Uncategorized

“The evening is, first and foremost, about the music. ,” writes Theater Critic Sean McMullen, “And vocally, this company delivers in exactly the way audiences familiar with Landmark have likely come to expect.”

“The harmonies are lush, the phrasing thoughtful, and the sheer commitment to musicality throughout the 26 member ensemble is genuinely impressive. There were moments during the evening where I found myself hearing chords and internal vocal textures I had honestly never noticed before, perhaps because these songs are so often encountered within the context of fully staged musicals, sung by actors who sing rather than singers who act. That distinction matters here. Oh, and the genius of Music Director Curtis Heard.”

“The point is not perfection. The point is community. And there is something undeniably moving about watching a large, diverse company tackle material this musically and emotionally sophisticated together.”

“Particularly stellar work came from George Carson, Lisa Bode Heard, Briana Bonilla, Jade Dodgen, Anna Shimanek, Malakai Howard, Mark Wheeler, Cole Whiter, Matt and Eliot Winkler, and Brooke Wittenmeier, all of whom found ways to balance Sondheim’s wit with genuine emotional grounding.”

“Special mention must also go to director Meagan O’Toole, whose staging and movement work throughout the production is quietly excellent…she creates naturalistic physical vocabulary that allows performers to move with grace while still feeling human. The result is a stage picture that continually shifts and breathes with the music without ever becoming over-choreographed.”

“Will audiences have a good time spending an evening side by side with this company and this music? The answer is yes.”

— Sean McMullen, Press Telegram & Grunion Gazette