Ruby gets off the bus from Utah with “nothing but tap shoes in her suitcase and a prayer in her heart.” As fate would have it, she is immediately cast in the chorus of a Broadway show. When the theatre is forced to close, Ruby’s songwriting sailor boyfriend persuades the Captain of his ship to allow the show to move on deck. Voila! Dames at sea! When the show’s lead gets seasick, Ruby may have to go on for her. Will Ruby come back a star? Do you need to ask?
Dames at Sea at once pays affectionate homage to and sends up the optimistic early Broadway musicals of the 30s and 40s. It’s filled with songs, tap-dancing and romance from start to finish. It is suitable for general audiences.
Book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller. Music by jim Wise. Directed by Joshua Finkel. Music director: Sean Paxton. Choreography by Jeffrey Scott Parsons.
Sierra Madre Playhouse’s decision to produce the show expresses a clear desire for nostalgic naiveté, with its back-to-back songs brought to life by an amiable and hard-working six-person cast. However, for those less inclined to appreciate the simplistic innocence of the Golden Era, the dated plot is boring. Predictability distracts from the outrageously talented troupe, which otherwise sets the intimate theater ablaze with rapid-fire tapping and excellent singing skills.
I have a special appreciation for artists who really learn their craft; that surround their entire lives dedicated to observation, listening, learning, searching then discovering, creating, improving, perfecting and twerking it a bit to make it organic and unique.
When you have experienced performers who have done it all in their careers in key roles putting together a musical production of this type, it is quite apparent in the outcome. With the esteemed team that is at the "helm" of this production, Director Joshua Finkel, Choreographer Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Costumes Designed by Shon LeBlanc, Lighting Design by Derek Jones, Artistic Director of the Sierra Madre Theatre Christian Lebano, and Live One-Man-Orchestra Sean Paxton; (Google all!) it is full tilt ahead and all aboard for an evening of superb and satisfying entertainment.
Wonderful production with superb direction from Josh Finkel, flashy choreography from Jeffry Scott Parsons and a cast of 6 triple threat performers. Take a journey back in time to the great musicals of the 30s and 40s and you will exult in Dames at Sea.
SMP has successfully staged a big show on a small stage (effectively including the theater aisles as part of the set) and our senses are delighted with the impressive tap-dancing skills, comedic timing, and vocal talent that bring it all together.
The cast who all are triple threats: Ruben Bravo, Katie Franqueira, Jennifer Knox, Marissa Mayer, Chuck McLand and Aaron Shaw provide a glorious fast paced performance throughout.
This entire triple-threat cast is talented, especially all three females (Jennifer Knox, Marissa Mayer, and Katie Franqueira,) who are all superb tap dancers with excellent voices and quality comedic skills. Each one excels at one of those skills, (Jennifer at comedy, Marissa at singing, and Katie at dancing,) so they make for a perfect blend of performers.
With its clever blend of nostalgia, camp, romance, melody, laughter, and dance, it’s hard to imagine a more scrumdiddlyumptious musical theater treat than Dames At Sea, one of the best and most entertaining summer musicals ever to light up the Sierra Madre Playhouse stage.
The Sierre Madre Playhouse presents a full scale Busby Berkley-style show on a breadline budget, making that kind of staging even more appealing! It features a selection of tunes that recall those tunes of the 30’s as performed by musical director Sean Paxton on piano. Jeffrey Scott Parsons’ choreography provides how much of the cast, especially Katie Franqueira’s tap dancing, makes this show a real treat to experience. And Joshua Finkel’s stage direction gives all of that dancing and romancing placing it into new heights
Sierra Madre Playhouse’s decision to produce the show expresses a clear desire for nostalgic naiveté, with its back-to-back songs brought to life by an amiable and hard-working six-person cast. However, for those less inclined to appreciate the simplistic innocence of the Golden Era, the dated plot is boring. Predictability distracts from the outrageously talented troupe, which otherwise sets the intimate theater ablaze with rapid-fire tapping and excellent singing skills.
I have a special appreciation for artists who really learn their craft; that surround their entire lives dedicated to observation, listening, learning, searching then discovering, creating, improving, perfecting and twerking it a bit to make it organic and unique.
When you have experienced performers who have done it all in their careers in key roles putting together a musical production of this type, it is quite apparent in the outcome. With the esteemed team that is at the "helm" of this production, Director Joshua Finkel, Choreographer Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Costumes Designed by Shon LeBlanc, Lighting Design by Derek Jones, Artistic Director of the Sierra Madre Theatre Christian Lebano, and Live One-Man-Orchestra Sean Paxton; (Google all!) it is full tilt ahead and all aboard for an evening of superb and satisfying entertainment.
Wonderful production with superb direction from Josh Finkel, flashy choreography from Jeffry Scott Parsons and a cast of 6 triple threat performers. Take a journey back in time to the great musicals of the 30s and 40s and you will exult in Dames at Sea.
SMP has successfully staged a big show on a small stage (effectively including the theater aisles as part of the set) and our senses are delighted with the impressive tap-dancing skills, comedic timing, and vocal talent that bring it all together.
The cast who all are triple threats: Ruben Bravo, Katie Franqueira, Jennifer Knox, Marissa Mayer, Chuck McLand and Aaron Shaw provide a glorious fast paced performance throughout.
This entire triple-threat cast is talented, especially all three females (Jennifer Knox, Marissa Mayer, and Katie Franqueira,) who are all superb tap dancers with excellent voices and quality comedic skills. Each one excels at one of those skills, (Jennifer at comedy, Marissa at singing, and Katie at dancing,) so they make for a perfect blend of performers.
With its clever blend of nostalgia, camp, romance, melody, laughter, and dance, it’s hard to imagine a more scrumdiddlyumptious musical theater treat than Dames At Sea, one of the best and most entertaining summer musicals ever to light up the Sierra Madre Playhouse stage.
The Sierre Madre Playhouse presents a full scale Busby Berkley-style show on a breadline budget, making that kind of staging even more appealing! It features a selection of tunes that recall those tunes of the 30’s as performed by musical director Sean Paxton on piano. Jeffrey Scott Parsons’ choreography provides how much of the cast, especially Katie Franqueira’s tap dancing, makes this show a real treat to experience. And Joshua Finkel’s stage direction gives all of that dancing and romancing placing it into new heights
