Tags Posts tagged with "Liam Marsigliano"

Liam Marsigliano

By Heidi Sutton

Fans of the classic movie The Wizard of Oz will fall in love with Theatre Three’s current children’s production, Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz. Adapted from the stories of L. Frank Baum, the show, written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Douglas J. Quattrock, features an original score, a clever script, and wonderful cast — Samantha Fierro, Danielle Pafundi, Steven Uihlein, Sean Amato, C.J. Russo, Louisa Bikowski, Stephanie Moreau, Liam Marsigliano and Kaitlyn Jehle with a special appearance by Shay Francis Feldman — who bring this magical story to life. 

Dorothy Gale, chief editor of her high school newspaper, the Baum Bugle, is busy putting the paper to bed when a fierce storm blows in and knocks her to the ground. When she wakes up, she finds herself in Munchkinland.  Her news stand has landed on the Wicked Witch of the East causing her demise, much to the delight of the Munchkins. 

When the scary Wicked Witch of the West shows up, Dorothy is protected by Glinda the Good Witch who gives her those famous ruby slippers and sends her down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to find the Wizard of Oz who can help her get home. Along her journey, Dorothy meets a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tinman who yearns for a heart, and a Lion who longs for courage. The three join her on her quest and the adventure begins.

Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, all of the iconic scenes are here, from the talking apple trees, the enchanted poppies, to meeting the Wizard in the Emerald City, the flying monkeys, the Witch’s castle, the Winkies and the melting scene (what a world!). A nice touch is the flawless scene changes — each time Dorothy meets a new friend, they walk through the aisles of the theater (the yellow brick road) as the next scene is set up. The costumes by Jason Allyn are just perfect and the special effects are top notch. And did I mention there is a special surprise with four legs and a tail? 

In the end, the show reminds us to be true to our hearts and that there truly is no place like home. Don’t miss this one. Stop by the lobby on your way out for a group photo with the cast.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz through March 18. Running time is 1 hour and 20 minutes with one intermission. Children’s theater continues with The Adventures of Peter Rabbit from April 5 to 29 and Cinderella from May 27 to June 17. All seats are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

By Heidi Sutton

Looking for something fun to do with the kids during Spring Break? May I recommend the most adorablest show around, Theatre Three’s The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, a tale based on the characters and stories created by Beatrix Potter. As a child, Beatrix and her brother were homeschooled and kept sheltered from other children. She turned to her pets, especially her two rabbits — Benjamin Bouncer and Peter Piper — who served as inspiration for her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. 

Now the stories of Flopsy, Mopsy, CottonTail, Peter and Mrs. Rabbit come to life on Theatre Three’s stage in the form of a musical written by Jeffrey Sanzel and the late Brent Erlanson, with musical arrangements by Kevin F. Story. 

The story follows the antics of the mischievous Peter Rabbit and his cousin Benjamin Bunny who have an insatiable appetite for carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, parsley, cucumbers and string beans. Where can they find such a cornucopia? In their neighbor Mr. McGregor’s garden, of course! 

But taking without asking is not very nice and one too many trips to the garden patch gets Peter caught by the farmer. Will he end up as rabbit stew or will the McGregors and the Rabbits come to a compromise?

Directed by Sanzel, the incredible cast of eight adult actors present a high-energy, fast-paced show that keep children at the edge of their seats with audience participation as the cast walk or run up and down the aisles.

This year’s production has stepped it up several notches with so many special little details including adorable new costumes and wigs by Jason Allyn, colorful lighting along the walls of the theater and fresh choreography. The bunnies even sport new ears and a tail!

The show uses the set from the theater’s Mainstage production, Steel Magnolias, for the rabbit house and quickly transform it into the McGregor’s garden with a fence, bushes and trees. 

The most special part of the production is the musical numbers. From the catchy duet “One More Time Around” with Peter and Benjamin to the hip hop number “Peter’s Socks,” the songs are heart of the show. The final number incorporates all of the songs in a super mega-mix extravaganza.

