DC Theater Arts

Tag: Ellen Kaplan

2017 Capital Fringe Review: ‘Hexagon 2017: Let Freedom Zing’

Described as “D.C.’s only all-original political satirical musical comedy troupe,” Hexagon gives a musical zing to the political madness of the past year. Now in its 62nd year, Hexagon brings its unique brand of original music and sketch comedy to Fringe, lampooning politicians, popular culture, and even the D.C. Metro. And the best part? Hexagon is an all-volunteer organization that historically donates its proceeds to different charities each year.

Directed by Jennifer Strand, the show featured original songs such as Rick Horowitz and Walter Gilbert’s “Drill, Baby!” (an ode to fracking), and returning songs such as Richard Present’s “Love My Phone,” a satire of our unhealthy obsession with technology performed by the rib-crackingly funny Nick Bashour.

Highlights include a delightful trio arrangement of Kathy Meyer Jeffers and Walter Gilbert’s “Fox News Foxes” – about what little girls dream about growing up to be someday. One of the standouts is the company’s performance of Doug Maurer’s “Brown Water Blues,” a powerful soul/blues take on the water situation in Flint. Karen Zill’s sketch “Mother Goose for the Trump Era” uses nursery rhymes and fragments of children’s songs to skewer politicians and current events… in rhyme, of course. This is one of the more effective sketches, with others such as “WLUV” and “Under Development” needing more work on timing.

Washingtonians will particularly appreciate Jeffers’s and Gilbert’s “Train Wreck,” which perfectly captures the struggles of riding the D.C. Metro – “We’re going to ride the metro… and hope that we come out alive!” And with all the political and pop culture parody, there is “The Bubble” – a song about the white middle class saving the world “one 5k at a time.” It’s a great reminder that, for all our noble ideas about the way the world works, most of us don’t move far beyond our own comfortable circles of like-minded people. The irony of a group of mainly white, middle class performers satirizing politics from a fairly unified perspective is not lost on this song.

Lighting Designer Peter Caress and Projections Designer Matthew Mills work together to create the set, a mixture of atmosphere-specific light changes and projections that highlight particular songs. Sound Designer Matthew Datcher keeps the show moving during the many transitions between sketches and songs.

The show is not perfect: Music Director Deidre Gyr Turshen’s work includes some excellent numbers, and some numbers that could use some extra precision work. And Teri Allred’s choreography, visible and enjoyable in numbers such as “G’Bye, G’Bye,” could have made more of an appearance in other songs, some of which seemed too static. But as an all-volunteer group writing clever songs and having fun with the show, the joy that Hexagon puts into their work is apparent. As Hexagon points out, laughing is healthy… and laughing while donating to charity is even better.

Running Time: 60 minutes, with no intermission

Hexagon 2017: Let Freedom Zing! plays through July 23, 2017 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (Lang) – 1333 H Street NE, Washington, D.C. For tickets, call (866) 811-4111, purchase them at the venue, or purchase them online.

RATING:

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July 8, 2017
Review: ‘The New Old Time Music Hall Celebrating Queen and Country’ at The British Players

It’s a gathering of music, humor, and tradition with The British Players in The New Old Time Music Hall Celebrating Queen and Country. The British Players have quite a storied history, performing at the Kensington Town Hall since 1964, with many of the performers being seasoned veterans. This is the Players’ 52nd show, commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday.

Michelle Buteau, Libby Dasbach, Teri Allred, Malcolm Edwards, Jamie Sinks, and Sue Edwards. Photo by J. Andrew Simmons.

Directed by Charles Hoag and produced by Nicola Hoag and John O’Leary, the company celebrates what it means to be English through various songs and skits. The program will appeal to anyone looking for an entertaining time, and especially to anyone passionate about Britannia and Her Majesty.

The setting is a cabaret, with light refreshments and seating at tables. A band of bass, piano, and drums provides live music to accompany the British Players. Each act was introduced with sing-alongs that helped to engage the audience.

