Fine and fun Follies performances at the Venus

Great time last night at the Venus for the 43rd (?!) Providence Newspaper Guild Follies; once again, the gods have been kind to the Follies crew, providing plenty of material from 2016, and the crew capitalized on the bounty. Have to say that the UHIP number, a take on the Adele smash Hello, with Alisha Pena as a woman deprived of benefits and Cheena D'Arauja - Desir as a hapless benefits officer, was not only the highlight of the show but probably, pace Michael Evora, the best vocal # in Follies history - they just killed it, with beautiful, simple staging and scoring as well. Other great moments included Tracy McGraw, Gina Raimondo's double, as the ice queen from Frozen, all the women in the cast in a great Yoga Pants Parade # to the tune of "You Don't Own Me," a funny skit on the Russian sub sighted off the R.I. coast, and a hilarious Cooler-Warmer # at the top of the show w/ half the cast in beach attire and the rest in ski jackets and wool caps. Over the years, the backstage crew has gotten better and better, and this year the costumes were outstanding - anyone who's seen the backstage space at this show will be even more amazed at how they can execute all the costume and props transitions in a (mostly) seamless process. The "Smith Brothers," Andy and Steve did a great job directing and more than held their own on stage as well. Mystery guests? Less said the better - but at least they didn't eclipse the fine and fun performances from the Follies crew.

The Greatest Show in Swanse, revisited: Follies Night

After a few year's hiatus saw the Providence Newspaper Guild Follies of 2014 last night at the Venus, and fully enjoyed the show (made smart decision to leave table in distant corner and take a seat near the stage-front). Sad that the show has ever fewer cast members and crew who are actually Guild members, but at least it's still hanging on and has developed a fine core crew over the years of actors, musicians, and techies. Props as ever to music maestro Larry Berren for a lively and ear-blasting performance. Longtime director Andy Smith came through once again not only w/ a (mostly - tho even the pauses and flubs have a charm of their own - reminding that after all it's an amateur production) well-paced show but a damn good opening monologue (Nick Mattiello supports business, wants to cut taxes, wants to cut social services: at last we have what we need in R.I. - a truly powerful Republican; new airline at Green wants to build a connection to Azores - we've already got one: The Braga Bridge). Among the highlight #s of course I like the Dust Bowl tribute to my boss Commissioner Gist, had a lot of laughs dancing calamari and the many hirsute Bob Healys (It's all about the Beard) - and they have a Gina Raimondo for the next 8 years (Tracy McGraw, I think?) - a dead ringer and a damn good singer as well. Old friend Bob Kerr made an appearance playing an original folk song lament for the days of great journalism. Sad - but at least the show goes on. Thanks, all!

At the big neon sign by the old Bowladrome: The PNG Follies!

Last night it was Follies Time @ the Venus de Milo (Swansea), and one of the best shows in years for sure. As I say almost every year, though at times I miss the raggedy informality of the Providence Newspaper Guild Follies of old (flubbed lines, crappy mikes, bumbling "choreography"), the talent level is now frighteningly high and makes for a great show: powerful musical numbers with hilarious costumes, cool set, great comic timing, great moves, tremendous vocals - thanks, all, and congratulations. Everyone's been talking about the surprise star turn from mystery guest Bob Flanders (he was never so funny when he was Regents chair - who knew he could sing?), but let's also give the cast members their due: Andy Smith, director and opening monologue with some truly funny lines (haven't been watched by so many people since I went to take a piss at the Coffee Exchange), and fabulous cast members (couldn't ID them all from my seat among the gods) with great impersonations of Governor Chafee (treated rather kindly this year - though the subject of a fundraiser for politicians suffering from Delayed Gesture Syndrome) and of Angel Taveras, in a hot Latin number! The Gina Raimondo # was very powerful as well, and, as one of the gags had it: If you're here from North Providence, thank you thank you thank you. Plenty of zings for what co-worker H. calls "The Guido Triangle" (Cranston, Johnston, NP) - and only the Follies cast would do a costumed skit that begins: Hello, I am Angel Taveras's sperm. I had a very good year! And it was a very good year for the Follies, too. Thanks, all!

The Greatest Show in Swansea : Providence Newspaper Guild Follies

Last night totally enjoyed the 38th annual Providence Newspaper Guild Follies (of 2010). Thanks, all for putting on a great show! Usually old-timers and former cast-members (e.g., me) gather around and grouse about how nothing's as good as it was in the old days - but not when it comes to the Follies. After-show conversations were filled with admiration for how the show continues to get better. The songs were always good I'd say, though years back you could barely make out some of the clever lyrics - pearls before swine, as director Andy Smith used to lament. Now, well, the sound's way better - and the lyrics are in the program, very cool. Not to take anything away from past emcees and monologuists (e.g., me again), but Frank O'Donnell brings a pro's sense of timing and ability to interact and ad lib that we never saw in the older shows. Most of all, the "spectacle" of the show continues to amaze me: the costumes (the Lady Ga Ga # killed) and hair have risen to a new level - probably better than the Oscars which will boringly be on tonight. Used to be a costume was basically a football jersey or a seersucker jacket, and you did your hair in the motel up Route 6 before the show. If the audience could ever see the cramped quarters in which all this takes place back stage they'd be stunned! Though I'll always miss the great Lioce-Mulligan-Kerr-MWilliams writing and performances of yore, the Follies continues to be the Greatest Show in Swansea (or anywhere else on the last Friday in February). Great job Andy and everyone else!