'Annie Get Your Gun' a winner from the get-go
By SCOTT WHITED, The Pueblo Chieftain
"Sherman, set the way-back machine for 1946."
"Yes, Mr. Peabody, but why?"
"The new Irving Berlin show is opening on Broadway. ‘Annie Get Your Gun,’ starring Ethel Merman."
"Okay, Mr. Peabody, all ready — oops!"
"Sherman! What have you done?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Peabody, but I slipped and hit a bunch of the wrong buttons. We're coming to rest in Pueblo, Colorado. It's 1911 and a traveling troupe of players is putting on a production of . . . ‘Annie Get Your Gun.’ ”
"But that's impossible!"
Oh no it isn't. Opening night of Damon Runyon Repertory's "Annie Get Your Gun" had the feel of eagerly anticipated entertainment in a railhead outpost. Its frontier appeal was rough-hewn, and the opening night crowd Saturday night was rarin' and ready. Nary a seat was empty and the audience ate up the offerings of the bright-faced thespians. The mood and atmosphere had an innocence redolent of a century ago.
Director Rebecca J. Work's cast was led by the husband-and-wife duo of Jill Dewar as Annie Oakley and Bryan Dewar as her foil and love interest, Frank Butler. The musical theater staple centers on sharpshooters Annie and Frank in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show as it travels the U.S. and even "the Continent" in the late 1800s.
Written expressly for Merman, a larger-than-life performer if ever there was one, the show requires a lead with a big personality and a big voice. Jill Dewar provided more of the former than the latter, but her outsized characterization was brassy, occasionally brazen and always fun. Bryan Dewar's Butler was somewhat in her shadow, both as an actor and a singer, but that fit the dynamic of their relationship just fine: it ain't called "Frank Get Your Gun."
The supporting characters brought variety and buoyancy to the conventional story. Walter Glass as Buffalo Bill was stalwart yet crafty. His booming voice commanded the presence of all, both audience members and fellow actors.
Maria Yost as Dolly Tate, Frank's scheming assistant, made the audience cheer for a character who is the epitome of anti-charming. Her natural charisma could not be contained.
The trio of children playing Annie's siblings — Bryanna Dewar, Brenden Dewar and 5-year-old Adrian Adubato — showed the truth of W.C. Fields admonition to never perform with dogs or kids. They were spunky sweethearts.
Young lovers Jessica Ferguson (as Winnie) and Jeremy Nickell (as Tommy) were cute and charming. They led the evening's best number, a tux-and-gown ensemble called "Who Do You Love, I Hope?" Starting as a staid waltz, its original take on "popping the question" quickly morphed into a peppy semi-jitterbug, complete with an energetic twirl ’n’ lift finale.
Some anachronistic references to "redskins" and a low-budget spectacle — "the damnedest display of fireworks I ever did see" consisted of a few balloons popping — added to the transient time-gone-by feel of the show. But winning personalities and performances gave the crowd what it came for: show biz!
As the song aptly attests, "There's No Business Like Show Business!"
"Annie Get Your Gun" continues at 2 p.m. today, May 15 and 22, and at 7 p.m. Saturday and May 20-21. Call (719) 564-0579 or go to runyontheater.org.
"Sherman, set the way-back machine for 1946."
"Yes, Mr. Peabody, but why?"
"The new Irving Berlin show is opening on Broadway. ‘Annie Get Your Gun,’ starring Ethel Merman."
"Okay, Mr. Peabody, all ready — oops!"
"Sherman! What have you done?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Peabody, but I slipped and hit a bunch of the wrong buttons. We're coming to rest in Pueblo, Colorado. It's 1911 and a traveling troupe of players is putting on a production of . . . ‘Annie Get Your Gun.’ ”
"But that's impossible!"
Oh no it isn't. Opening night of Damon Runyon Repertory's "Annie Get Your Gun" had the feel of eagerly anticipated entertainment in a railhead outpost. Its frontier appeal was rough-hewn, and the opening night crowd Saturday night was rarin' and ready. Nary a seat was empty and the audience ate up the offerings of the bright-faced thespians. The mood and atmosphere had an innocence redolent of a century ago.
Director Rebecca J. Work's cast was led by the husband-and-wife duo of Jill Dewar as Annie Oakley and Bryan Dewar as her foil and love interest, Frank Butler. The musical theater staple centers on sharpshooters Annie and Frank in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show as it travels the U.S. and even "the Continent" in the late 1800s.
Written expressly for Merman, a larger-than-life performer if ever there was one, the show requires a lead with a big personality and a big voice. Jill Dewar provided more of the former than the latter, but her outsized characterization was brassy, occasionally brazen and always fun. Bryan Dewar's Butler was somewhat in her shadow, both as an actor and a singer, but that fit the dynamic of their relationship just fine: it ain't called "Frank Get Your Gun."
The supporting characters brought variety and buoyancy to the conventional story. Walter Glass as Buffalo Bill was stalwart yet crafty. His booming voice commanded the presence of all, both audience members and fellow actors.
Maria Yost as Dolly Tate, Frank's scheming assistant, made the audience cheer for a character who is the epitome of anti-charming. Her natural charisma could not be contained.
The trio of children playing Annie's siblings — Bryanna Dewar, Brenden Dewar and 5-year-old Adrian Adubato — showed the truth of W.C. Fields admonition to never perform with dogs or kids. They were spunky sweethearts.
Young lovers Jessica Ferguson (as Winnie) and Jeremy Nickell (as Tommy) were cute and charming. They led the evening's best number, a tux-and-gown ensemble called "Who Do You Love, I Hope?" Starting as a staid waltz, its original take on "popping the question" quickly morphed into a peppy semi-jitterbug, complete with an energetic twirl ’n’ lift finale.
Some anachronistic references to "redskins" and a low-budget spectacle — "the damnedest display of fireworks I ever did see" consisted of a few balloons popping — added to the transient time-gone-by feel of the show. But winning personalities and performances gave the crowd what it came for: show biz!
As the song aptly attests, "There's No Business Like Show Business!"
"Annie Get Your Gun" continues at 2 p.m. today, May 15 and 22, and at 7 p.m. Saturday and May 20-21. Call (719) 564-0579 or go to runyontheater.org.