The set design by Charles Hoag and Albert Coia, also Players themselves, was simple but dignified, with pillars and a portrait of the Queen of England, and a screen that used scenic images as backgrounds. A very nice touch was the candles at the foot of the stage, contributing to the Victorian theme. The costumes by Nicola Hoag consisted primarily of suits and dresses, giving the impression that the Players were off to a ball. Some were more bright and colorful, with stripes, hats, feathers, and red cummerbunds, but they all kept consistent with the theme of each song.

The singing was the focus of the show, with most songs consisting of solo performances. One of the standout performances was “Don’t Have Any More, Mrs. Moore” by Ellen Kaplan, a humorous song exhorting a mother to be content with her twenty children; with Kaplan’s bubbly singing interspersed by hiccups, she was notably effective at conveying the Players’ spirit.

The number “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” demonstrates the impressive operatic range and vocal strength of Meghan Williams Elkins. Ed Vilande gives a believable performance singing in a drunken stupor with “Drinking to Forget,” while Kris Humphrey keeps things saucy with “Makin’ Whoopee.” The diversity in music is impressive—there’s something here for everyone.

There were also group numbers, with various songs and dances by the Edwardians and Bow Belles. Though much of the choreography plays it safe with kicklines and sidesteps, the tap dancing portions were quite well done. I particularly enjoyed the clean harmonies of the Men’s Barbershop Quartet, a nice throwback to an oft-forgotten singing style.

Ellen Kaplan, Kris Humphrey, and Jamie Sinks. Photo by J. Andrew Simmons.

“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” is a rollicking tribute to the 1940s, with the dancers dressed in soldier uniforms and singing in 40’s-era microphones. But the most touching group song was definitely the Scottish “Loch Lomond” at the beginning of the second act. With its uplifting harmonies and choral solemnity, its feel was unlike anything else that evening. Music Directors Charles Hoag and Joy Sharp are to be commended for the synchronized harmonies in this number.

Albert Coia and Danny Brogan. Photo by J. Andrew Simmons.

Most of the performance consisted of song, but there were a few comedic skits thrown in for good measure. Particularly hilarious was Four Candles starring Danny Brogan and Albert Coia. Here, a British man with a strong regional accent is trying to purchase various wares from a shopkeeper who can’t quite make out what he’s saying. To make matters worse, the man asks for items with ambiguous meanings. Skits like these exemplify the lighthearted, farcical, and tongue-and-cheek nature that defines British comedy. The British Players embrace this humor with aplomb.

On the subject of silliness and laughter, my favorite addition to the British Players’ performance, and perhaps the most memorable, was “Mr. Chairman,” played by veteran British Player Malcolm Edwards. Edwards acts as MC of the show, inserting various bawdy jokes in between acts. Aside from jumping into some of the acts himself, he would even address audience members directly at times, keeping things fresh and unexpected. With Edwards and his sleeve full of quips and witticisms, expect plenty of side-splitting.

The performances are all heartfelt and earnest, and the performers work hard to make the audience feel at home.

Even if you aren’t British, come see The British Players tickle your ears and your funny bone, and a little bit of their culture is sure to rub off on you.

Running Time: Approximately 2 hours, with one 15-minute intermission.

The New Old Time Music Hall Celebrating Queen and Country plays through June 25, 2016 at The British Players performing at Kensington Town Hall —3710 Mitchell Street, in Kensington, MD. For tickets, call the box office at (240) 447-9863, or purchase them online.

RATING:

June 12, 2016
Review: ‘Hexagon 2016: Red, White, & Voters’ Blues’

America’s fascination with mobile phones, drones, and Fitbits were all parodied in the 2016 Hexagon show, but in this year of unprecedented political rancor, the group’s new revue, adeptly titled Red, White and Voters’ Blues, focused its ribald revelry on the leading presidential candidates. And some of their hilarious barbs landed with precision accuracy.

Hillary Clinton’s ambition to move back into the White House – this time settling into the West Wing – was portrayed with bloodthirsty zeal by Susan Dye in a clever first act number entitled “Homesick Hillary.” Dye perfectly captures Clinton’s cocked head, jaunty wave, and frozen smile as she preens in a signature pantsuit in front of the White House. The sly lyrics, penned by Kathy Meyer Jeffers with music and arrangement by Walter Gilbert, included Clinton’s aspirations not only to return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as president, but to have an intern of her own….

