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Desert Song by Welk Resort Theatre  Long before the musical version of The Scarlet
Pimpernel there was The Desert Song – a musical filled with
adventure, comedy, romance, and a soaring score that sweeps us away into an
exotic Moroccan landscape of the early 1900s. The storyline is clichéd and the
music a bit dated, but this rarely performed classic is still a surprising
treat featuring some of the very first work by Oscar Hammerstein, the gorgeous
melodies of Sigmund Romberg, beautiful sets and lighting effects, and a cast of
spellbinding singers.
Andrew Husmann, who last year starred in Annie Get Your Gun and The Sound of Music, returns to the Welk as our superhero The Red Shadow – a daring Robin Hood-type character who is helping the poor and oppressed of Moroccan Berbers from bad elements in the French Foreign Legion. He knows those elements well as he is part of the Legion in Morocco, his real name being Pierre, General Birabeau’s nerdy, clutzy son doing his best Clark Kent imitation. His Lois Lane is Margot (not Kidder), a beautiful young woman being courted by the brave, handsome, but corrupt and decidedly unromantic Paul “The Butcher” Fontaine. When General Birabeau orders Paul to find and kill The Red Shadow, the path to a happy ending becomes far more complicated for poor Pierre. The cast is superb and deep in talent beginning with Husmann who becomes both the dashing hero and the nerdy Pierre with just the right amounts of bravado, modesty, clumsiness, and campiness. As the lovely and caring Margot, Jennifer Bangs gives a lift to her beautiful operatic ballads and joins with Husmann in a divine duet of the title number. The slapstick comedy is led by Ciro Barbaro as Benny, sounding and looking a lot like Ed Wynn as he desperately tries to save his own neck amidst all the swashbuckling, earning sandstorms of laughter in doing it. Katie Wilson is his match made in humorous heaven while the two sing and dance as he tells her that he wants someone who has “It” and she tries to convince him that she’s got “It.” Of course, everyone in this group has IT, from Kurt Norby’s egotistical Paul Fontaine, Ralph Johnson’s fatherly General Birabeau, Brenna Fleeman’s mysteriously exotic Azuri, and Samara Otero’s seductive belly dancing. Each member of the cast boasts a stunning voice that culminates with Dan Tullis leading them in Let Love Go – a sublime and mesmerizing song capturing the heart of The Desert Song and worth the price of admission by itself. Performs through November 7, 2004.
Our thoughts and deepest sympathy for the family and
loved ones of a true superhero, the inspirational Christopher Reeve.
~ Cast ~
 The Red Shadow (Pierre): Andrew HusmannMargot: Jennifer Bangs Sid El Kar: Casey Zeman Ali Ben Ali: Dan Tullis Benny: Ciro Barbaro Susan: Katie Wilson Paul Fontaine: Kurt Norby General Birabeau: Ralph Johnson Azuri: Brenna Fleeman Clementina: Samara Otero Hassi: Danny Bolero Du Chesne: Geoffrey Washburn La Vergne: Robert Krahen Lapine: Rick Chatham Beaupne: Michael Elliott Edith: Barbara Chiofalo Neri: Jennifer Sowden Monique: Bebe Brodie Marie: Christy Rube Director and Choreographer: Jon Engstrom Asst. Choreographer: Julie Kenyon Vocal Director: Elan McMahon Stage Manager: Jennifer Edwards Set Design: Andrew Hammer Lighting Design: Jennifer Edwards Costume Design: Ambra Wakefield |