Philip Bryan as the mysterious stranger enchants and elevates the three titular Witches of Eastwick Leah Sessa & Gail Bennet & Lindsey Corey in Slow Burns production / Photos by Ron Elkman
By Oline Cogdill
The Slow Burn Theatre Company casts an inviting spell with its lively, sexy and highly entertaining production of The Witches of Eastwick, playing through Nov. 3 in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
Director Patrick Fitzwater conjures a terrific 15th season opener for Slow Burn with a first-rate cast who possess strong vocals, superb choreography and solid production values in this story about three “witches” and their devil of a lover.
The origin of The Witches of Eastwick starts with John Updike’s 1984 novel that was turned into a 1987 movie upon which the musical version is based. While the film version certainly has its fans, many couldn’t connect with the characters despite the cast’s star power that included Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer. Many audience members on Slow Burn’s opening night performance commented during intermission and after the production that Slow Burn’s version was much better than the movie.
We whole heartedly agree. Audience members also won’t have any trouble relating to the characters in this Slow Burn musical with a music by Dana P. Rowe, book and lyrics by John Dempsey.
The three witches are sculptor and single mother Alexandra “Alex” (Gail Bennett), music teacher and cellist Jane (Leah Sessa), and newspaper columnist Sukie (Lindsey Corey). These three best friends are considered “trouble” by the other female residents, especially by Felicia Gabriel (Britte Steele), who considers herself the “first lady” of their small town of Eastwick, Rhode Island, where gossip is power and more valuable than the truth. “Every wink and every stare is the neighborhood’s affair. . . . .a thousand prying eyes” as described in the opening song “Eastwick Knows.”
These three women are each single, bored with their mundane lives and regularly get together to lament about their stagnant relationships over martinis and peanut butter brownies. They also have unknowingly formed a coven and long for that “manner of man in one man.”
They get more than they bargained for—but also what they needed—when devilish Daryl Van Horne (Philip Bryan) blows into Eastwick, buying the historic Lenox House and planning all kinds of “improvements.” This sets Felicia on a tirade as she had planned to raise enough money to buy the house through the Preservation Society. She’s also furious that Daryl would make any changes.
Daryl doesn’t care about Felicia’s anger. As he says, he’s gone up against more powerful foes than she. He’s after Alex, Jane and Sukie, seducing each in turn, encouraging each to find their inner strength and forming their own little community. Their actions scandalize Eastwick, making them even more outcasts.
Leah Sessa & Gail Bennert & Lindsey Corey
These witches thrive under Daryl, finding talents and independence they didn’t know they had. They become forces of nature. But they have a wake-up call when they realize that Daryl isn’t just devious, but evil and that he has gone too far. Ultimately, these witches learn how to believe in themselves and find their own muse, passion and moral center.
Slow Burn’s The Witches of Eastwick has what the movie version lacked—a sense of fun and playfulness, even when the plot takes a dark turn.
As the witches, Bennett, Corey and Sessa do much magic. Each has a wonderful singing voice with acting chops to match. Their story arc that goes from plain, almost drab, stymied by their life choices to sexual seductresses with gorgeous clothes is believable. These three actors form a solid ensemble, playing off each other with mettle and showing the depth of their friendship. Corey and Sessa are most familiar to South Florida audiences, and Bennett is a welcome addition.
Give the devil his due—you knew that pun was coming—as Bryan quickly ingratiates himself as Daryl. He comes on stage with a smarmy attitude wearing a red shirt opened to show his chest, a look that would repel most women today. But Bryan shows how his character is able to make these women think he is the most perfect man they’ve met. As the saying goes, the devil’s greatest trick was convincing the world he doesn’t exist, attributed to poet Charles Baudelaire and “The Usual Suspects.” Bryan’s tricks are a strong voice, lithe dancing and imposing stage presence.
Steele is on fire as Felicia, the woman you love to hate. She’s the ultimate villain who, as one character says, rules the town with a short leash. Her song “Evil” is a show stopper.
Lending solid support are the always reliable Christopher Dreeson as Felicia’s meek husband Clyde Gabriel, who also is having an affair with Sukie. Tony Carrubba as Michael Spofford and Laura Swartzendruber as Jennifer Gabriel are appealing as the young lovers. Amusing cameos come from Jonathan Eisele as Fidel and Stella Macey as Little Girl.
The 25-member cast showcases Fitzwater’s ability at wrangling a large number of actors, as associate director and choreographer Trent Soyster keeps them on their toes along with dance captain Sarah Sun Park. It also takes considerable skill to make awkward dancing seem effortless as in one scene.
Credit Rick Peña’s costume designs for capturing the witches’ personalities that go from ordinary to stunning as well as the perfect shirtwaist dresses for most of the female residents and Felicia’s over the top outfits. Adding to the production values are scenic design by Kelly Tighe and Clifford Spulock’s outstanding lighting design.
And thank you, Slow Burn, for enhancing this production by having a live band led by music director and conductor Travis Smith.
The Witches of Eastwick musical was launched in London’s West End during 2000 and garnered four 2001 Olivier Award nominations including for best new musical. It received several European productions before landing in the United States during 2007 at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. There, it earned the lead actor, Broward County native Marc Kudisch, a Helen Hayes Award and received positive reviews. The musical was touted as being Broadway bound but was never produced on Broadway, though the musical continues to be produced internationally and at U.S. regional theaters.
Slow Burn’s “The Witches of Eastwick” gives the devil his due and a divine inspiration from its resident witches.
The Witches of Eastwick presented by Slow Burn Theatre Company runs through Nov. 3 at the Amaturo Theater, Broward Center For The Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Performance times vary with an open captioned performance on Sunday, October 27 at 2 p.m. Running time approximately 125 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets start at $72.50. Call (954) 462-0222 for tickets, at www.browardcenter.org or in person at the Broward Center’s Auto Nation Box Office. Info at www.slowburntheatre.org.
Philip Bryan
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