Playwright: Jerome Lawrence/Robt. E. Lee ( book ), Jerry Herman ( music/lyrics ). At: Light Opera Works, Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St., Evanston. Tickets: 847-920-5360; LightOperaWorks, com; from $34. Runs through: Aug. 28
Hello, Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles have been produced frequently by area theaters while Mamean equally-fine Jerry Herman oeuvrehas gone unstaged seemingly forever. Light Opera Works ( LOW ) rectifies that with this splendidly sung and played production, danced in high-stepping style. It's staged by LOW artistic director Rudy Hogenmiller, choreographed by Clayton Cross and conducted by Roger L. Bingaman, whose interpretations of classic musical scores are impeccable. Small first-night glitches will disappear quickly.
The story concerns wealthy, eccentric Auntie Mame ( Nancy Hays ) who guides her orphaned nephew Patrick ( Zachary Scott Fewkes younger, Justin Adair older ) through the Jazz Age and Great Depression, abetted by alcoholic gal pal Vera Charles ( blowsy Mary Robin Roth ), her butler Ito ( upbeat Alexander Wu ), young Patrick's virginal nanny Agnes Gooch ( droll Alicia Berneche ) and Mame's Southern gentry husband Beauregard Burnside ( affably sincere Nic Fanti ). The book, play and non-musical film which preceded the musical were among the 1950s' biggest entertainment successes.
The Jerry Herman score is filled with marches, blaring trumpets, trilling flutes, high-energy dance numbers, a famous title song that partly inspired A Chorus Line, and two ballads"My Best Girl" and "If He Walked Into My Life"that anchor the necessary sentimental side of Mame to balance the show's otherwise devil-may-care attitude. Without them, Mame wouldn't have a heart. It's a well-crafted musical by any Broadway measure, and all works as it should in LOW's production.
Of course, Mame rises or falls on the actor in the title role. In her LOW debut, Nancy Hays sings up a storm whether belt or ballad, and moves beautifully showing her svelte figure and long legs. Her dialog scenes are not as strong as her musical moments, but the emotion and spirit she packs into the songs more than compensates. Her Patricks, young and old, are capable and engaging. Young Zachary Scott Fewkes has confidence and talent, while Justin Adair as older Patrick has a perfectly gorgeous voice ( I wish he'd had more to sing ). Roth and Berneche successfully sell the comedy along with other supporting players, while the full company makes a glorious noise in big numbers such as "Open a New Window," "It's Today" and the title song.
The LOW longtime venue, Cahn Auditorium, places physical limits on scenic elements, perhaps compounded by LOW budget constraints. Classic musicals don't have to look old-fashioned, but this production certainly does using painted backdrops as the principal scenic device, and with songs performed downstage in front of a curtain. That's 1930s vintage staging. Short of a new venue, I don't know how LOW fixes that. Designer Adam Veness does his best with period set decoration and a smart deco-inspired double proscenium framing the action.