Stagebeat
Capsule reviews of current area stage shows.
The Sounds of Simon cast light on master songsmith Paul Simon's poignant words. Five players on a darkened stage make Simon's music come alive through a mix of defiance and stillness. Songs like "I Am a Rock," "Hazy Shade of Winter," and "American Tune" show frustration at the world's condition. "You Can Call Me Al," "Loves Me Like a Rock," and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" are lighthearted; the cast joins in loosely structured choreography with do-si-dos and Latino grooves. But the silent moments are brilliant. Pieces of "The Sound of Silence" are appropriately sung throughout, begging the audience to ponder. Eeriness encompasses the set; gentle fog rolls over sloped hills on an Astroturfed stage. A few benches sit solemnly like gravestones, and a chainlink fence serves as a barrier to a painted sky. This is holy ground, and the performers sing like angels. Abby Lynn Pantalone's operatic melodies and fearful eyes show torment as she portrays a drugged-out hippie in a sunflower dress withdrawing drug paraphernalia from a small, clasped purse -- a mixture of optimism and hopelessness. Don Febbraio, a soldier in camouflage, holds each note tenderly while reflecting fear, regret, and loss of innocence. He lovingly croons "Still Crazy After All These Years" and gives new meaning to "Scarborough Faire" as a woundedVietnam veteran. Gary Waldman's suit and tie would be powerful, but his lost, unblinking eyes show despair. His best moment is during "The Boxer," when anguish overcomes him. But Kenney Green conquers the show. Obviously a trained dancer, Green's passionate performance escalates into the spine-tingling final number, "Bridge Over Troubled Water." (Through February 20 at Atlantis Playhouse, 5893 S. Congress Ave., Atlantis, 561-304-3212.) Now Showing
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