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Health & Fitness

'Souvenir' by Westport Community Theatre - My Review

Florence Foster Jenkins once said that "people may say I can't sing, but no one can ever say that I didn't sing."

Souvenir is a two character play currently running at the Westport Community Theatre down on the Connecticut shoreline. After I exited the Parkway, I passed beautiful old houses with "circa" signs next to the door, a deer walking slowly across a lawn (better there than on the Parkway, right?) and soon found the graceful building. The small theater is in the lower level of  Westport's Town Hall but as soon as I picked up my complimentary ticket at the box office and entered the theatre itself I quickly forgot where I was. The comfortable seats are leveled and arranged on three sides of the rectangular stage so that everyone had a great view.

Ruth Ann Baumgartner is the WCT President and lovingly directed this play about the "amazing" Florence Foster Jenkins, "a sensation in the '40s as a singularly bad performer of great music" and her accompanist, Mexican-born pianist and composer Cosme McMoon. Set in a New York supper club where he is working in 1964, the maestro narrates the story of his professional relationship with Madame Flo. During the two acts of the play, he recalls various locations between 1932 to 1944, including the madam's suite at the Ritz Carlton where she gave her early invitation-only recitals, and the stage of Carnegie Hall and it's Green Room.

The character of Florence Foster Jenkins is all about the confidence that she exuded and veteran community theater actress Priscilla Squiers mastered that confidence with flair. I wish I had been able to see her performance on this stage as Maria Callas in Master Class, but I did see her as Alice Beane in the Warner's Titanic. Here she gives a nuanced performance of this lady who once said that "people may say I can't sing, but no one can ever say that I didn't sing." Ms. Squires can definitely sing, yet she pulled off the challenge of having to do so badly throughout the majority of this play. I was very impressed.

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As Cosme McMoon, Stamford resident Greg Chrzszon made his Westport debut. Usually behind the scenes as musical director, Mr. Chrzszon spent the entire play either behind the lovely onstage grand piano or acting near it. He brought a comic twinkle to the role of the supportive musician and of course played beautifully the varied pieces of the score. His facial reactions to the most outlandish (and funny) lines delivered by his costar were priceless. Kudos to both of these talented actors on a wonderful performance.

The simple set design by Al Kulcsar was perfect for the space and subject matter and it was perfectly lit by Jeff Klein. The multitude of costume changes were designed by Mary Kulscar and were maintained by a crew of three. Since the narrator never left the stage, he managed his one change onstage, but Mrs. Foster Jenkins required a change for every scene and a new over the top costume for every number in the Carnegie Hall performance. Every single ensemble was exquisitely put together right down to the necessary finger-waved wig.

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In the beginning of the play, Mrs. Foster Jenkins notes that those "dreadful newspaper people" will not be invited to her recitals, and Mr. McMoon is grateful to hear that the performances were "not to be reviewed." However, this reviewer was invited by Ms. Squiers herself to attend this show and I am most grateful that she did. With this show, the director "honors all those lovers of music who sing from the hear until someone asks them to 'just move your lips, dear.' Sing on!

Performances for Souvenir continue weekends through April 27, with curtain at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.  Ticket range from $16-$20. For tickets, call the Box Office at 203-226-1983.  For information and directions, please visit the website at www.westportcommunitytheatre.com.  Westport Community Theatre is located on the lower level of Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue, in Westport.



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