Theater Review .
"Between The Lines "
"Between The Lines " is a feel good musical. What do I mean by that? It has a lite and breezy book,Timothy Allen McDonald, nifty songs Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson; spectacular set design by Tobin Ost and the show is well directed by Jeff Calhoun. Under glam lighting by Jason Lyons and equally fun choreography by Paul McGill, we are brought back and forth in time by deft costumes of Gregg Barnes.
Set prior to the pandemic, Delilah (Arielle Jacobs) and her mother have moved to a new town in Dalilah's junior year of high school. She loses herself in books to escape reality as she sings the shows opening number " Another Chapter ". Her nerdy ways and essentricities draw the ire of some of her classmates. It seems her only friends are Jules ( Wren Rivera) and the schools librarian (Vicki Lewis).
In the lite and breezy genre we get catchy "pop" songs such as " Happily Ever After Hour","Mr. Darcy and Me", " Inner Thoughts", "Best Day Ever" and "Out of Character ". In adding to the fun we get great projection design (Caite Hevner) as well as sound design by Ken Travis.
In this boy meets girl musical,, the chemistry between Prince Oliver (Jake David Smith) and Jacobs is worth the price of admission. So too is the dog, Frump (Will Barton) and Rapskullio (John Rapson). Not all is perfect in fairyland, however. Both Hillary Fisher and Wren Rivera are miscast; Rivera as an actor is not, but his character could have been better written. Fisher on the other hand is not a good actress in this show. She is not sufficient enough as a singer nor dancer in her Allie McAndrews role and she is not believable enough as the "cool chick". As Princess Seraphima she is way to " Valley girl" and as such, she over acts the role.
"Between The Lines " at the Tony Kiser Theater is a fun evening with a very good cast. The whole performance was first rate. A few changes like Fisher and a rewrite of the Jules role, this show could be Broadway bound.
Robert Massimi writes for Metropolitan Magazines, Nimbus Magazine and New York Lifestyles Magazine.
Robert Massimi is a former member of the board of directors Metropolitan Playhouse.
