The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
GLTG’s ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ delights
Chardon production boasts great young actress — and some doggie power
Musicals are Geauga Lyric Theater Guild’s forte.
So it’s usually a slam dunk when they bring a classic musical to the stage.
“Annie Get Your Gun” is simply fun from start to finish.
The fictionalized story of the sharpshooting Annie Oakley from the 1800s, who was the star in “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West,” originally hit the Broadway stage in 1946.
Who knew a hit Broadway musical from the 1940s could depict a subtle feminist message? (Stay with me. You’ll see what I mean.)
“You can’t get a man with a gun” Oakley somberly decides. Could her job be too intimidating to land a man?
In the GLTG production, Little Annie Oakley (Elyse Mulvaney) is played by a young woman whose talent is larger than the Geauga Theater stage. The first thing you recognize is that she’s funny. Mulvaney enters the story with dead little critters hanging off her apron as she slings around her rifle, shooting at anything with fur or feathers. Mulvaney’s Southern accent is as convincing as her ability for comedy.
“People are dumb where I come from,” she sings nonchalantly to explain her inability to read.
Mulvaney’s an instant delight, and it’s a comfort to know she is at the center of the show.
In community theater, you don’t often expect the actors to come fully loaded with natural stage presence, humor and a convincing delivery. Add in a unique singing voice like Mulvaney’s, and you may end up checking your ticket stub to see if you underpaid.
Mulvaney’s voice can be both gentle and boisterous, depending on the musical number. In “Moonshine Lullaby,” her voice is soft and gorgeous as she sings her baby brother and sisters to sleep. In “Anything You Can Do,” Mulvaney drags out a single note for a mile.
In both extremes, her sound is consistently commanding.
The apple of Annie’s eye is a man whose shooting game used to be revered — until Annie took over the scene, that is. Frank Butler is played by the talented Andrew Kotlar. Kotlar seems excited about his role as annoying egomaniac, and he proves to have his own set of impressive pipes.
You do get the impression, though, that at times he may be holding back. His voice clearly has potential to rip the roof off the theater, but it seems he’s afraid to let it all out, keeping his volume lower than it arguably should be. Regardless, he’s still great fun to watch and listen to.
Frank’s insecurity over a woman besting him at his own game appears to get the better of him. Watching him and Annie endlessly compete over the title of best shooter is never tiring.
This show also peppers in a stellar ballroom dance number featuring Paige Johnson and Stephen Sandham. It’s clear a lot of work went into crafting this routine, and it pays off big time.
A special shout-out goes to Cole Park, the adorable boy who plays Annie’s younger brother, Little Jake. He’s only 7 and never misses a single dance step.
Another adorable actor who never misses a beat is Ghost, the poodle who plays an unnamed dog. This mention could go on for several paragraphs, but, to be brief, this impressive guy is not only calm on stage, he is an actual actor. Without revealing spoilers, let’s just say he’ll make you regret not sticking Fido in acting lessons.
Anyway, despite Frank’s fragile ego and male-chauvinist tendencies, Annie stubbornly attempts to love the old guy. But she won’t give in to his selfish demands.
Her promise to “love and honor, yes, but not obey” is a rousing moment of female empowerment.
With the dozens of little cowboys and girls running around on the stage and an A-list poodle actor, how could you leave the kids at home for this one?