‘Downton Abbey’ meets ‘Gilligan’s Island’ in Village’s new musical
Published 1:30 am Friday, April 28, 2017
EVERETT — What if the cast of “Downton Abbey” was shipwrecked on “Gilligan’s Island”?
That’s one way to describe the lively new musical — “A Proper Place” — opening tonight at Everett Performing Arts Center.
Village Theatre first staged a reading of this romantic comedy by Leslie Becker and Curtis Rhodes in 2014 at Village’s Festival of New Musicals. Then on March 16 in Issaquah, Village produced the world premiere of the show. It now runs through May 21 in Everett.
It’s all new, but the story of the butler Chrichton and the argument over his proper place is an old one.
J.M. Barrie, of “Peter Pan” fame, wrote a comic stage play — “The Admirable Crichton” — two years before he produced the tale of Wendy and Peter in Neverland.
Barrie’s play opened in London in 1902 and then on Broadway in 1903. Since then, it has enjoyed a Broadway revival, was adapted for film twice and twice for TV.
Becker and Rhodes started thinking about making the Chrichton play into a musical about 1990. With the popularity of the TV series “Downton Abbey,” the duo felt the time was right to complete their musical.
Here’s the synopsis:
In 1902, the British aristocrat Lord Loam packs up his three daughters, his minister, a nephew, his butler and a kitchen maid for a voyage to sea.
Loam’s eldest daughter, Lady Mary, says goodbye to her wealthy, pompous and loveless fiance, and joins her sisters Catherine and Agatha on the ship, and away they go.
A storm lands them on a deserted tropical island, where societal hierarchies — their proper places — begin to fall apart as the butler Chrichton steps up to lead the group into survival.
Along the way, Chrichton and Mary begin to fall in love. After a while, Mary, looking a bit like Peter Pan hunting in the jungle, decides she would rather stay on the island and marry Chrichton.
But what happens after the group is rescued and returns to England?
The production has a bit of a slow start, so hang on. The second act flies. The music is lovely and the choreography is seemingly effortless. As usual with Village, the sets, costumes, sound, lights and the ensemble are spectacular.
Leading the cast is Kevin Vortmann as Chrichton. Vortmann, with extensive Broadway credits, replaced original cast member James D. Sasser a few days into the run in Issaquah when Sasser suffered an injury. Vortmann’s voice and physicality are superb. He appears to have been playing the role for forever.
Chelsea LeValley is outstanding as Mary. “A Proper Place” is her first production with Village Theatre. This past year, LeValley was in the cast of “Come From Away” at Seattle Repertory Theatre and “Assassins” by ACT/5th Avenue Theatre.
Lord Loam is played by talented Seattle theater veteran Hugh Hastings. The sisters, played with much humor by Sarah Bordenet and Krista Curry, play opposite David Caldwell as the minister and Village veteran Randy Scholz as Loam’s nephew Ernest Woolley.
Sophia Franzella, as Tweeny the kitchen wench, often steals the show with her enthusiasm and talents as a physical comedian.
Those who miss their weekly episode of “Downton Abbey” — or even “Gilligan’s Island” — should enjoy this musical treat.
“A Proper Place”
Village Theatre’s premiere production of the musical continues through May 21 at Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. For ticket information, call the box office at 425-257-8600.
