LOVELAND, OHIO - The performance last Saturday night of Tom Sawyer The Musical, by the Loveland Middle School was a first rate production and the Loveland Community now has a higher bar to get over when sights are set on local stage productions.
The lighting was excellent, costumes wonderfully time and period designed, with special attention paid to details often overlooked that if left unattended to, often end up distracting the audience. Makeup application is always difficult for a stage production because some patrons are very close to the actors, and some very far away. Makeup applied with too heavy a hand can often be the most distracting thing for theater goers to overcome, but these students and their parent volunteers and the staff at the Middle School pulled off this difficult task to almost perfection. Only one set of facial hair and sideburns seemed a little too "painted on." Many of these seventh and eight graders played the roll of adults and senior citizens, so pulling off the make-up makeovers is no routine task.
Then there were the actors themselves, not missing a beat with their lines, which all seemed to be delivered with perfect timing, and perfect elocution. The dialogue was as spontaneous as natural conversation, no insignificant feat even for veteran actors. Even from the back of the sold out auditorium, there was never a need to strain to hear or understand the dialogue - the Mississippi River dialect at that. How do you pull off the southern dialect without seeming to mock? Don't know, but these young students did this with great maturity. This wasn't Hee Haw, it was simply finely crafted acting and directing.
The sets were also designed and painted to do just that - set the scene in a place and time without distracting from the flow of the action and story line. They were beautifully painted in intricate and subtle detail. Also, no gimmicky sound effects to distract and take the theater patron away from the mood were used, adding to the credit of this artfully crafted production.
This was an carefully thought out and well executed production, and for seventh and eight grade students to pull off this play is simply amazing and a credit to the reputation the Loveland community has for presenting first rate theater.
The production was more play than musical, but music certainly played its part. The pit orchestra (a seven piece professional orchestra) was also subtle in its presentation and never distracted from the singing or acting. And, like the actors on the stage, the director of the pit orchestra, was not afraid to let the audience savor quiet and gentle moments nor did anyone over-act the few rather raucous scenes or prat-falls.
Remember the name Kees Henskens, who played the lead role of Tom sawyer. Plant his name into your memory, (Henskens, Henskens, Henskens) and try to see this young man act, dance or sing sometime this year. Henskens can be a show stopper if he wants because he certainly has the talent, but he knows how to act; either among a chorus of many or one on one with the leading lady. His acting career will be closely followed throughout his years in the Loveland schools - get in line early, the lines will be long to see this very talented young man. You might assume that Henskens' stage maturity can be attributed to natural or raw talent, which he of course has, but his performances are much more than that as he crafts his role well and knows what is going on around him at all times. It's not about Henskens - it's about you the audience, his fellow stage mates, and of course, the story he is telling.
More simply put, Tom Sawyer at the Loveland Middle School last Saturday was a well spun tale, nothing more, nothing less and no more could be asked of actors of any age. It was a well told story - end of story.
