saturday night
Latest Reviews
[Nathan] Moore dances and sings with an Astaire-like ease.
The cast danced beautifully to the simple but effective choreography of Director Jon Engstom.
Saturday Night is a pleasant and competent musical comedy. It is undoubtedly a must see for the died-in-the-wool Sondheim groupie who is compelled to visit the historical roots.Karen Weinstein, CultureVulture.net
Chromolume Theatre Company...shows off this...work to some advantage. There are certainly a couple of bright lights among the cast, and it's always a welcome addition to find a company producing musical theater on a smaller scale--particularly lesser well-known efforts like Saturday Night.
There's a spunkiness to the group scenes both on Gene's front porch and outside the movie theater where the boys take a date. The one-on-one scenes are smoothly rendered as well.
[Nathan] Moore and [Jennifer] Bangs are an attractive, charismatic couple and Bangs sings as expertly as she dances.Evan Henerson, LA Daily News
[T]here are engaging performances by [Nathan] Moore, Jennifer Bangs, Gwen Copeland, Adam LeBow and a hard-working ensemble, and Gary Gray provides crisp musical direction.
Neal Weaver, LA Weekly
[I]t will be of primary interest to those fascinated by Sondheim's artistic development. [Stephen Sondheim's] score is pleasant...showing intermittent flashes of the stylistic genius that would surface as his talent matured. One smashing ballad, 'So Many People,' is a highlight, and there is sprightly enjoyment in the title song and 'One Wonderful Day.'
[V]eteran director-choreographer Jon Engstrom and an accomplished cast find fun in this innocuous tale about ambitious young pals in Brooklyn dreaming of romance and stock-market success.
[Nathan] Moore is a highly appealing song-and-dance man, doing some fancy footwork with a Fred Astaire flair; Jennifer Bangs is spirited in the female lead role of his new love; and Adam LeBow stands out as the guys' buoyant married friend, Hank.Les Spindle, Frontiers News Magazine
It's still fascinating to hear the strains of Follies wafting through the melody of 'Class' or Sondheim's acerbic urban wit surfacing in 'Exhibit A,'...
Sondheim was still Sondheim when he wrote lyrics such as, 'A women will be at ease/As long as she's smellin' trees/In bloom.'
Moore and Bangs are excellent and exuberant in their underwritten roles, as is the Eddie Bracken-like Alex Black as Bobby, an early echo of Company's leading character of the same name. Gwen Copeland and Alissa-Nicole Koblentz are vocal standouts....Travis Michael Holder, Backstage West
[Saturday Night] is a charming fun-filled musical!
Newcomer to LA Theater, Nathan J. Moore and veteran Jennifer Bangs made a charming leading couple. With several dance numbers executed with wonderful style and elegance, they filled the stage with energy. One would never know that Moore is so new to the theater, both his dancing and singing were effortless and mesmerising. Jennifer Bangs' two solo songs, 'Isn't It?' and 'All For You' were among the best moments in the production.
It is so nice when a theater ventures away from the standard repertoire. Keep an eye on The Chromolume Theatre as it continues to bring exciting new theatrical experiences to Los Angeles audiences.A. Thomas, Maestro Arts & Reviews
Saturday Night...is terrific! It was performed by 15 rambunctious members of the Chromolume Theatre Company and...managed to provide enough energy and zip to delight its appreciative opening night audience.
Jon Engstrom...gets the talented cast to dish up some Broadway-worthy action.
Vali Tirsoaga was the set designer, and Erin Welty provided the costume design, which was right on!
All in all, it was a wonderful, cheerful evening of theater.Cynthia Citron, Beverly Hills Outlook
Director-Choreographer Jon Engstrom's guileless cast embraces the Golden Age convictions.
[Nathan] Moore's puppyish appeal is evident...with a born dancer's line. [Jennifer] Bangs' pertness and belt-edged soprano recall the emerging Nancy Dussault. Their colleagues are endearingly eager, including Alex Back's pseudo-Casanova, Jamie McMurray's dulcet band singer and Alissa-Nicole Koblentz's rich-voiced female counterpart.
Sondheim's freshman efforts remain mint-fresh. Many established troupes no doubt are gnashing their teech for not snagging this amiable charmer.David C. Nichols, LA Times