REVIEWS
B.B. EXCERPTS FROM A BLOG REVIEW BY MARILYN JOZWIK, PUBLISHED ON
DEC. 19, 2017 -- In the show, “Our Favorite Things,” presented recently at Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove, Taryn Whipple sang some of Andrews’ beloved tunes with a superb voice that easily glided through the yodeling in “Lonely Goatherd,” soared in “The Rain in Spain” and trilled gently in the finale of “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood.” -- Accompanied by a solid, three-piece orchestra consisting of Kerry Hart Bieneman on piano and vocals, Steven Rindt on double bass and Jim Ryan on drums, the duo provided 90 minutes of music, jam-packed with more than 30 tunes made famous by Andrews and/or her musicals. -- Whipple and Lobacz were charming in the numbers they did from “The Boyfriend,” really meshing well with the orchestra on the Flapper Era music, which included a bit of the Charleston dance. -- In “The Lonely Goatherd,” Whipple slid through the roller coaster of yodeling as easily as a sled down an icy hill. Lobacz added guitar on the acoustic “Edelweiss,” while Whipple showed off her skill on the violin. Whipple sounded most like Andrews in “My Favorite Things” and ended the show with “Climb Every Mountain.” Though the latter was not sung by Andrews in the film, it was a perfect finale to the show. "-- The show moved at a quick, lively pace, with nary a bobble to be seen or heard, professional in every way. **To view the complete review, please visit Marilyn Jozwick's official Blog: Wisconsin Theater Spotlight |
"What a remarkable production! The concert is crafted inside the well-defined arc of Julie Andrews' life and career, with simple stories forming a bridge between the songs. The small stage is used well, while the audience is treated to fun little bits of choreography and delightful sing-a-long moments." -- Susan Loveridge, Producer/Director at Sunset Playhouse "We were captured from the very beginning. I had not seen Don Labocz before, but his energy and performance was outstanding. Taryn was magnificent! I loved everything about the show. The band was superb as well. It was exciting to be so close to the performers. I appreciated the way the show flowed and kept my attention the entire time. I highly recommend this show – I loved it!" -- Ruth Larson, Audience Member |