How to go
What: “Carousel”
Where: Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton
When: Sept. 11-27; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.
Cost: $18 for adults; $16 for seniors and students.
Tickets/more info: Call (937) 424-8477 or go online to www.daytonplayhouse.com.
Composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II’s romantic, heartbreaking 1945 musical drama “Carousel,” based on Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar’s 1909 play “Liliom,” opens the Dayton Playhouse’s 2015-16 season Friday.
Originally set in the late 19th century but transplanted to the 1930s for this presentation, “Carousel” tells two contrasting stories of love and marriage in New England. The primary account involves the ill-fated relationship between innocent millworker Julie Jordan and abusive, roughneck carousel barker Billy Bigelow, a couple whose world disintegrates due to Billy’s impulsive behavior. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Carrie Pipperidge, Julie’s bubbly friend and fellow millworker, finds a contented life with diligent fisherman Enoch Snow. The fantastic score, featuring such gorgeous numbers as “The Carousel Waltz,” “Mister Snow,” “If I Loved You,” “What’s the Use of Wond’rin,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” was a particular favorite of Rodgers, an opera admirer who used the breadth and scope of “Carousel” to test his operatic sensibilities within the musical theater landscape. His gifted ideas would be sprinkled throughout his future compositions of “South Pacific” (“Some Enchanted Evening”), “The King and I” (“My Lord and Master”), “Flower Drum Song” (“Love, Look Away”), “The Sound of Music” (“Climb Ev’ry Mountain”), and “Two By Two” (“The Golden Ram”) among other shows/songs.
“In spite of adversity, the story (of ‘Carousel’) shows examples of heartfelt pain, survival and encouragement with some of the best loved Rodgers and Hammerstein songs,” said director and Playhouse board chair Brian Sharp. “This is a story of hope and change. It has also been set in the Depression Era which gives it just a bit of a new dimension. I am always drawn to the rich, traditional musicals, especially Rodgers and Hammerstein. These big musicals not only allow us to get a lot of community members involved, but many times it allows us to see new talent hit our stage.”
In addition to Playhouse newcomers Adrienne “Adee” McFarland as Julie, Krissy McKim-Barker as Carrie and Eric Thompson as Enoch, the principal cast includes Jeff Sams, who directed last season’s Playhouse production of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and starred as Curly in its staging of “Oklahoma!” two seasons ago. Sams has the plum role of the tough, erratic Billy, whose redemptive journey is vividly examined in the masterfully written, seven-minute-long “Soliloquy” in which he imagines life as a father. In order to tackle the magnitude of the song as well as the role’s overall demands, Sams says he ran 10 miles a week and also changed his diet.
“Over the course of ‘Soliloquy,’ Billy’s pride, hate, fear, and resolve are exposed to the audience as he sings about the child Julie is carrying,” Sams said. “Billy intrigues me because of his complexity. (He) is a good man at heart and truly loves his wife. Only through his desperation and subsequent death does he see the error of his ways. Rodgers and Hammerstein are often criticized for condoning spousal abuse in this show, but I take the opposite view. I believe they are shining light on an oppressive situation all too often kept hidden by those who are trapped by it. There are no villains in this story – only lost souls. It has been my pleasure to play a man who finds his in the end.”
The production, totaling 33 actors, incorporates musical director Ron Kindell, choreographer Paige Hanshaw, assistant director Shawn Hooks, scenic designer Chris Newman, and costumer Terry Kahle. The orchestra will particularly include 16 members of the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra which is continuing an ongoing partnership with the Playhouse. The show will also be the first produced on the recently refurbished Playhouse stage featuring all new draperies.
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