Arsenic Silliness of Baltimore, no wait, that’s not right. A Summer of Brewsters, no that doesn’t sound right either. Oh, I remember, it’s Arsenic & Old Lace at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore! Three years of no theatre has my brain a little foggy, but Sarah O’Hara’s directorial debut makes it clear that she and ASoB are back! Not only are they back, they are back with a bang, or in this case a sip.
PUFFS! Spoiler alert— not everyone’s favorite house…but
when a hat speaks, you listen! Let’s be clear here, there will be much foolish
wand waving and silly incantations in Artistic Synergy of Baltimore’s production
of PUFFS or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic
and Magic. Fresh from Off-Broadway, and playing a limited four-show engagement,
PUFFS is the ridiculously absurd parody play that will banish all your
boggarts back into their closets with a healthy dose of laughter.
Territory folks should stick together! Territory folks should all be pals! The cowboys dance with the farmer’s daughters; the farmers dance with the rancher’s gals! Now I’d like to say a word ‘bout Artistic Synergy…they set up in the church basement and that’s fine! They do shows to make us smile, and they’re dancing’s real in style, and they’re doing Oklahoma! by Rogers & Hammerstein! Oh— territory folks should stick together— territory folks should all be friends,
Chin up! Chin up! Everybody loves a happy face! Wear it! Share it! It’ll brighten up the darkest place! Twinkle! Sparkle! Let a little sunshine in! You’ll be on the right side looking at the bright side up with your chinny-chin, chin up! Salutations! It’s Artistic Synergy’s reason to twinkle— sparkle— and let a little sunshine into the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church basement this summer! Presenting for the first time— a children’s production featuring the children of Artistic Synergy!
You’ve gotta be— sincere! You’ve gotta see it here! Cause when you see it here— at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore— you’re honestly going to see— sincere! If you’re seein’ it here— at Artistic Synergy— then it’s really sincere! And if you’re seein’ it here— Bye Bye Birdie that is— then it’s gonna be right, oh baby! Directed by Jeff Baker, this fast-movin’ 50’s feel-good musical is showing the east side of Baltimore that there’s such a lot of living to do!
To begin this review, a synopsis feels almost unnecessary because it would be difficult to find people who are not familiar with this timeless piece of comedy by Neil Simon. The Odd Couple had its original debut in 1965 on Broadway, and with its success, spurred a film in 1968, and then a TV series from 1970 – 1975. Since then it’s seen many adaptations and revivals (even a cartoon version in the 70’s!).
Here’s a picture of a neighborhood, there’s the corner where they all stood. The neighborhood is Rosedale, in the basement of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church to be exact, and the corner? That’s Artistic Synergy, a staple of a community theatre in that corner of Baltimore. Presenting Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller as their spring musical, the company puts forth an enthusiastic effort that is well met with strong vocal talent to the less than cohesive musical revue.