This wonderful spring production is guaranteed to keep both kids and parents entertained. Don’t miss it.

Souvenir bunnies in spring colors will be sold before the show and during intermission for $5 (proceeds will help maintain the historic building) and the entire cast will be in the lobby for photos after the show.

Sponsored by Furnari Exit Realty, Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents The Adventures of Peter Rabbit on April 21, 22, 23, 30 and May 7 at 11 a.m. with a special sensory sensitive performance on April 24 at 11 a.m. Children’s theater continues with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from May 28 to June 18, and Puss-In-Boots from July 8 to 30. All seats are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

By Heidi Sutton

Every five years or so, Theatre Three’s Children’s Theatre reaches into its vault filled with scripts and pulls out a gem. This time it’s a musical twist on the classic story of Puss In Boots. The show opened on Jan. 16.

Although there have been many versions of the European fairy tale over the centuries, the most well known is The Master Cat or Puss in Boots from The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault in 1697. When Puss was reintroduced in Shrek 2 in 2004, a whole new generation was smitten.

Now the clever ‘tail’ returns to Theatre Three’s MainStage with a fresh score and choreography and does not disappoint. Written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Douglas J. Quattrock, the show was first performed in 1991 and has withstood the test of time.  

In the kingdom of King Vexmus, a kind-hearted young man named Christopher lives on a farm with his father and his two brothers, Shank and Amos. Every day his brothers force him to work the fields while they take naps. When their father dies, Shank and Amos inherit the farm while Christopher gets his father’s cat Puss and is promptly kicked out. 

With no food, money or a place to live, Christopher begins to lose hope until he discovers that Puss can talk. He confides in the cat that he has fallen in love with the king’s beautiful daughter, Princess Anafazia, who he met briefly when her entourage drove past the farm (in a great flashback scene). Puss agrees to help in the name of love and hatches a scheme to have Christopher pose as the rich and mysterious Marquis of Carabas to win Anafazia’s heart. Will everything go as planned? Will there be a happy ending?

Directed by Sanzel, the fast-paced show is wonderful on so many levels. Steven Uihlein is perfectly cast in the role of Christopher and also serves as storyteller. His plight gains the sympathy of the audience right away. Liam Marsigliano and Jason Furnari make a great comedic team as Amos and Shank. Their futile attempt to farm the land after Christopher leaves is hilarious. 

Michelle LaBozzetta, in the role of Puss, the cat of all trades, steals the show with her energetic and flamboyant personality. In one of the cutest scenes, her character acquires her famous boots by causing a ruckus outside Shank and Amos’s door. 

Sanzel and Josie McSwane are excellent in the roles of the bickering King Vexmus and Queen Ida (or should I say Queen Ida and King Vexmus) who in the end agree to disagree. Haley Saunders is terrific as the spoiled Princess Anafazia, who quickly reveals that this royal’s beauty is only skin deep. Rachel Max as Ida and Louisa Bikowski as Missy, the no nonsense wives of Shank and Amos, and Heather Rose Kuhn as the sweet Julia, Princess Anafazia’s lady-in-waiting, are a fine supporting cast.

Choreographed by Sari Feldman and accompanied on piano by Douglas Quattrock, the 12 musical numbers are the heart of the show, with special mention to the duets “Puss in Boots” with Puss and Christopher and “Take a Moment for Yourself” with Puss and Julia, and the lively group number, “Song of the Marquis of Carabas.”

The charming costumes, designed by Jason Allyn, from the royal gowns in shades of lavender complete with wigs and crowns to the peasant garb in hues of brown, tie the story together perfectly. And wait until you see Puss’s fierce and fabulous outfit! 

This special show doesn’t come around often. Catch a performance before it’s gone.

Running time is one hour and 20 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Meet the entire cast in the lobby on your way out for a keepsake photo.