By contrast, the weary Democratic electorate — workers, housewives, young people, and businessmen — signals its lack of enthusiasm for the frontrunner in a follow-up number entitled “Holding our Noses,” (lyrics by Rick Horowitz, music and arrangement by Walter Gilbert) echoing a phrase Clinton herself has used during the campaign to defend some of her Senate votes.

The talented Willy LaHood as Bernie Sanders captured the Vermont senator’s energetic arm gestures as he danced with a bevy of gorgeous fitness trainers in the very funny “Feel the Bern.” LaHood, crowned with a fluffy white wig, makes a return appearance later in the show during the “Democratic Debate” as a pretty convincing rapper! Music and lyrics for both were by Brandon Walker.

Of course, The Donald shows up at various times during the show, during Walker’s hip-hop inspired “Republican Debate” and again opposite Clinton in the company number “Unbelievable,” (lyrics by Joe Kaplan; music and arrangement by Brock Holmes) where all the players – each for his or her own reason – marvel at how they arrived at this point in political history.

Of the numbers satirizing our slavish devotion to gadgetry, “I Love My Phone” (lyrics and music by Richard Present, arrangement by Porter Lyon) and performed by par excellence by Ellen Kaplan, Nicholas Bashour, and Robert Teachout, was especially sharp and funny, while “Fit Bit Misfit” with Elizabeth Griffett, Chinwe Nwosu, and Jamie Sinks (lyrics and music by Lois Cecsarini; arrangement by Porter Lyon) reminds us of how easy it is to inflict tyranny on ourselves in search of super-fitness. One wishes that all the evening’s skits would rise evenly to this comic level.

The revue wound down on more serious note with “Brown Water Blues,” sung to the tune of “Wade in the Water,” a song that was once said to have been used by Harriet Tubman to advise escaping slaves to get off the trail and into the water to elude their captors. Dressed as a gospel choir, the company repurposed this powerful song as a searing indictment of the Flint, Michigan water crisis.

Along with all the topical elements in this creative show, one can also expect to see some Hexagon traditions, including a Rockettes-inspired number at the end of Act 1. “The 61 Swing,” choreographed by Ivan Davila, was danced beautifully by the women in the company, resplendent in red-spangled costumes. Newsbreaks, another Hexagon tradition, featured a team of professional newscasters (which changes with each performance) whose scripts include new – and not-so-new — jokes, one-liners, and groaners.

Photo courtesy of Hexagon INC.

Now in its 61st year, Hexagon, described as “Washington’s only original political satirical musical comedy revue,” is produced entirely by volunteers, with all proceeds going to charity. This year’s beneficiary organization is The Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home, which provides health and life care services to low and modest income seniors of DC.

In this season of intense political drama, it is reassuring to know that talented performers, aided by the superb efforts of Artistic Director of Malcolm Edwards, Musical Director Brock Holmes, Costume Designers Linda Wilson and Jamie Breckenridge, and their dedicated staff members, are ready and willing to help us make sense of it all.

Reminding us that the election is still months away, the Hexagon cast and crew invite us to enjoy a few hearty guffaws along the way.

Running Time: Two hours with, a 15-minute intermission.

Hexagon 2016: Red, White, and Voters’ Blues plays through Sunday, April 3, 2016 at Wilson High School – 3950 Chesapeake Street, NW in Washington DC. For tickets, call the box office at (202) 333-7469 or purchase them online.

March 14, 2016
The British Players’ 51st Old Time Music Hall

When Malcolm Edwards, the emcee and Mr. Chairman of the British Players Old Time Music Hall, stepped on the stage and asked the packed house, “Are we going to have some fun this afternoon?” he received rousing applause that set the tone for the show.

2 fairies: John O’Leary and Malcolm Edwards. Photo by JA Simmons.

