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Posted by on 9:59 am Oct 5th, 2007(More news)
Joan Cushing's musical adaptation of...
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A CurtainUp Omnibus Review
The 2007 New York Musical Theatre Festival
By Paulanne Simmons
Petite Rouge
Joan Cushing’s musical adaptation of Mike Artell and Jim Harris’s children’s book, takes Little Red Riding Hood from the forests of Germany to the bayous of Louisiana. It also transforms the characters into anthropomorphized animals. Thus Petite Rouge (Felicia Curry) is a duck, her pal, TeJean (Billy Bustamante) is a cat, and on their journey to the home of Grandmere (Cyana Cook), they meet singing turtles and frogs. As for the only animal in the original story, the wolf, he now becomes a fiendish alligator with a French accent who goes by the name of Claude (the charismatic Bobby Smith).
Michael J. Bobbitt, who directs, has also choreographed the energetic, funny and sexy dances that work so well with Cushing’s songs, which include waltzes, tangos and ragtime. And Reggie Ray has created fantastic and colorful costumes and masks for Cushing’s assortment of evil and innocent animals. There isn't a song that doesn’t work, and some, like Claude’s "I’m Hungry," the ensemble’s "Riverboat Waltz" and the Cajun-influenced "Hot Sauce,"â€work to perfection. Get ready to leave the theater humming one or two of Cushing’s tunes.
Petite Rouge is ostensibly for children, but like all good children’s theater, it is equally entertaining for adults. Who could resist this brave little heroine who sallies forth into the unknown, holds her own against the gator’s chicanery, kicks up her heels at the Mardi Gras and finally makes it to her grandmother’s house? Even Mr. Grimm would smile.
Book, music and lyrics by Joan Cushing. Directed and choreographed by Michael Bobbitt. Cast: Felicia Curry, Bobby Smith, Billy Bustamante, Cyana Cook, L.C. Harden, Jr., Tracy McMullen. Doug Bowles (music director), Alexander Cooper (lighting design), Reggie Ray (costume design), Debbie Wicks La Puma (sound design). Schedule: Sep 25th, 8:00 pm, Sep 26th, 1:00 pm, Sep 29th, 4:30 pm, Oct 3rd, 4:30 pm, Oct 4th, 1:00 pm, Oct 6th, 8:00 pm at 45th Street Theater — Paulanne Simmons
http://www.curtainup.com/nymusicfestival2007.html#Pe


