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THE PRODUCTION
"The principal performers are uniformly excellent, as are the projections, the scenic design, the lighting and overall production vitality."
-- Dayton Daily News
"With a modern touch, 'Aida' thrills the crowd."
-- Scranton Times Tribune
"Those who hold the tragic love stories of Romeo and Juliet and Tristan and Isolde close to their hearts will love AIDA."
--Reno Gazette-Journal
"This was a magnificent production that the audience rewarded with an unquestioned and spontaneous standing 'O'."
--The Daily Gazette - Schenectady, NY
"A successful pop-rock gospel update of the Verdi opera, Elton John and Tim Rice抯 AIDA is a love triangle for the ages."
--Spokane Spokesman Review
"With big voices, big production numbers and a big set that add up to an audience-pleasing night on the town, the touring production of Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA received a standing ovation."
--The News Journal - Wilmington, DE
"The rock musical by Elton John and Tim Rice reverberates with a
restless African beat and intense, soaring vocals. A kaleidoscope of
brilliant lighting effects sets the stage on fire while an
ensemble of frenetic dancers fan the flames."
--Grand Rapids Press
"Judging by the applause and hoots, the rock score resonates
particularly well with 20-somethings. Perhaps a new generation
is about to capture theatre."
--Grand Rapids Press
"Powerful and moving." --Reno Gazette-Journal
"Big League Theatricals' touring version is splashy and vivid with sharp production values and strong voices throughout the cast."
--Champaign News Gazette
"Proctor's is a grand setting for the magnificent 'Aida'."
--The Daily Gazette - Schenectady, NY
"This version of AIDA brings a strong contemporary beat to the music, costumes and overall dynamic of the story."
--The Capital Times - Madison, WI
"Aida has tuneful Elton John melodies, plenty of top-quality performers, a striking set and brilliant lighting effects."
--Spokane Spokesman Review
"The music was excellent, and the colors, costumes, sets and choreography were dazzling to watch."
--The Capital Times - Madison, WI
"Inventively lit and designed, the scenes flow as in a dream."
--Charleston Post & Courier
"Sets by Neil Patel and lighting by Charlie Morrison were remarkable
for their imagination in creating spaces that passed fluidly into
the present, past and future."
--The Daily Gazette - Schenectady, NY
"The more quiet moments, which incorporated Middle Eastern and African movements, were beautiful."
--Reno Gazette-Journal
"John's melodies are full of surprises and invention."
--Spokane Spokesman Review
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THE CAST
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"Offering splendidly energetic and effectively staged performances were Marja Harmon, stunning in the title role, blonde and beautiful Leah Allers as Princess Amneris, a buff Casey Elliott as Radames, and an ensemble cast of scene-stealing actors and extraordinary dancers, trained to within an inch of their toenails. As directed by Daniel Stewart, every cast member emoted with the intensity we have come to expect in musical theater, giving us thrills to matchDisneyLand rides."
-- Charleston Post & Courier
"Marja Harmon rules the stage with a bluesy belt and such intensity that she seems to pull the notes out of the floor and send them flying to the ceiling."
--Grand Rapids Press
"Harmon, as Aida, was quite simply spectacular as the noble princess
turned into a slave. Her athletic singing voice compelled
Sunday afternoon's audience."
--The Daily Gazette - Schenectady, NY
"Marja Harmon delivers an intense and powerful performance as Aida. She is especially moving in 'Easy as Life' and in the exceptional act-one gospel tinged closer, 'The Gods Love Nubia'."
--Spokane Spokesman Review
"Marja Harmon is a force of nature as Aida, who has huge soaring songs that keep coming all night."
--Champaign News Gazette
"Casey Elliott, playing Radames, showed a solid voice that can handle both the gentle duets with Aida and the louder songs with more intense demands."
--Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
"As Radames, Elliott has great stage presence and a great voice."
--The News Journal - Wilmington, DE |
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FULL REVIEWS
'Aida' is a musical for those hopelessly romantic types
By Merrie Leininger, Reno Gazette-Journal
March 18, 2007
Those who hold the tragic love stories of Romeo and Juliet and Tristan and Isolde close to their hearts will love "Aida." The musical opened its three-day run at the PioneerCenter for the Performing Arts in downtown Reno on Friday night to a packed house of romantics who gave the cast a standing ovation at the end of the 2 1/2 hour performance.
The touring company features Marja Harmon, who has the bearing to pull off the starring role as a Nubian princess who has been captured by a Egyptian captain named Radames (Casey Elliott). While she keeps her noble birth a secret, Radames can immediately see there is something special about Aida. (Or as the old man next to me whispered to his wife: 'She's something else!')
Radames is fascinated by her strength when she attempts to save her friends, who were also captured, by taking a solider hostage. He gives her as a gift to the Egyptian princess, Amneris (Leah Allers), who is a childhood friend with a major crush on the captain.
Aida immediately impresses Amneris with her poise and knowledge and they become close, despite Amneris' shallowness and selfishness.
"Forget the inside," Amneris sings in a fun dance number/runway show with Motown-style backup singers, "I am what I wear and how I dress."
Amneris' dreams come true when her ailing father announces that she will marry Radames in seven days. Meanwhile, every time the new slave, Aida, runs into her captor in the palace, their attraction becomes more clear to both of them.
Radames tries to shake off his inappropriate feelings for a slave and goes to Amneris' chambers, but Aida is there and he leaves without making love to Amneris, much to her frustration. "If the royal cartographer drew you a map of the female body, would you be more inclined to go explore?" she pouts.
Despite these wonderfully silly moments with Princess Amneris, the play is powerful and moving, especially as the second half rushes to its sad conclusion. Allers, who plays Amneris, has a strong voice that is clear with a wide range and she makes the most of it, while not going overboard.
The more dramatic parts do tend to cross over into melodrama, but not too often. And it served its purpose because the whole audience was hushed and caught up in the lovers' fate in the final moments.
The ensemble cast is strong -- all have great voices and many of them are great dancers. The dancers not only leapt and twirled during the big songs, but also took the stage between each scene, I imagine to give the starring actors time to change costumes. Some of the big numbers seemed more appropriate for an 1980s Paula Abdul video, but the more quiet moments, which incorporated Middle Eastern and African movements, were beautiful.
The last couple of scenes do away with everything except the two lovers. Aida and Radame quietly face their deaths in the dark and promise to find each other in their next lives. And then, in a flash to the future, we see that they do.
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