a wonderful job of shifting gears between moods without leaving the audience feeling as though the show has veered off course.
Opening night was not without its jitters. There were a few dropped lyrics and an awkward cue here and there, but truthfully, the show stands on strong enough legs that those things were easy to overlook.