There are so many Motown and pop seasonal classics, along with
traditional holiday songs, that it's a near miracle all get fully treated in
two hours, with an intermission!
Maybe that's attributable to the fast action pacing or maybe to scene
changes affected via prop changes by an exiting group of performers as a new
group takes over.
And simple but
effective props they are: mainly giant gift boxes moved or stacked for seats,
backed by a golden cage with red and gold
bulbs separating the upstage band from performers below steps and within
a three-corner round.
The show is a special, not in the subscription fall through
winter season, and all the way it's WBTT's founder Nate Jacobs'
holiday gift to the community. His
introductions to Motown music are short, mainly explaining
minimum relevant facts. He leaves it to
the performers to slip in other salient info about the individuals or groups
who made famous the songs WBTT
will present in solos (with or without back-up), duets, trios,
and upward. Thus, the seamlessness, even going from Motown hits
to staging
ÒI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause
Ó and the one about
ÒRudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Ó
Act I has The Company (three women vocalists, five men
vocalists who usually also dance, and two young male featured dancers)
celebrating
ÒThis Christmas
Ó followed by
ÒWhat
Christmas Means to Me
Ó Because love is
that meaning, duet MacRah Williams and Mandi Jo John call out
ÒStop! In the Name of Love
Ó and soon Christopher Eisenberg can sing of
ÒMy Girl
Ó
to the male ensemble and have the audience clapping to their beat. Ariel Blue
is his feminine counterpart with her strong vocal
ÒJimmy Mack
Ó backed by
the other two women. Leon Pitts II admits
ÒCan't
Help Myself
Ó and
Sheldon Rhodon bravely sings
ÒCan I Get a Witness
Ó to the women, gaining the audience's full attention. The most
popular Motown stars emulated include The Temptations and The Supremes and
everyone including leader Nate Jacobs seems to enjoy ending Act II with S.
Robinson's
ÒI Believe in Christmas Eve.
Ó
Act II has more of the traditionally Christmas and religious
songs, beginning with
ÒWe Rejoice
Ó by the Ensemble.
ÒLittle Drummer Boy
Ó is
well choreographed, including a standout dancing duet by Derric Gobourne Jr.
and Joshua Thompson.
They also
perform a fine dance in a Kwanza segment. Nate leads
ÒBless This House
Ó--extending
it to the Company and to the audience. Dynamic singer-dancer Michael Mendez
unites with Ariel Blue to urge
ÒGive
Love on Christmas Day.
Ó For the finale, Sheldon and Mandi Jo
lead a dual
ÒGo Tell It on the Mountain
Ó and
ÒAin't
No Mountain High Enough
Ó that bespeaks
the show's union of traditional and Motown music. They get the audience to
clap, cheer, and even scream!
With a felt more than brightly seen presence, musicians
perform perfectly under Music Director James E. Dodge II, who also plays bass guitar.
The musicians are: JL Cash Jr., auxiliary keys; Todd Bellamy, piano; Willie
thompson, guitar; Sheldon Graham, drums.
As usual, WBTT costumes designed by Christy Owen, especially
for women, glitter in sequins and vibrant colors (no pastels).
Tech credits go to Michael Newton-Brown
for his golden set using Annette Breazeale's props and lit well by Nick
Jones.
Production Stage Manager is
Juanita Munford.
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