Spoiler alert! This one’s a little maudlin. While I did attend an actual fair last week, (www.delawarecountyfair.com), the one referred to in the header of this column is a metaphor. The sentiment …
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Spoiler alert! This one’s a little maudlin. While I did attend an actual fair last week, (www.delawarecountyfair.com), the one referred to in the header of this column is a metaphor. The sentiment was brought on by (of all things) the production of “Rock of Ages” (www.fbplayhouse.org) that I caught last Thursday in Forestburgh—their “swan song” musical of the summer season. Before I get down to brass tacks (I mean weepy, morose, end-of-summer blues), let’s address my day at the real fair, which to be fair, was… fair.
Having been invited by fair board member John Jackson to join the folks from the radio station (www.thunder102.com), Dharma the Wonder Dog leapt at the chance to check out the 4-H exhibits, the rides, the sights and sounds that one associates with a great country fair such as the one in Walton, NY. Even though it’s a bit far afield, we ran into hundreds of folks from the four counties that we traverse on behalf of The River Reporter, and while I gorged on my once-a-year guilty-pleasure fried confections, we took our seats for the phenomenal concert starring Frankie (“Cigarette” “Young & Crazy” “Sober Me Up”) Ballard. While his song list sounds like he’s a hellion, his All-American good looks and charming demeanor belie that image. Tens of thousands attend this fair each year, and everyone seemed to be having a swell time—but me. But in all fairness, I was still reeling from my experience at the theatre.
“I wanted the music to play on forever. Have I stayed too long at the fair?” Those words, penned by songwriter William C. Barnes, played in my head long after the last strains of more than 20 classic rock hits of the ‘80s reverberated in the rafters of the Forestburgh Playhouse. There, Chris Persichetti, Debra Thais Evans, Matthew Stocke, Dan Maldonado, Taylor Jackson, Rachelle Rose Clark, Michael Iannucci, Ryan Williams and a huge ensemble of ridiculously talented performers belted out memorable tunes like “I Wanna Rock,” “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” “Dead or Alive,” and “I Can’t Fight This Feeling.” The silly boy-meets-girl storyline is pure fluff, but I was surprised by how funny it was. Chris DiArienzo’s clever script had the audience rolling in the aisles, thanks to great comic turns by Persichetti and Williams in particular, aided by newcomer Steven Telsey, who stepped out of the resident company to deliver a memorable, hilarious performance as Hertz, the über German wanna-be chocolatier.
Why then, was I so morose? The show, directed and choreographed with great flair by Robin Levine, thoughtfully costumed by Meaghan Carlo and stylistically lit by Todd Loyd on an ultra-cool set by Tristan James, did something extraordinary, something that far loftier theatrical experiences strive to do. The production took me back to a time and place that was so evocative of my real life in the ‘80s. when I lived a block from the world-famous Sunset Strip (where the show takes place), that I found myself swept up in a miasma of memories, including the good, the bad and yes, the ugly. Musical director Nicholas Place did such a great job eliciting really incredible vocal performances from this superlative cast (FBP’s strong suit this season) that I was swept up in the goofy plot, often mesmerized by the performers who are (IMHO) that good.
Once again, the “Fair” song echoed as intermission drew to a close. “Oh, mother dear, I know you’re very proud, your little boy and kingdom is so far above the crowd. No, daddy dear, you never could have known, that I would be successful, yet so very much alone.” Those words haunted me as I took my seat for act two, which tied up the story in a neat little bow and brought an unexpected tear to my eye, as the story reached its (“Don’t Stop Believing”) crescendo.
Was I over-emotional, considering the circumstances? Perhaps, but it might just be that the show’s creators knew more than they were letting on by creating “Rock of Ages” for an audience like me, who came of age during that period of time, strutting my stuff and thinking that the party would never end. “The merry-go-round is beginning to taunt me. There is nothing to win, and there’s no one to want me, Have I stayed too long at the fair?” In the mood for a flash-back of your own? Go see “Rock of Ages.”
For tickets and information call 845/794-1194 or visit www.fbplayhouse.org.
To see photos of Frankie Ballard and the Delaware County Fair visit www.Facebook.com/theriverreporter
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