The Kensington Town Hall is hosting the British Players in their 51st year of creating that most beloved of English institutions: the British Music Hall.

For those too young to have seen the Music Hall in its Edwardian and early 20th century heyday (which by now includes everyone) and those who wish for more than film clips or television adaptations, enjoyable as they are, this real-life stage version of our American equivalent of vaudeville and variety acts, breathes new life into pure entertainment.

The production caters–literally–to funseekers before the show begins. The theater is fitted out with cabaret style tables where barmaids in long skirts of the period, serve the audience drinks, beverages, chips–all gratis. The women demonstrate British wit even off the stage. While clearing empties, one exclaimed, “All those dead soldiers on the table! What has been going on here?”

Sherlock: Liz Griffett, Karen Pedone, David Boies, Willy LaHood, David Bradley, John O’Leary, Sarah Leembruggen, (on floor) and Morgan DeHart. Photo by JA Simmons.

Describing what happens onstage is having to choose from an embarrassment of riches. The crowd is warmed up with a pre-show and after intermission sing- along (the lyrics are provided in the program, a keeper in its own right) of such perennials as “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” “Glorious Beer,” and “The Lambeth Walk.” Mr. Chairman then regales the audience throughout with Music Hall humor jokes that were aged and hoary–and you wouldn’t have them any other way. The gags stay just this side of raciness and judging from audience approval, the fun is in seeing when or if they will cross.

In Music Hall tradition, many of the songs tempt with the off-color. A man singing about his “Little Ukulele” and a woman describing “Twiddly Bits” (Albert Coia and Ellen Kaplan, respectively) might cause head-scratching, but never offend.

Coia returns to joins Kathy Suydam for an off-beat version of “Indian Love Call,” which makes one forget–or perhaps remember–that songs’ popularity in MGM musicals.

The cast shines and excels too in ensemble numbers, thanks to the Palace Variety Orchestra and Director/Producer Charles and Nicola Hoag. They bridge the gap between American and English tastes with an Act I closer (by the Edwardians and Bow Belles) consisting of Broadway songs from the same Music Hall period–lots of George M. Cohan, which will be heard soon again as the 4th of July approaches.

Dan Geske. Photo by JA Simmons.

Getting back to England, however, there is an almost obligatory spoof of “Downton Abbey,” with happily much of that program’s perfervid quality. (And Sarah Leembruggen who plays the Lady so resembles real-life British entertainer Joyce Grenfell that she ought to play her.)

Two people meriting special praise are the British Players Costume Designers Terri Allred and Nicola Hoag. The costumes are eye-poppers: straw boaters, blazers for the men, frills and fripperies for the ladies and sometimes for the gents, too, as cross-dressing was loved in the Music Hall. The clothes also play to everyone’s best points. In “Burlington Bertie,” which no Music Hall could be without, Jamie Sinks sports lovely limbs in tights instead of the usual baggy pants often favored in that number. Daria Antonucci, with a voice that can both handle opera and spoof it, is an Edwardian vision. Daniel Geske sports going-a-courting clothes at comic odds with the diffidence of “I’m Shy, Mary Ellen, I’m Shy.”

Vikings: Willy LaHood, Ellen Kaplan, Sarah Leembruggen, Steve Dasbach, Daria Antonucci, Dan Geske, Albert Coia, Liz Griffett, and Morgan DeHart. Photo by JA Simmons.

As in all good Music Hall, low comedy, love of drinking, and battles between the sexes co-exist with patriotic numbers and salutes to the Empire. The Players recycle their numbers and acts with the years.

There seemed to be a faithful core audience and new converts and those already anticipating the 52nd show in 2016. But don’t miss this 51st Music Hall!

Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission.

The British Players’ 51st Annual Old Time Music Hall plays through June 27, 2015 at The British Players performing at the Kensington Town Hall – 3710 Mitchell Street, in Kensington, MD. For tickets call (240) 447-9863, or order them online.