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Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Puss In Boots on Jan. 22, 29 and Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. and Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. Children’s theatre continues with Dorothy’s Adventures In Oz from Feb. 23 to March 26 with a sensory friendly performance on Feb. 27 and The Adventures of Peter Rabbit from April 16 to May 7 with a sensory friendly performance on April 24. All seats are $10. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com

 

 

By Heidi Sutton

October is such a great time of year with  the lovely weather, the changing leaves, mums, pumpkin and apple picking and trick or treating. It also means the return of the holiday treat A Kooky Spooky Halloween at Theatre Three. With emphasis on the power of friendship and the importance of helping others, the original musical, written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Steve McCoy, runs through Oct. 30.

The star of the show is a nice ghost named Abner Perkins (Steven Uihlein) who has just graduated from Haunting High School. Awarded a medallion of invisibility, he is given the coveted assignment of haunting Ma Aberdeen’s Boarding House, famously known for being the most haunted house in Harrison County U.S.A … and for serving the best toast! Abner must abide by two rules — he can only haunt at night and he can’t lose the medallion or he’ll become visible and lose his powers.

There’s only one problem — Abner is afraid of the dark, which is “like a vampire who’s afraid of necks!” according to his best friend Lavinda the Witch (Alanna Rose Henriquez). She gives him a night light as a graduation present and promises to help him adjust to his ghostly duties.

When Abner and Lavinda arrive at the boarding house, they find the Petersons — Paul (Liam Marsigliano), his wife Penelope (Stephanie Moreau) and son Pip (Darren Clayton) — and Kit Garret (Heather Rose Kuhn), who has just come “from a small town to the big city with a suitcase in my hand and hope in my heart,” in the kitchen helping Ma Aberdeen (Ginger Dalton), the finest toast maker in the land, prepare treat bags for Halloween.

In one of the funniest moments in the show, Abner casts a speed spell on the group, making them dance, sing, spin like a top, quack like a duck and do jumping jacks in fast motion. His final spell of the night is to have them “join together like birds of a feather.”

Things are going hauntingly well until fellow graduate Dora Pike (Beth Ladd) appears out of thin air. Filled with jealousy, (she was hoping to be assigned to Ma Aberdeen’s boarding house) Dora steals Abner’s night light and medallion and threatens to drop them into Black Ridge Gulch, the deepest, darkest gorge in the entire world (where it’s really, really dark).

Still stuck to each other, the group can now see Abner who must convince them to help him retrieve his medallion and undo the spell. What follows is a “Golden Goose” moment throughout the theater that will leave you in stitches!

Peppered with Halloween riddles and jokes, the show is wonderful on so many levels. Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, the 8-member adult cast know their target audience well and deliver standout performances with special mention to Ginger Dalton as Ma Aberdeen, a character she has played since the musical originated in 2017. I can’t imagine anyone else playing that role. 

Accompanied on piano by Douglas Quattrock and choreographed by Sari Feldman, the song and dance numbers are the heart of the show, especially “Into the World I Go” by Abner, “A Witch Is a Person” by Lavinda, and the fun group numbers, “A Need for Speed” and “It’s Ma Who Makes the Toast.”

Jason Allyn’s gorgeous costumes are on fleek, from the ghosts dressed from head to toe in flowing white and the witch’s purple dress and pointy hat, to the Peterson’s coordinating orange and black outfits and the spooky lighting design by Steven Uihlein sets the mood and ties everything together perfectly.

Halloween is always such a fun holiday for children. This year, make it extra special and take them to see A Kooky Spooky Halloween. They’ll love you for it.

Snacks and beverages are available for purchase during intermission and costumes are encouraged. Souvenir cat, pumpkin, Frankenstein, Dracula and ghost dolls will be available for purchase before the show and during intermission for $5. Meet the entire cast in the lobby for a group photo.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents A Kooky Spooky Halloween on Saturdays, Oct. 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 11 a.m. and Sunday, Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. Children’s theatre continues with Barnaby Saves Christmas from Nov. 20 to Dec. 26, Puss-In-Boots from Jan. 15 to Feb 5, and a brand new production, Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz, from Feb. 23 to March 26. All seats are $10 and COVID protocols are in place. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.