"Adventure in Apartment G-Sharp"

Theatre review
"The Adventure in Apartment G-Sharp" at the Kitchen Theatre (Family Fare)
Ithaca Times
October 31, 2007
657 words
"Family-friendly opera"

full text here

Family-friendly opera
By: Mark Tedeschi
10/31/2007

The Adventure in Apartment G Sharp, book and Lyrics by Nathan Hilgartner & Rachel Lampert; music by Bizet, Donizetti, Dvorak, Humperdinck, Mozart, Ofenbach, Verdi & Wagner. Directed by Rachel Lampert & Tony Simione. With Music Director, Arranger, Accompanist Richard Montgomery. At Kitchen Theatre through Nov. 11.

The Kitchen Theatre's Adventure in Apartment G Sharp uses conventional elements of family-friendly storytelling, from the intermittent jokes for grown-ups to a sleep-induced fantasy world. But conventions like those exist for a reason: if executed with talent and enthusiasm, they can easily plaster smiles all over the audience's face. Smile-inducing is exactly what Adventure does for kids and parents alike, and the grins will stay for quite awhile.

Adventures was written by Nathan Hilgartner, a sophomore at Ithaca High School, and Rachel Lampert, the Kitchen's artistic director. Hilgartner helped Lampert with writing The Odyssey II at the Kitchen last year, and they decided to collaborate more closely for this show. Lampert also directed Adventures, along with Tony Simione, an Ithaca theatre newcomer. The directors' expertise shows up in the charming choreography and in the credibility of the acting performances.

Eight-year-old Erin Hilgartner (Nathan's sister) plays Bernadette, a girl visiting her Uncle Howard (Joseph Zappala) for the weekend. He loves opera music; he seizes every opportunity to croon about everyday things. Bernadette isn't a fan, and politely lets him know it. He understands ("One day you will like opera / Though right now you want me to stop-era"), but sings her to sleep nonetheless.

Bernadette wakes up as Despina, a servant girl in a fantastic dreamworld. We meet new characters: Zappala returns as Don Horatio, father of Carlotta (Jessica Flood) and Rosalinda (Maria Jacobi), both of whom receive affections from two wealthy brothers, Alfonso (Max Lawrence) and Alfredo (Larry Komrower).

The actors' relish for their characters engages the audience. Hilgartner has a particularly difficult job, playing a girl who has to keep her wits enough to save the day amidst chaos, while at the same time, making humorous asides acknowledging the fantasy ("Why am I singing?" she wonders). Lawrence and Komrower's teamwork offer a enjoyable dynamic; Alfonso coaches Alfredo on wooing women, and even the difference in their vocal range gives humor to a simple repeated line uttered dramatically by both brothers: "I neeeed you."

Horatio has arranged the marriage of Carlotta and Alfredo, an act that will make him rich (good thing Alfredo is a nice guy, too). Meanwhile, Rosalinda falls for Alfonso, but a few mistaken identities later, their paths all become crisscrossed, and Despina/Bernadette must set things right.

Music in Apartment comes from a handful of operas, most from the 19th century: "Carmen," "The Marriage of Figaro," "Hansel & Gretel," "Don Pasquale," "Linda Di Chamounix," "Tales of Hoffman," "The Valkyrie," Cosi fan Tutte," "Rusalka," "The Elixir of Love," and "Il Trovatore."

The songs have been repurposed in Adventure; Hilgartner and Lampert wrote new lyrics to fit the story. The opera numbers are short, sweet and wholly organic to the plot. They showcase impressive singing abilities all around. Carlotta's "Oh, Hateful Villain!" and Rosalinda's "Lalalalala (Alfredo's Wooing Song)" are two especially memorable performances.

The set consists of pieces from the current Main Stage production, STRANGERHORSE, but they do the trick. The lighting (design by Emily Zoss) is simple and puts the focus on the actors; it also highlights Hannah Kochmann's smart costumes.

By the end of the Adventure, almost as if she'd been tricked, Bernadette realizes that she actually does appreciate opera music after all. Have the kids in the audience been coaxed into liking it, too? Judging by the excited lobby conversations afterward, I'd answer a definite yes - for both the children and the parents.