Wiess Tabletop's Aida

By Kensey King     3/31/11 7:00pm

With recent shows like West Side Story, Hello Hamlet! and The Pillowman, Wiess Tabletop Theater has managed to set a high bar for college theater. Their spring musical, Aida, unfortunately falls short of the company's usual brilliance. Aida lacks polish due to an ineffective supporting cast, novice orchestra and poor costume design.

The basic plot of Aida is reminiscent of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, although it is set in a very different time and place. The opening scene takes place inside a museum that bears Egyptian artifacts. A female pharaoh on display, Amneris, comes to life as she introduces the story and transports the audience back to ancient Egypt.  Returning from his expedition in Nubia, Radames, captain of the Egyptian army, meets a captive named Aida, and instantly falls in love with her. Aida's true identity as the Nubian princess is revealed to the other Egyptian servants by Mereb, a former Nubian citizen. This causes conflict as Aida falls in love with Radames, the man responsible for the enslavement of Nubian people. Radames faces problems of his own as his father, Zoser, reminds him that he is required to marry the Pharoah's daughter, Amneris, very soon even though his heart belongs to the slave, Aida. Unfortunately, Aida and Radames' secret affair is uncovered and they must choose between death or separation.

Since most of the story focuses on the love triangle between Aida, Radames and Amneris, it is important to have solid actors and talented singers for these roles, which the production did. Hanszen College sophomore, Christine Jeon, plays Aida and gives a wonderful vocal performance.  Jeon successfully captures Aida's inner struggle between the love for her people and for Radames onstage.

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Taking the lead male role, Brown College sophomore John Mendell's voice is perfect for the role of Radames and although he does not physically fit the description of an Egyptian war captain, his power and authority is undeniable. Even for seasoned actors, romantic chemistry is challenging to portray, but Mendell and Jeon manage to ignite a few sparks in their scenes together. Jones College junior and college theater veteran Lilla Pivnick gives another radiant performance as she plays Amneris, the misunderstood and underappreciated Egyptian Princess. Her songs, especially "My Strongest Suit," showcase her vocal and acting ability. Pivnick definitely gives the strongest overall performance in the show.

Two faculty members take the stage in this production. Wiess Master Mike Gustin plays the dying pharaoh and does a terrific job, adding humor to the musical. Wiess Associate Vivek Sarkar plays the King of Nubia, Amonasro, and while he is only in a couple of scenes, has great execution.

The rest of the cast members, however, prevent the show from reaching its full potential. Aida fails to compensate for their small cast as the dance routines are sloppy and the singing leaves something to be desired. Although the choreography in Aida is simple, the cast consistently has poor execution and only the choreographer herself, Wiess junior Jessica Manriquez, can move through any given number smoothly. The reprise of the song "How I Know You" has a few kinks to work out as Mereb, played by Martel College sophomore Kaio Ferreira, jumps around keys, trying to find the right notes. Jones sophomore Carter Spires performs slightly better than Ferreira but sadly is drowned out by the booming orchestra. The background singing in the show, especially in "Another Pyramid" and "The Gods Love Nubia," lacks harmony and unity.

Wiess Tabletop struggles every year with the design of the college's commons to find the best place to put the orchestra. This year, the commons won as the orchestra, directed by McMurtry College junior Robyn Moscowitz, muffles out the actors' attempts to be heard by the audience.

Even with microphones, the audience struggles to hear several songs, especially during composer Elton John's signature upbeat sequences. When the orchestra is not overpowering the action on the stage, it struggles with timing and keys. Through several of the big numbers the woodwind and string sections clash and a sharp key chimes over the rest of the orchestra, detracting from the score while also depriving the poor vocalist support.

The stage, designed by director and Wiess junior TJ Burleson, is very fitting for the musical, with scenic pyramids in the background and a triangular shaped stage. The red curtains also are a nice touch, helping distinguish scene changes without requiring awkward breaks in the show.

Technically, the show hovers around average for college theater, except of course for the audience's inability to hear the characters. The costumes were also highly disappointing as most of them lacked any Egyptian design, inhibiting the suspension of disbelief.

Wiess Tabletop fails to deliver the usually well-executed musical with Aida. The three leads, Jeon, Mendell and Pivnick, all give solid performances but are unable to save the show from its subpar quality. ?

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