The Court's Carousel won't leave you walking alone

In the past two years, Chicago has seen two minimalist revivals of Rogers and Hammerstein's two most enduring plays Oklahoma! at American Theater Company and now the Court Theatre's production of Carousel. While it's somewhat frustrating Chicago does not have enough larger theater spaces to mount more extravagant productions, in both cases, the smaller spaces has lead to particularly innovative tactics. ATC returned Oklahoma! to its small-town, Wild West roots, making you feel as if you were actually on the prairie with the actors. And Carousel, lacking the titular set piece, turns the focus of the production to the emotional turmoil and dramatic weight of the story. While the latter production makes for a slightly less enjoyable musical, it also results in a much better work of drama.

In other recent musical revivals, the Court has focused on a bare-bones style, and the results have ranged from outstanding (their prisoner's tale version of Man of La Mancha) or the lackluster (Raisin). While not perfect, this Carousel, directed by Charlie Newell, is a much more challenging production than most remountings of the Great White Way. The focus is more on the acting than the singing, and Nicholas Belton's excellent grasp of his character made up for the unfortunate shrillness of his voice (though he did botch a couple of lines). Johanna McKenzie Miller was probably the best singer, but it was her performance as a more solemn, resigned Julie Jordan that was the real revelation. Ms. Miller's Julie doesnt seem like a queer one as much as a women at her wit's end. The production continued Carousel's long history of multiracial casting, even with a stripped down cast that featured Ernestine Jackson (Mama in the Court's Raisin) triple cast as Netti, the Starkeeper, and Dr. Seldon. It would have been a bolder decision to have one of the black male actors play the conniving criminal Jigger Cragin, but I suppose I can't ask for too much (Matthew Brumlow gave the most consistent performance as Jigger besides).

John Culbert's scene design, an angled wall that makes the stage look bigger than it actually is, was one of the highlights of the production, with one major caveat. Instead of letting the carousel image go altogether, someone felt the need to have a miniature carousel horse hanging by a string from the rafters. The set is so meticulously suited for the scale of this production, and works so efficiently, that's its baffling that such a tacked on, rather silly looking horse would make it past previews. Surely there must be better uses of a Carousel horse than looking like nothing more than a giant Christmas ornament.

The music has always been the most enduring element of Carousel, and it's given a top notch orchestration by Doug Peck. Additionally, the ballet with Bigelow's daughter is a particularly offbeat take by choreographer Randy Duncan, and it works given the offbeat, fiery personality Laura Scheinbaum gives Louise. It's deceptively skillful, starting off looking like kids just playing around until the dancing becomes more elaborate.

Still, the most notable part of Newell's production is the story, as Bigelow's conflicted, ultimately tragic character complements Julie's sorrowful desperation for happiness, even if Ms. Miller and Mr. Benton lack chemistry. While the program notes that Carousel differed from Lilliom, the Hungarian play it adapted, in its more upbeat ending, this is probably the most downbeat ending to Carousel you'll ever see. All in all, in terms of the Court's motto, Newell's production has certainly made this American classic come alive.