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Canwest News Service
The con artists at the centre of the musical version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels may be morally ambiguous -but they are no doubt bound to be entertaining. In a plot based on the book by Jeffrey Lane and the 1998 film of the same name, with a cast of Canadian actors known for their comic timing, director Max Reimer and the gang over at the Playhouse are putting on another rollicking production that exemplifies everything music theatre should be: fluffy, fast, and fun.
It's ironic, then, that behind the scenes of this production there is sadness and loss. Longtime friend and colleague of Reimer's, Lloyd Nicholson, was slated ted to be the show's musical director, but he died unexpectedly in October. The 57-year old Nicholson, who was working on a re-mount of the Play house's smash-hit production of The Drowsy Chaperone in Ottawa at the time of his death, had a long association with the Playhouse, Studio 58, and Royal City Music Theatre.
"He was like the mortar that kept the tradition of musical theatre intact in Canada. He passed on his knowledge to so many young actors. Going forward without him, you feel this responsibility to carry on providing that," says Reimer.
Reimer called on Steve Thomas to step up as musical director. "Steve has toured all over the States with the show for Drayton Entertainment. He knows the music really well," says Reimer, "in fact Lloyd had originally slated him to be the rehearsal pianist for our production. So it made sense." With local musician Bill Sample filling in as the new rehearsal pianist, as always, the show will go on.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that Reimer has lined up a musically gifted cast, including Andrew Wheeler as the suave older con man Lawrence Jameson, who leads a comfortable existence in the town of Beaumont Sur Mer on the French Riviera, gently parting rich socialites from their purses. "Andrew Wheeler was chosen because he possesses a fantastic charm, which is really needed for this role," says Reimer. Josh Epstein plays Freddy Benson, a younger, upstart con man who rolls into town and disrupts Lawrence's game. According to Reimer, "Josh is really at the height of his comic powers. He's such an actor's actor that during rehearsals the rest of the cast often comes down just to watch him work. Plus he has all these other skills. He's very musical."
And perhaps the musical feather in the cap of this production is Elena Juatco, a former Canadian Idol finalist renowned for her pipes. In her first appearance at the Playhouse, Juatco is playing Christine Colgate, a rich young American girl in Europe for the first time, who finds herself at the centre of a complicated con. A homegrown Vancouver talent, Juatco initially studied biology at Queen's University, before her Canadian Idol success in 2004 convinced her to switch to studying theatre full-time.
Juatco, while thrilled to be part of this production under the musical guidance of Steve Thomas, had been looking forward to working with Lloyd Nicholson, and is also saddened by his passing. "I got to meet Lloyd in a few of the auditions, and he had this really warm spirit about him that just made me want to do better." But indirectly, Juatco is still benefiting from Nicholson's expertise. "There are lots of moments in the show that are Lloyd moments," she says.
Max Reimer elaborates, "Lloyd changed some of the song lyrics to reflect the fact that Elena is Filipino. Her character was supposed to be from Cincinnati, where there are fewer Asian people. Lloyd wrote new lyrics so she comes from San Francisco, which is much more likely. That's why in her first song, she sings 'Get away from San Francisco drizzle, to where my life can have some sizzle.' "
"And remember," says Reimer, "this show is terrific eye candy." In other words -don't expect it to be deep. Expect sunsets and potted palms, with loads of gorgeous women and well turned-out men to keep the music coming. Sets and costumes from the original Broadway touring production have been painstakingly adapted for the Vancouver stage, and the result, says Reimer, is "true to the original vision." Lloyd Nicholson would no doubt have approved.
At a glance
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Playhouse Theatre
Opens tonight, until Dec. 27, 8 p.m.
Matinees at 2 p.m.: Nov. 28 (pay-what-you-can), Dec. 2, 5, 9, 10 No performances on Sundays Tickets $35 to $69, from vancouverplayhouse.com or by calling 604 873-3311