RATING:

June 15, 2015
‘The 49th Annual Music Hall’ at The British Players by Francine Schwartz

On Saturday, June 23, 2013, I enjoyed a rousing good time at The British Players‘ Music Hall, the 49th anniversary of a popular event frequented by expatriates and former inhabitants of the British Isles. Once located at the British Embassy, it has relocated to Kensington Town Hall.Their major productions include comedies and dramas by British playwrights, pantomimes, musical revues, and this, the annual Old Time Music Hall.

All music hall performances follow a basic format. A “Chairman” (Malcolm Edwards, who co-directed the show with Albert Coia) acts as master of ceremonies, introducing singers, dancers, and specialty acts (comedians in this case). All that was required was a piano, a stage, audience seating, and a strategically placed bar. Drinking is a historical necessity in that the original licensure for music halls specified that public drinking was only allowed when there was entertainment. Abundant laughter, wit, and nostalgia were on display. I was told that many of the pieces were repeated from other years, and to look out for the drunk act (which I did, and which was delightful).

The evening began with an audience Sing Along. If they hadn’t been old favorites from my childhood I could still have been able to participate because the program included all the lyrics. Seated with three strangers at a little table, I could hardly avoid getting chummy with my neighbors as carafes of wine were pressed on us and renewed with vigor by vigilant serving ladies. Imagine starting the evening singing out old classics – “Daisy, Daisy,” “The Band Played On,” “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” “Roll Out the Barell,” and “Pack up Your Troubles,” with wonderful lyrics like:

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.
I’m half crazy, all for the love of you.
It won’t be a stylist marriage.
I can’t afford a carriage.
But you’ll look sweet, upon the seat
of a bicycle built for two…..and…

Casey would waltz with a strawberry blonde,
And the band played on.
He’d glide ‘cross the floor
With the girl he adored,
And the band played on.
But his brain was so loaded it nearly exploded,
The poor girl would shake with Alarm.
He’d ne’er leave he girl with the strawberry curl,
And the Band played on.

They don’t write them like these anymore…

The jokes and the acts were mildly bawdy, and lot of fun! There were many mother-in-law jokes, an sly jokes about body parts. What do you expect from the predecessor the Honky-Tonk and the more lavish Burlesque?

Most of the cast both sang and danced. There was a beautiful harmonizing male quartet, several female ensembles, a Can Can or two, short pantomimes, and occasionally a duet. Albert Coia was also a featured comedian, with an elastic and expressive face that could give an odd wink, a smirk, and an air of astonishment. His ‘Yo-Yo’ piece with allusions to sexual activities brought the audience back to a time when indirection was required, but everyone knew what you were hinting at. He had other bits called Wanting Young, Because, If the Missus Wants To Go, and She Cried in My Beer which were hilarious an left me and the audience wanting more.

Another featured comedian was Danny Brogan, who was celebrating his 40th year with the Players. He got an awful lot of gafffaws and applause with his pieces about bananas, straight, or otherwise.

There was so much talent in this cast and production: Kathy Suydam played an Ethel Merman forerunner, with My Kitchen Man and No One Man. Ellen Kaplan was a droll asset in her performance of Lost It at the Aster. Shawn Perry and Stephanie Offutt’s beautiful voices were on display in Simple Melodies and If I Were Not Upon the Stage. Sue Edwards played a rather top-heavy cleaner whose pretensions are punctured at just the right time by her co-worker Sarah Leembruggen in the humorous Going There Every Night.

The real crowd pleaser was The Pheasant Plucker as Richard Cook, Malcolm Edwards, Dan Geske, Bill Karukas, and Guy Palace – risked harm while establishing their lack of plucking abilities. And The Bow Belles – Teri Allred, Michelle Buteau, Loretta Collins, Sue Edwards, Kim Newball, Jamie Sinks kicked up a storm.

The most fun of the evening was watching friends performing together and having a great time on the stage. That joy was infectious. Congrats to the entire production team and special kudos to the ‘Costume Team’ of Jamie Breckenrige and her crew Chrish Kresge, Clare Palace, and Joan Roseboom, and to Sue Edwards and Stephanie Miller for their toe-tapping choreography.

