Review
Sacramento Music Circus, a summer tent venue of the Civic Light Opera, has been presenting musicals for four decades to
sell-out crowds. The production credits are generally excellent, the actors first rate and the staging for its 2,500-seat
arena stage always inventive. Director Leland Ball chose to do Chicago's version after the success at Marriott Lincolnshire,
and their costumes for the human chesspieces were rented for this production. With a larger playing area, Ball generally
opened up the show and it was staged differently from its source.
Starring as Florence was Judy McLane, who had been Judy Kuhn's understudy in the Broadway company. Anatoly was played by
Robert R. McCormick, veteran of the national tour of Drood and the New York Theatre Company's revival of The
Golden Apple, while Kim Strauss reprised his Freddie from the Chicago company. The audience responded with as much
enthusiasm as Chicago had experienced and the run was a smash hit.
| |
Directed and Choreographed by Leland Ball
CAST