COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT NEWS REVIEW of "Miss Gulch Returns!"
The Bitch Is Back: Jerome Elliott Shines in DETC's 'Miss Gulch Returns'
As a child, my older sister was scared to death of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. My sister would flee the room in terror when the old green hag appeared onscreen. Sis is not alone: The witch, and her alter ego, the bicycle-riding, dog-hating Almira Gulch, have been feared and reviled by scores of little ones for years.
But what if Miss Gulch had a softer, more vulnerable side? The Desert Ensemble Theatre Company explores that possibility in its latest production, Miss Gulch Returns, a one-man show featuring local cabaret performer Jerome Elliott in a delightful performance.
The show, written by New York singer/pianist Fred Barton, became a hit 20 years ago, and holds up well. The premise is that Miss Gulch feels disrespected after her big musical number was cut from The Wizard of Oz movie, so she hits the cabaret circuit in search of showbiz success—and love.
The show opens with Elliott, looking quite dapper in a black tux, detailing in the first musical number how he met Miss Gulch in a bar (“You’re The Woman I’d Wanna Be”). Moments later, he morphs into Miss Gulch herself, losing the tux and appearing in a long black dress and a black hat adorned with a large bow. (Elliott pulls off drag quite well.)
He warns us that if we’re not careful, “Miss Gulch is what every one of us is going to become”—old, bitter and frustrated (“I’m a Bitch”).
There are lots of laughs and plenty of suggestive lyrics (“Pour Me a Man”) as Miss Gulch struggles valiantly to find true love, singing torch songs for a living and hitting the bottle a bit too much. One of the highlights of the evening is one of the few ballads, the poignant “Everyone Worth Taking’s Been Taken.”
Elliott is a solid, seasoned performer with a strong voice. He seems right at home onstage and is reminiscent of an old song-and-dance man like Donald O’Connor. He possesses great comic timing and can really throw out a zinger, as he does to a lover who’s just dumped him: “One look at you, and I knew you were one of those guys who thinks monogamy is a game put out by Parker Brothers.” Later, he compares lovers to dentures: “You don’t want them in your mouth all night, but you do want them within arm’s reach first thing in the morning.”
This material isn’t earthshaking—there are no big show-stopping numbers, and there are slow moments here and there—but the lyrics are clever, and there’s just the right amount of raunchiness to keep us entertained. The piano-bar set is simple and just right, and musical director Charlie Creasy provides excellent keyboard accompaniment. The production runs just about 90 minutes, which is perfect for a one-man musical show.
Desert Ensemble Theatre’s production of Miss Gulch Returns is funny, bawdy, touching and worth seeing. Kudos to director Tony Padilla, who has helped Elliott create a believable, three-dimensional character in Almira Gulch. Even my sister would like her.
—Bonnie Gilgallon April 19, 2015 CV Independent News http://cvindependent.com/index.php/en-US/arts-and-culture/theater/item/2151-the-bitch-is-back-jerome-elliott-shines-in-detc-s-miss-gulch-returns
COACHELLA VALLEY NEWS REVIEW of "Miss Gulch Returns!"
MISS GULCH RETURNS AND THE DESERT LAUGHS
"Miss Gulch Returns!," presented by the Desert Ensemble Theatre (DETC), opened to a nearly full house on Friday night at the historic Palm Springs Woman's Club's Pearl McManus Theatre... Jerome Elliott is the one and only "star" in this one man (one woman?) monologue that is a very loose parody on the 1939 MGM "Wizard of Oz" movie. If minor characters within a movie could succeed, then definitely "Miss Almira Gulch" would!!!
That may be because Almira is just a reminder to us all about one's own status: not having a man in one's life. She personifies so many females, not only in her day, but in today's culture who simply can't find a man, or even a date. Almira delivers a lot of satire during her monologue, double entendres, ruminations on her loneliness and rotten luck, and finally calling herself a plain "bitch." The "I'm A Bitch" song is quite funny!
