Storyline: In a musical adaptation of the biblical story, Jonah steals
away on a ship carrying linens and wine in order to avoid following God's
instruction to give the people of a wicked city (in this case, Nineveh)
notice of their doom. God brings a storm down on the ship and the crew puts
him overboard in the hope of saving themselves. He is swallowed by a great
fish and prays for forgiveness. God saves him by having the fish vomit him
up on the shore of Nineveh where, eventually, he is welcomed as a great
prophet and the savior of the city.
New Horizons Theater has billed itself as a "family-oriented theater with an inspirational message,"
and, indeed, the producers' note in the program states that "New Horizons
Theater is not just a theater, it is a ministry." As a ministry, or as a
church outing or sermon, it certainly does carry its message and those who
are looking for such an experience can judge it on its biblical merits.
However, Potomac Stages serves a readership of theatergoers who can be
expected to rely on us for evaluations of the theatrical strengths and
weaknesses of shows whose tickets are offered for sale to the general
public. This is our only credential for passing judgment so this review is
confined to the theatrical merits of the production. They are sadly lacking.
Jobari Parker-Namdar who made such a positive
impression in MetroStage's
The Stephen Schwartz
Project and who was featured in Signature Theatre's opening cabaret
of the season plays Jonah. As directed, and given the stilted nature of much
of the dialogue and lyrics for the character, he gives an earnest but
particularly joyless performance, while David Lamont Wilson, who has been
positively reviewed in performances at
Charter, the
African Continuum Theatre
Company, Studio,
and
Imagination Stage
among others, is reduced to a single-emotion level as the comic captain of
the ship which seems more like a pirate ship than a merchant vessel. Quinten
D. Warren gives a bit more variety as the first mate and sixth grader
Anthony Davis is the King of Nineveh. The combination of microphone
malfunctions and his own habit of holding his hand in front of his mouth
while delivering supposedly deliberative dialogue keeps his performance from
benefiting from his stage presence.
When a company says in its advertisement "you
will be amazed by the special effects" most ticket buyers are aware that
there may well be some exaggeration involved. But it does establish a
minimum standard below which a company dips at its peril. A visible
wall-mounted table fan with a bubble blower won't deliver an impressive
storm effect and a sheet with a spray-painted swirl won't impress as the
interior of a beast, whether you call it a whale or a "great fish." It doesn't
help that the production is mounted in a long, narrow meeting room set up
with large dinning tables (ten seats to a table, twenty tables set up for
the show reviewed). Without any rake to the audience floor and no room under
the low ceiling to elevate the stage, the visibility is limited for all but
those in the front half of the front row of tables. The lights are suspended
nearly to the foreheads of the cast in some spots and the synthesized
musical accompaniment blares through side speakers which also carry the
voices of the half of the cast who are miked.
Music and Lyrics by Daniel Spruill. Written
and directed by Chris McGriff. Choreographed by Nickolas A. Vaughn.
Technical direction by Jan Forbes. Design: Q. Bryan Sickels (set) Ryan J.
Moller (costumes) Reuben Max Rosenthal (lights) Jason Bond (sound) Kristen
Parker (stage manager). Cast: Michael Atkinson, Mycah Ausberry, Anthony
James Davis, Lydia Johns, Scott Forbes, Terrell D. Grey, Gabriel O. Harper,
Ciah R. Johnson, Doveanna H. Johnson, Morgan McNight, Demetria K. McRae,
Jobari Parker-Namdar, Jeffery Pugh, Quinten DeAnglio Warren, David Lamont
Wilson, Dari M. Worthan, |