Although the run at Kensington Town Hall is over, you will have a chance to experience the bawdiness and fun of The Music Hall at this year’s Capital Fringe Festival on 7/14, 7/20, 7/23. 7/26, and 7/28 at The Studio Theatre’s Stage 4 – 1501 14th Street, NW, in Washington, DC. Purchase tickets here.

LINK
A Capital Fringe Preview Article of Old Time British Music Hall by Chrish Kresge.

June 25, 2013
2013 Capital Fringe Show Preview: The British Players’ ‘Old Time British Music Hall’ by Chrish Kresge

The British Players’ Old Time British Music Hall is an annual event which has been taking place in the Washington/DC area since 1964. Originally called The British Embassy Players, the group now puts on three productions a year at the Kensington Town Hall in Kensington, Maryland. With its mission of bringing British plays and shows to Washington area theatre lovers and of contributing to British and American charities, the group continues to enhance Anglo-American relationships. Claiming over two hundred members, the group is a vibrant part of the theatre community and oversees the Ruby Griffith Awards for excellence in amateur theatre each year.

The origins of British Music Hall can be traced back to the sixteenth century when English Kings and Queens imported singers, musicians, jugglers, jesters and their like – notably from Italy – to entertain in the royal courts. The citizens, not to be outdone by their rulers, encouraged home grown talent to form small groups who would perform in parks, pleasure gardens and taverns, and travel from town to town as “wandering minstrels.” In 1752, the Music Hall Act, signed by King George II, gave legitimacy to this rambunctious form of entertainment which lasted until it lost support to cinema and radio after World War I.

As for the Music Hall itself, if you have never experienced it, you are in for a treat. It is a non-stop extravaganza of singing, dancing, bawdy jokes, and questionable acting. Our audiences are encouraged to participate in the singing by a bevy of ‘saucy’ barmaids even before the show begins and, with wine, beer and snacks being served in the ‘cabaret-style’ auditorium, the entertainment can only improve. Shortened versions of the annual show are taken ‘on the road’ from time to time as either charitable events or as a way to introduce the medium to a larger audience – hence our participation this year in the 2013 Capital Fringe Festival.

British Music Hall is similar to American vaudeville and comprises songs, sketches and comedy – frequently relying on saucy innuendo for the humor. Music Hall showcases soloists, chorus numbers, dancers, etc. introduced by the MC, “Mr. Chairman – a very original comedian.

VENUE:
The Studio Theatre’s Stage 4 – 1501 14th Street NW, in Washington, DC.

PERFORMANCES:
(Unfortunately – no drinks or food in the auditorium).
Sunday July 14 @ 2:45 pm
Saturday July 20 @10:30 pm
Tuesday July 23 @7:30 pm,
Friday July 26 @ 10:30 pm
Sunday July 28 @ 4:15 pm.

Purchase your tickets here.

Directed by: Malcolm Edwards and Albert Coia.
Choreography by: Sue Edwards.
Music Directed by: Brock Holmes.
Arranged by: Walter Gilbert.

Featuring Albert Coia, Malcolm Edwards, Sue Edwards, Dan Geske, Kris Humphrey, Ellen Kaplan, Bill Karukas, Stephanie Offutt, Shawn Perry, and Kathy Suydam.

Crew: Lee Zahnow, Jamie Breckenridge, George Krumbhaar, Mike Lewis, Peter Nerestone, John O’Leary, and Don Slater.

Running Time: 60 Minutes.

Recommended for Adults Only.

June 20, 2013
‘Hexagon 2013: A Raucous Caucus’ at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center’ by Kim Moeller

What do politics, Spandex body shapers, Washington area traffic, and colonoscopies have in common? They are all satirical targets in Hexagon 2013: A Raucous Caucus.

Photo courtesy of www.Hexagon.org.