As the play unfolds with the character development of Miss Gulch through the songs and the dialogue, one is acutely aware of her ongoing dilemma, that she just can't find a man. She takes us along to her very sad pity party. Jerome Elliott does a fantastic job of depicting her personality where she supports her own conclusion, that Miss Gulch is the "musical vivisection of a stereotype, riding her bicycle across the family's tv screen." It's really heavy, very telling, and oh so true! Also, when Miss Gulch"speaks about marriage, or the ones who have found a man, she calls (stereotypes) "serial suffering marriage junkies." And, she warns, "Don't let Miss Gulch happen to you!"
That last warning even includes the downside of being in a one-man (or is it a one-woman?) show. "One of the disadvantages of doing a one-man show is that cast parties are dismal," she states. This writer made sure to be present to Elliott after the show so he wouldn't fall victim to being a "Miss Gulch." He received many kudos and rewards, so don't think that is going to happen.
Whether it is put downs or just great cabaret, "Miss Gulch Returns!" delivers it all! This show has been performed in cabarets across the United States, in Europe, and in Australia.....
While "Miss Gulch" herself held an obscure part in the history of filmmaking -- the woman who was born on a bicycle in West Topeka in 1902 who also rode her bicycle to get Toto the doggie in "Wizard of Oz" in 1939 -- she became a part of national consciousness, she stated. But, aside from that, she really didn't accomplish very much, just lived a life full of ruminations, jealousies, and fumings. It's a wonderful treatise and psychological study on a woman's relentless pursuit for a man.
Jerome Elliott has incredible credentials and is excellent as Almira Gulch. The musical direction is adeptly done by Charlie Creasy and is directed by Tony Padilla with assistant Michael Holmes.
You may see this show next Friday and Saturday nights, or on Sunday afternoon. Don't miss it, it is wonderful. And, the fun part is toward the end when "Miss Gulch" starts handing out chocolates to the audience. This writer, along with another "critic," got a prize, a box of hazelnut Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
-- Charlene Faris Coachella Valley News April 19, 2015 http://coachellavalleyfun.com/content/2015/4/19/miss-gulch-returns-and-the-desert-laughs.html
The Bitch Is Back: Jerome Elliott Shines in DETC's 'Miss Gulch Returns'
As a child, my older sister was scared to death of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. My sister would flee the room in terror when the old green hag appeared onscreen. Sis is not alone: The witch, and her alter ego, the bicycle-riding, dog-hating Almira Gulch, have been feared and reviled by scores of little ones for years.
But what if Miss Gulch had a softer, more vulnerable side? The Desert Ensemble Theatre Company explores that possibility in its latest production, Miss Gulch Returns, a one-man show featuring local cabaret performer Jerome Elliott in a delightful performance.
The show, written by New York singer/pianist Fred Barton, became a hit 20 years ago, and holds up well. The premise is that Miss Gulch feels disrespected after her big musical number was cut from The Wizard of Oz movie, so she hits the cabaret circuit in search of showbiz success—and love.
The show opens with Elliott, looking quite dapper in a black tux, detailing in the first musical number how he met Miss Gulch in a bar (“You’re The Woman I’d Wanna Be”). Moments later, he morphs into Miss Gulch herself, losing the tux and appearing in a long black dress and a black hat adorned with a large bow. (Elliott pulls off drag quite well.)
He warns us that if we’re not careful, “Miss Gulch is what every one of us is going to become”—old, bitter and frustrated (“I’m a Bitch”).
There are lots of laughs and plenty of suggestive lyrics (“Pour Me a Man”) as Miss Gulch struggles valiantly to find true love, singing torch songs for a living and hitting the bottle a bit too much. One of the highlights of the evening is one of the few ballads, the poignant “Everyone Worth Taking’s Been Taken.”
Elliott is a solid, seasoned performer with a strong voice. He seems right at home onstage and is reminiscent of an old song-and-dance man like Donald O’Connor. He possesses great comic timing and can really throw out a zinger, as he does to a lover who’s just dumped him: “One look at you, and I knew you were one of those guys who thinks monogamy is a game put out by Parker Brothers.” Later, he compares lovers to dentures: “You don’t want them in your mouth all night, but you do want them within arm’s reach first thing in the morning.”
