The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 21, 1999, Image 3

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    i Battalion
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Page 3 • Wednesday, April 21,1999
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Miracle on c 42nd Street’
’Magination Station play portrays life on Broadway
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Photos by Carina Casas
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arge dance numbers, Broadway
glitz and a bit of romance thrown
in all make “42nd Street” an in
triguing show opening this week
end at ’Magination Station.
42nd Street, a novel origi
nally written by Michael
Stewart and Mark Bram
ble, is set in 1933.
It is the story of a
rich producer/director,
Julian Marsh, played
by Robert Cottrell,
F who, after losing a for
tune in the stock market
crash of 1929, attempts a
* rjr comeback with a new theatri-
F cal production called “Pretty
Lady. ”
The play is funded by Abner Dilton,
played by Don Ling, whose only stipu
lation is that the lead role in the dance
musical must be played by his girlfriend,
Dorothy, played by Kim Mitchell.
When Dorothy falls and breaks her
ankle before opening night, a young
chorus girl, Peggy, played by Kimberly
Reynolds, must step up and take the
lead.
“Dorothy is an aging actress,”
Mitchell said. “She hasn’t had a hit in 10
years, and she has one problem — she
can’t dance. She has a gigolo, Pat, who
she loves, and they have to sneak around
Julian and Abner.”
Julie Crawford-Angelo, director of
“42nd Street,” said the show has a Cin
derella spin.
“It’s ‘chorus girl makes good,’” Craw
ford-Angelo said. “Also, Dorothy discov
ers that she really loves Pat and, in the
end, they get married. It’s a kind of self-
discovery. ”
The musical was first produced as a
black-and-white movie in the 1930s and
later translated to a Broadway musical.
Brad Dressier, stage manager for
’Magination Station, said an especially
interesting aspect of the show is the set
ting; “42nd Street” takes place mostly in
Story by Susan Over cash
a theater.
“It’s a play within a play,” Dressier
said. “A lot of the story literally takes
place within the theater rehearsing the
show or in a dressing room.”
Perhaps the most unique facet of
“42nd Street” is the level of choreogra
phy. Dressier said the large dance num
bers and professional choreography ele
vate “42nd Street” to a higher level.
“It’s a very big ensemble production,
something the audience has never seen
before,” Dressier said. “Such choreog
raphy at this level of professionalism —
nothing like this has been done before in
the local community.”
Robert Gonzales, the “42nd Street”
choreographer who also plays a Billy in
the show, said that most of the ideas for
the choreography of the show are his
own.
“The dancing itself must portray so
many things through the play,” Gonza
les said. “Part of it is a musical, like old
movies, where people just break out into
song and dance in the street, and part of
it is the choreography for ‘Pretty Lady’
within the show. We’ve kept it consis
tent through the show. ”
Gonzales said he was inspired by
some of the sounds and syn-
copations on the soundtrack.
However, the choreography is
brought to life by the dancers
themselves.
“From a choreographer’s
standpoint. I’m just the one
who taught the people how to
dance,” Gonzales said. “The
dancers are actually making
my visions come true by how
they dance.”
Crawford-Angelo said the
final dance number will keep
audiences enthralled.
“There were several touch
ing moments, but the big
dance at the end, the finale of
‘Pretty Lady,’ actually called
‘42nd Street,’ is a really spec
tacular piece,” she said.
Gonzales said he agrees that the final
dance, a seven-and-a-half-minute tap
number, is a story of its own.
“Each person is a separate character,”
Gonzales said. “Each character tells a
story, follows through their motions so
that they become someone you would
see on 42nd Street in New York.”
Mitchell said Dorothy’s costumes are
another source of amazement.
“She has fabulous costumes, hats and
gloves, all beaded and sequined,”
Mitchell said. “This is a different role for
me; there are elaborate costume
changes, very quick, and I have nine
costumes.”
Mitchell said it was the vocal role of
Dorothy that presented a challenge.
“The songs were written very low,”
Mitchell said. “Back then, the women
had a rough, seductive voice, and I’m a
soprano. We’re trying to stay very peri
od. The show is very happy-go-lucky,
and it’s very funny, [it] has a sense of hu
mor. ”
“42nd Street” opens Friday, and plays
for three weekends at ’Magination Sta
tion. Matinee shows are Friday, Saturday
and Sunday.
“42nd Street” cast members rehearse “Getting
to be a habit with me.” The play will open on Friday
and run for three weekends at ’Magination Station.