The story is fun, too, with a wonderful cast whose members certainly look like they are having a grand ol’ time on the stage. Rachel Sheinkin’s retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty – this time with a twist involving a modern-day sleep disorder clinic – is charming and clever.
Somebody Shoot Me
Unfortunately, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” is a musical. This means that however cute the plot, which is typically only thick enough to provide structure to the sequence of songs, the whole shebang stands or falls on the basis of the music. Thus, a proviso: I’m someone who listens to everything from Gregorian chant to doom metal out of a love for music in general. There are only a few musical genres that, to my ears and musical taste, provide more reasons for avoidance rather than exceptions. Nonetheless, I can certainly understand and respect that people don’t share my tastes.
Having gotten that out of the way, the music in “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” – composed by GrooveLilly members Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda, with support provided by drummer Shannon Ford – made me feel like Wednesday and Pugsley Addams after camp counselors locked them in the Harmony Hut and forced them to watch Disney movies. The instrumentation – electric violin, keyboards and drums – is accomplished but bland. Songs lack complex rhythms and melodies, blending into each so that they all pretty much sound the same. There was neither rock nor roll. It didn’t make me want to tap my feet, let alone dance. There was nothing edgy or innovative to be found; instead, the music seemed calculated to avoid anything controversial (read: interesting) that might possibly turn off audience members. All that the Disney-like elevator, adult contemporary blah-pop made me want to do was rush out for a curative regimen of Pink Floyd, the Faint and the newly discovered Guild of Funerary Violinists.
Granted, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” received a standing ovation. Regrettably, since audience members always give the KDT’s productions standing ovations, I’m not sure that it actually means anything. So bearing in mind my proviso, all I can offer prospective theatre-goers is a plea to visit the production’s website: http://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=518 and listen to the sample songs before buying tickets. If they don’t make you cringe, chances are you won’t come out like I did – with a strong case of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sleeping Beauty Wakes. Book by Rachel Sheinkin. Music and lyrics by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda. Directed by Jeff Calhoun. Starring Erika Amato, Deanne Bray, Clinton Derricks-Carroll, Kevin Earley, Shannon Ford, Russell Harvard, Troy Kotsur, Christia Mantzke, Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda and Alexandria Wailes. In English and American Sign Language. On stage at the Kirk Douglas Theatre until May 13. www.kirkdouglastheatre.com