This material isn’t earthshaking—there are no big show-stopping numbers, and there are slow moments here and there—but the lyrics are clever, and there’s just the right amount of raunchiness to keep us entertained. The piano-bar set is simple and just right, and musical director Charlie Creasy provides excellent keyboard accompaniment. The production runs just about 90 minutes, which is perfect for a one-man musical show.
Desert Ensemble Theatre’s production of Miss Gulch Returns is funny, bawdy, touching and worth seeing. Kudos to director Tony Padilla, who has helped Elliott create a believable, three-dimensional character in Almira Gulch. Even my sister would like her.
—Bonnie Gilgallon April 19, 2015 CV Independent News http://cvindependent.com/index.php/en-US/arts-and-culture/theater/item/2151-the-bitch-is-back-jerome-elliott-shines-in-detc-s-miss-gulch-returns
COACHELLA VALLEY NEWS REVIEW of "Miss Gulch Returns!"
MISS GULCH RETURNS AND THE DESERT LAUGHS
"Miss Gulch Returns!," presented by the Desert Ensemble Theatre (DETC), opened to a nearly full house on Friday night at the historic Palm Springs Woman's Club's Pearl McManus Theatre... Jerome Elliott is the one and only "star" in this one man (one woman?) monologue that is a very loose parody on the 1939 MGM "Wizard of Oz" movie. If minor characters within a movie could succeed, then definitely "Miss Almira Gulch" would!!!
That may be because Almira is just a reminder to us all about one's own status: not having a man in one's life. She personifies so many females, not only in her day, but in today's culture who simply can't find a man, or even a date. Almira delivers a lot of satire during her monologue, double entendres, ruminations on her loneliness and rotten luck, and finally calling herself a plain "bitch." The "I'm A Bitch" song is quite funny!
As the play unfolds with the character development of Miss Gulch through the songs and the dialogue, one is acutely aware of her ongoing dilemma, that she just can't find a man. She takes us along to her very sad pity party. Jerome Elliott does a fantastic job of depicting her personality where she supports her own conclusion, that Miss Gulch is the "musical vivisection of a stereotype, riding her bicycle across the family's tv screen." It's really heavy, very telling, and oh so true! Also, when Miss Gulch"speaks about marriage, or the ones who have found a man, she calls (stereotypes) "serial suffering marriage junkies." And, she warns, "Don't let Miss Gulch happen to you!"
That last warning even includes the downside of being in a one-man (or is it a one-woman?) show. "One of the disadvantages of doing a one-man show is that cast parties are dismal," she states. This writer made sure to be present to Elliott after the show so he wouldn't fall victim to being a "Miss Gulch." He received many kudos and rewards, so don't think that is going to happen.
Whether it is put downs or just great cabaret, "Miss Gulch Returns!" delivers it all! This show has been performed in cabarets across the United States, in Europe, and in Australia.....
While "Miss Gulch" herself held an obscure part in the history of filmmaking -- the woman who was born on a bicycle in West Topeka in 1902 who also rode her bicycle to get Toto the doggie in "Wizard of Oz" in 1939 -- she became a part of national consciousness, she stated. But, aside from that, she really didn't accomplish very much, just lived a life full of ruminations, jealousies, and fumings. It's a wonderful treatise and psychological study on a woman's relentless pursuit for a man.
Jerome Elliott has incredible credentials and is excellent as Almira Gulch. The musical direction is adeptly done by Charlie Creasy and is directed by Tony Padilla with assistant Michael Holmes.
You may see this show next Friday and Saturday nights, or on Sunday afternoon. Don't miss it, it is wonderful. And, the fun part is toward the end when "Miss Gulch" starts handing out chocolates to the audience. This writer, along with another "critic," got a prize, a box of hazelnut Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
-- Charlene Faris Coachella Valley News April 19, 2015 http://coachellavalleyfun.com/content/2015/4/19/miss-gulch-returns-and-the-desert-laughs.html
