REVIEW: Falsettos at Burlington County Footlighters

Theatre Ninja Octavian's opinion: WORTH SEEING

Type: Musical
Where: Burlington County Footlighters, 808 Pomona Road, Cinnaminson, NJ
Website: http://www.bcfootlighters.com/
Ticket Price: $18
Run: 2 weekends left. Jan 29, 30, Feb 5, 6 at 8:00pm and Jan 31 at 2:00pm.
Family Friendly: Not Really. The show itself is definitely aimed at an adult audience. But if you're looking for a concrete reason, there is some language.

Theatre Ninja Octavian writes:
"I went into Falsettos knowing almost nothing about it, except a general plot synopsis, and so was excited to see a show which, as far as I know, had not hit this area before. Falsettos takes you on a journey with a unique family where the father (Marvin) has left his wife (Trina) for a man (Whizzer) and struggles to keep his family a tight knit group integrating his new partner into it. The family's situation is further complicated by Trina, when she begins a romantic relationship with her ex-husband's therapist, and Marvin and Trina's son Jason as he deals with his father's new life and worries about what it could possibly mean for him.

It was an enjoyable experience and I am glad I saw it. First off, the set was minimal and great. It was beautiful and well conceived for easy and seamless scene changes. Two walls border far stage right and left covered in colored tiles. But the tiles appear to be elevated off the wall and create interesting shadows. (For extra fun, pay close attention to the shadows they cast during pre show.) The upstage wall was simply a series of flats covered in fabric which gave the set a nice flowing look and soft textural feel. The set really helped create some pretty pictures on stage as well as interesting methods for multiple entrances and exits.

The music is complex and challenging. During some of the larger group numbers it felt like some of the notes were lost or simply could not be heard. Though in truth I may credit that to the acoustics of the theater and the fact the piano seemed to be over powering them every once and a while. The cast recovered well, though, and the solos and duets were, mostly... mostly... a joy to listen to. There were some weaknesses and a couple of moments that were hard to get through (some of Jason's songs, for example, but I chalk that up to the fact that I believe he IS actually in the age range of 12-14 and it sounds like his voice is days, if not hours, away from changing), but overall it was not bad. Wonderful vocal performances were given by Matt Reher as Whizzer and Barbara Burke Sherman as Trina, especially in her song 'I'm Breaking Down'.

The show was also enhanced by some solid acting. It was full of laughs and heartache as we watched the characters go through the journey to becoming a family and dealing with the insecurities, laughter, and loss that come from such a journey. Specifically keep an eye out for Mendel played by Bernard DiCasimirro, Trina played by Barbara Burke Sherman, and Whizzer played by Matt Reher.

Overall I believe this was a good production. It wasn't the strongest I've seen musically but it made up for it in other areas. I would recommend it to any theatregoers who love unique stories, recognize families in all their varieties, love a little drama thrown into their comedy, and can deal with some musical hiccups."

Outstanding Team Members:
Director, Dennis Dougherty
Set Design, Mindy Collins
Set Construction, Torben Christiansen and team
Light Design, Jim Frazer

Cast Members to Watch:
Matt Reher (Whizzer)
Bernard DiCasimirro (Mendel)
Barbara Burke Sherman (Trina)