by Terri Riggle
Scott Phillips’ latest musical offering is a sure-fire winner. “Burr: The One Who Won” opened last Thursday night on the Kent Theatre stage and proves to not only present historically interesting facts but is hysterically humorous as well. The play is a look at Aaron Burr’s life, presented in a steady stream of sketches. But that doesn’t mean Phillips gives audience members a dry history lesson. On the contrary, he uses every opportunity to poke fun at politics and people, mixing modern news and historical facts to provide everything from chuckles to guffaws. Be prepared to laugh.
The play opens with the entire cast gathered onstage with Jill Phillips, who wrote all the songs and lyrics performed in the play, for a rousing rendition of “Welcome to America.” Action continues with Alexander Hamilton, aptly played by stage veteran Russ Cole, acting as a narrator-guide, setting up each scene in front of the Kent’s brilliant red velvet curtain. He performs the show’s only rap song in costume which includes a white wig and pantaloons, looking very much the part of a gentlemen living in the 1700’s. Joining him onstage is Theodosia Burr, played by a spunky Mandy Casebolt, who spars with Hamilton, defending her husband’s honor.
Following Hamilton’s narration, the curtains open and action continues with a scene introducing Aaron Burr, played skillfully by Jennifer Vlas, in the Battle for Quebec in 1775, moving to the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge, featuring Jerry Hoye, playing a somber General George Washington. Act One then continues with a scene from the Burr home in 1793. A tender moment is shared as Theodosia reveals that she is ill and faces death, performing “Cry,” a sweet, sad ballad. The act ends in Thomas Jefferson’s office in 1800 with Jefferson, played by veteran actor Jerry Dominowski, becoming the third U.S. President. Hamilton enters and admits that he helped swing the vote to Jefferson. Upset with this turn of events, Burr and Hamilton are at odds with each other and perform “Change My Life,” accompanied by a hilarious trio of back-up singers featuring Jefferson, James Monroe, played by Amos Ader, and James Madison, played by Madison Ruth, who, in a nod to the Blues Brothers, don black sunglasses to finish out the song.
Act One also showcases the talent of Jacob Hoekzema, who plays Colonel Benedict Arnold, and sings “Turncoat,” along with Burr and General Montgomery played by Doug Christensen. Also, the use of two young girls, Fancy Girl, played by Emma Chase and Tom Boy, played by Cassidy Mayo, carry placards with time and place written on them, to help keep the audience on track of the action on the stage.
Act Two opens in 1804 and the duel is about to begin between Burr and Hamilton. Before the two face off, they perform, “Step at a Time,” and then Hamilton shoots and misses Burr. He then let’s fly the bullet that takes the life of Hamilton. The next scene is a courtroom where Burr, along with his attorney Luther Martin, get charges dropped, and he is released. Although, things don’t go so well with him from that point on. His political career is as dead as Hamilton. In the following scene, which takes place in his daughter’s home in South Carolina. Jessica Talsma is the dutiful, if not, delightful, Theodosia Burr and is married to the new Governor, Joseph Alston, played by Frank VenPelt. He is not happy by the upcoming visit of his famous, or rather, infamous father-in-law, worrying that if voters find out Aaron Burr is related to him, it could adversely affect his political ambitions. However, she welcomes her father to her home and sweetly sings of her love in “Daddy.”
In a closing scene, a much older Burr, played by Jerry Hoye, is married again, but this time to the wealthy, but saucy and sassy, “…please-call-me-Eliza…” Jumel, played artfully by Rosie Tomlinson. Burr goes through her money, so she divorces him, but not before she belts out a hard-rocking rendition of “Why Lie.”
All in all, the play is a delight. Characters were developed well, musically the voices were strong and every cast member appeared as if they were really having just plain old fun on stage. In true community theater style, the team of Phillips and Phillips, assisted by a skilled team of technicians, pulled off another solid hit with “Burr: The One Who Won.”
There are two performances this coming weekend on Friday and Saturday nights. Performances start at 7:30 p.m. You may purchase tickets at the Cedar Springs Public Library in advance for $12 for adults and $6 for children under 18. The box office is open 30 minutes before each performance and tickets may be purchased at that time for $15 for adults and $6 for children under 18.
