Say hello to 'Goodbye, Kansas'
Rating: 4
Goodbye Kansas
KC Fringe Festival
Are you Fringe-ing? If not you are missing some of the best arts and entertainment that will happen in KC this year. The festival enables a lot of productions to be done that normally would not see the light of day. The process is basically a "how-to" for would be producers. Okay, plug over. Tonight's selection: "Goodbye, Kansas". This show is exactly the kind of creative kernels that the Fringe was meant to foster. From the fertile minds of Seth Golay and Frankie Krainz it is no exaggeration to say that this is not your father's musical. Not unless your father's tastes lean heavily to Sondheim-ian, dark, disturbing and odd musical numbers. Add in some deep emotional moments that feel like they are torn out of someone's real-life trauma and so personal to be almost uncomfortable. But, don't let that scare you off there is plenty here to enjoy.
If the Fringe is the how-to, there are plenty of lessons on display in this show.
1. If you are going to produce a new kind of musical get Jeremy Watson to be your musical director. It doesn't hurt that he plays an excellent piano (although sometimes louder than the singers) and can ably provide some vocal assists. Adding the violin and voice of Brad Athey doesn't hurt either.
2. Next, enfant producers don't forget able and interesting lights from Jayson Chandley, because theatre in the dark is radio. It doesn't hurt that the show had the luck (?) of landing on the Unicorn's main stage.
3. Next, cast some of the best talent KC has to offer: Merle Moores, Frankie Krainz, Katie Kalahurka, Vanessa Severo and Matt Weiss. This group brought a lot of talent and energy to the stage. Individually or in ensemble they were a delight to watch, they all looked great and sounded great. Some notes: For god's sake someone stage "Willy Wonka" and get Krainz in it stat! Does anyone do a filthy hick better than Weiss? Kalahurka can easily be the "go-to" actress in KC theatre's future. Dear producers- more of Severo, onstage, singing! Sweet, sweet, Ms. Moores- lovely at the Rep, lovely at the Shakespeare festival, lovely at the Dinner Theatre and lovely at the Fringe, welcome!
4. Get some help with the details. Don't overlook the need for a good choreographer (David Ollington), maybe a dramaturg (Justin Shaw) and a good stage manager (Amy Eisele).
Not all is perfect in "Kansas". The music is well done, but not all of the numbers serve the plot very well. The musical numbers are stylistically all over the map as well. This might be defended as a compliment to a story that takes place mostly inside an addled mind but they seemed to serve a political purpose rather than the story. Like the musical numbers the plot has a tendency to wander away from the point and sometimes club you over the head with the "message". The show seemed to lose focus in the middle and then rushed to the close.
This production is getting lots of buzz at this year's festival and it is well deserved. You don't have to attend this primer of Fringe production for the lessons- attend to see some great acting, lovely music and experience a completely different kind of musical.
read the review at KC Stage
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