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Thursday, February 28, 2008
Opera Review: Porgy & Bess
By Mark-Brian Sonna of MBS Productions
.........Why can’t we have a jazz, classical, and spiritual hymn delivery all within the same show? Gershwin never called Porgy & Bess a classical opera; he called it a Folk opera.
Only two performers captured the different styles within this opera. Victor Ryan Robertson as Sportin’ Life plays a flashy dope peddler. He gets some of the more famous songs to sing in the show, and he delivers them with differing vocal stylizations based on the nature of the tune. His delivery of the song "It Ain’t Necessarily So" proved he is an operatic tenor, but also a jazz stylist. He slides from a pop tune delivery to soaring notes within the same song, yet it felt complete. Sherna Armstrong in the smaller role of Lily did the same thing. Both performers left very memorable impressions.
2/2007 Theatre of Love reviews:
“Theatre of Love: The Perfect Valentine’s treat. MBS Productions' Theatre of Love is a pleasant mixture of songs, poems and short plays which all have a common theme: love. The show… is quite freewheeling and almost improvisational in nature…..The four men and four women who made up the troupe in Theatre of Love were all talented and had energy and enthusiasm to spare. Coming out especially ahead in the evening were Sherna Armstrong, who belted out a goosepimple-inducing "My Man"; Sarah Enriquez, who used a delicious New York accent in the comic playlet Two Couples Two; and James Casarez, Jr., who enlivened the evening by playing the trumpet (when not dressed as an adult Cupid!) Director Mark-Brian Sonna has engineered a truly creative evening. …Theatre of Love is quite simply, far different than any other entertainment to be found in Dallas at the present. A lively band of youthful entertainers are ready to take you through an exciting evening. I had a smile on my face as the evening came to a close, and so will you.”
Joseph Melnicoff, Broadwayworld.com "Best of the Weekend...check out an array of short plays, poems, songs and performance pieces." Ann Pinson, Dallas Morning News
“It’s a musical romp that touches your heart: a smash up of song, poetry, dance, and performance art into one theatrical evening that will plaster a big smile on your face while bringing a tear to your eye!” Alejandro de la Costa, playwright
"BEST BET" Dallas Voice
"GUIDE PICK" Guidelive.com
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