![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/RS4449_2C5A6050-e1683148158217.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo by Jeff Lorch, as is the one at the top of this review.<\/p><\/div>\n
And then in 1991, at a theatre here in town, I was lucky enough to see Ms. Johns again in this show, that time as the\u00a0mother<\/em>\u00a0of the main character. (At the end of this review, I\u2019ll tell you my favorite heart-warming-and-breaking story of that opening night. That one tiny sighting affected me more than anything else I\u2019ve ever seen in a theatre.)<\/p>\n And so, with such a love and reverence for this musical, that I enjoyed this revival at the Pasadena Playhouse so much is quite the testament to it. I didn\u2019t pause to compare it even once to the other productions that my younger self saw; it stands on its own.<\/p>\n On a related note, my friend who joined me on opening night, Nina, (who works in musical theater herself,) had seen\u00a0A Little Night Music<\/em> on Broadway in recent years, when it starred Bernadette Peters and Angela Lansbury; you cannot do better than that cast in the musical theater. Nina acknowledged that to me, but she said that despite the impossible-to-live-up-to comparisons, she really also loved\u00a0this<\/em>\u00a0production. That is high praise indeed!<\/p>\n Ruby Lewis and Chase Del Rey. Photo by Jeff Lorch.<\/p><\/div>\n So let me list some of the reasons we enjoyed this show so much. First of all, it has zero negatives!!! How often does that<\/em> happen?!<\/p>\n The story itself, (of the romantic interactions of several couples in turn-of-the-last-century Sweden,) is very amusing, and this cast handles all the inanity with aplomb. Each actor and actress is spot-on. And the five-person \u201cchorus,\u201d whose interstitial singing entertains throughout, all have incredibly excellent operatic voices, none more so than Georgia Belmont; the audience oohed and aahed with her every note.<\/p>\n (L-R) Kimberly Dawson, Arnold Geis, Georgia Belmont, Jared Bybee, and Oriana Falla. Photo by Jeff Lorch.<\/p><\/div>\n I especially liked that all of Sondheim’s clever lyrics can be understood, even from very far back in the theatre. That\u2019s a rarity.<\/p>\n The whole presentation is\u00a0marvelous, but for me,\u00a0it really comes to life when Ryan Silverman, as the buffoon-ish Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, appears. The whole scenario commanded more of my attention from that moment on.<\/p>\n (L-R) Michael Hayden, Merle Dandridge, and Ryan Silverman. Photo by Jeff Lorch.<\/p><\/div>\n The first act ends with the fabulous and catchy A<\/em>\u00a0Weekend in the Country<\/em>. (I haven\u2019t been able to stop singing it in my head since the opening!) And Act II continues on that mirthful\u00a0track.<\/p>\n The story is one of those old-fashioned tales of misplaced romantic love, and it\u2019s actually a pleasure to see in these days when every musical tries to be more different or hip or modern than the next. A Little Night Music<\/em> is a little bit of a complicated-yet-easy-to-follow story, so some attention is needed. My mind actually wandered a time or two because I have so much on it nowadays, but the action or wonderful singing voices or hearing the laughter of my fellow audience members brought me right back to the stage each time.<\/p>\n Michael Hayden and Sarah Uriarte Berry. Photo by Jeff Lorch.<\/p><\/div>\n During the show, none of the actors seemed familiar to me, (with their wigs and costumes on,) which I always find to be a positive; this way, I perceive them as just their characters, with no preconceived notions. And they were all excellent.<\/p>\n But when I read my program after the show, I realized that I had actually seen some of the cast members’ work before! I had given a rave review to audience favorite Ruby Lewis back in 2014 when she starred in We Will Rock You<\/em> at the Ahmanson. (I saw her in the best Broadway production ever<\/em>, Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour<\/em>, as well.) And I also appreciated this very Playhouse’s Kiss Me Kate<\/em> that same year, which featured Merle Dandridge, who stars once again here in A Little Night Music<\/em>. Many of the actors also have extensive TV credits, but, alas, most on shows I’ve never seen, (only because I watch mainly sports.)<\/p>\n A splendid surprise for the audience happens at the beginning of Act II; it’s the sudden appearance of the orchestra behind a lit scrim. And the later discovery that the musicians are equally credited to the actors in the program made my heart sing. It’s about time those artists get their due recognition.<\/p>\n The musicians being showcased at the beginning of Act II. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n As far as the simple utilitarian set by\u00a0Wilson Chin goes,\u00a0there is one teeny part of it that became my favorite bit of set design ever! I don\u2019t want to ruin it for you, so let me just tell you that I downright guffawed at some miniatures in the second half. Their appearance is brief, so keep your eyes open at all times, especially near the beginning of that act.<\/p>\n I also loved the beautiful piano off to the side, but in full view the entire time. The interior of the underside of the top is especially attractive. It’s such a special set piece that I was able to admire all that artistry even though I was sitting way in the back of the theatre!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>