By Barry Willis
Transcendence Theatre Company has another winner on its hands with An Enchanted Evening at the sprawling Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen. The song-and-dance extravagance runs through September 17.
Directed by TTC co-founder Brad Surosky, the two-hour show features eleven supremely talented singers/dancers/actors and a supremely talented on-stage band—choreography by Michael Callahan, music direction by Matt Smart.
Collectively they take their large outdoor audience on a hike down the memory lane of decades of pop music—some of it from classic stage musicals and some of it, Top 40 radio hits including at least one country song and one from the Motown catalog.
…There’s something for everyone in this diverse, marvelously engaging production—even an aria by Puccini…
Opening with “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the show then kicks into high gear with a mash-up of “I Put a Spell on You” and “Love Potion Number Nine.” An extended “Moon Medley” includes several songs with “moon” in the title or featured prominently in the lyrics. There’s a long, fun moment of audience participation, some bits of goofy comedic improvisation, but mostly two hours of tremendous singing and dancing from a deeply talented cast. Their playbill bios are especially impressive given their apparent youthfulness.
TTC has managed to correct a couple of minor problems that marred the opener of The Full Monty—the too-low stage and seats that had the audience staring directly into the backs of those sitting in front of them. It’s all good now—clear views for everyone, and now that it’s late summer, no squinting into the sun during the first act.
The show is a glorious way to spend a late summer evening. Early arrivals can enjoy a variety of vittles from several food trucks parked onsite, and wines from several Sonoma County vintners.
TTC isn’t exaggerating in describing An Enchanted Evening as “a magical night of Broadway and beyond”—as truthful a tagline as one can imagine. It’s all that and more.
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ASR Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com
| Production | An Enchanted Evening |
|---|---|
| Written by | Transcendence Theater Co. |
| Directed by | Brad Surosky |
| Producing Company | Transcendence Theatre Company |
| Production Dates | Thru Sept 17th |
| Production Address | Beltane Ranch Glen Ellen, CA |
| Website | www.transcendencetheatre.org |
| Telephone | (877) 424-1414. Toll free, |
| Tickets | $35-$49 |
| Reviewer Score | Max in each category is 5/5 |
| Overall | 3.75/5.0 |
| Performance | 4.0/5.0 |
| Script | 3.5/5.0 |
| Stagecraft | 3.0/5.0 |
| Aisle Seat Review Pick? | ---- |