Good Theater staged the musical comedy “Little Me” in its inaugural season. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the theater-in-residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center in Portland is bringing the fluffy musical back for a revival.
Stephen Underwood, who starred in the original show, reprises the role that helped establish him as one of Portland’s most talented, nimble and funny actors. He plays seven husbands and lovers of heroine Belle Poitrine, stretching his stage capacity with a madcap, rapid-fire succession of accents and mannerisms.
Additional Photos
Brian Allen, the theater’s co-founder with Underwood and its artistic director, opted to bring back “Little Me” as a way to cap the 10th anniversary.
“This was the first show we ever sold out, and also the show that made people sit up and take notice,” said Allen, who directs a cast of 13. “It put us on the theater map in Portland. It just felt like it would be a good one to do again.”
For Underwood, the second time around gives him a chance to gauge his growth as an actor. He was perfectly happy with his first performance in this role. But in the decade since, he’s taken many acting classes that have sharpened his comedic timing and touch.
He’s eager to try out some of those techniques to give his various characters more depth.
“It’s a thousand different moments,” he said.
The show opens tonight and runs through April 1. A word to the wise: It almost certainly will sell out most of the run after opening weekend.
“Little Me” opened on Broadway in 1962. Neil Simon wrote the book with Sid Caeser in mind, and Caeser starred in the original New York production. The show received 10 Tony Award nominations, and won one for Bob Fosse’s choreography. It had a revival in 1982 and again in 1998, the latter earning Martin Short a Tony for best actor in a musical.
The Portland cast includes many Good Theater regulars. In addition to Underwood, it consists of Kelly Caufield-Lawson, Lynne McGhee, Glenn Anderson, Todd Daley, Marie Dittmer, Betsy Melarkey Dunphy, Meredith Lamothe, Jen Means, Erik Moody, John U. Robinson, Andrew Sawyer and Tyler Sperry.
The story begins with Belle, who recounts her life from her humble beginnings to her starlet Hollywood status. But it revolves around the male lead. As written by Simon, the script requires one actor to play the seven men in Belle’s life as she tells her story.
Allen takes that concept even further. Everyone in his cast plays multiple roles. The original Broadway show had a cast of 36, and Allen is shrinking that down to one-third that amount.
Part of his decision was based simply on space. The St. Lawrence stage is limited, as are its backstage accommodations.
But Allen also wants to spread around the comedic mayhem. He hopes to inject a sense of on-the-edge hilarity across the entire cast, so that Underwood isn’t the only one having all the fun. Each actor is responsible for multiple costume changes, wigs and props.
“This is just a really fun and funny show, and it made sense to me to get everyone involved in that spirit,” Allen said.
“LITTLE ME” is just one of several major local productions kicking off this month. Other March theater events of note include:
• Portland Stage Company, 25A Forest Ave., presents “Hidden Tennessee,” a two-act play featuring the work of Tennessee Williams, through March 18. The evening includes three one-act plays and a short story. Tickets range from $15 to $39. Call 774-0465 or visit portlandstage.org.
• Dramatic Repertory Company presents John Belluso’s “A Nervous Smile,” opening tonight and continuing through March 18 at the Studio Theatre at Portland Stage. Belluso, who died in 2006, was an award-winning playwright and champion for artists with disabilities. “A Nervous Smile” explores the dark side of life with a disabled child. It was Belluso’s last play, and he wrote it based on a real-life situation. Tickets range from $10 to $35. Call (800) 838-3006 or visit dramaticrep.org.
• Freeport Factory Stage, 5 Depot St., hosts “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” a popular farce featuring three actors who perform all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays — plus the sonnets — in 90 minutes. It opens tonight and runs Thursday to Sunday through March 24. Regular ticket prices are $19 ($15 for students and seniors ages 65 and older). Thursdays are pay-what-you-can. Call 865-5505 or visit freeportfactory.com.
• In Gorham, the University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre and School of Music presents the musical “The Drowsy Chaperone,” directed by Assunta Kent. The show opens Friday and runs through March 18 at Russell Hall. Tickets cost $21 ($15 for seniors, USM faculty and staff; $10 for students). Call 780-5151 or visit usm.maine.edu/theatre.
• Mad Horse Theatre Company stages the classic drama “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” by Paul Zindel from March 15 to April 1 at Lucid Stage, 29 Baxter Blvd., Portland. This show won many awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, and tells the story of a single mother, her teenage daughters and their dysfunctional family. Tickets cost $22 ($20 for students and seniors). Call 899-3993 or visit lucidstage.com.
• In Lewiston, the Public Theatre present the John Logan play “Red” March 16-25. “Red” won the Tony Award for best play in 2010. It offers audiences a look inside the mind of artist Mark Rothko, who once said, “I am here to stop your heart. I am not here to make pretty pictures.” Tickets cost $18. Call 782-3200 or visit thepublictheatre.org.
• Portland Ovations brings the Rodgers and Hammerstein Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “South Pacific” to Merrill Auditorium for three performances March 17-18. This version is based on the 2008 Tony Award-winning Lincoln Center Theater revival, and includes such classics as “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair,” “Younger than Springtime,” “Bali Ha’i,” “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame,” “This Nearly Was Mine” and “A Wonderful Guy.” Tickets range from $50 to $65. Call 842-0800 or visit porttix.com.
• Lorem Ipsum, a fledgling Portland theater company, presents Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts” at Space Gallery March 22 to April 1. “Ghosts” explores themes of sexual repression, marital duty, religion and disease. The show will incorporate multi-media elements by local filmmakers Last House Productions and Budget Fabulous Films. Tickets cost $10. Call 828-5600 or visit space538.org.
Staff Writer Bob Keyes can be contacted at 791-6457 or:
bkeyes@pressherald.com
Twitter: pphbkeyes
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.