Rock On Broadway
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Fisher, Wood Stephens
Photo by BerliQue Inc.
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By Joseph N. Feinstein
Open Stage West is a tiny theater with about fifty seats and a minuscule stage; but when the six members of the BurliQue ensemble take the stage to present their "Rockumentary",
ninety minutes of enjoyable singing, dancing, and Broadway history come alive to entertain even the most jaded fan.
The six stalwarts include: Deidre Fisher and her dance partner, Alan Palmer, who wrote, directed, and choreographed the play; Stephanie Wood and her partner Ralph Goglione, who sing and dance up a storm; and, Kara Stephens and her partner, Rich Brown, who know how to put a song and dance over with style.
In one fell swoop, you can enjoy a song or two from such shows as Hair, Godspell, Evita, La Cage aux Folles, Footloose, Grease, Fame, Xanadu, Hairspray and others. There may be time for only one song from each show but they've chosen just the one you were happy to hear again. A television monitor overhead announces both the song being performed and, at times, some brief history attached to the show.
Unfortunately, Rock on Broadway does have a few drawbacks: Deidre's voice is weak and the amplification she needed was nowhere to be heard; lighting in the mini studio was either not fully developed or working properly during our visit, and, while adequate, Rich, Ralph, and Stephanie are really not professional dancers, and their routines could use some work.
On the plus side is their enthusiasm and the energy they bring to their music. A dedication to Jonathan Larson, who wrote Rent, but died the night before its opening, was done with taste and sensitivity. The audience participation with "Day By Day" while the cast sang and signed the lyrics was most tender and heartfelt. And the few skits with the audience participating created laughter for all.
There's quite a bit going on in Rock on Broadway. For a truly delightful experience, why not let BurliQue do their thing for you?
Rock on Broadway Open Stage West 14366 Ventura Blvd. (2d Floor in Oak Ridge Plaza
at Beverly Glen Blvd.) Sherman Oaks 91423 Tel. 323-259-5713 Thursday - Saturday @ 8:00 p.m.; Sunday @ 2:00 p.m. Tickets $30; Students & Seniors $25 Until June 10
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