If you’re not familiar with Hexagon, you should be. Every year the group offers what they describe as Washington’s ‘only original political, satirical musical comedy revue.’ There is high energy singing, dancing, and beltway humor. Even better, every year the group donates its proceeds to charity. This year’s production is benefitting the DC/MD/VA Chapter of the ALS Association, the organization leading the fight to treat and cure Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Since their founding in 1955, the nonprofit has donated more than $3.5 million to 40-plus organizations. Hexagon 2013 plays through March 16 at Montgomery College in Silver Spring. This year, Hexagon is also making it easier for Virginians by presenting the show March 21-23 in Arlington.

Here’s the most amazing part about Hexagon: Every member of the cast, crew, orchestra, front of house, and production team are volunteers. Hexagon members even write their own material…and there’s a lot of material in the two-hour show. With 32 scenes, 32 cast members, 18 musicians, and more than 100 members of the production team and crew, it is an awesome accomplishment by a talented group of folks.

We immediately get a sense of the show in the opening number, “A Raucous Caucus,” as the full cast offers a comical list of Congressional caucuses…set to music, of course (lyrics, music, and arrangement by Doug Maurer). The list goes on and on and even includes the Congressional Caucus on Qatari-American Economic Strategic Defense, Cultural and Economic Partnership. And yes, that is a real caucus, I looked it up.

There are several numbers that skewer inside the Beltway politics. There’s “Rappin’ with Nancy,” “Spray and Neuter (the Politicians),” “Obama—the Afterglow,” and “In the Line of Booty” ridiculing the booty calls of two generals and some Secret Service agents.

I like the big choir style opening and closing numbers during both the first and second acts that feature most of the cast. “Sic Transit” (lyrics and music by Jim McKnight) opens Act II and is especially fun as it lampoons area traffic reports, construction, and backups (“sixty miles of parking lot”).

One of my favorite running bits throughout the show is an homage to the two hecklers, Statler and Waldorf, from TV’s The Muppet Show. Neil McElroy and Michael Resser are Adams and Morgan, two crotchety men who make less than complimentary comments throughout the show. They deliver their lines with sarcasm and gusto like when they are arguing over whether something is different from another or different than another.

Another staple of Hexagon’s annual show is the Newsbreak portions of the show. The scenes feature jokes about recent news stories read by folks from newspaper, radio, and television—a different duo each night. Opening night featured Jim Bohannon from AM 1500 and Christine Brennan from USA Today Sports and ABC News. While many of the jokes are groaners, the reappearance of the two is a delight. Bohannon knows how to sell a joke no matter if it is good, bad, or ugly.

There are a number of standout performances. The scene “Hamlet and Eggs” features Jonathan Mittaz and Joe Kaplan as guests in a restaurant. Tiara Hairston is the waitress trying to take their order but frustrated as they only speak Shakespeare. Mittaz, especially, delivers the lines as if Shakespeare is his native language and Hairston’s reactions and expressions are not to be missed. “Biden My Time” (lyrics and music by J. Adrian Verkouterem) was especially clever. There are several dance numbers to give the evening an old-style variety show feel. My favorite was the tap dancing zombies in “The Ultimate Apocalypse,” choreographed by Kay Casstevens.

Photo courtesy of www.Hexagon.org.

For statistic nerds, “My Silver Man” (lyrics and music by Joe Kaplan) imagined what the announcement might be like if political science statistician and writer Nate Silver was chosen as People Magazine’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive.’ Rebecca Clary, Lindsay Droter, Ellen Kaplan, and Kathy Suydam gave strong performances with tight harmonies and an Andrews Sisters-like flare.

Brena Holman was my favorite performer of the evening. She does comedy well but it is her singing voice that is fantastic. She has several opportunities for solos throughout the evening and she is a joy.

Hexagon 2013: A Raucous Caucus is a delightful evening filled with humor and fun. Congratulations to Producer William D. LaHood, Artistic Director Christy Stouffer, and Music Director Mark V. Deal and the entire Hexagon membership for doing a good thing for the ALS Association and doing it well.

Running Time: Two hours, with one 15-minute intermission.

A Raucous Caucus plays through March 16, 2013 at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center – 7995 Georgia Avenue, in Silver Spring, MD. The show also plays March 21-23, 2013 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre -125 South Old Glebe Road, in Arlington, VA. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door

March 3, 2013