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REVIEW: SummerStock Austin’s Sweet Charity at the Rollins Theatre

By Rob Faubion

I'm always a bit trepidacious when I set foot in a theatre to see an all-student production of one of my favorite musicals. Inevitably, the youth and inexperience of the cast can never live up to my cherished memories from past professional productions and national tours.

This year, the annual student training program SummerStock Austin took on full-stage productions of Cabaret and Sweet Charity, playing them in repertory for two weeks. For the folks who don't often venture “south of the river,” the SummerStock Austin project auditions scores of high school and college students across the nation, selects the Top 40 or so kids, and brings them to Austin - tuition-free - for several weeks in the summer for intense musical

theatre training and performances.

The reviews from their production of Cabaret, which opened last week, have certified that Artistic Director and Music Director Michael McKelvey has scored another hit. And I've experienced several of SummerStock Austin's wonderful stagings in the past, so I knew that the professional creative and production team could handle the rigors of a musical as complex as Sweet Charity. But could the students?

My fears subsided when the all-student orchestra, under the baton of Jason Conner, lit into the great Cy Coleman music. And then we met our "Charity Hope Valentine" - and then I knew that Valentine's Day had come early.

Carrying the show in the title role, actress Sara Burke is a true triple-threat. This girl can belt out a tune while dancing her heart out - and make it all look effortless. She captures the rollercoaster of emotions that befall Charity - from pride to pathos - and delivers them without being maudlin.

Equally excellent are Briana Watson and Taylor Edwards as her taxi dancer co-workers "Helene" and "Nickie." In addition to being exceptional singers and dancers, the young actresses allowed enough of their soft sides to seep through their characters' tough exteriors to make them both sympathetic. The men in the cast perform equally well, from Josean Rodriguez's neurotic boyfriend "Oscar" to Matthew Harper's over-the-top portrayal of lothario film star "Vittorio Vidal."

In fact, the entire ensemble simply sparkles throughout the performance - and not just because of their vintage costumes courtesy of Pam Fletcher-Friday. Director Ginger Morris instilled the necessary skills and knowledge into her actors, leading to believable adult characters coming from an all-student cast.

Choreographer Vincent Sandoval deftly resurrects Bob Fosse's original choreograph, which the cast performs to perfection. All the iconic and signature numbers that had me so worried - "Hey Big Spender," "Rich Man's Frug," "The Rhythm of Life," "I'm a Brass Band," etc. - were all fully realized on the intimate Rollins Theatre stage.

But the problem with running two big musicals in repertory is how to design the core set so that it works for both productions. The minimal designs by Larry Lehew left several scenes - such as the supposedly swanky Pompeii Club - looking thread-bare, while other scenes functioned more effectively.

But considering the ingredients necessary to pull off this spectacle of a show - including great voices, amazing dance skills, and worldliness beyond their years - the students of this year's SummerStock Austin have cooked up an amazing theatrical experience. Not only is this Charity sweet, she is down-right delicious!

Performances of Sweet Charity continue through August 7th, running in repertory with Cabaret. The productions are performed entirely by a student company, and feature student musicians in the orchestra.

Tickets range from $15 to $25. Performances run Wednesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Click here for a complete list of show dates and times.

SummerStock Austin is a sponsored project of St. Edward's University and Zilker Theatre Productions. For reservations and more information, call (512) 428-1297 or visit www.SummerStockAustin.org.