Small Town Theater

Homespun fun is celebrated by the cast of "Carousel."

Last night we attended a performance of "Carousel," the highly-acclaimed musical play by Rodgers and Hammerstein that dominated Broadway for 890 performances back in 1945. One thing is for sure: it was a simpler time then, which the songs and dialog made all too clear. To say the story is dated is an understatement, what with a man losing his job as a carousel barker, whatever that was, because he put his arm around a girl's waist in public.

But here in Maine, we'll take what we can get. It's often slim pickings, at least if you were raised on NYC's Broadway shows and operas at the Met. Still, as season subscribers my husband and I ardently support small town theater, and eagerly attend their offerings with an open mind. Some efforts are more rewarding than others.

Happily, surprises do happen. Like last night, with the enormously obese performer with a knockout voice owning the stage and winning you over despite her distracting size. (She got the most applause at the end.) And the leading man, a commanding tenor with a voice that could rival Pavarotti, blowing everyone away and making the two-plus hours of the mostly forgettable libretto worthwhile. 

All in all, it was pretty good theater at the aptly named Good Theater, and as usual we got a parking space right out front, something that definitely could never happen on Broadway.